The Lost Peg-Leg

Sorry I wasn't very clear with that, thanks for the clarification guys.

So what geology is going to produce gold that is black. Heavy silver content? I would think rich iron content would produce a more red oxide but I have found small chunks of iron matrix that were black and contained trace gold. Plus the spanish dore bars seemed to develope a black oxide coating. To have enough gold content to be exciting enough to spend all that time trying to find it I'm guessing there was a good bit in those black rocks.

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Nice BA, that makes some sense. That color seems to be a major clue to me that might point to a certain area.

So the area has to be protected from wind abrasion but it was on top of a butte? Also the story talks about a sandstorm, perhaps they were seeking shelter? If there was a sandstorm very often the varnish would be worn away if the nuggets were in the open. Perhaps that is what was meant when the story says he discovered they were gold on the way back. When he stuck them in his pocket the abrasion from walking probably wore the coating off.

Sounds like there must have been an arroyo or canyon on the butte protecting the walnuts for the varnish to form. That would also explain why so many were gathered there from past flooding and erosion. That might also explain why it was hard to relocate.

Too bad he didn't keep a travel journal   

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   Years and Years ago, I read an article in Treasure Magazine , out of 29 Palms. That there were Two Mexican Miners, brothers they were, out of Sonora, Mexico, who had found gold nuggets incased in a black rock while prospecting up in the Mother Lode. When finally ready to head home, one of the brothers had to go to Frisco on business and the other headed south on his own, along with 2 or 3 burro loads of these nuggets. The authors theory was that the brother with the nuggets was killed by the Indians close to Borrego Springs and a couple of the burros escaped and as the packs deteriorated they would drop these nuggets in different locations. Some were reportedly found in a canyon in the Chocolate Mountains, which are north of Borrego, and some on flat land by Plaster city which is Southeast of Borrego Springs. Both were supposedly found lying on top of the ground.

    Peg-leg was said to have been travelin on a stagecoach, going from Yuma to Los Angeles, when it stopped on a semi-mesa to rest the people and the horses when he picked up a few, put them in his pocket and did not take a better look at them until he reached L.A.! If I remember correctly, someone took the nuggets found in the Plaster City area, to an assayer     and they removed the coating with an acid and this revealed the gold inside, also if I am not mistaken the coating on them was not desert varnish, but a darker coating, something that was removed with the acid. About all I can remember.  Peace!   td

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Yeah Idaho! Don't know if there are any other stories of black nuggets being found around the Mother Lode area.  Wow! 80 ounces per ton at the Red Lake!!  Wow!  td

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I know that we are dealing with at least two.....and if I remember correctly, they are about 30 to 40 years apart.

BA

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