Hard Prospector

I subscribe to the ICMJ  Prospecting and Mining Journal,  pretty much the only mining magazine I get anymore. A monthly publication, been around for nearly 100 years. Articles are excellent and informative.  Subscription offered on line  and in print with archives access that seem to go back forever. 

NZ's  largest gold nugget gifted to the Crown,  melted down  and made into  whatever.........what a shame.

I've owned claims and have  had partners in some of them.  I really don't care if some guy swings through once in a while and picks up a gram'r here or there......good for him.   A good haul these days requires processing  lots of material (picks, shovels, highbankers, drywashers) which takes time and effort. Something detectors can't  typically do.

Be great if this new engineer could take First Texas to the "next level".  BTW;  I don't just mean keeping the life support machine running.

Thought about getting one but like most prospectors these days;  we're pretty content with either the Monster,  Equinox  or 24k to fill the VLF need.  Still I'm open minded if  (eventually)  and when more info on the unit presents.

19 minutes ago, Gold Catcher said:

Thanks, Simon. The GPX 4.5/5 with the DD coil is a definitely a good suggestion, thanks for that. Yeah I should have the 4500/5000 in my arsenal, also because of the huge coil selection. My first PI was the SDC and then later I had the choice between the 5000 and the 7000, so I chose the latter. But I of course know what and excellent performer the older GPX series has been. My hope is that more coil options will come available for the 6000 soon, but the 14DD suggestion is definitely a interesting one that I will try. I haven't used the SDC there yet, my guess is that for serious hot rock laden areas it will equally struggle. Where the SDC shines (IMO) is in mineralized shallow ground with somewhat less centralized mineralization, meaning in areas with not truly mass-centered hot rocks but rather with somewhat scattered general mineralization, like in many washes above bedrock. Thanks for commenting on my trip report. You certainly are a great inspiration in this regard and I always enjoy your awesome stories/reports/pics.

Best,

GC 

Actually,  for reasons unknown to me,  my SDC  seems to do better than most detectors in the area.  It  will sometimes ignore the smaller pieces of andesite and basalt when going over my drywasher tailing piles.  But the bigger volcanics....forget it!

Know the area well,   volcanics are intense  and drive  detectors insane.  Lots of old timer tramp trash too.  Always have done best running my drywasher here,  lots of grams of gold.  Sometimes you just have to move dirt.

Been going down to Baja for over 40 years,  fishing , diving, exploring and in recently  prospecting.  There is a lot of gold in  Baja,  especially the central peninsula region.  Big nuggets  too  as much of the geology is made up of mineralized quartz reefs and schist.  I've seen a specimen the size of a  basketball,  huge chunk of quartz marbled through with over a dozen ounces of gold.   It was found by a prospector friend of mine who lives down there part time and has been very successful over the years. There are a  handful of American prospectors  in Baja swinging detectors and finding lots of gold. Part of their success is knowing how to stay off the radar and blend in........so to speak

This type of prospecting isn't for most, as the dangers in Baja are many and I'm not just talking about desert survival.  Violent crime and high value theft,  once rare in Mexico,  is becoming much more common.  Never bring anything down you can't afford to loose.  Speaking the language helps a lot especially if in a tricky situation. Having a Mexican prospecting partner or being married to a Mexican national is the best form of insurance to keep one out of trouble.  

This is a land of isolation, danger, adventure and raw natural beauty. And for that special breed of rugged intrepid prospector..........high risk stakes for the very real chance to find large  gold nuggets

Careful with the SL  in the marine environment. That  control box is nothing more than a un sealed "patio cover" over the sensitive electronics.

Too many arrogant aloof people living in the comfort of first world nations,  quick to pass judgement on those around the globe just trying to feed themselves day to day. 

Practical cost effective solutions (like sluice boxes of different sizes, elevations and flow rates for final clean up......Thanks Steve H) are the  realistic way for those to get ahead while lessening impact

What a country; fantastic fishing, hunting, gold prospecting and just drop dead beautiful scenery.  New Zealand is paradise on Earth. Too bad they disarmed their citizenry though.

Wonder if there is a "lay away" program for payment?

Gold seems to be more than welcome as tender in (failing) Venezuela.   Guess some things never go out of style. I don't recommend eating, drinking or smoking it though

 

😉Just sayin, it would've been wrong to read about someone being suggested to go somewhere with them not knowing they could get a ticket and lose their prospecting equipment for it.  It's his choice and at least he's free to make a knowledgeable one about it now.  You are right too, the hobo miners there don't care and don't have much to give up for it.

And yup, the Dale is a good area. it's where I detected my first pickers. - that's one of my favorite places to go also.  Lots of drywashing there and if you look at it on Google Earth, it's amazing how much organized testing has been done across the hillsides - you can see grids across some of them.  Lots of claims there too, so one has to check the maps.

Back in the 90's,  the Dale gave up POUNDS of gold to the first guys smart enough to swing through there. Know of one guy who took out several pounds from one area, where the nuggets bled off an out crop,  down slope with his Goldmaster.  My first time in there was in 2010 and I did OK with my White's

If I just had a time machine........ 

Virginia Dale is a straight shot east on  I 10.  Your about 20 years too late for most places but this one still kicks em out occasionally.  Look for recently left drywash tailing piles,  spread them out and swing over.  Hard to believe some people STILL don't detect over their own piles before taking off.

7 minutes ago, GotAU? said:

A lot of gold has been recovered from the East Fork of the San Gabriel, but unfortunately, much of it has been removed from mineral recovery and it’s now closed to Prospecting- if going there,  along with Lytle Creek and other formerly open gold prospecting areas on the Angeles National Forest, one should check the forest website for information.

Sure doesn't seem to have stopped the hobo miners as they little regard for government over reach.  When you've got nothing.......there's nothing to loose.  

A  telephone spotted on one of the desks looks to be of the 1980's (electric multi push button directory)

Careful flashing those gold teeth!

"Underwater archaeological site"  means nothing more than a place where a ship met its untimely end and  hence forth to be "dissolved" by the corrosive effects of an incessant salt water bath. Better to be salvaged, relocated to a museum and enjoyed by humanity.

A real chunk of treasure from Mother Earth,  just love those speci's!

SDC2300;  simple to use, excellent small gold detector and actually a pretty good beach machine for gold jewelry.

That rogue wave might as well have been an "acid bath" to any un protected electronics.....never to be the same again.

  Pick up a good used one and start over.

Not fair!  The Anzac prospectors don't deserve to be gauged by excessive import duties, taxes and BS exchange rates.

Equinox 800 gets all the vlf glory these days but the Gold Bug Pro (19 kHz) with the 11" DD has been my best gold detector in iron infested trashy mining sites .........still to this day.  Just love the simplicity, depth, ergonomics and very effective discrimination.