** Lost Gold At The Dead Man's Mine ** A Miners Journal **

[GhostMiner]

Maybe I'll do a post here about how someone might think this minesite is cursed. I'll put it out tomorrow when I get the time. Cheers.

[GhostMiner]

   Now getting back to posting here about what Jacob had told me about our minesite being cursed. Of course we all know what happened to Jed back in 1936. He was murdered for his gold and that story is completely true. His brother Jacob was run off the claim in 1937 and was lucky to escape with his life. Others in the crew were not as fortunate. And Whisky Jack died from a rattle snake bite to the face. That is probably enough to get you thinking about the place having bad karma.

   As far as my own experiences go, I have witnessed some things and some of the people that have worked there have had some problems. One group next to our claims at the lower area of the mountain had a really nice gold strike one season. However, they got themselves into problems with the law and were arrested. I used to visit this crew now and then and they were a rough bunch of outlaw types. But they were good to me and I learned lots about mining from them. The fact that they got arrested did surprise me though. Curse? I don't think so.

   There was a really good guy that worked with us on several ventures on the claims. He was very smart and was a good miner as well. We had many long conversations about our claims and gold mining both in person and on the phone. One day I got an email from one of his partners. He told me he had died but I won't say how on this forum. He was 50 yrs old and I was shocked. Curse? I don't know.

   There was a crew who worked on one of our claims, hit it big, then lost it all on another venture on another area of our claims. Curse? I doubt it. That's just gold mining. High risk.

   I've heard voices out of nowhere and so have my partners. This kind of thing you can't explain. One of my partners was run off Jed's digsite of 1936 by gunfire. He had his young son with him. I don't think anyone was shooting at them but just trying to scare them away. It worked. Is that a curse? Doubtful.

   We've had our share of highgraders or what some would call claim jumpers.  I look at that stuff as just a part of mining on a gold bearing claim. Cursed? Nope. So there you have it. There is always something weird that happens every year.

[GhostMiner]

THE JOURNAL HAS REACHED ANOTHER MILESTONE. IT NOW HAS 300,000 VIEWS. MANY THANKS TO ALL THE READERS.

[GhostMiner]

   June 4   2002

 

   We had 2.7 ounces of gold out of the 60 yards we ran yesterday. I guess it’s ok but none of us are getting rich after a four way split. We had a quick meeting and discussed a way to process more yards per hour. It would require a large trommel or multiple toms. That would require more water and we’d have to deal with triple the tailings to move. The excavator was capable of digging all the pay we could dream of running in a day so I made a few calls to see what was available. Jim and I decided to go to Reno to look at a couple of trommels and Jacob and Vern stayed at camp.

   We ended up buying a real nice rebuilt 40 yard per hour trommel. At least that’s what it was rated at. I figured even with a worst case scenario of processing 200 yards a day that would triple our production and hopefully the  gold weighs. We also bought two brand new pumps and an old skid steer. We will have everything up and running in two days. The equipment will be delivered to the mine tomorrow. Jacob said he is going to miss seeing the tom processing gravel but is very happy to hear about running three times the gravel. Tomorrow will be a busy day.

   TO BE CONTINUED .................

[GhostMiner]

   June 5 2002

 

   We were all up early this morning. Jacob was all wound up about getting heavy equipment on the mine at last. And the timing was good because some of that big heat that jacob had been talking about was supposed to be starting. I was having morning coffee with the crew when Jacob came out of his camper with a bottle of Bushmills and poured a generous serving into everyone’s coffee cup. We had a good breakfast and waited for the deliveries.

   Vern stayed at camp while the rest of us drove down to the main road. First to arrive was the old skid steer and the two pumps. It had tracks and the motor seemed willing to work. We put the pumps in the bucket of the steer and Jim drove it up to the digsite.

   After a wait of what seemed like forever but was actually late morning the trommel arrived. It was mounted on an off road trailer. We hooked it up to my truck and I pulled it up to the mine site. Then we got to work setting up our new operation. It was like Christmas had come in June for us. Everyone was excited to get everything set up just right. We worked until dark and finally had everything set up like we wanted but it was too late to do a test run and we were all exhausted. The temperature during the late afternoon had climbed into the mid 90’s and we were all feeling it. 

   We buttoned up the last details and walked over to camp and had cold beer and hamburgers. It had been a very good day for our crew.  

   TO BE CONTINUED ................

[GhostMiner]

   June 6   2002

 

   The crew was up before dawn and we had coffee together. Everyone was in a hurry to fire up the trommel and see what kind of yardage the plant could handle. At sunrise the temperature was nearly 60 degrees and we expected a sweltering day. Jacob said this may be the beginning of the big heat he had talked about. He said it could last until well into September. I know one thing, I am happy to not be digging with a pick and shovel now. Those old crews must have been as tough as they come.

   We had all taken night watch shifts and everything was quiet. Vern fired up the big pump and the pristine morning air and silence was suddenly broken with the smell of diesel fuel and throbbing gas and diesel engines. 

   Jim ran the excavator while Jacob tended to the trommel and I got in the skid steer. Jim dug up piles of virgin gravel while I loaded the trommel with pay gravel from the bucket of the steer and pushed tailings. Within one hour we had processed roughly  20 cubic yards of gravel and we were hardly running the trommel at half speed. We had it up on a pad with a ramp for the steer to come up to its hopper and feed it. It was a beast. After a few minor adjustments to the water flow we cranked it up to about 80% and let it work. By 2:00 PM we had run 150 yards through it and shut it down. We wanted to see how the recovery was so we cleaned out the mats and all four of us participated in the cleanup. Jacob had the biggest grin on his face I had ever seen. In the holding pan there were 17 ounces of gold. We broke out the whisky and beer and had a toast to the old crew. If only they could have been here.

   TO BE CONTINUED ...............

[Old Miner Don]

48 minutes ago, GhostMiner said:

   June 6   2002

 

   The crew was up before dawn and we had coffee together. Everyone was in a hurry to fire up the trommel and see what kind of yardage the plant could handle. At sunrise the temperature was nearly 60 degrees and we expected a sweltering day. Jacob said this may be the beginning of the big heat he had talked about. He said it could last until well into September. I know one thing, I am happy to not be digging with a pick and shovel now. Those old crews must have been as tough as they come.

   We had all taken night watch shifts and everything was quiet. Vern fired up the big pump and the pristine morning air and silence was suddenly broken with the smell of diesel fuel and throbbing gas and diesel engines. 

   Jim ran the excavator while Jacob tended to the trommel and I got in the skid steer. Jim dug up piles of virgin gravel while I loaded the trommel with pay gravel from the bucket of the steer and pushed tailings. Within one hour we had processed roughly  20 cubic yards of gravel and we were hardly running the trommel at half speed. We had it up on a pad with a ramp for the steer to come up to its hopper and feed it. It was a beast. After a few minor adjustments to the water flow we cranked it up to about 80% and let it work. By 2:00 PM we had run 150 yards through it and shut it down. We wanted to see how the recovery was so we cleaned out the mats and all four of us participated in the cleanup. Jacob had the biggest grin on his face I had ever seen. In the holding pan there were 17 ounces of gold. We broke out the whisky and beer and had a toast to the old crew. If only they could have been here.

   TO BE CONTINUED ...............

That put a grin on my face too!

[blackjack]

1 hour ago, GhostMiner said:

   June 6   2002

 

   The crew was up before dawn and we had coffee together. Everyone was in a hurry to fire up the trommel and see what kind of yardage the plant could handle. At sunrise the temperature was nearly 60 degrees and we expected a sweltering day. Jacob said this may be the beginning of the big heat he had talked about. He said it could last until well into September. I know one thing, I am happy to not be digging with a pick and shovel now. Those old crews must have been as tough as they come.

   We had all taken night watch shifts and everything was quiet. Vern fired up the big pump and the pristine morning air and silence was suddenly broken with the smell of diesel fuel and throbbing gas and diesel engines. 

   Jim ran the excavator while Jacob tended to the trommel and I got in the skid steer. Jim dug up piles of virgin gravel while I loaded the trommel with pay gravel from the bucket of the steer and pushed tailings. Within one hour we had processed roughly  20 cubic yards of gravel and we were hardly running the trommel at half speed. We had it up on a pad with a ramp for the steer to come up to its hopper and feed it. It was a beast. After a few minor adjustments to the water flow we cranked it up to about 80% and let it work. By 2:00 PM we had run 150 yards through it and shut it down. We wanted to see how the recovery was so we cleaned out the mats and all four of us participated in the cleanup. Jacob had the biggest grin on his face I had ever seen. In the holding pan there were 17 ounces of gold. We broke out the whisky and beer and had a toast to the old crew. If only they could have been here.

   TO BE CONTINUED ...............

If this question has been covered before, apologies, but I'm wondering were the water from the trommel goes. I presume it cant go back to the creek, do you have closed system from a dam and if so what rehabilitation work is required when you finish. Riparian zones are protected over here, unless you are RioTinto or BHP, then I think some concessions apply.

[Tahoegold]

1 hour ago, blackjack said:

If this question has been covered before, apologies, but I'm wondering were the water from the trommel goes. I presume it cant go back to the creek, do you have closed system from a dam and if so what rehabilitation work is required when you finish. Riparian zones are protected over here, unless you are RioTinto or BHP, then I think some concessions apply.

Hi Black jack,

   So, GM has had this operation permitted. This permitting process covers all aspects of a mining operation and expressly describes every aspect according to California and Federal Law. Each time a permit is applied for, government entities approve each action the mining operation will take. 

    The question you ask seems to allude to something nefarious occuring outside of the law. Think about that, here you have men trying to do the right thing by permitting this claim through government channels. It appears that these men have every intention of adhering to all applicable laws. They want to work their claim and live the American dream of hard work = rewards. 

   Are insinuating these hard working American Miners are breaking the law? Do you have actual knowledge or eye witness account of any statement you have made? 

   The kind of questions you asked seem pretty unfair given the facts of the operation. I'm not trying to be mean. If you didn't understand the process I hope now you can now see these are hard working law abiding Americans trying to make a business work and to provide for their families.

   

[GhostMiner]

2 hours ago, blackjack said:

If this question has been covered before, apologies, but I'm wondering were the water from the trommel goes. I presume it cant go back to the creek, do you have closed system from a dam and if so what rehabilitation work is required when you finish. Riparian zones are protected over here, unless you are RioTinto or BHP, then I think some concessions apply.

The permits are approved by Federal, State, & County agencies. All plant, wildlife, & water are considered in the plan.  The tailings water is contained in a settling pond. This operation is about 1/2 mile from any creek. The water is actually being taken from a flooded mine shaft which formed a pond 1700 ft or so to the NW on the mountain. The State of California granted the water license and the operation was monitored. All disturbance was put back under the plan and was covered by a bond to the Federal government. After two years it was hard to see that any mining activity had taken place. The Federal government holds the bond as security until all reclamation has passed muster. If you don't follow the plan you are pretty much finished as miners. Reputation means quite a bit. Ours is very good. That is why our permit applications continue to be approved.