Anyone gold panning yet this year?

[Red Bullets]

Originally Posted by leeaspell

For you more experienced folk, what are all the little pink stones that I keep getting at the end with the black sand.

Definitely the red hue in your pan is garnet. Sometimes you can find garnets that aren't so fractured. They will be perfect 12 sided crystals. I have found some that were 3/16" in diameter. Found them in a small local creek.
A geologist told me because they were not fractured they were close to their source and had not traveled far.

One type of garnet is an indicator mineral for prospecting for diamond too.

[leeaspell]

Interesting. Thanks red. So change in plans, screw gold, I'm goin for diamonds. Should be able to get 100 karat worth by summers end lol

[Red Bullets]

Originally Posted by leeaspell

Interesting. Thanks red. So change in plans, screw gold, I'm goin for diamonds. Should be able to get 100 karat worth by summers end lol

Here is an exerpt that might interest you.

In 1958, Entwistle resident Einar Opdahl found a diamond in the banks of the Pembina River. The diamond weighed 0.83 carats (170 mg), and was described as being “a perfect octahedron with eight faces; a clear, colorless stone.”[6] Opdahl sold the diamond to gem cutter Ed Arsenault for $500. It was later claimed that Arsenault discovered the diamond.

When De Beers staked a claim for diamond mining in Alberta’s Peace River country in 1990, people were reminded of the discovery of a diamond in the Pembina River near Entwistle. Several Alberta-based exploratory companies staked diamond claims near Entwistle and the Pembina River in 1992.[6]

Opdahl and Arsenault’s discovery and the mini-boom in diamond prospecting led Entwistle to claim the title Diamond Capital of Canada in 1994.

Diamonds and gems are just like gold. They are where you find them. Go on the net and look at big gemstones found in north america. There is a public park in the usa that allows digging it up. There are rough diamonds up to a few carats found in the dirt there, yours to keep if you find one. It looks like relatively flat farm land where the park is too, some where you wouldn't think to have diamonds.

Have fun exploring

[DAVENYK66]

Originally Posted by leeaspell

So all the ice is gone and the warm weather is here. Who has started gold panning? I'm going to get me a pan and try it out. Has anyone ever tried in the swan or Inverness rivers? Those will probably be my go to spots, I cross them at work all the time.

we have been to a spot NE of Devon. Still on the learning curve but having a good time.

[g.p flyfisher]

im in g.p.
I hit a few spots this year. Found a couple pieces each place. Almost microscopic.
Havent devised a way to seperate it yet.

[norwestalta]

Has anybody got experience in buying placer claims in bc? I'm kind of toying with buying one on the quesnel river.

[DAVENYK66]

I met a guy at goldbar that does something like that , I'll Dig up his card and get back to you.

[norwestalta]

I was looking at some on the quesnel river. They seem to be not to badly priced aboutopening $3500 and under. On the one map it looks like the claim overlaps. Is this possible? It is a pretty interesting thought to me but have to get the war dept/money manager/my free time manager on board.

[DAVENYK66]

Norwestalta.......

http://greywolfhighbankers.com/home.htm

This guy said he has claims in BC for sale, kind of didn't care for his attitude though.

You can ask at River Gold in Sherwood park too, not sure if She would know.

This is another gold forum
http://gpex.ca/smf/index.php?action=...ode=c934f8b6a0

There is a member called Cgs01 , her husband might know also , he's quite knowledgeable

you can start with those, I'll search my memory banks for more info .
Good luck

[leeaspell]

Well with spring officially started, wouldn't know it tonight though at -22, I figured I'd bring this back. I seen a little creek put in Virginia hills was open in a spot last week and I started getting the itch for hitting the river with my pan.

So had a thought while sitting here at work tonight looking at the tank farm. Is there any reason why a chunk of 4 inch green vac truck hose maybe 3-4 feet long split in half and held in the river wouldn't work as a sort of sluice box? For the price, free you can find it anywhere laying in ditches or boneyards, and portability, I think itwould work great. Anyone ever used it?

[leeaspell]

Well nevermind, after googling to find out the actual name for that type of hose I guess it's a pretty common sluice method, aka a Henry poop tube sluice. Seemed to simple for someone to not have thought of it lol. Gonna make me one of em me thinks.

[norwestalta]

Originally Posted by leeaspell

Well with spring officially started, wouldn't know it tonight though at -22, I figured I'd bring this back. I seen a little creek put in Virginia hills was open in a spot last week and I started getting the itch for hitting the river with my pan.

So had a thought while sitting here at work tonight looking at the tank farm. Is there any reason why a chunk of 4 inch green vac truck hose maybe 3-4 feet long split in half and held in the river wouldn't work as a sort of sluice box? For the price, free you can find it anywhere laying in ditches or boneyards, and portability, I think itwould work great. Anyone ever used it?

I seen one made out of plastic drain pipe. Kind of like the stuff that goes on the downspout of your eavestrough.

[TBark]

I got a whole season planned out.
One late April and maybe one Aug local NSR sluicing boat trip.
2 Athabasca river sluicing boat or quad trips, summer.
3 BC Cariboo claim one week trips, late May, late June and labor day.
And one Van Isle trip when all freezes up here.

TBark

[Red Bullets]

I am prospecting this spring too. Gold is interesting but...
I found a place that has some large garnets that are perfect 12 sided crystals. Because garnets are closely associated with diamonds I will be looking for both gold and diamond.
The nearest kimberlite pipe to the area are less than 100 miles away. The Opdahl diamond was found only 40 miles away.

You never know..... Good luck all.

[thumper]

BC has a good website listing recreational gold
panning sites
http://www.empr.gov.bc.ca/Titles/Min...greserves.aspx

[whammy]

Originally Posted by Red Bullets

I am prospecting this spring too. Gold is interesting but...
I found a place that has some large garnets that are perfect 12 sided crystals. Because garnets are closely associated with diamonds I will be looking for both gold and diamond.
The nearest kimberlite pipe to the area are less than 100 miles away. The Opdahl diamond was found only 40 miles away.

You never know..... Good luck all.

Would love to see some pictures of these garnets!

[Gbuss]

Originally Posted by leeaspell

Well with spring officially started, wouldn't know it tonight though at -22, I figured I'd bring this back. I seen a little creek put in Virginia hills was open in a spot last week and I started getting the itch for hitting the river with my pan.

So had a thought while sitting here at work tonight looking at the tank farm. Is there any reason why a chunk of 4 inch green vac truck hose maybe 3-4 feet long split in half and held in the river wouldn't work as a sort of sluice box? For the price, free you can find it anywhere laying in ditches or boneyards, and portability, I think itwould work great. Anyone ever used it?

They would work great I think. I would also put some flexible mesh lined in it to help trap the gold.

Gordon

[TBark]

I tried one of those corrigated tank drain pipes as a sluice, got it from an RV wrecker.
Didn't get any nuggets, got some nibletts tho, Green Giant I think, ha.
Sorry couldn't resist.

TBark

[Red Bullets]

Originally Posted by whammy

Would love to see some pictures of these garnets!

Give me a month to get some more. I gave the ones I found away. Never thought much about them till I started to learn more about their associations with different minerals. I was getting some black sand and from 5 to 20 garnets to the pan. Odd thing is they are not in gravel. They are in clayish mud. I will post some pics of some of the garnets as soon as the snow is gone. Not in a place most people would look or prospect.

[BeeGuy]

Originally Posted by Red Bullets

Give me a month to get some more. I gave the ones I found away. Never thought much about them till I started to learn more about their associations with different minerals. I was getting some black sand and from 5 to 20 garnets to the pan. Odd thing is they are not in gravel. They are in clayish mud. I will post some pics of some of the garnets as soon as the snow is gone. Not in a place most people would look or prospect.

Do you know which type of garnet they are?

Quite possibly associated with coal deposits iirc.

[silverdoctor]

Originally Posted by leeaspell

Just picked up my gold pan. $15 at the fishing hole. Now just got to wait for the rivers to slow down a bit


I'm going for 100 oz this year in the glory hole lol

Should be able to pay itself off in a few years eh?

Fishin' hole sells gold pans, interesting. I have to pick one up and try it, been thinking about it for too long.

[Newf]

I've tossed around ordering up one of these backpack high bankers, but I'm not a serious enough prospector just yet. Some of you guys might be interested though....

http://youtu.be/q4NxBDgbThE

[Red Bullets]

Originally Posted by Newf

I've tossed around ordering up one of these backpack high bankers, but I'm not a serious enough prospector just yet. Some of you guys might be interested though....

http://youtu.be/q4NxBDgbThE

So you know...

This is an excerpt from an Alberta Energy website:

http://www.energy.alberta.ca/minerals/1063.asp


"If you will be placer mining (using a sluice box or rocker) a recreational placer mining licence is required. Each person involved must hold a valid licence.

A recreational placer mining licence must be obtained before any equipment is set up. It is valid for five years, and allows a licence holder to occupy a location for a maximum of 14 days."

[leeaspell]

Originally Posted by Red Bullets

So you know...

This is an excerpt from an Alberta Energy website:

http://www.energy.alberta.ca/minerals/1063.asp


"If you will be placer mining (using a sluice box or rocker) a recreational placer mining licence is required. Each person involved must hold a valid licence.

A recreational placer mining licence must be obtained before any equipment is set up. It is valid for five years, and allows a licence holder to occupy a location for a maximum of 14 days."

So the government wants me, plus anyone who wants to come along with me for a day, to pay them $50 for a permit so I can put a piece of hose in a river that acts as a sluice box from which I might, if I get really lucky, recover a few dollars worth of gold if I went at it hardcore for the whole 5 years?

[Red Bullets]

Originally Posted by leeaspell

So the government wants me, plus anyone who wants to come along with me for a day, to pay them $50 for a permit so I can put a piece of hose in a river that acts as a sluice box from which I might, if I get really lucky, recover a few dollars worth of gold if I went at it hardcore for the whole 5 years?

I don't know that the gov't enforces such laws. I've never seen the gold cops on the rivers. Just good to know in case they do. 50 dollar permit vs. loss of equipment and possible fines. 10 dollars a year to have the right to extract gold as much as you want on crown land isn't unreasonable. Wth a sluice in a good place a person might produce a few grams in a day.

[achtanelion]

Originally Posted by leeaspell

So the government wants me, plus anyone who wants to come along with me for a day, to pay them $50 for a permit so I can put a piece of hose in a river that acts as a sluice box from which I might, if I get really lucky, recover a few dollars worth of gold if I went at it hardcore for the whole 5 years?

Just to rain a little more on your parade, you can't put your sluice in a river. Output MUST go to a settling pond.

J

[Muliemaster]

Originally Posted by BeeGuy

Do you know which type of garnet they are?

Quite possibly associated with coal deposits iirc.

Not completely sure if they're associated with coal. Garnets generally require quite high P and T to form, not usually the environments you'd find associated with coal.

Picture (when you get to them) would be helpful to possibly derive the garnet type, there are quite a few.

Garnets can also be found in volcanics, especially around Crowsnest Pass.

[Red Bullets]

Originally Posted by Muliemaster

Not completely sure if they're associated with coal. Garnets generally require quite high P and T to form, not usually the environments you'd find associated with coal.

Picture (when you get to them) would be helpful to possibly derive the garnet type, there are quite a few.

Garnets can also be found in volcanics, especially around Crowsnest Pass.

A gov't geologist put the garnets thru a spectrogram and decided they were a type of pyrope garnet. Deep crimson red/purple. I know there are alot bigger garnets to be found and they are not uncommon. These were interesting for where I found them. Not in gravels. No other minerals in that strata. Not on a river. Pictures of new ones in a month.

[troutbug]

When we moved my goldpans got lost or thrown out. So I picked this up for a real good deal

[MrDave]

Also some rivers are closed for spawning. You can pan but not placer mining(sluice or highbanker). Lots of what you see on TV isn't allowed here.
Any Alberta Fish and Wildlife officer will write you up if you are messing around in a closed water. Environment and EUB. will lay charges if they receive a complaint of you tainting the water. Unlawful discharge into a water way. This is one of the reasons for the license. Some control must be kept or our rivers would be ruined..
I'm sure we will be seeing people charged just like how they are going after the quads in the river. Too many people are leaving messes already, and with more people trying it enforcement will eventually happen.

And nope not yet. Not enough time in my life. Need some way to get my baby girl into it. Hook her car seat up to the rocker? She's too little for shoveling yet. Maybe next year.