Can somebody explain something to me?

[azblackbird]

Living in the Phoenix metro area with a combined population of approx. 4.2 million people... why aren't the hills full of people looking for gold?

You would think that given our current economy, high unemployment rates, and the rise in the price of gold, the hills would be crawling with people, much like they were in the late 1800's and during the depression era.

So what am I missing?

[oldies1955]

My thought.....its easier to suck from the Gov. teet!

Dont think people have the same work ethic or drive they did in the 1800s

Tom

[Azoverland]

Plus gold is harder to come by now then it was then and after about a week of not finding anything most give up. I've taken a few guys out with me and about 2 hours into diggin lead most guys decide "you're nuts, this is not for me".......I think you got to just love doing it and the gold you find is a real bonus....kinda like fishing

[notoriouskelly]

I agree with AzO - I think you've gotta love just being out and playing around.

We're a fairly instant-gratification society so long periods of no score (like soccer) aren't appealing to most.

I've spent thousands to find mostly garbage but the memories of scenery, cool folks and excursions with the doggy are priceless.

[FlakMagnet]

Well I have to say I certainly will take AzOverland's and N. Kelly's

viewpoint.

The other post is not worth commenting on.

[Chrisman91]

Let's not forget that 99% of gold bearing areas are covered in claims. If it is a private claim and you dig, you risk an interaction with law enforcement or one really pissed off claim holder. If it is a club claim, then you have to pay money for the membership, buy the equipment, pay for the fuel, the food, etc. When you are unemployed that is money that you may not be able to afford to spend. Just my opinion, though.

[Miner49]

What is it they say on the Gold Fever show - "It's not the gold its the adventure!"

I have seen more beautiful sites in the last year or so of prospecting and detecting

than I had in the previous 40 years of living in this area. Seeing what people accomplished in

1850's is quite remarkable, I like finding artifacts and reading about the history of places

as much as I like finding nuggets.

Of all the hobbies I've had I think this is the most rewarding. Of course finding some gold nuggets

along the way is fun as well!

Miner49

[shep]

I gotta disagree with one of the above posts and also partially on another.

Flak, know several people on extended unemployment and they say, why work for another $100 a week and have to get up at 6 every day. Maybe a 'valid' point to some, not me. Work ethics of the 1800's? not even of 20 years ago!

As for most of the gold on claimed up areas; there's alot more unfound on open areas, just takes a bit of git up and go. As for club claims, a couple I've joined- $35 a year, one helluva bargain!

It's the hunt, period! I'm glad I'm not in the boat where I have to find some gold to support a family, but I work. It's a great hobby, would rather wander around aimlessly looking for a bit of colour, than fish, hunt, gamble or chase wild women (have one already), but then again, I'm just an ol jackass-

Shep

[FlakMagnet]

Hi Shep,

You're entitled to your opinion of course,

but Mariposa is a notoriously under-employed county.

Don't think framing the issue that way explains anything,

it's 'way too simplistic.

Flak

[azblackbird]

Let's not forget that 99% of gold bearing areas are covered in claims. If it is a private claim and you dig, you risk an interaction with law enforcement or one really pissed off claim holder. If it is a club claim, then you have to pay money for the membership, buy the equipment, pay for the fuel, the food, etc. When you are unemployed that is money that you may not be able to afford to spend. Just my opinion, though.

Maybe where you live everything is claimed up. But here in AZ and specifically referencing my backyard (Bradshaw Mountains), there are literally tens of thousands of acres of known gold producing areas that are not claimed.

I currently own a business and still make somewhat of a make a decent living. When gold started going up in price, I started researching all the geology reports I could get my hands on. I crunched some numbers and concluded that a mining and exploration business could be a viable venture at these current prices. We invested in some equipment, and have a few promising areas that we've done some sampling on, and will be working them this winter.

I guess I was just wondering why there are not more people like myself doing the same thing. I would expect more interest given the state of the economy and gold prices. I'm not bitching by any means. The less people involved in this business/hobby, the better it is for all of us.

As somebody previously stated... If all of a sudden everybody decided to get into prospecting, the government would find a way to outlaw it.

[Uncle Ron]

AZBlackbird: Have you started your state/federal BLM permitting processes yet? You might well feel the govt. HAS outlawed mining... Cheers, Unc

[azblackbird]

AZBlackbird: Have you started your state/federal BLM permitting processes yet? You might well feel the govt. HAS outlawed mining... Cheers, Unc

That's something we're still debating on. Should we play the game proper (business), or operate in stealth mode (hobby) and just keep it low-key.

[Patrick in Havasu]

Hello AzBlackbird.

I'm hoping that your comment about "stealth" doesn't mean "illegal". That could affect the rest of us detrimentally.

We have enough problems as it is.

Patrick.....

[azblackbird]

I'm hoping that your comment about "stealth" doesn't mean "illegal". That could affect the rest of us detrimentally.

Stealth meaning more small scale as a hobby, rather than filing claims, NOI, and/or POAs's, posting bonds, and bringing in heavy equipment and really "disturbing" the environment.

[DOC]

I suppose the reason why "EVERYONE" isn't looking for gold is because there are some people uneducated about it. Some people have no interest. Some people wouldn't even know where to look. And some people don't believe there is really gold out there. I have been doing this for 19 years, every time I find a gold nugget I think to myself, "I can't believe this!"

Then you must also realize that there are a lot of people who don't even know what the price of gold is. There are some people who are totally out of touch. They don't know the pledge of allegiance, they don't know the name of the Vice President or the Speaker of the House, or that the stock market lost over 600 points on 1 day and over 500 on another.

I don't know how much a dental X-Ray machine costs, why? Because I have no interest in them. For all I know someone is closing them out somewhere for $29.95, why wouldn't everyone take advantage of a price like that?

Then there is the fact that for every 1 person who is successful at finding gold profitably, there are probably 300 that aren't.

I have guys call me and want to get into prospecting and they ask me, "What do I do with the gold if I find it?" Like a dog chasing a car, what is a dog going to do with a car?

I have at least 3 guys a week wanting to sell me their gold, at spot or above. "But they are nuggets, they are worth more!" Not to me. The only reason I buy gold is to resell it and make a profit. So don't ask me to buy 5 ounces of your nuggets and expect to get spot for them. Nuggets are around 21 to 22 K and less. Put them on Ebay the same I would do, one at a time, and try to get a decent price.

I will from time to time take an exceptional nugget as partial payment for a detector, but it has to be something really beautiful.

There are a gazillion reasons why people aren't looking for gold. Most of us that look for gold don't do it for money, we do it because of the adventure, and the fun of the hunt. It's like heroin. You find that nugget and your thrilled to death until you drop it in the vial, then it's off to find the next one so you can enjoy that same feeling again.

I have all of the gold I have every found in a safety deposit box.

Doc

Stealth meaning more small scale as a hobby, rather than filing claims, NOI, and/or POAs's, posting bonds, and bringing in heavy equipment and really "disturbing" the environment.

[Steve Herschbach]

Had to chime in on this one.

I was in business during the last gold rush in the 1980's. First issue right now is that corrected for inflation gold is still not as high as it was then. It need to get over $2000 an ounce to be in similar territory as the $700-$800 an ounce back then. At $2000 an ounce a gram of gold is worth $64. When the price gets high enough a small amount of gold, which is what most people are likely to find, gets to be worthwhile. We are not there yet but are heading that way.

The other issue we face these days are rules and regulations. In 1930 you just went out, built a shack, and went to work. Now just to camp more than 14 days in a row in one spot takes an approved occupancy plan, which will drag you into all the other permitting issues.In the Great Depression many people could just go out and squat on public land and eke out a living. Now we are more or less prohibited from doing the same thing by excessive rules and regulations.

And then you mention doing research and investing in equipment. In 1930 you needed a shovel and a drywasher. Or a shovel and a sluice box. Home made at that. People who are unemployed have little to invest and so have to make due with simple equipment. If the price of gold gets high enough that I can make a wage running a simple drywasher or sluice box with a shovel then you may very well see the hills fill with people. But as long as it takes investing in heavy equipment or even $5000 metal detectors there is a barrier to entry.

Finally, it just is not that easy! How many people on this forum actually make money prospecting? I do, but it is a side income that I can take or leave as I feel like it. Back around 1980 I went dredging for two years for a living. It starts out fun but after a few months I got to hating it. The fun goes away and you are basically just a ditch digger working for wages. If you have the money for a larger scale operation that is another thing but making a wages by brute force labor gets old quick unless you have no other alternative.

[djhanson]

Living in the Phoenix metro area with a combined population of approx. 4.2 million people... why aren't the hills full of people looking for gold?

It's a good question. The answer lies in our modern society being so diluted and uneducated. I bet if we could take a random sample of the Phx metro area and extrapolated the data we might conclude:

<42,000 people know the current price of gold (and those that do only because they heard it on one of the alphabet news channels and only by chance).

<4200 people realize that the current price of gold is at an all-time high (or nearly so per CPI adjusted inflation).

<840 people realize that there are native gold deposits north of the Phx area.

<420 people understand that native gold deposits can be detected using a detector.

That being said, I bet 42,000 people could tell you the latest contestant on American Idol! LoL!

To further my point, 2 years ago I was at work with a fellow I do respect (in his 30's) and even he didn't understand why his grandpa was loading up on silver! I'm about his same age, but folks in my generation don't have a clue for the most part. Along the same lines, I can't count (as I don't have enough fingers) the number of folks at work who are hoping for the company stock to carry them through. These same people haven't a clue that equity secular bear and bull markets have existed and continue to exist and couldn't name one recession and why pre 1900. Reading and or reading some history or geology might be a good start. Anyways, so much for them, all of us do have a clue and that's good!

best.. dj

[FlakMagnet]

dj,

well said.

[minerjoe01]

You guys have some great points. No, i dont want to hate diggin for gold. EVER! But i hear you steve. And Doc, i'm like you, when i find a nugget, i first thank god. Then i put it in the vial and listen to it rattling in my poket all day. What a great life. I do believe i could make up the difference with gold, but my wife wont let me. I have no balls.... The railroad will pay us to stay at home, but only 75 percent of wages. Tempting for sure but everyone who has done it, has hated coming back to work. I like looking out the window at gold and bucks all day. On the part about people these days, most of the hard core miners i've known have come from hard working times, not the last 40 years. I know one guy that hunts like i do and the rest wont, because you have to.... (WALK)! ha ha America in general, is going soft guys.