black sand on top of the sandbar

		Quote:			Posted by b79
	im new with gold panning and sluice. i went prospecting in one small river. it happened that the water were high the night before and i there were lots of black sand just setting on top of the sand bar and another layer of black sand after three inches of yellow sand. as i scraped and clean it, i can see tiny shinning specks. i had about half gallon and weight maybe 8kilos. there were lots of pyrite flakes. at first i thought its gold but it did not sink to the bottom of the pan instead sits at the top and easily got carried by small water current. i did not find any gold but i believe there are micron gold in the black sand. im using a plastic pan with one very tiny blow hole. it is interesting to note that this very tiny blow hole was filled with gold. the gold fitted very well in it (as if it was molded in ) that i cnt take it out using my finger. this river also has accumulated clay and other green gray stuff. there's a sizable amount of green gray clay at the upstream end of the sandbar. could gold be trap in the clay? one small stream leading to it is giving off a reddish yellow liquid. could this be rust from iron?

b79;

Yes, small grains and nuggets can get trapped in clay,

Re the picture of the bar, is that looking upstream or downstream?

Go to the upstream end and if there are rocks, dig some gravel and wash it, but if there are no rocks, go farther upstream, until  you find rocks.

The picture with the black sand has rocks! dig some of that gravel, and try it. If there is that much black sand there might be some coarser gold in with the rocks.

I am taking another look.... There are a bunch of dark green rocks, there,  that is one thing to look for.

You are going to find some gold! 

I have a fancy BLUE plastic gold pan with a big trap, in the back, bottom. I t traps gold, alright, and its hard to get out.... here are some suggestions: 

1) a plastic bottle with a pointy nozzle, you squeeze it and suck up the gold, some are made, just for this but a hair-dye bottle works; 
2) carefully squirt water in the hole and wash the fine gold out;
3) a toothpick with something sticky on the end, like honey?? 

If you press on it, it can wedge in, and you never get it out, but it will keep more from sticking in there.

See..... I found the prospecting forum.... without getting too lost.

The iron creek must run where there is a deposit of iron or some old rusting war relics.

The gray clay IS strange, never seen it before, I have seen a bright orange clay that looked like grease.... mostly  iron.

Good pictures!

goldigger


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goldigger,

thanks for the comments.

the sand is is looking downstream and farther down about 100mtrs is the body of another river. this is perpendicular to that river. and yes there are lots of big and small rocks at the upstream end of the sand bar.

we were done separating the black sand thru electro magnet. i was introduced by a good friend to a kind and generous gentleman who has a little machine shop and was into electroplating. its all improvised gadget...he a got the magnet from  a junk car aircon compressor made some electrical connection. its very strong and can be turn on and off with ease.

now we are making a crucible, from a piece of used high alumina furnace bricks. drilling and machining to make it like a bowl where we will smelt our mixture of selected sand and borax. the bricks is very hard. we are now in our 2nd day of machining.  i think we will be able to fire it today using acetylene torch.

im sorry i dnt take any pictures because my action might be misunderstood. perhaps  later when i gain his trust.

one more exciting thing happened, a piece of little white nugget appeared from the black sand materials were separating. it has a little shade of yellow in one side.

will keep you posted.

thanks again and Godbless

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		Quote:			Posted by findoldstuff
	Hey Golddigger and B Thats GD with 2 d's haha= Look -I have read a magnet can pull the black sand- haven't tried it but just thought I would suggest it- also when gold is trapped with blacke sand one needs to careful because mercury is also normally present. FindOldSuff

I only use one d.... yes, if there is, or mercury HAS been used, in sluice boxes, on that stream, it tends to escape, and you can pan mercury! It is almost as valuable as silver!

I do NOT use a magnet to pull the black sand out, because the fine gold will go with it! Instead, I use the magnet to temporarily magnetize the black sand, so it clumps easily, then I wash the clumps out.... a tiny amount of platinum and even less gold can still go with it, but save what you wash over, and it can be processed, chemically or recovered as a foundry process.

Remember.... do not pull the black sand out with a magnet, whether wet or dry.... gold goes with it!

Fine gold is all we have here (with a few exceptions) so I have the fine gold experience to back up that statement.

goldigger (little g, one d)

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