29prospector Posted October 23, 2006 Report Share Posted October 23, 2006 As you all have been following the on going dig at our main placer site, you know that we decided to open things up a bit. Well we wound up with a open pit apox. 75 feet long, 20 feet wide and 10 feet deep. Now we have about 2-3 foot of dirt and rock on the bottom that must be removed so that we can see where we(me) are at.Doc, who does not like change much, jump right back into the old hole and started working while I worked with the tractor driver. Doc decided that an area about 20 foot by 20 foot was plenty big enough for him so he marked it off so that I would know where to work. So my new work area is about 55 feet by 20 feet. Nice size area, plenty of room to move around in and alot of material to remove.I moved some of the material and took the jack hammer to the floor creating a hugh mess of material to breakup and run. A friend of mine called and wanted to go mining and give me a hand. So yesterday we went out and cleaned up my floor and vacuumed it. From this we have learned 2 things. 1 good and 1 bad.First the good: We uncovered a small seam about 8 inches wide and 12 inches deep. Which did produce about 1/2dwt.Second the bad news: We do not have bedrock but yet another layer of calechi. Concrete, hard as a rock.All in all we had a good day.Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Shadow Posted October 23, 2006 Report Share Posted October 23, 2006 29prospector,Have you considered renting a jump-n-jack style of gas powered tamper to break up the hard pack. We have used them with good results for similar situations and they rent for only around $30 a day. Another choice would be a pole tamper, http://store.sunriseequipment.com/Pole_Tam...lve_p/42198.htm which are easy to handle and still pound the snot out of the ground hard enough to break up that caliche layer. We have also rented rototillers for less compacted soils with good results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
29prospector Posted October 23, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 23, 2006 Shadow,We have to hand tamps that break up the chunks very well. We have found that a jack hammer works best with the hand tamps. The HERMIT PICK does a good job on the cahecli also. The real hard stuff does need the jack hammer. It's kind of funny, for the last 2 years we have been working this stuff from a horizonal view and now its from a vertial view.Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shep Posted October 24, 2006 Report Share Posted October 24, 2006 Keep up the progress reports! Keeps this ol soul interested, for sure.!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
29prospector Posted October 24, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 24, 2006 Keep up the progress reports! Keeps this ol soul interested, for sure.!!!!!!!!I left a note for Grub to talk you into coming down this way.I think you guys would have a ball. We could get Denny, Mick, Joe, David, Mike and some of the others out at the same time. They know some nice spots down south from us thats good for detecting.Going out Weds. and take the jack hammer to her one more time. News at 10 on Weds.Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.