barry Posted April 30, 2013 Report Share Posted April 30, 2013 I had an opportunity to purchase the property that I found several nuggets over the last few years and just could not pass it up. The previous owner was generous enough to let me nugget hunt and the thought of a new owner saying "no" was all the motivation needed. I know I'll never find nuggets plentiful to offset the cost, but I never wanted to be the richest guy in the cemetary anyway. I just want to have a place to nugget hunt, turkey hunt, and just be out in nature and that is getting more and more difficult on the east coast. Anyway enough of that, the day after closing I hauled my Takeuchi mini excavator to the site and started scratching. I wish I had paid more attention n geology class because I really don't understand the different gravels and soils that I am finding. But the important part I am finding nuggets at varying depths, here is a picture of the first few trips, total 2.5 ozt. if anyone wants to give pointers I am all ears. Thanks for looking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin nuggethunting Posted April 30, 2013 Admin Report Share Posted April 30, 2013 Hey Digger, Congrats on the new finds. I would say by looking at the character of the gold, you're not real far from the source if it still exsists. I would continue digging in the direction you believe the gold might be coming from. Wishing you much more success. Thanks for sharing!Rob Allison Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldies1955 Posted April 30, 2013 Report Share Posted April 30, 2013 I had an opportunity to purchase the property that I found several nuggets over the last few years and just could not pass it up. The previous owner was generous enough to let me nugget hunt and the thought of a new owner saying "no" was all the motivation needed. I know I'll never find nuggets plentiful to offset the cost, but I never wanted to be the richest guy in the cemetary anyway. I just want to have a place to nugget hunt, turkey hunt, and just be out in nature and that is getting more and more difficult on the east coast. Anyway enough of that, the day after closing I hauled my Takeuchi mini excavator to the site and started scratching. I wish I had paid more attention n geology class because I really don't understand the different gravels and soils that I am finding. But the important part I am finding nuggets at varying depths, here is a picture of the first few trips, total 2.5 ozt. if anyone wants to give pointers I am all ears. Thanks for lookingThose are some really nice looking nuggets! Beautiful. Hope you find the source and score a lot more.Way to go. Good luck.Tom H. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Ron Posted April 30, 2013 Report Share Posted April 30, 2013 Very Nice nuggets, Digger... Ifyou found those in a concentrated area, I'd beep the benches and further up above their locations...Look like you're near one or more pockets ... Good luck and thanks for sharing ... Cheers, Unc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucky Joe Posted April 30, 2013 Report Share Posted April 30, 2013 Very pretty nuggets. I'd create a location map of your finds for future reference to help piece the puzzle together... and buy a bigger excavator! Looks like a whole lot of fun you bought yourself there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkirkll Posted April 30, 2013 Report Share Posted April 30, 2013 Great idea to buy!and the gold is beautiful there.......I second the idea to keep a detailed map so you can piece it together...Keep us posted!paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkirkll Posted April 30, 2013 Report Share Posted April 30, 2013 Being from east tn and starting detecting in AZ i just cant "see" nuggets in VA, NC, and TN.... yet some of your finds are the prettiest i have seen on here.Do you have video capabilities???I would love to see how you are operating in that country...and I would really like to see a nugget come from excavator>>>> to metal detector>>>> to in the hand sequence... that would be awesome...paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IDdesertman Posted May 1, 2013 Report Share Posted May 1, 2013 My pointer for you....KEEP DIGGING ! Looks like you are right where you need to be. Beautiful nuggets! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boulder dash Posted May 1, 2013 Report Share Posted May 1, 2013 I think you should sample for fine gold. Couple of pans will tell you. You are already digging build a sluce and run it the fines could pay handsomely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barry Posted May 1, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 1, 2013 Funny thing about the fines, there are none so to speak. Test pans have been taken in each hole at various depths, even the same spot where nuggets were found and at best one or no colors per pan, not the first picker. I would think to make highbanking worthwhile that multiple colors per pan would be required. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Border Boy Posted May 2, 2013 Report Share Posted May 2, 2013 Sweet Ld! Is there a stream to dredge congrats I bet there is more gold than u think up there. Are there any Mines above the gold? I would start trying to locate those veins and uncover what the old guys didnt!Justin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allen in MT Posted May 3, 2013 Report Share Posted May 3, 2013 Some friends that I stay with in Culpepper, VA out on Woodlawn Church there is a old gold mine on there neighbors property, never had the chance to hunt it or ask permission, but I did find it in a book about gold in VA. Nice finds thanks for sharing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barry Posted May 3, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 3, 2013 There were several gold mines in Culpeper County, I have not had an opportunity to detect any of those sites. I believe I read somewhere that Virginia had over 300 gold mines between 1806 and 1947 that produced approximately 100,000 ozt of gold. Most of the mines in Virginina were destroyed during the Civil War and few reopened primarily becasue there was no longer any cheap labor, all mines were closed during WWII and only one or two reopened. The last ceased operation in 1947. I was fortunated to meet a couple old timers that actually worked in some of the mines as teenagers. They told a few tales of seeing huge nuggets. One led me to the site I recently purchased, which was never mined and found by a relative of his in the 1930's. For anyone that's interesting in looking, the attached link has pictures of Virginia gold in the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History.http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/geophys/gold.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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