GhostMiner

A temporary remote camp set up quickly in 2012 to keep us safe.

May 6 2012 Part Six Secret Visit We hung out in town until dusk. The mine we are going to is called The Gold Vault and is located almost twenty miles southwest of my claims. and sits at an elevation about 1500 feet higher in the mountains. To get to it requires driving past our claims and we couldn’t resist the temptation to make a secret visit to Jerry’s claim and see what was going on. Maybe he was full of bs and there were no bikers. We pulled off just past his claim to the west on a little side trail. I drove in about 100 yards so no one could see the truck. Sure enough, we could hear loud music blaring away over at his claim and echoing all over the mountain. Jacob would have had a fit and gone in there with the Thompson blazing for sure. We grabbed a couple of flashlights and our sidearms and worked our way over to the claim by following the creek. As we got closer we cut the lights and got within about 100 feet of Jerry’s campsite. Sure enough, there were motorcycles parked all over the place. I guessed about 50 or more and there had to be close to 70 or more people. Most were men but there were also some women. They were all partying. I whispered to Dustin that we needed to get out of here so we eased on out and got back to the truck unnoticed. As we drove out of the trail we encountered a few more bikes heading towards Jerry’s camp. Dustin said that something odd was definitely going on there. He must be tied in with a gang and could be involved in who knows what. All I know is that we will need to stay clear of them for now. If I go to the law he could have me arrested for assault. For all I know he may have reported the beating I gave him and I may be the wanted man. I have put Dustin and myself in quite a mess. TO BE CONTINUED ..............

May 6 2012 Part Five Abandoning Camp When we got back to our camp I was worried I may have started something I couldn’t finish. There was no sense waiting to see if a biker gang showed up tonight and came to pay us a visit. We hid the tom in the trees a distance from camp and drove the excavator & skid steer to another mine site about half a mile away and hid them in an open pit which was secluded in the forest. Then we quickly grabbed up the concentrates and most of the valuables including our tent and headed out of the area. I felt it was the safest option for us until things cooled down. We headed into town and picked up a few provisions at the general store and made a stop at the tavern for supper and a couple of drinks. I thought about going to the law but decided against it and figured we’d hide out on another mine owned by a friend about twenty miles away from the area. We feel like fugitives. TO BE CONTINUED .........

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Dustin and I kind of knew what we had uncorked. What the hell had we gotten ourselves into?

May 6 2012 Part Four I walked towards Jerry and hollered out to him. He turned to face me with a surprised look on his face. I told him that nobody came into my mining operation and threatened me or Dustin. I told him he was not getting away with it and we were going to fight until one of us was beaten. He started to say something but I was done talking now. I threw a straight right hand into his throat and he sank to his knees gasping for air. I put a knee into his face and he rolled over on the ground gasping for air and choking. That was the end of the fight. Dustin and I threw him in the back of the truck and drove him down to his camp. We stopped right where the crew was gathered and rolled Jerry out of the truck. I told his crew he had threatened our lives and we wouldn’t tolerate it and none of them were welcome at our camp and to stay clear. His crew just stood there glaring at us but none of them said one word. Dustin and I got back in our truck and headed back up to camp. TO BE CONTINUED .............

May 6 2012 Part Three Big Talk And Big Threats Jerry’s teeth were clenched in rage. He wasn’t used to anyone talking to him the way I had just done. I saw his hand begin to slide down towards his buck knife and stop at the handle as if he were weighing his chances. Dustin already had stepped beside him and about 15 feet from his side. His hand was resting on his sidearm. I told Jerry that if he was thinking of pulling his knife to forget it because Dustin or I would shoot him. I told him that if he wanted a fight then put the knife and weapon away and I would do the same and we’d throw down. I told Dustin to put his gun away. Jerry looked at me and eventually his demeanor calmed but only a little. He told me I didn’t know who I was messing with. He went on to say that there was a biker club coming to his mine site tonight and had originally come to invite us to party. Now he told us we were his enemy. He said he could make us disappear for good if we crossed him. He warned us not to come near his claim or we’d pay big time. Then he turned and walked away. But I wasn’t going to let him leave without a fight. TO BE CONTINUED ...............

May 6 2012 Part Two I walked over to where Jerry was standing. I asked him what he wanted and he told me he wanted to apologize for all the ruckus down at his camp last night. He said the crew had gotten drunk and got a little out of hand. Of course he didn’t know we were down there and had seen what was going on and I didn’t let on that I knew anything. All I told him was that we had heard the gunshots and hollering from up here on the mountain and it had kept us from getting a good night's sleep. He just laughed and stated flatly that miners need to let off a little steam now and then. When Jerry made that statement it didn’t sit right with me and I lost my temper. I asked him what mining he was talking about. I started to raise my voice. I said all they had done since they got here was party in Nevada and party at their mine site and we didn’t appreciate all the noise late at night because we were real miners and his renegade group of rowdies had kept us from sleeping. He started to say something back but I cut him off. I told him to stay out of our camp and keep the noise down so we could get our rest. We were working hard and I had no time for his bullshi_. I added that if he had come up here to ask for another favor he was wasting his time and that the next time he came walking into our camp uninvited it might not go well for him. He looked surprised at first and then I could see rage begin to build in his face. TO BE CONTINUED ...............

It would take a stock raise which would be done under a private placement. Google it. Regulations are very favorable if you can convince potential investors your plan is legit & has promise.

A tale told from the infamous town tavern.

May 6 2012 Part One G D Pump G D Jerry The gunfire and hollering eventually subsided last night. This morning at breakfast I told Dustin we needed to stay clear of that bunch and tend to our own business. What became of the two men tied to the tree I did not want to know. Neither one of us got a good night's sleep and now it was time to get to work. All I could think of was all the old stories about this mine and Jacob’s warning that the claims were cursed. I had no problem believing it either. There was an abundance of gold to be taken but it always took something from you in return. When we got up to the dig site I went over to start the pump. For some reason it refused to run. I fiddled with the carburetor and spark plug connection and after nearly 70 pulls of the chord it roared to life. As I turned to go back down to the tom I heard a pop and the pump shut down. The spark plug had blown out of the cylinder. When I screwed it back in I soon found the problem. The threads were stripped. I didn’t have a helicoil. But I did have a spare pump. Eventually we got water flowing to the tom. By now I was in no mood for any more problems. Dustin had been busy with the skid steer moving coarse tailings so at least it wasn’t a total waste of the early morning. Finally, we started to feed the longtom. It was hungry for pay gravel and we were happy to oblige. We decided to work through lunch and finally took a break at 3:00 PM. Things were going smooth once again until Jerry walked into our site. I looked at Justin and said “What the hell does he want now?’ TO BE CONTINUED ...........

A belated Happy New Year. Now on with the journal.

I'd be up for investing depending on several things. What state is it in & what mining district. More research needs to be done on the history end. Current samples & estimates to capital needed to get it operational. I would need input on all financial decisions.

Happy New Year.

May 5 2012 Part Three Treed I could hardly believe my eyes. Dustin said they were crazy. I recognized the two men who had come looking for Jerry the other day. They were tied to a large pine tree with rope. Jerry’s crew had fastened bottles and cans to the lower tree limbs beside and above them and were shooting them. Some of the cans were within inches of the men’s heads and shoulders. It was unreal, like something out of a bad movie. Jerry hollered to them that if they wanted to collect they'd collect in lead and the crew opened up again. They were drinking whisky and firing high calibre revolvers and semi automatic handguns. The bottles were exploding around the two captives' faces and the cans were flying all over the place as they were hit by the barrage of bullets. The men were begging the crew to stop shooting. The more they begged the more the crew laughed. Jerry told the two men he was going to bury them under a mountain of tailings and no one would ever find them. He said he might shoot them first or maybe just bury them alive. I’d seen enough and we got the hell out of there. These guys were psycho’s. TO BE CONTINUED ................

May 5 2012 Part Two Horrified We had our sidearms and flashlights as we made our way down the mine road towards Jerry’s camp. We cut the lights about half way there and walked as quietly as we could. Every now and then we would hear a burst of gunshots echoing down the mountain. This was followed by hollering and laughter. We didn’t know what to make of it. When we got near their camp we hiked closer, following the creek and using the thick plant growth for cover. When the shooting would start we would move closer as quickly as possible and stop when the shooting paused. We were real close now. They had lanterns hanging around camp and had lanterns set up in some tree limbs about 30 or 40 feet away. They also had some powerful flashlights pointing at the tree which illuminated it quite well. Then we saw what was going on. We were horrified. TO BE CONTINUED ...............

May 5 2012 Part One Gunshots And Hollering In The Night We got back to work this morning and were running gravel just after sunup. The tom was working smooth as silk and our little two man operation was doing fine. We ran through the day stopping briefly for lunch and knocked off as the sun was setting. We had run 80 yards. When we got back to camp I fixed up some supper and we cracked a few beers open and sat by the campfire feeling pretty darn pleased with ourselves. We were gold mining in the Sierra Nevada. And we were on good gold to boot. We were just about ready to call it a day and hit the sack when we heard a series of gunshots down at the bottom of the mountain. By the sound of it Jerry’s entire crew were all shooting. Dustin looked over at me and asked what I thought was going on. I told him I had no idea but we needed to mind our own business. At times the gunfire would stop and we could make out a lot of hooting and hollering coming from way down there. It was more than unsettling. After an hour of this I told Dustin I changed my mind and was going down there to find out what the hell was going on. Dustin said he wanted to go with me so we decided to head down there on foot. TO BE CONTINUED ...............

May 4 2012 First Gold Cleanup Of The Season We did our first real gold cleanup today. The 195 yards of washed gravel produced a whopping 13.8 ounces. Over 2 grams to the yard. I don’t think we are losing too much fines either so we are more than happy. If we can keep going at this rate we will be rolling in gold by the end of the season. Late this afternoon Jerry and his crew finally made it back from Nevada. He and one of his crew mates came up to our mine and picked up their pumps. He thanked us for taking the delivery of them and without me asking started telling me about his trip to Nevada. It seems that two of his crew got into some trouble and were thrown in jail. He then had to raise bail to get them out. He said they had gotten into a fight and beaten up a couple of the patrons of the club they were at. One of them had used a knife during the fight and the charges were serious. Jerry just shrugged and said matter of factly that boys will be boys and they just needed to let off a little steam. I was taken aback by the nonchalant I don’t give a s___ attitude he had about it but it was none of my affair. Then I told him that two guys named Arty and Vince had stopped by and were looking for him and would be back. This seemed to get his attention and I could tell something wasn’t right. He wanted to know why they had shown up and I told him they didn’t say. Then I noticed Jerry reaching down to give his revolver a pat as if for reassurance. With that they loaded the pumps on his truck and headed down the mountain to their claim. Dustin shook his head and told me he figured them to be in trouble with some gangsters. Maybe he was right. TO BE CONTINUED .............

May 3 2012 Time For A Cleanup We ran gravel all day and things went without a hitch. It feels great to finally be mining. We bumped the yardage up to 60 yards and pulled the matts for a proper cleanup tomorrow. We have concentrates from a total wash of 195 yards. There is still no sign of Jerry and his crew. Dustin thinks something might have happened to them. I am starting to think that gold mining might be a sideline or front for other illicit activities. Hard to say for sure and none of my business. Just a gut feeling I have. TO BE CONTINUED .................

May 2 2012 Arty & Vince Stop By We had a good run today. The tom is working good and we washed 55 yards. I think we can still bump up production with a few small adjustments but we are happy. I haven’t found much of any fines in the tailings and the sluice is showing gold. We’ll run one more day and pull the mats for a cleanup. I took a ride down to Jerry’s camp after supper and there wasn’t anyone to be found. When I was ready to leave a white Cadillac with Nevada plates was pulling in. The car parked at the mine road entrance and two rough looking guys got out. Without even a hello they asked me if I had seen the crew. I said no, not lately but I had some pumps up in my camp that were delivered for them. The two men were well dressed, heavy set, and did not look happy. They said that if I saw Jerry to tell him Arty and Vince needed to see them and would be back again tomorrow. Without saying anything more they got in the Caddy and pulled out spraying gravel all over hell. I started to get the feeling that something with that crew was not right. TO BE CONTINUED .............

Wishing Everyone A Merry Christmas To All From GhostMiner.

May 1 2012 Up And Running Again We got the tom processing gravel in the morning and reset the sluice angle at 10 Degrees which seems to work best for now. We had a number of stops and starts to make adjustments and test the fine tailings discharge for lost gold. By day's end we managed to wash 30 yards which was ok for the first partial day of running. Hopefully we will double that amount tomorrow. I think we will pull the mats for cleanups every 100 to 150 yards or so. I am seeing some gold in the mats and that is a good sign. The pumps for Jerry’s operation got delivered this afternoon as well. No one from his crew showed up to get them and there was no sign of them this evening when I went down to their camp. Kind of odd that they would just up and leave before being fully set up. I am not sure what to make of that bunch. TO BE CONTINUED .............

April 30 2012 Part Two We finished up the longtom construction before sunset and called it a day. We should be ready for a test run tomorrow and then gold production once again. When we were eating supper I looked up and saw Jerry walking into our camp. I was a bit surprised. He said howdy and told us he and his crew were heading into Nevada for the night. He asked me if we could do him a favor and accept a delivery of some pumps that were scheduled in for sometime tomorrow. He said he would contact the company and tell them to deliver them to our camp and give them directions. Then when they returned he would come up and take them down to his mine. He kind of took me off guard but I told him it would be no problem. He thanked me and said he’d return the favor someday. He said miners need to stick together. I certainly agreed with that as long as everything was on the up and up. Without me asking, Jerry stated that he and his crew were going to a joint called “Cheap Thrills” and that it was the finest little house of ill repute he had ever been in. It was out in the desert in the middle of nowhere and you could get anything you wanted. He said you had to have a member with you to get in and he would set me up sometime if I wanted. I wasn’t sure just what to say but I thanked him and stated I was a happily married man and so was Dustin. He just shrugged his shoulders and headed out of camp. TO BE CONTINUED .............

April 30 2012 Part One Outlaw Neighbors We were up at sunup this morning and continued working on the new longtom. While we were working we heard some activity along the west to east running creek at the bottom of the mountain. There was an old claim down there that joined a small section of our southern and western border. It was about 2500 feet south west of our current dig site and maybe 400 feet lower in elevation. Seeing as it was close to lunch time I told Dustin we could take our break and go down and see what was going on down there before lunch. We jumped in my truck and drove down the mine road which then joined up with a rough trail that led to the vacant claim. I parked the truck just off the border of the claim and we walked down the trail. The ground looked to be chewed up some and we could hear heavy equipment in operation. After a walk of about 600 feet or so we saw what was going on. There was a small camp in the process of being set up. A mining camp. There was an excavator running and a pretty fair sized wash plant sitting on the trail. There was also a loader and a skid steer as well as two campers and a storage container with the door open. It was full of mining gear. I counted four men. One of them saw us and came over to where we were standing. He looked to be in his late 40’s and had long hair and a graying beard. He wanted to know who we were and why we were there. I told him our first names and told him we were mining up on the mountain claims. He said his name was Jerry. He said that he had bought the claim from the previous owners and had permitted an operation there. Evidently the previous owner had done some sampling showing good gravels at the base of the mountain which was about 200 feet from the creek. The owner didn’t have the funds or help to do much with it and sold it to Jerry. He said he figured the bottom of the mountain contained the remains of a massive tailings dump from the old hydraulic workings and there was also supposedly some good virgin gravel a little higher up in the elevation. I told him about our previous operation west of there along the creek in 2002 and that his prospects might be pretty good. The rest of his crew saw us talking and came over to see what was what. Jerry seemed friendly enough but the other three guys looked like the kind that would cut your throat and leave you to bleed to death. All of them were wearing high calibre revolvers. Jerry invited us over to a table that was set up near one of the campers. He told his crew to get back to setting things up. He did it in a way that meant do it or get your a__ kicked. They went back to work in a hurry. There was a bottle of whisky sitting on the table and without asking he poured out three small cups. We sat in some old wooden chairs and talked a bit. Jerry said he and his crew were from Nevada. He and his wife had split up and he was taking another shot at gold mining. He said he’d had money from mining and gone broke on a bad claim. That’s when his wife split. He’d raised some funds and put a rag tag crew together. I told him we were camped up on the mountain to the north of him. He said that now that he knew we were up there they’d shoot their guns in another direction. I couldn’t tell if he was joking or not. We finished up our drinks and shook hands. I wished him good luck. When Dustin and I got back to our camp we fixed up a quick lunch and talked about our new neighbors. Dustin said he didn’t like the look of them. He thought they were straight up outlaw miners or maybe worse. I told him that Jerry seemed friendly enough but I didn’t trust the other three who had just stared at us while we were down there. Anyway, there isn’t much we can do about it but try to get along. I am hoping we don’t have any trouble with them. TO BE CONTINUED ..............