ANY OTHER PROSPECTORS / MINERS ON AAPK ???

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stagman
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ANY OTHER PROSPECTORS / MINERS ON AAPK ???

Post by stagman »

My wife and I on our 1st trip together to the Rocky Mountains and the West
was in 1971...we went to South Dakota then thru Wyoming down into Colorado.
We bought a pair of gold pans in Colorado and while panning we got our 1st color in
our pans, actually Pam hit first...Gold Fever set in and neither one of us was ever the same again !!!
Every vacation we could afford for the next 30 years we headed west....
I retired in 2006 and with a 20 ft self contained camper away we went....we averaged 2 trips 4-7 weeks long
every year..in 2011 we bought a house on 4.86 acres in Arizona right at the base of the Tortilla & Superstition Mtns
Pam even had cards made up: Desert Duo Mining Co.
We did real well for part timers finding gold in South Dakota, Colorado, Arizona
After 50 years 1 month together, I lost my prospecting partner 11 months ago, she died here in AZ in jan.
I am out here all by myself this year and been going out in the mtns 2-3 times a week, digging and a scratching
in the rock and dirt...I have several cool finds as I been taking a few chances and going deep in the mountains
where for the last 2 years before she died, she just could not get that far back because of health issues...had to look for washes & such
I could use my 4x4 to get into where she did not have to walk far, she still gave it all cause she had something you cannot
buy in a store..The Western Spirit !!!
Here is a couple of my finds this year,,, a 5.71 gram nugget with a metal detector, and some Gold ore I found & crushed & panned out
near a huge tailing pile at a old mine I ran up on
Stag
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Sharpnshinyknives
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Re: ANY OTHER PROSPECTORS / MINERS ON AAPK ???

Post by Sharpnshinyknives »

stagman wrote:My wife and I on our 1st trip together to the Rocky Mountains and the West
was in 1971...we went to South Dakota then thru Wyoming down into Colorado.
We bought a pair of gold pans in Colorado and while panning we got our 1st color in
our pans, actually Pam hit first...Gold Fever set in and neither one of us was ever the same again !!!
Every vacation we could afford for the next 30 years we headed west....
I retired in 2006 and with a 20 ft self contained camper away we went....we averaged 2 trips 4-7 weeks long
every year..in 2011 we bought a house on 4.86 acres in Arizona right at the base of the Tortilla & Superstition Mtns
Pam even had cards made up: Desert Duo Mining Co.
We did real well for part timers finding gold in South Dakota, Colorado, Arizona
After 50 years 1 month together, I lost my prospecting partner 11 months ago, she died here in AZ in jan.
I am out here all by myself this year and been going out in the mtns 2-3 times a week, digging and a scratching
in the rock and dirt...I have several cool finds as I been taking a few chances and going deep in the mountains
where for the last 2 years before she died, she just could not get that far back because of health issues...had to look for washes & such
I could use my 4x4 to get into where she did not have to walk far, she still gave it all cause she had something you cannot
buy in a store..The Western Spirit !!!
Here is a couple of my finds this year,,, a 5.71 gram nugget with a metal detector, and some Gold ore I found & crushed & panned out
near a huge tailing pile at a old mine I ran up on
Stag
http://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/stagman
Stag, Sorry to hear about the passing of your wife. I just can’t imagine what life would be like w/ out my wife of 39 years.
I have to admit that I love watching Gold Rush on Discovery. That’s as close as I have come to prospecting. It looks like a very addictive hobby and occupation.
Nice finds.
SSk
SSk Mark “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.” Ronald Reagan
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Re: ANY OTHER PROSPECTORS / MINERS ON AAPK ???

Post by Doc B »

Stag, your story is GOLD! Getting to celebrate a golden, 50th anniversary, with someone you love, is something that not many will ever achieve. We just passed 37. I too, am sorry for your loss; but, glad to see you are able to get out and keep the spirit alive. I know your wife is with you, in every pan!!!!
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Colonel26
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Re: ANY OTHER PROSPECTORS / MINERS ON AAPK ???

Post by Colonel26 »

Stag, what a great story you have. That shared passion tounand tour wife had for your hobby was more valuable than any gold you ever found, I'm sure.
“There are things in the old Book which I may not be able to explain, but I fully accept it as the infallible word of God, and receive its teachings as inspired by the Holy Spirit.”
Robert E. Lee
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btrwtr
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Re: ANY OTHER PROSPECTORS / MINERS ON AAPK ???

Post by btrwtr »

Sorry to hear you lost your partner. I'm sure she's happy to see you are still prospecting.
If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.

Wayne

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RalphAlsip
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Re: ANY OTHER PROSPECTORS / MINERS ON AAPK ???

Post by RalphAlsip »

stagman wrote:we bought a house on 4.86 acres in Arizona right at the base of the Tortilla & Superstition Mtns
I'm sure Pam is happy to look down and see you carry on. If only she could tell you where the Lost Dutchman's mine is :).

I lived in Carefree, AZ for a few years before moving to Texas. My mother in-law lived in Gold Canyon for many years so I'm familiar with the general area where it sounds like your homestead is located. The road to Tortilla flats was a favorite motorcycle ride... when the tourists were not out.

Happy prospecting.
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DM11
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Re: ANY OTHER PROSPECTORS / MINERS ON AAPK ???

Post by DM11 »

I've done a little panning in Colorado last time I was out there but havent found any color yet. My brother who was with me and didint want to take the time to pan though he found some and he had instant gold fever. Oh my he went on for months about gold. :D
David
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Re: ANY OTHER PROSPECTORS / MINERS ON AAPK ???

Post by #goldpan »

Hey Will, how are doing? Seems like I fell off of the radar for a while. Its good to see you posting. I don't do any prospecting any more. My arthritis stops me from actual mining. But I do like to hike the gold fields here in central California. I live on the edge of the Mississippi Bar mine fields. This area produced gold from 1850 to the 1960's. Today its State Park that's just over 700 acres. Today I walk the tailings looking Gold Rush History! Having lived and worked at the Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park in Coloma the gold bug hit me hard for a good many years. Here are a couple of pics of the area.
Drift mine at Mississippi Bar, believed to have dug by Portuguese miners.
Drift mine at Mississippi Bar, believed to have dug by Portuguese miners.
Side by side views. Left side is a 1910 map and the other side is today's Google Sat View.
Side by side views. Left side is a 1910 map and the other side is today's Google Sat View.
Picture of Mississippi Bar circa 1850, long before the bucket dredges arrived.
Picture of Mississippi Bar circa 1850, long before the bucket dredges arrived.
I love the Gold Rush era! I would love to go back to Arizona some day and hike the gold fields there!
stagman
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Re: ANY OTHER PROSPECTORS / MINERS ON AAPK ???

Post by stagman »

Howdy Randy..great to hear from ya !!! A hour or two after I wrote this post,
you came to mind and I was gonna email ya...boy what a change in the pic of the old
map to google earth hey, old timers would not know where they were...
get ya a email off here shortly, got a few things to tell ya..

And Ralph, I am 15 miles east of Florence, AZ
I can see the whole south east front of the Soups from my living room
Due most of my stomping around out of Superior, north and south of town

Was close to the Ray Copper mine last week, couple ridges to the west and found a nice little Copper / Quartz rock

Will
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Re: ANY OTHER PROSPECTORS / MINERS ON AAPK ???

Post by zoogirl »

First of all, sorry to hear about your wife. That’s a good long run together.
I’ve never prospected but my Uncle Ken used to go out panning when he lived in Lillooet. (That’s in British Columbia, Canada). I believe he went out up the Bridge River. He owned and ran a campground out there.
I remember Uncle Ken showing up to visit and carrying a whole small pill bottle full of flakes. Pretty impressive, as far as I was concerned! I guess I was in my mid teens then, around 1976.
He also dug and cut jade. I have a real nice chunk, dark green, finished on one side and raw on the other three. It’s roughly rectangular and about 3’’X6’’X 8’’high. My parents used it as a bookend.

If I look down the road, I’m staring straight at the Fraser River. I’ve spent my whole life staring at that river, including the parts up around Hope, which had an actual gold rush. Dunno why I never picked up a pan!
I’m too young to be this old!
“Hey Ann, gotchyer knife?!”
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Re: ANY OTHER PROSPECTORS / MINERS ON AAPK ???

Post by JACK OF ALL TIRADES »

The only prospecting I have done is buying fifty cent piece bags from the bank. Nothing much is easier or more
SILVER BAG.JPG
fun than a silver strike.
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Re: ANY OTHER PROSPECTORS / MINERS ON AAPK ???

Post by mrwatch »

I am not a prospector but I do belong to a gem and mineral club. This early AM. I decided that a specimen I have, I had miss identified it. I can now say that it is very rare. Snowflake Mohawkite is a rare semi precious gemstone that occurs in only one area in the world, the Mohawk Mine in the Mohawk - Ameek area of Keweenaw County, Michigan.  Mohawkite was discovered in January of 1900 near No. 1 shaft when they were mining for copper. I will make a display card for it.
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Re: ANY OTHER PROSPECTORS / MINERS ON AAPK ???

Post by Doc B »

mrwatch wrote:I am not a prospector but I do belong to a gem and mineral club. This early AM. I decided that a specimen I have, I had miss identified it. I can now say that it is very rare. Snowflake Mohawkite is a rare semi precious gemstone that occurs in only one area in the world, the Mohawk Mine in the Mohawk - Ameek area of Keweenaw County, Michigan.  Mohawkite was discovered in January of 1900 near No. 1 shaft when they were mining for copper. I will make a display card for it.
Got a picture? I'd like to see it!
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Re: ANY OTHER PROSPECTORS / MINERS ON AAPK ???

Post by mrwatch »

Snowflake Mahawkite. Michigan U.P. Took them this morning. 3 LED lights and cell phone. enjoy.
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Doc B
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Re: ANY OTHER PROSPECTORS / MINERS ON AAPK ???

Post by Doc B »

mrwatch wrote:Snowflake Mahawkite. Michigan U.P. Took them this morning. 3 LED lights and cell phone. enjoy.
Very cool! Now if we could just get enough to make knife handles! Roughly how big is that?
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stagman
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Re: ANY OTHER PROSPECTORS / MINERS ON AAPK ???

Post by stagman »

That snow flake is a really neat rock..never heard of that before..
There are a lot of treasures of all sorts to be found,
research & then get after em !!!

Will
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Re: ANY OTHER PROSPECTORS / MINERS ON AAPK ???

Post by mrwatch »

The arsenic leave me out. I have owned this for several years.
"Snowflake Mohawkite" in Quartz
Mohawk mine,
Keweenaw Co., Michigan
"Mohawkite" is a mixture of copper arsenides, including algodonite and domeykite, of variable composition. It often occurs as irregular masses in the Michigan copper ores of the Keweenaw Peninsula. In this specimen, it fills the spaces between .5 – 1.5 centimeter-sized "snowflakes" made up of radiating quartz crystals--hence the informal name "snowflake mohawkite". This specimen measures 8.2 x 9.5 x 5 cm 5.5 centimeters and weighs 10.7 oz. This would be a great addition to the collection of a Michigan species collector.
3 1/2 in. x 3 in. x 2 1/8 in. 8.2 cm x 9.5 cm x 5.5 764 gr. #SFO 52

Mohawkite is a rare semi precious gemstone that occurs in only one area in the world, the Mohawk Mine in the Mohawk - Ameek area of Keweenaw County, Michigan.  Mohawkite was discovered in January of 1900 near No. 1 shaft when they were mining for copper.
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Re: ANY OTHER PROSPECTORS / MINERS ON AAPK ???

Post by Doc B »

mrwatch wrote:The arsenic leave me out. I have owned this for several years.
"Snowflake Mohawkite" in Quartz
Mohawk mine,
Keweenaw Co., Michigan
"Mohawkite" is a mixture of copper arsenides, including algodonite and domeykite, of variable composition. It often occurs as irregular masses in the Michigan copper ores of the Keweenaw Peninsula. In this specimen, it fills the spaces between .5 – 1.5 centimeter-sized "snowflakes" made up of radiating quartz crystals--hence the informal name "snowflake mohawkite". This specimen measures 8.2 x 9.5 x 5 cm 5.5 centimeters and weighs 10.7 oz. This would be a great addition to the collection of a Michigan species collector.
3 1/2 in. x 3 in. x 2 1/8 in. 8.2 cm x 9.5 cm x 5.5 764 gr. #SFO 52

Mohawkite is a rare semi precious gemstone that occurs in only one area in the world, the Mohawk Mine in the Mohawk - Ameek area of Keweenaw County, Michigan.  Mohawkite was discovered in January of 1900 near No. 1 shaft when they were mining for copper.
Very cool! Thanks for the additional insight!
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Re: ANY OTHER PROSPECTORS / MINERS ON AAPK ???

Post by mrwatch »

your welcome. I try to maintain a large database of my collection. Plus a free mineral database. Not to mention my knives and many other collectibles. Sometimes I actually know where they all are at. ::hmm::
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richard
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Re: ANY OTHER PROSPECTORS / MINERS ON AAPK ???

Post by richard »

i am in australia . i pan my local creek. here are some finds.gold ore,quartz, opal, small near pure gold flakes. and lots of small gem stones.
alas no nuggets, but i have recently bought a sluice and water pump. will be able to shift more material with that. :D
hopefully a nugget or 2
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stagman
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Re: ANY OTHER PROSPECTORS / MINERS ON AAPK ???

Post by stagman »

Nice finds Richard,,, you are gonna love your sluice
did you get like a high banker where you pull water out of the creek
up on dry land, or a sluice box that sets in the creek ???

I have a 36 inch sluice box powered by the creek you set it up in..
and if one person is digging material and the other feeding the sluice,
you can really pour the buckets thru in a 4 hour time frame
I also have a Dry Washer for the desert out here in Arizona....
I have read that a lot of Aussie nuggets are 94-98% pure
Good luck on your new venture

Stag
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richard
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Re: ANY OTHER PROSPECTORS / MINERS ON AAPK ???

Post by richard »

hi stagman, i can use the sluice as as a high banker with the the pump.or set in the creek.with stones to direct the water.through it.
i have used it a few times now.can get lots of material through it. to take home. to refine.with the turbo pan . and black sand magnet. :D
stagman
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Re: ANY OTHER PROSPECTORS / MINERS ON AAPK ???

Post by stagman »

Turbo pan...LOL...I saw a Aussie fella talking of these years back and that they were
invented in your land "down under"
I bought one right after they came out, I was amazed at how fast you could
rip thru a pan of material with great recovery....bout 4 months after I got it,
I won a panning contest with it a a mining festival !!!

Stag
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stagman
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Re: ANY OTHER PROSPECTORS / MINERS ON AAPK ???

Post by stagman »

Well guys & gals..I got me a hot spot !!!
3 nuggets out of there so far and I got 4 spots
marked where I got hits but just did not have the
juice to commence digging any more...took a spill
coming out of the wash in one spot and my hand hit
a saguaro cactus and a needle went in a good inch in one
spot and a half inch in another...with my back in bad shape already,
I was done for the day, next week maybe...here is the latest all cleaned
up I got..3.77 grams, thats 10 plus grams out of the same area !!!

stag
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Re: ANY OTHER PROSPECTORS / MINERS ON AAPK ???

Post by #goldpan »

Dang Will, what a nice nugget! Wish they would let me mine at Miss. Bar. I know where the gold is but its also a historic site so it protected. That nugget sure makes my mouth water buddy. Great find ::tu:: ::nod::
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