Clay/mud deposits

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user 20746

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Question to all of the esteemed people on here

What are your thoughts on washing clay/mud deposits is it worth the while or is it better to stick to the creek beds? The reason I ask is that at my property there is a lot of old diggings and you can see where they have followed gullies up etc and some of them have ended in clay deposits, most of the area is decomposed granite but the old timers really went to town in the bottom of the valleys......thoughts?
 
Chino1 said:
Question to all of the esteemed people on here

What are your thoughts on washing clay/mud deposits is it worth the while or is it better to stick to the creek beds? The reason I ask is that at my property there is a lot of old diggings and you can see where they have followed gullies up etc and some of them have ended in clay deposits, most of the area is decomposed granite but the old timers really went to town in the bottom of the valleys......thoughts?
Click to expand...

The new deposits are likely to be right on top of the base layer whether it be rock or hard clay. The mud or clay that would have been agitated during the water flow might not have much as the gold works it's way down.
 
test pan it at above, in and below it to get the answer. sometimes all 3 layers will pay. other only the top will. reedy creek a good example of all 3 layers paying.
 
Clay can hold good gold. Especially the top 1cm or so. But processing it is a bastard and usually slows you down too much to make it worth while.
 
Mmm, ok I have had a dozer through clearing some track up and come across some interesting looking dark grey clay deposits which I have not seen anywhere else on the property, there is an old molybdenite mine on the property that has been collapsed so there is interesting deposits around that is for sure, now that the waters have dropped I think I will stick to the creek beds for now.
 
Worth mixing up a slurry and panning out. At least just to cure your curiosity. I found some quartz with molybdnite in it near near some old gold mines.
 
You might make more money from Molybdenum It was always hit and miss for the old timers . They would find a 50 - 100 kg. lump and then find nothing for some time .
 
Use the dozer to "clean up" around the old mine . Then you might have take out a mining lease to go deeper . It might be worth while .
 
Mike678 said:
Use the dozer to "clean up" around the old mine . Then you might have take out a mining lease to go deeper . It might be worth while .
Click to expand...
Good idea but too dangerous.....the old bloke who was working it blew it up when he was finished and it is in a very steep section of the property......when I first saw the area I was amazed at what I thought was silver solder that had been dropped onto the rocks.....until I did a bit of research and found out what it is :D
 

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