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Post by ywevis on May 15, 2014 15:00:36 GMT -5
lol
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Post by shadow on May 15, 2014 18:25:39 GMT -5
Most everything else I found was with research, sampling and scuba diving. Fossil and cherty kinds of things are below the fall line in SC and the more gemmy types are above. Western NC is good. Many areas where you are looking for gold is a good area to look for rocks. Areas with pegmatites are a good start. Loki's neighborhood is a good area. What kind of sampling do you do? Is it more of getting a bucket full of rocks/dirt washing it and being meticulous about going through it or is there a method to your madness?  This is the first I've heard about pegmatites, very interesting reads on google about them. So where on the graph would you say Sapphire and Rubies form in? Shallow or Deep?  |
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Post by jpgold on May 15, 2014 22:53:41 GMT -5
beautiful gems you got there.
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Post by indyme2 on May 16, 2014 7:17:40 GMT -5
Shadow, geology discussions about minerals, pegmatites, etc., could go on forever. I took every geology course available when in college and worked under a PG as a PGIT but changed jobs before I completed my training. Not sure how much that helped so formal training is not essential. Desire to learn and work at it is. An internet search will keep you busy for a lifetime. In the meantime, you probably just want to know how and where do I find whatever. First do an internet search. Everything has already been discovered and the locations are known. You probably won't find a map saying x marks the spot but at least you can find the county(s) your mineral of interest is found in. That will drastically reduce your search time. Join clubs that are collecting in the area. Like prospecting, it will probably take a long time for someone to trust you to some secret locations. I trade locations sometimes. You take me to your secret spot and I will take you to one of mine. My sample process after the internet/library search is simple. Ride and walk the area looking at clear cuts, roadside ditches, new construction disturbing dirt, railroad cuts and sampling creeks when I get permission. I have found some amazing specimens in roadside ditches. I put a few shovels in a bucket, label it, mark the GPS where I sampled, take pictures in all directions and make notes. Go home, screen, wash and exam what I have. I do a microscopic examination too. I sampled hundreds of locations this way and actually found gold when looking for something else. I found something else when looking for gold. A saruca is great for a really quick read on a creek. Grab the heavies in the middle ring, put in a gallon ziplock bag, label and study later. It's not too hard and it's another adventure. The most difficult part is gaining access to some areas you want to sample. That just takes luck and personal skills. Here is a tip and I mean no offense to anyone. I have never seen you and don't have a clue what you look like. Appearance is important. If you walk up to a landowner wearing a ragged out, greasy ball cap, 6 months past due for a shave and haircut, dragging on a cigarette, you are usually not too likely to gain access. A good first impression goes a long way. Just my opinion. Good luck.
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Post by shadow on May 16, 2014 7:40:26 GMT -5
That's alot of what i was looking for. I'm not worried about locations as i do have a few of my own that produce some nice crystals, I was more interested in the technique. For example the saruca, I plan to make one of those- and looking in road side ditches, would've never thought to look there. Just seems to obvious but I guess that means other people are looking past them as well.
Here's a better way to ask my question- In a valley area, would you look for gems the same way as gold? Just sampling the valley floor or creek until the streak stops, go back to where it starts and work your way up hill from there? Or would you just stick to the creek/valley floor?
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Post by shadow on May 16, 2014 7:45:45 GMT -5
I'm looking to locate a source, as I've found crystals on all sides of the valley but if i go up of the floor i cant seem to find anything, not even the pegmatite. I only have one location that i can follow about 1/2 way up a mountain and still pull a few specimens.
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Post by indyme2 on May 16, 2014 10:33:58 GMT -5
A lot of crystals occur as float. There is no rhyme or reason to figure out where they came from except maybe on property you can't access. Lol. Some occur as veins. Either way, you just have to dig, sample and dig some more. There is an amethyst location I used to have access to but a group has leased it and are now working it. They have dug pits and trenches everywhere but all they find is float and no source. A place I am digging now is the same way. Material on one side of the hill and nothing on the other. Material on one side of the creek and nothing on the other. I find it in the valley in the creek and places far up the hill from the creek. So, a good place to start especially if you are looking for heavies like corundum, gold, garnets, is at the bottom of the hill. If some is there, try tracking up and down stream. When it runs out, try going up the hill sampling gullys, washes, side creeks and the like. This is where the saruca is handy. Keep in mind that one of my friends found the "Candy Branch Gold Mine" by tracking with the saruca. He started in the little creek at the bottom of the hill and eventually tracked it to a shelf far up the hill. The same guy found more gold and corundum, using the same methods, at another location. Does this help? It's like gold. You find it where is supposed to be and where it is not supposed to be. Often, for me, the not, is the best location. BTW, two five gallon buckets and some screen makes a good, cheap saruca.
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Post by shadow on May 16, 2014 10:50:19 GMT -5
All questions have been answered, Thanks Indy!
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Post by victory on May 16, 2014 22:20:18 GMT -5
Sounds like a plan
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