Gold Prospecting and Rock Hounding

[Lori Dee ✅]

The final clean-up:

🔗 [Link: flic.kr/p/2rLBoYr/]

The final weigh-in: 1.1 grams!

🔗 [Link: flic.kr/p/2rLA8MU/]

I looked at them under the scope to determine how much came from the river gravels and how much came from the crushed rocks. The stuff from the river is obvious because the flakes are well-rounded and flattened from being smashed by rocks. There are a few with rough edges, so those broke loose from the rock during crushing. You can see one near the top and one near the bottom that are not smooth.

🔗 [Link: flic.kr/p/2rLvAQ2/]

Another closer view of two of the rough flakes.

🔗 [Link: flic.kr/p/2rLvAPW/]

At least I didn't close out the season at zero.

Today's gold spot price is at $138.21 per gram. Since this is "raw" gold, it is considered to be only 80% pure. Mined gold contains alloys like silver, copper, platinum, and other impurities. So, 80% of spot value = $110.57 x 1.1 grams = $121.62.

Buyers will usually only pay 80% of spot, so the sale value would be 80% of 80% of the spot price = $97.30.

That doesn't seem too bad until you factor in how long it took to get it. It probably took about 30 hours for scouting, digging, screening, panning, and travel time. That works out to around $3.24 per hour.

Flipping burgers pays better, but I don't pay taxes on gold. And the value of gold can go up without me doing any more work. The gold I dug up in 2011 doubled in value before I sold it. Today, it would be worth three times more if I had kept it.

[Tess100]

I love that you did the math on earnings!  I'm also amazed that you found anything! The whole process sounds incredibly fun. Anything that gets one outside exploring is perfect.

[Iztaccihuatl]

I am surprised that this is just 1.1 grams. I know that gold is pretty heavy and in the pictures it certainly looks more than just a gram...

[Jessica_Rose ✅]

For a brief scouting trip, I think it went quite well. It's a popular area which has had a lot of visitors, but there's obviously still some gold there. I think if you have an opportunity to stay for several days and do more testing, you'll probably find some areas that would be worthwhile.

Love always -- Jessica Rose

[Lori Dee ✅]

I love that you did the math on earnings!  I'm also amazed that you found anything! The whole process sounds incredibly fun. Anything that gets one outside exploring is perfect.

As I point out in the articles I wrote on my website, if you are doing it to get rich, you will be disappointed. My brother says that so much work for so little pay is insanity. I asked him if he enjoys fishing. He said he does. I asked if it is still fun if he catches nothing all day. He said it is. I said it is the same thing except I don't "catch and release". It is the thrill of the hunt.

Over 15 years of doing it, I learned a few things about geology that help me do it more successfully, and I have invested in tools and equipment that help me do it more efficiently. The payoff is in being out in Nature with fresh air, exercise, and learning things about the world we live on. Catching gold is just a bonus that motivates me to get out and do it again.

😀

[Lori Dee ✅]

I am surprised that this is just 1.1 grams. I know that gold is pretty heavy and in the pictures it certainly looks more than just a gram...

I thought it would be less, but some good-sized flakes added to the weight. Most of what I usually catch is in the #50 mesh size, so there are more of them for the same weight. I saw this pile as relatively small.

[Lori Dee ✅]

For a brief scouting trip, I think it went quite well. It's a popular area which has had a lot of visitors, but there's obviously still some gold there. I think if you have an opportunity to stay for several days and do more testing, you'll probably find some areas that would be worthwhile.

Love always -- Jessica Rose

That is the plan for the summer. I intentionally avoided the "War Zone" as it has been hunted for decades. I found a few areas that had been untouched, so I focused on them. I may invest in another garden wagon to haul my gear. It is a bit of a hike from the parking area to my areas of interest. Another reason the War Zone is so well hunted is that it is close to the parking area, so more people dig there. I always try to capitalize on the laziness or incompetence of other prospectors. Their loss is my gain.