For all general rockhound chatter! http://www.mindat.org/msgboard-15.html Wed, 22 May 2013 06:48:59 +0000 Phorum 5.2.15a http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,293645,294438#msg-294438 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,293645,294438#msg-294438 Tim Korte Rockhounds Tue, 21 May 2013 21:55:57 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,293645,294437#msg-294437 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,293645,294437#msg-294437 Tim Korte Rockhounds Tue, 21 May 2013 21:48:42 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,294152,294405#msg-294405 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,294152,294405#msg-294405
Thanks for that info on John Sinkankas will see what the Library has. I dont know where this will end up but best to be prepared for anything. Im not looking to start a mining operation. I just want to locate some great stuff and not kill myself in the process.

You said you stay out for about a month or so. Is this on a single wooded claim or are you hitting a bunch of spots? What state by the way, and what do you find if you don't mind me asking?

Cheers back to you brother. :)-D]]> Alan Weigand Rockhounds Tue, 21 May 2013 16:37:20 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,294152,294402#msg-294402 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,294152,294402#msg-294402
I want to thank everyone for their advice and help getting a plan in place. Off to the library for a couple more books and
"Treasure of the Sierra Madre".

As they say in the Art & Antique world,"Buy the book first, Then buy". Has always made a lot of sense.]]> Alan Weigand Rockhounds Tue, 21 May 2013 16:25:09 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,294152,294401#msg-294401 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,294152,294401#msg-294401
Jay E. Ranson is an author of 2 books I suggest you buy, they give you the locations of known gem and gold occurrences. Also necessary reading are several books by John Sinkankas, he was able to write about the geology involved in prospecting in an easily understandable way. Both are excellent investments! Mindat is also an excellent place to prospect for digging locations.

Personally more than 30 days out digging becomes too long and I need to head home for a re-charge. That number of days has gone down as I get older YMMV. Try taking it to the serious hobby level as see how it goes is my advise.
Most claim owners I know have other income sources and only mine part time. Most digging is done recreationally,
and even when a super-duper-triple-whooper is found ... you aren't going to want to sell your prized specimen. You'll find out that you have become a collector :)-D

Good Luck Digging!
J T]]> John Truax Rockhounds Tue, 21 May 2013 16:23:51 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,294152,294400#msg-294400 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,294152,294400#msg-294400
It ended up being a good time to get out though. The mortgage meltdown happened about 8 months later, and it felt like
it was coming. Contractors in New Jersey went from total Boom to Bust for a good 2 years. Now they have the NJ Shore to rebuild.]]> Alan Weigand Rockhounds Tue, 21 May 2013 16:14:44 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,294152,294399#msg-294399 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,294152,294399#msg-294399
I was wondering about that. I never saw a single post or claim sign. Maybe set up some scarecrows on each corner. That would do it. Im still pretty sure in this day and age you end up in jail for shooting at someone without good cause. Shooting at someone on an unmarked claim would probably fall into this category. Looks like a fun place though. I would probably spend more time up there studying sand and gravel samples then actually ever finding anything.

Alan]]> Alan Weigand Rockhounds Tue, 21 May 2013 16:02:59 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,294152,294398#msg-294398 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,294152,294398#msg-294398 Alan Weigand Rockhounds Tue, 21 May 2013 15:56:22 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,294152,294397#msg-294397 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,294152,294397#msg-294397
Not much different then the story of Mel Fisher. Never giving up he finally found the Atocia.I have a friend here in NJ, Nelson Jecas that treasure dives all over the place and was responsible for locating and preserving the Zalophus. This was John Ringlings ship he used to entice investment money into his enterprises.

Sorry to get off topic there but between the heat and mosquitos, I would probably come back with malaria, or fried like a piece of bacon. I say if it seems too good to be true it usually is. I know people find a lot of surface gold in Australia and it just seems too good to be true or everyone would be doing it. But who can tell? Its all about perseverance and a handfull
of good luck. There are areas in Australia so full of Mosquitos, I doubt people have even ventured there. That would be a good start. Just bring a big bottle of listerine. I dont think mosquitoes like listerine and at least I wouldnt smell to bad. :-D]]> Alan Weigand Rockhounds Tue, 21 May 2013 15:49:46 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,294152,294392#msg-294392 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,294152,294392#msg-294392
Forget about Madagascar, it's true, mineral occurrences of all kinds are abundant and new ones are being found by locals almost daily. BUT, legally you don't have the right to dig wherever you wish, you have to apply for an exploration / exploitation licence first. Since the 2009 coup d'etat there is a moratorium in place and no new licences are being granted until the next presidential elections which are getting postponed since 2010... You can still buy in or acquire a licence from local partners but if you find anything substantial, you can be sure that several hundred people will come and dig on your concession. This is particularly true for pegmatites and sapphire occurrences.

Due to their colonial history the Malagasy people are very sensitive when a foreigner (a "vaza") touches or extracts their soil/sub-soil.

Wolfgang]]> Wolfgang Hampel Rockhounds Tue, 21 May 2013 14:54:38 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,294152,294389#msg-294389 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,294152,294389#msg-294389
I respectfully suggest you watch the movie "Treasure of the Sierra Madre" a couple of times before you enbark on your adventure and take on partners. It is a good film, by the way.

Best,

Joe]]> Joseph Polityka Rockhounds Tue, 21 May 2013 14:08:36 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,294152,294387#msg-294387 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,294152,294387#msg-294387
How about leaving the people of third world nations to mine and profit from their own gems. I don't think it's very ethical to suggest anyone from outside o to any of these places to start mining as an individual.

Stay in the US, Canada or somewhere similar.]]> Jolyon & Katya Ralph Rockhounds Tue, 21 May 2013 13:35:52 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,294152,294381#msg-294381 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,294152,294381#msg-294381 Rudy Bolona Rockhounds Tue, 21 May 2013 12:33:10 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,294152,294379#msg-294379 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,294152,294379#msg-294379 The island is covered with deposits of the widest variety of gem species.]]> Neal Luppescu Rockhounds Tue, 21 May 2013 11:05:22 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,293645,294368#msg-294368 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,293645,294368#msg-294368
Do you have anything from Ivigtut, Greenland?]]> Jenna Mast Rockhounds Tue, 21 May 2013 06:26:14 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,294152,294366#msg-294366 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,294152,294366#msg-294366 Mark & Linda Mahlum Rockhounds Tue, 21 May 2013 03:07:50 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,293645,294364#msg-294364 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,293645,294364#msg-294364
I too would be interested in looking at a few pictures. Please send me a direct email to mineralman@sbcglobal.net I would love to help identify any of your specimens. I'm always traveling around the country appraising mineral collections, and sometimes purchasing them.

Ryan
jewels-fine-minerals]]> ryan christensen Rockhounds Tue, 21 May 2013 01:57:57 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,293645,294357#msg-294357 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,293645,294357#msg-294357 I haven't been able to figure out where you are located, but I recommend getting help from an experienced mineral collector who can help you with the specimens, teach you how to handle them so they don't get damaged and explain to you which are more valuable and why. The first thing you have to do is keep the labels with the specimens and get them into storage boxes separated from each other. I'm in Houston and if you had been local I would have heard about it. Someone like myself, with 50 years of collecting experience and connections with a local society, maybe retired and with time on their hands. That's what you need. The information about the specimens and how to use them for kids can come later. Don't waste this gift and good luck.]]> Stephen C. Blyskal Rockhounds Mon, 20 May 2013 21:58:20 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,294317,294349#msg-294349 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,294317,294349#msg-294349
Yeah Stephen, I know on 5-4-13 there was a Co-Op Trip out to Boulder Hill, but not sure for what club. I'm apart of Rockhound-Field-Trip-Fanatics and one of the members went on that trip. Figured I'd try the area. Was defiantly a fun dig site, anyone ever explore any of the old Silver adits? Sure was a lot of them on the hill, I decided I was too wise too explore them alone. This time... and also thanks for your help on Peterson Mountain a while back, I ended up poking around out there and becoming good friends with one of the mine owners and spent more than half of last year up on the slopes. Just had my best quartz find to date on 4-22-13, so have since taken a break to start exploring again at least for a couple more weeks. Soon It'll Be Opal Time!]]> Zach Ratley Rockhounds Mon, 20 May 2013 18:25:17 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,294077,294342#msg-294342 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,294077,294342#msg-294342 I am a member of several mineral clubs. The more clubs you join, the more opportunities will open up to you. Most mineral clubs do provide members with field trips thru the year. I am a member of the North Jersey Min. Society(V.P./Field Trip Coordinator), F.O.M.S., The Orange County NY Mineral Club, The Delaware Valley Earth Sciences Society, and the St.Lawrence county(NY) Rock & Gem Club. Making these connections with other members has opened up a whole new world of collecting opportunities that I otherwise would have never had. Also, meeting and chatting with collectors set up at gem & Mineral shows is helpful also!
Jeff]]> Jeffrey D. Wilson Rockhounds Mon, 20 May 2013 16:54:15 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,294317,294338#msg-294338 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,294317,294338#msg-294338 Stephen Rose Rockhounds Mon, 20 May 2013 15:53:06 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,294152,294336#msg-294336 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,294152,294336#msg-294336
1) Any reality TV show is to a large extent staged by its producers-- the people on that show do find many nice minerals, but not with the frequency you might expect. Renting heavy equipment is also very expensive, and that is after they have staked out their own claim based on exploring and prior prospecting and a knowledge of geology.

2) Many of the known claims in the US are taken, so unless you know how to find a new one, you will have to risk getting shot for trespassing.

3) Good luck in Pakistan or Brazil. As someone else said, if you just show up to dig, you will get in serious trouble. It's all owned locally. You can try to buy, but the Brazilians already have direct access to the world markets, and the Pakistanis have been out of their minds, price-wise for the last few years-- I don't go there anymore (and I'm half Pakistani) because the pricing just doesn't make it worth the risk.

If you want to put up the cash enter a partnership with someone in Pakistan or Brazil, that might work. But be prepared to spend weeks in the mountains or jungle, because if something good is found, your "partners" or even the workers will probably just steal it...

Your best bet is to listen to Rock Currier. The man known what he's saying. I too have done the travel-for-rocks thing (though I don't have even close to his experience). Your best best it to buy, because you probably will never dig anything worth very much, unless you invest some major cash in a proper geological study of an area and follow it up with some heavy machinery, excavation, whatever....again, assuming you find that spot in the first place. And even then, nothing is guaranteed.

Your "urban prospecting" is probably a hell of a better deal...]]> Ibrahim Jameel Rockhounds Mon, 20 May 2013 15:41:27 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,294182,294332#msg-294332 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,294182,294332#msg-294332
KC]]> KC Dalby Rockhounds Mon, 20 May 2013 14:07:18 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,294152,294330#msg-294330 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,294152,294330#msg-294330 Ralph Bottrill Rockhounds Mon, 20 May 2013 13:48:22 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,294317,294326#msg-294326 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,294317,294326#msg-294326 John Montgomery Rockhounds Mon, 20 May 2013 12:29:28 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,294317,294323#msg-294323 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,294317,294323#msg-294323 G:-):-)D Luck !]]> Wayne Corwin Rockhounds Mon, 20 May 2013 10:41:20 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,294317,294317#msg-294317 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,294317,294317#msg-294317 gold prospecting videos and for a few years I was prospecting 4 days a week, averaging 2 pennyweight a day. Then, a couple years back when it was time to sell what I had and after I did I just didn't have it in me to work another 20 trips to fill my bottle, it was about 100$ a day at the time but was also 14+ hour days with 6 mile hike. This is when I started to research other minerals in the West Coast, mainly California.

I bought a copy of Gem Trails of California and started poking around. I created http://www.IDigCalifornia.com a while back as my online rock journal. Mainly for me to look back and see what all I have done. I am going to college to be a geologist and hope to live off personal mineral finds fully one day. I took this semester off to try to see if I could try to collect minerals as an income.

Recently, I've really hammered in on different local quartz localities for the last 2 years. Last year I found hundreds of lbs of quartz, all of which I still have, cleaned, sorted, and hoarded. I posted lots of photos and videos the last few years on my Photo Bucket, but recently I had experienced some problems and switched to a Flickr Account which has my more recent finds, up to last week.

I am in the mindat chat often and also reading all the new forum topics but I usually rarely post. I am making this Topic to hopefully meet some other avid collectors in the area that are hitting it hard or get any new info on localities unknown to myself. I so far have driven to Nevada, Arizona, and Oregon to dig minerals. The Royal Peacock Opal Mine in Virgin Valley Nevada opens up (with most others) next monday. I am 95% sure I'll head up for the week, that or wait 1 more week. Last week I found this Baryte plate in Nevada. This week I am taking the week off the dig and am going to try to get all my stuff in order for the opal dig.

I've yet to dig any Oregon Sunstones or anything in the Warner Range, San Diego County or any Riverside County Pegmatites. I have dug at the Oceanview mine and Pala Chief mine in Pala, California but am really trying to get away from the screening site digs, I'd much rather be in a pocket. I'm also interested in digging fire opal in Oregon but have noticed that at most places a rotary hammer & electric generator is vital. Any who, remember the name, I'm going to be around for the next 50 years (....willing)]]> Zach Ratley Rockhounds Mon, 20 May 2013 08:52:41 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,294152,294313#msg-294313 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,294152,294313#msg-294313
I just love that definition! I'd never heard it before - thanks.

Tim]]> Timothy Greenland Rockhounds Mon, 20 May 2013 07:26:41 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,294152,294310#msg-294310 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,294152,294310#msg-294310
Speaking of Mark Twain, Alan could read one of Twain's less well known books "Roughing It", where he describes his own attempts at prospecting.]]> Alfredo Petrov Rockhounds Mon, 20 May 2013 04:55:37 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,290646,294305#msg-294305 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,15,290646,294305#msg-294305 BILL WALL Rockhounds Mon, 20 May 2013 02:54:48 +0000