Gold Fever Prospecting Blog

GPAA: Gold & Treasure Show Headed to Red Bluff, California

2012-03-01T15:31:00.000-08:00

GPAA: Gold & Treasure Show Headed to Red Bluff, California: "GPAA: Gold & Treasure Show Headed to Red Bluff, California
Gold Prospectors Association of America: Catch the fever at the GPAA Gold & Treasure Show March 10-11 in Red Bluff, California."

The Gold Prospectors Association of America will hold its Gold & Treasure Show March 10-11 in Red Bluff, California. The show will feature mucking and gold-panning contests as well as seminars led by Tom Massie, host of “Gold Fever” on the Outdoor Channel, or guest speakers.

With the price of gold spiking to record highs in 2011, GPAA President Brandon Johnson said gold fever is definitely rising and memberships to the organization have shown substantial growth over the last year.

“Spiking gold prices are sometimes the deciding factor to turn off the TV and actually go gold prospecting to experience it for yourself. A quarter-ounce or pennyweight of gold is worth a lot more now than it used to be,” Johnson said.

“Prospecting isn’t necessarily all about having the gold. It’s as much about finding it,” he said, adding that for many members the thrill is enjoying the outdoors with family and friends.

The Gold & Treasure Show in Red Bluff will feature vendors and displays of gold nuggets, jewelry and prospecting equipment such as metal detectors, drywashers, spiral gold pans, dredges and highbankers.

Showgoers over 18 years of age will get a chance to win a two-week Alaska Gold Expedition trip to GPAA’s famous Cripple River gold prospecting camp near Nome, Alaska. The event will run Saturday, March 10 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, March 11 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Tehama District Fair, 650 Antelope Blvd., Red Bluff, CA 96080, Tyler-Jelly Building.

Admission is $5.

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Limits planned for suction dredging; gold miners upset » Redding Record Searchlight

2012-02-24T10:00:00.000-08:00

Limits planned for suction dredging; gold miners upset » Redding Record Searchlight: "Limits planned for suction dredging; gold miners upset"

Under a new set of rules proposed by the state Department of Fish and Game, the agency would reduce the number of gold miners' suction dredging permits it issues annually statewide from 4,000 to 1,500 and prohibit dredging on more than 20 north state streams.

The regulation is one of many proposed changes to statewide regulations that the DFG has proposed to comply with court orders and recent state laws.

Chip Hess, who owns the Miner's Cache in Redding, said the regulations are hurting businesses and families.

"We have hundreds of families in the north state that make a living or supplement their incomes from mining," Hess said.

"First they shut the lumber industry down. Now they're basically shutting the mining industry down," he said.

The DFG took public comments on a first round of proposed regulations last year. Based on those comments, the agency made further changes in the proposed suction dredging regulations. It is taking public comment on the newest proposals until March 5.

Other new regulations include a provision that after a suction dredge is removed from a stream, it would have to be either decontaminated or kept out of the water for two weeks before putting it back in another stream. Two dredges could not be operated within 500 feet of each other on a stream. And dredging could only occur from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

DreamWeaver writes4

The SEIR was based on flawed science, and Mark Stopher knows this yet still wants to quote it? An unmodified gold suction dredge is the MOST EFFICIENT device known for REMOVING mercury, gold, and other heavy metals from the streams. As measured in several State and Federal test it was found to be 98% efficient in removing mercury from the streams and rivers. This compares to 93% efficiency using the centrifugal dredge the environmentalist want to use. Keeping the gold dredges out of the water, will leave the mercury, which can then be carried downstream to warmer water, where it may methylate and then ACTUALLY harm the fish. And as flytyr correctly pointed out, mercury and lead occur naturally here. There are places here in Shasta County where on a hot summer day you can see it "bleeding" out of the rock and flowing down to the stream below. But let's take the dredges that would remove it out of the water. Makes no sense.

Todays modern gold extraction techniques, including suction dredges do more to clean the environment in a single weekend than most other "environmentalists" do in a year. Anyone who would like to join us and help fight this bureaucratic nonsense should contact PLP (Public Lands for the People), WMA (Western Mining Alliance), or locally for more information drop an email to shasta_miners@yahoo.com

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The Nome Nugget - Alaska's Oldest Newspaper

2012-02-22T11:50:00.000-08:00

The Nome Nugget - Alaska's Oldest Newspaper: "The Bering Sea gold rush is on its way

Is Nome ready for those who have been bitten by the gold bug?

BY DIANA HAECKER

Just after the premiere of the Discovery Channel’s “Bering Sea Gold” TV reality show starring Nome gold dredge miners aired on January 27, Nome’s city offices and other businesses and organizations have been inundated with phone calls that inquired: What permits do we need to dredge for gold up there? Is there a mining camp? Can I buy a dredge up there? Can just anybody go and mine the beaches of Nome?
The city, the office of the harbormaster, the Nome Visitor and Convention Center, the Nome Nugget newspaper and land owners like Bering Straits Native Corporation and Nome Gold Alaska Corp. have been receiving inquiries as to what it takes to come up to Nome and rake in the gold.
City manager Josie Bahnke said that the volume of calls from Lower 48 prospectors have been overwhelming. Kerwin Krause with the Alaska " READ MORE

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Suction Dredge Permitting Program - California Department of Fish and Game

2012-02-21T10:59:00.000-08:00

Suction Dredge Permitting Program - California Department of Fish and Game: "Proposed Suction Dredge Regulations for Public Review

On February 17, 2012 the Department of Fish and Game (DFG) released proposed regulations for suction dredge mining in California. DFG released an earlier draft of these regulations for public review in February 2011. Two versions of the currently proposed regulations are available. The first version is a plain text presentation of the currently proposed regulations. The second version includes all changes, using underline/strikeout formatting, based on the regulations originally adopted in 1994, the modifications proposed in February 2011 and the additional modifications currently proposed. These documents are available at the following links:

Plain text version of 02/17/2012 regulations
Edited version of 02/17/2012 regulations"

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Eureka: hackers hit the jackpot, robbing a gold town of its heritage

2012-02-13T16:42:00.000-08:00

Eureka: Thieves hit the jackpot, robbing a gold town of its heritage: "A heritage lost... residents of a Californian mining community are left shocked after thieves steal a historical gold display. "

YREKA, California: The last time so much gold was pulled out of this town, the place was known as ''the richest square mile on earth'', an 1850s gold rush jewel just north of California's Mother Lode.

Now Yreka is feeling violated by an audacious heist.

Two hooded men with socks for gloves and a crowbar apparently slithered through the window of a men's toilet at the Siskiyou County courthouse and reached a fortified lobby display containing one of California's most revered gold collections.

An alarm failed to activate at about 1am on February 1 as the thieves hacked away at inch-thick bulletproof glass. They punched a hole big enough to grab as much as $US1 million ($931,000) in nuggets, including a treasured, 28-ounce find, discovered in 1913, known as ''the shoe'', then stuffed the riches into a backpack. The theft was discovered at 7am.

Yreka, population 7500, is one of a handful of California mining communities that has proudly kept precious trophies of its golden heritage on public display, even as gold prices have topped $US1750 an ounce.

''People are incredulous,'' said Siskiyou County Museum director Michael Hendryx, who had helped arrange the exhibit. ''They say, 'Why didn't they rob a bank?' You can replace money. You can't replace a heritage.''

Gold & Treasure Show headed to Pomona, Calif. - Press Release - Digital Journal

2012-01-03T22:57:00.000-08:00

GPAA Gold & Treasure Show headed to Pomona, Calif.

Pomona, California (PRWEB) January 03, 2012

The Gold Prospectors Association of America will hold its Gold & Treasure Show in Pomona, Calif. Jan. 21-22. The show will feature seminars led by Tom Massie, host of “Gold Fever” on the Outdoor Channel, or guest speakers and a gold-panning contest.

With the price of gold spiking to record highs in 2011, GPAA President Brandon Johnson said gold fever is definitely rising and memberships to the GPAA have shown substantial growth over the last year.

“Prospecting isn’t necessarily all about having the gold. It’s as much about finding it,” he said, adding that for many members the thrill is enjoying the outdoors with family and friends.

The Gold & Treasure show in Pomona will feature vendors and displays of gold nuggets, jewelry and prospecting equipment such as metal detectors, drywashers, spiral gold pans, dredges and highbankers.

Showgoers over 18 years of age will get a chance to win a two-week Alaska Gold Expedition trip to GPAA’s famous Cripple River gold prospecting camp near Nome, Alaska. The event will run Saturday, Jan. 21 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, Jan. 22 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Fairplex Pomona, Building 6, 1101 W. McKinley Ave. Pomona, CA, 91768.

Admission is $5. Children 12 and under admitted free. The first 100 paid attendees will receive a free vial of placer gold. Tickets are available at the door. To pre-register online and get in free, go to http://www.goldandtreasureshows.com.

The Gold Prospectors Association of America has already announced 12 shows for the Spring circuit, more than doubling the number of Gold & Treasure Shows on its nationwide tour from nine in 2011 to 20 shows in 2012:

SPRING CIRCUIT
Pomona, CA January 21 – 22, 2012
Mesa, AZ February 11 – 12, 2012
Albuquerque, NM February 18 – 19, 2012
Red Bluff, CA March 10 – 11, 2012
Puyallup, WA March 17 – 18, 2012
Salem, OR March 24 – 25, 2012
Fresno, CA March 31 – April 1, 2012
Las Vegas, NV April 21 – 22, 2012
Spokane, WA April 28 – 29, 2012
Boise, ID May 5 – 6, 2012
Salt Lake City, UT May 12 – 13, 2012
Reno/Sparks, NV May 19 – 20, 2012

FALL CIRCUIT
Rapid City, SD August 25 – 26, 2012
Casper, WY September 8 – 9, 2012
Butte, MT September 15 – 16, 2012
Denver, CO September 22 – 23, 2012
Mesa, AZ September 29 – 30, 2012
St. Joseph, MO October 13 – 14, 2012
Dayton, OH October 20 – 21, 2012
Spartanburg, SC October 27 – 28, 2012

Bering Sea Gold Sneak Peak Videos

2011-12-07T09:23:00.000-08:00

bering sea gold sneak peak videos

Ocean Prospectors Gamble It All On ‘Bering Sea Gold’; To Premiere On Discovery Channel Friday, January 27 - Ratings | TVbytheNumbers

2011-12-07T09:21:00.000-08:00

Ocean Prospectors Gamble It All On ‘Bering Sea Gold’;

To Premiere On Discovery Channel Friday, January 27 - Ratings | TVbytheNumbers:

NEW SERIES FROM THE CREATORS OF DEADLIEST CATCH TO PREMIERE

ON DISCOVERY CHANNEL FRIDAY, JANUARY 27 AT 10PM ET/PT

In the frontier town of Nome, Alaska, there’s a Gold Rush on. But you’ve never seen gold mining like this before -- here, the precious metal isn’t found in the ground. It’s sitting in the most unlikely of places: the bottom of the frigid, unpredictable Bering Sea. And there are a handful of people willing to risk it all to bring it to the surface. From Thom Beers’ Original Productions, the creators of the Emmy®-winning DEADLIEST CATCH, comes the new eight-part series BERING SEA GOLD, premiering on Discovery Channel Friday, January 27 at 10PM ET/PT.

For two million years, glaciers have been melting into the Bering Sea and depositing sediments rich with gold into its waters. As Nome’s ice pack melts during the summer, the isolated, ramshackle town of eccentrics and outcasts booms with excitement, as pioneer gold seekers rush to get out onto the water. Miners dive and dredge to scour the bottom of the sea from custom built, barely seaworthy rigs -- in a race to haul in as much gold as possible before the waters become too frigid to dive.

BERING SEA GOLD follows four gold dredges that range wildly in size and sophistication, but all have one thing in common: they’re run by driven and often desperate people whose very livelihoods depend on finding gold. They include the crews of:

The Christine Rose: More than three times larger than any other craft in these waters, this 80-foot barge is run by Steve Pomrenke, the most successful gold dredger on the Nome scene, and his son Shawn, who captains the vessel. Gruff and no-nonsense, Steve drives the dredging team -- and his son -- hard.

The Clark: The youngest boat in the fleet, this 20-foot diver-operated rig is captained by 24-year-old Nome native Zeke Tenhoff, who built the dredge from junkyard scrap. Zeke’s diving partner is childhood friend and greenhorn Emily Riedel, 23. Zeke’s motivation is paying off over $100,000 in hospital bills – while opera singer Emily wants to earn money to go to school in Europe.

The Sluicey: If The Christine Rose is the show’s Goliath, The Sluicey is its David – a modified skiff that barely seats two. Owner Ian Foster’s learning curve is sharp – he quit his job as a social worker, sank his life savings into his rig, and now he’s got one shot at making his living as a gold dredger. Joining him is Scott Foster (no relation), an experienced dredger who doesn’t miss an opportunity to point out the rookie captain’s shortcomings.

The Wild Ranger: Owned by retired military man Vernon Adkison, The Wild Ranger is captained by rookie Scott Meisterheim, whose motivation for finding gold is over $100,000 in back child support payments. As Scott says, “I’ve got bills to pay that if you don't pay, you go to jail for." The Wild Ranger is joined by greenhorn deckhands, including Steve Riedel, the eccentric father of Emily, from The Clark.

BERING SEA GOLD illustrates a world like none seen before -- one where the danger is palpable and the stakes are high. Success in the waters will give the dredgers the hope and means to continue -- and maybe even make them rich. Failure could yield a vast array of consequences -- from possible jail time to injury and even death.

BERING SEA GOLD is produced for Discovery Channel by Original Productions, a Fremantle Media company. For Original Productions, executive producers are Thom Beers, Philip D. Segal, Jeff Conroy, John Gray, Sheila McCormack and Cameron Glendenning. For Discovery Channel, executive producer is David Pritikin.

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Panning for Gold B'day CAKE

2011-11-16T18:59:00.000-08:00

Stumbled upon this awesome gold panning theme birthday cake at cakecentral.com .

Panning for Gold by cakewhiz on Cake Central:

from the baker:
This cake was created for a man who loves to pan for gold and was turning 70. I was given photos of him, his girlfriend, and their trailer to reproduce for the cake. They were all made out of sugarpaste. Tree and bushes were rice krispie treats. The small rocks were made out marshmellow fondant. The large rocks were made out of rice krispie treats covered in marshmellow fondant. Fun cake to do, but lots and lots of work!

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Fair Price for Gold Nuggets?

2011-11-09T09:17:00.000-08:00

We are often asked questions about buying and selling gold as coins or as nuggets. Here is one of the most recent emails and our reply.

QUESTION:

Subject: gold purchase pricing

i've been looking at nuggets for investments i have an alsaka

prospector who has offered 1 gram avg size nugs @ 1.5 oz for

$4925 which they say will be roughly 45 nugs. at $1850 or so it

seem like 1.5 oz has a value only @$2800 not $4900

a friend whom own a coin shop tells me thats too high, as my plans

r to buy around $10,000 worth before the end of the month

my delema is, is this good info, or is he trying to discourage me on

nugs cuz he wants me to buy his .999 coins??

buzz

Answer:

I'm afraid your Ak prospector friend is trying to rip you off.

He is effectively charging you 3283 per oz when the meltprice of 24k gold is 1790 per oz. today. Nuggets do sell for a premium over spot if of good character, purity andsize.

The going fair rate for typical placer gold nuggets of thissize when sold by reputable dealers at full retail is somewhere between 10 and 20% over spot price. Anything moreis a complete rip off unless they are of specimen quality (think museum grade) which is highly unlikely.

You should also be aware that gold from Alaska is almostalways less pure than gold from California. Ak gold can be 18k or far worse in somecases. Ca gold is rarely below 20k. If reselling as a nugget to another collector itmatters less but if planning to hold them and melt later it will be a largefactor. We do not advocate buying large natural placer gold for melting - you will lose value. They are meant to be kept intact and resold as collectible items.

You can compare our nugget prices here: http://www.goldfeverprospecting.com/buygoldnuggets.html

Whether you buy coins or nuggets is a whole otherissue. If planning to melt them down -avoid nuggets as you will take a loss. Ifplanning to resell them intact to other collectors they could be a great investment. Even more so, if you can fashionthem into value added jewelry or partner with someone who can.

Buying coins or bullion is a no brainer - buy them as close to spotprice as you can. You have to allow for a little dealer mark up - usually no more than 10%. And do not be scammed into paying a premiumfor "historic" or rare coins. Those are almost always a bad investment andpure hype.

Personally I always prefer a natural nugget over a run of the mill mass produced gold coin. There is no hope of ever having anything unusual or special with a man made minted coin. Every nugget is unique and has its own character - this appeals to collectors.

best

Harrigan

Gold Fever Prospecting

www.GoldFeverProspecting.com

HIGHBANKING DOOMED IN CA

2011-11-07T11:44:00.000-08:00

Our blood was boiling today when we heard this!
Where were the hearings, where were the votes? Was there even a debate?

Did you know the State of CA Water Board is now requiring a special $1120 permit to allow simple high banking or power sluicing. Worse- it is per location! The Water Board threatens fines of $10,000+ per day for violations! We warned you when dredging was banned that it would extend to other types of mining shortly. It came quicker than we feared.

http://www.swrcb.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/cwa401/docs/suctiondredge/highbank_faq.pdf

Time to stand up for your rights!

It is not just CA: Idaho, Oregon and a major new propaganda push is underway in the Carolinas now too.

Bad science and a hidden agenda by pseudo environmentalists are threatening to destroy our hobby.

READ MORE AT Are_Permits_Needed_For_Highbanking_In_California?

We entirely agree with The ICMJ's view:

Our View

This is another blatant attempt by the Water Board to stop mining in California with unelected officials promulgating unnecessary regulations and attempting to place new tax burdens on miners.

One of the primary purposes of the Mining Law of 1872 and its subsequent amendments is to promote the exploration and development of valuable mineral deposits in the United States. Despite the amendments that have been made over the years, that purpose has not changed.

It’s obvious that the Water Board is attempting to completely usurp the will of Congress by requiring a permit for simple exploration tasks like power sluicing and highbanking. Moreover, the agency’s requirement of $1,120 is site specific. If a miner went ahead and paid the fee and did not make a discovery at a particular location, he would have to pay another fee when he picked a new location to test! It’s impossible to know if a deposit exists unless you are allowed to process an adequate sample.

There are also no provisions in the Water Board rules that address permitting time frames. Could you imagine the time it would take for the Water Board to review and respond to 200 applications? How about 500, 1,000 or 3,000?

The Water Board is attempting to use the EPA Clean Water Act and NPDES (National Pollution Discharge Elimination System) permitting as their authority. But the sampling done by a miner within the ordinary high water mark and processed within that same area does not constitute the introduction of a pollutant. The materials that were already within the area will remain within the area.

Can the State of California legally require a permit for highbanking or power sluicing on a mining claim? In our view, the answer is “no.” A mining claim that includes a waterway is private property with riparian rights. If the miner is ensuring that his activities are “reasonably incident” to prospecting, mining or processing operations and the miner fills in his holes, this should satisfy the requirement to avoid “unnecessary or undue degradation” under 43 CFR §3809.415. And, as stated above, there is an obvious conflict with Congressional intent and no introduction of a pollutant.

How about on public lands that are open to claiming but not currently under claim? We also believe the answer to this question is “no.” The Mining Law of 1872 (USC 30 Chapter 2 § 22 ) states “...all valuable mineral deposits in lands belonging to the United States, both surveyed and unsurveyed, shall be free and open to exploration...”

Processing samples through a highbanker or power sluice is exploration. Again, as long as the miner is ensuring that his activities are “reasonably incident” to prospecting, mining or processing operations and the miner fills in his exploration holes, this should satisfy the requirement to avoid “unnecessary or undue degradation” under 43 CFR §3809.415

What are the fines for not obtaining the permit?

Answer: Violating conditions 1 and 2 may result in fines of up to $10,000 for each day, or if the matter is referred to the courts, fines up to $25,000 for each day in which the violation occurs.

Violating condition 3 may result in a fine of up to $1,000 plus $500 for each day the violation continues after 30 days of the State Water Board notification of the violation. Go to: http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/waterrights/board_info/faqs.shtml#toc178761086 for details.

Violating condition 4 may result in a fine of up to $500 per day of unauthorized diversion and use. Go to: http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/waterrights/board_info/faqs.shtml#toc178761086 for details.

for More info and to help support the fight against this encroachment on our rights visit: western mining alliance

FTC's Advice on Buying Precious Metal Safely

2011-10-28T12:31:00.000-07:00

Digging for Details Before Investing in Gold Bullion or Coins

October 28th, 2011 by Colleen

If you want to diversify your investment portfolio, you may think gold is the answer. It can help hedge against inflation and economic uncertainty. But before you buy any investment, it’s best to take some time, ask some questions, and get answers.

Earlier this year, the FTC put a stop to a bogus telemarketing operation that conned senior citizens into buying precious metals without disclosing significant costs and risks associated – a scheme that cashed in over $37 million from consumers! And recently, David Vladeck, our Director of the Bureau of Consumer Protection, spoke to ABC News about investing in gold and how to avoid some of the scams prevalent in this market.

Additionally, here are some tips to help you investigate a prospective investment in gold:

•   Ask for the coin’s melt value. That’s the basic intrinsic bullion value of a coin if it were melted and sold.
•   Talk with a reputable dealer or financial advisor you trust who has specialized knowledge. You may want to talk to other investors, too.
•   Shop around. Sellers may charge different premiums over gold’s prevailing market price.
•   Get an independent appraisal of the specific asset you’re considering. The seller’s appraisal might be inflated.
•   Consider additional costs. You may need to buy insurance or a safe deposit box, or you may need to rent offsite storage to safeguard your bullion.
•   Walk away from sales pitches that minimize risk and sales representatives who claim that risk disclosures are mere formalities. Reputable sales reps are up-front about the risk of particular investments. Always get a receipt for your transaction.
•   Refuse to “act now.” Any sales pitch that urges you to buy immediately is a signal to say ‘no thanks,’ and keep your money in your pocket.
•   Check out the company by entering its name in a search engine. Read what other people have to say about their experiences with the company. Try to communicate offline if possible to clarify any details. Take it a step further and contact your state Attorney General (www.naag.org) and local consumer protection agency (www.consumeraction.gov). Checking with these organizations in the communities where promoters are located is a good idea, but not fool-proof: it may be too soon for someone to realize they’ve been defrauded or to have lodged a complaint with the authorities.

Keep in mind promoters often use celebrities and high-profile personalities to tout their products. So when a bold-faced name says, “Invest in or buy gold with company ABC,” think about what they’re getting out of the deal. The fact is, many endorsers are paid by the company behind the product.

Want to know more? Take advantage of the FTC’s risk-free offer and check out our series of free publications about investing in gold – Investing in Gold? What’s the Rush?, Investing In Bullion and Bullion Coins, and Investing in Collectible Coins.

http://www.ncpw.gov/blog/investing/digging-for-details-before-investing-in-gold-bullion-or-coins-2?lang=en

How to Avoid Gold Ripoffs: Former Fraudster Gives Tips - ABC News

2011-10-28T12:28:00.000-07:00

How to Avoid Gold Ripoffs: Former Fraudster Gives Tips - ABC News:

"Sellers promise that if consumers invest in gold or other precious metals, they'll see quick returns but may gloss over the exorbitant fees the sellers will collect from unsuspecting investors.

"Their sales pitch is: this is a safe investment, you'll make a lot of money quickly, there's very little risk, and it's a good way to double or triple your money in a short time," said Vladeck. "[But] they don't make money by investing in gold. They make money by charging very high commissions, very high interest rates. And so they're panning for gold in your wallet, not trying to get the profits that they claim that you can get purchasing gold or other precious metals."

In another scheme, Vladeck said sellers may pitch investments in gold coins of historical significance as opposed to bullion, sometimes purposefully overinflating the investment value to make the sale. Vladeck said that the historical significance is not as important as the gold's basic "melt value".

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New Sidewinder Sluice Box Video

2011-10-28T11:54:00.000-07:00

Sidewinder Sluice Box Prototype#2 (01) - YouTube:

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I stumbled across this crazy new sluice design. It doesn't look like it is quite ready for sale yet (too slow and holds too much material) but a very interesting design. Definitely attempts to mimic the action of a river with various bends.

They have several videos up on youtube http://youtu.be/d9xbpU0WAqs with various models and a highbanker version as well. Look forward to seeing a finished prototype.

Gold Manipulation - A short History

2011-10-28T08:34:00.000-07:00

OLD SCHOOL MANIPULATION

In 1792 the U.S. Congress adopted a bimetallic standard (gold and silver) for the new nation's currency - with gold valued at $19.30 per troy ounce. This remained essentially unchanged until 1834, when the price of gold was raised to the $20.67 level which held for the next 100 years.

It was not until 1934 that President Franklin Delano Roosevelt devalued the dollar by raising the price of gold to $35 per ounce.

Relative to today's world economic conditions, it is imperative to remember that F.D.R.'s stated purpose for dramatically increasing the value of gold was to boost commodity prices (especially farm products) and create more employment for the millions who were suffering the devastating effects of the Great Depression.

In December 1971 representatives of the ten most industrialized nations met in Washington D.C. It was their express purpose to take whatever measures in order to improve international economic conditions. The now famous Smithsonian Agreement accorded an immediate hike in the value of gold from $35 to $38 per ounce. President Richard Nixon hailed it as "the most significant monetary agreement in the history of the world." Unfortunately, it resulted in a measure too little and too late.

International economic conditions continued to deteriorate, forcing the U.S. Government in 1973 to devalue the dollar a second time by raising the official price of gold to $42.22 per ounce. Finally, all international currencies were allowed to "float" freely against gold. By June of that year the London Gold Fixing had risen to an unprecedented $120 per ounce. Exploding demand during the following months set the stage for the creation of gold futures trading on the COMEX in January 1975.

A worldwide feeding frenzy for gold cannonballed its price to an all-time high of $850 per ounce on January 21, 1980. Gold reached another all time high of 1900+ per ounce in 2011.

One would think manipulation by governments of gold prices ended in the 70's. NOT SO MUCH

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MODERN MANIPULATION

New York Post Article on Gold Manipulation
The New York Post reports that trader blows whistle on Gold and Silver price manipulation.

Metal$ are in the pits
By MICHAEL GRAY
Last Updated: 4:33 AM, April 11, 2010

There is no silver lining to the activities of JPMorgan Chase and HSBC in the precious-metals market here and in London, says a 40-year veteran of the metal pits.
The banks, which do the Federal Reserve's bidding in the metals markets, have long been the government's lead actors in keeping down the prices of gold and silver, according to a former Goldman Sachs trader working at the London Bullion Market Association.

Maguire was scheduled to testify last week before the Commodities Futures Trade Commission, which is looking into the activities of large banks in the metals market, but was knocked off the list at the last moment. So, he went public.

Maguire -- in an exclusive interview with The Post -- explained JPMorgan's role in the metals pits in both London and here, and how they can generate a profit either way the market moves.
"JPMorgan acts as an agent for the Federal Reserve; they act to halt the rise of gold and silver against the US dollar. JPMorgan is insulated from potential losses [on their short positions] by the Fed and/or the US taxpayer," Maguire said.

In the gold pits, Maguire sees HSBC betting against the precious metal's price without having any skin in the game in the form of a naked short.
"HSBC conducts an ongoing manipulative concentrated naked short position in gold. Silver is much easier to manipulate due to its much smaller [market] size," Maguire added.

"No one at JPMorgan is familiar with Andrew Maguire," said Brian Marchiony, a company spokesman. HSBC declined to comment.

Also during the CFTC hearing, Jeff Christian, founder of the commodities firm CPM Group, said that the LBMA, the physical delivery market for gold and silver in the UK, has been using leverage, which is another way to depress the price of gold and silver.
Christian said that the LBMA -- the same market Maguire trades in -- has leverage of about 100-1 on the gold bars settled on the exchange. In layman's terms, that means if 100 clients requested their bullion bars be delivered, the exchange could only give one client the precious metal.
The remaining requests would have to be settled for cash equivalent. "That is tantamount to a default on the trade," says Bill Murphy, chairman of the Gold Antitrust Action committee.

Maguire goes further and calls it a fraud: "If you sell something you do not own, then that is fraud."
...

VIDEO Using a magnet while sluicing

2011-10-26T14:59:00.000-07:00

video notes from creator : This is a magnet bar I made for my sluice box. I don't sell them but the materials are easily available.

The 1x4 board was just a scrap piece I had laying around.

sluice box: le trap sluice

I used a towel rack for the pipe. It came from the dollar store. Once you have the bar - measure the inside opening before buying magnets.

The magnets came from eBay. Be sure to get 4 magnets that are north south polarization on the sides and not on the ends.

The screws and bolts came from the dollar store. The carpet runner is a softer rubber that also came from the dollar store.

I use the le trap sluice, however it should work as well on most aluminium or plastic sluice boxes.

How Gold Fever Starts

2011-10-22T08:25:00.000-07:00

How Gold Fever Starts !!!

do you remember the thrill of finding your first flake?

- use the comments box and tell us about your first finds

LOL

2011-10-22T08:14:00.000-07:00

Who says miners aren't

environmentally friendly?!

Meteorites delivered gold to Earth

2011-10-22T08:07:00.000-07:00

Meteorites delivered gold to Earth

By Leila BattisonScience reporter

A burst of meteorite impacts around 3.9 billion years ago delivered precious metals to Earth

Scientists have shown that the Earth's surface became enriched with precious metals by impacting meteorites.

The Earth's crust and mantle has considerably more gold than expected from favored models of planetary formation.

A study from the University of Bristol looked at some of the oldest rocks on Earth, demonstrating that gold was delivered by meteorites long after their formation.

Their results are published in Nature.

While the Earth was forming, iron sank to the centre of the planet, forming the core.

Any precious metals in the planetary mix would have gone with this iron and concentrated in the core, leaving the mantle devoid of elements such as gold, platinum, and osmium.

But this is not what we observe. In fact, the silicate mantle has up to 1,000 times more gold than anticipated.

Several reasons for this enrichment were proposed in the past, including delivery by meteorites, although until now it has not been possible to prove.

By measuring isotopes in rocks that are nearly four billion years old from Greenland, the team has managed to date the gold delivery, and to relate it to an event known as the "terminal bombardment".

Units of Weight for the Gold Prospector

2011-10-21T17:27:00.000-07:00

Know what you have and don't get ripped off!

Since the base value of placer gold always starts with it’s weight, it’s very important to know the proper weights and measures for gold. Most prospectors want to know how much their gold weighs to get a rough idea of its value. Here are some useful units of weight and measurement for the gold prospector.

Gold is measured in Troy ounces . The proper abbreviation is ozt.

A troy ounce weighs a bit more than a standard ounce, 1.097 to be precise

and 12 troy ounces make up a troy pound.

When you see the spot price of gold, or are looking at gold charts they are referring to the price of one ounce of gold in troy.

Often, small amounts of nugget gold and fine gold are measured in units called grams. This is what we use most often around the store and on the website.

There are 31.107463 grams in one troy ounce of gold. Shorten it to 31.1 grams per troy ounce. So, if you found a nugget that weighs 7.775 grams, then you would have a quarter ounce nugget. 15.55 grams equals a 1/2 ounce nugget. Use 31.1 and divide it by the weight in grams and you easily have your troy ounce figure.

The abbreviation for a gram is g or sometimes grm.

Another popular weight measurement for nuggets and fine flour gold is the pennyweight. There are 20 pennyweights in a troy ounce and each pennyweight equals 1.55 grams. The abbreviation for a pennyweight is dwt.

Sometimes smaller amounts of gold are found and it’s useful to measure the gold in grains. There are 480 grains in a troy ounce, 15.4324 grains in a gram and 24 grains in a pennyweight. The abbreviation for grains is gn or gr, not to be confused with g.

Be sure you know the difference when buying gold on ebay. Some unscrupulous sellers will describe their gold as g (grams) when they really mean gr (grains). We'll post more about avoiding ebay gold scams later.

Our Favorite Gold Prospecting Tool

2011-10-21T16:34:00.000-07:00

Looking for a gold recovery product that can process tons of 8 mesh or smaller raw material or even heavy concentrates into mere ounces?

The "Gold Cube" works amazingly well. Gold Fever Prospecting has tested it thoroughly and we use it in the shop daily as our primary concentrating tool - we love it and so will you. IT'S CRAZY FAST AND EXTREMELY EFFICIENT - IT WON'T LOSE GOLD. Come see it in action at our Southern California showroom or watch the videos on our site.

The Gold Cube can retrieve all the gold from the material you've gathered from rivers, beaches, black sand, etc. With a 12-volt battery and a small 12 volt pump you're ready to clean up your concentrates QUICKLY, making the Gold Cube one of the most valuable pieces of gold prospecting equipment you can own! The Gold Cube is even small enough to fit into the trunk of your car. It consists of stacking trays made of indestructable plastic low density polyethylene that's as thick as a cutting board. A basic Gold Cube consists of 1 slick plate and two concentrator trays, but add as many trays as you like, depending on your specific needs and location. We prefer a 3 unit set up for most situtions or if very fine gold is a problem we will use a 4 tray set up. Separator trays, stand, hose, and pump sold separately so you can build your own Gold Cube, or purchase as packages Click here to learn more about how and why the Gold Cube works so well.

How a Suction Dredge Works

2011-10-21T16:04:00.000-07:00

A modern gold suction dredge is like an underwater vacuum cleaner. It uses a suction system, which draws gold-bearing materials up through the suction hose and deposits them in a floating sluice to be processed.
The sluice box contains horizontal ridges or bars, (riffles) to catch the heaviest particles (gold) in the slurry as they are washed down through the sluice box. After the slurry has passed the sluice box the material is discharged over the side of the dredge.

The Gold Dredge and Dredging for Gold
View our collection of gold dredging dvd's and books.

In the beginning of the Gold Rush, the miners were limited because they could only work the areas that were accessible to hand tools along the banks of the streams and rivers. Their equipment was limited to gold pans, sluice boxes and rockers. As time progressed and as they became more experienced, they realized that the deeper gavels in the riverbeds were often richer than the surface gravel along the banks. In the early 1900s, several crudely built steam powered dredges were active on some of the northern rivers of California. The divers worked futility on the bottom of the rivers with heavy diving helmets and cumbersome diving suits. Although history reveals that dredging has been in existence throughout the world for many years, it is just recently that it has reached such a high degree of popularity due to advanced technology in dredging equipment. Dredges of today are lighter, more portable and more efficient than ever. A small portable backpack dredge of today can weigh as little as forty pounds and cost around eight hundred dollars. It can process as much gravel as a larger three hundred-pound dredge, some twenty years ago. One of the most exciting features of this type of dredge is that it allows the prospector to penetrate areas that were otherwise impossible to reach with heavier and more cumbersome equipment. They are also far more efficient than the machines of old. It is not uncommon to see a dredge profitably working the tailings of some of the old mines and tailing dumps. There are three basic types of dredges on the market today. They include surface dredge, submersible dredging tube and the underwater submersible dredge. The surface dredge is the most popular, efficient and versatile gold recovery machine.

SNEAK PEAK Gold Rush 2: The Off Season FULL EPISODE : Videos : Discovery Channel

2011-10-21T13:42:00.000-07:00

10/21/11 catch the new episode of season 2 of gold rush alaska 1 week before it airs!

Gold Rush 2: The Off Season FULL EPISODE : Videos : Discovery Channel:

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Season two of GOLD RUSH kicks off Friday, October 28th at 9PM ET/PT.
About "The Off-Season":
It's the mining off-season and Todd Hoffman and his father Jack have some big decisions to make. After finding just $20,000 in gold their rookie mining season, they've had to scrape through the winter in Oregon. But the Hoffmans aren't ones to give up. Instead, they decide to double their chances of striking it rich and secure a second mining claim.
Just days before the start of the season, as they pack up to hunt for gold at both Porcupine Creek and Klondike sites, they get some disastrous news: the water license for their Klondike claim - essential to run a mining operation - did not come through. Their dream of a second mine in the Klondike is over before it started. Todd breaks the news to his crew, and they set off to Alaska with only the old Porcupine Creek claim to mine.
About GOLD RUSH:
In Discovery Channel's hit series GOLD RUSH, a group of down-on-their-luck men, in the face of an economic meltdown, risk everything to strike it rich mining for gold in Alaska. Inspired by his father Jack, Todd Hoffman leads the miners - now with one season under their belts - to finish what they started and get to the bottom of the glory hole at Porcupine Creek and find gold.

2012 GPAA gold show schedule

2011-10-21T11:57:00.000-07:00

Times and locations are tentative and subject to change. Check with GPAA directly for up to date info.

Shows marked in yellow are the ones Gold Fever Prospecting plans to attend and exhibit .

January 21 – 22, 2012 Pomona, CA Pomona Fairplex 1101 W. McKinley Ave Pomona, CA 91768 Building 6
February 11 – 12, 2012 Mesa, AZ Mesa Convention Center 201 N. Center Street Mesa, AZ 85211 Convention Hall
February 18 – 19, 2012 Albuquerque, NM Expo New Mexico 300 San Pedro NE Albuquerque, NM 87108 Creative Arts Building
March 10 – 11, 2012 Red Bluff, CA Tehama District Fair 650 Antelope Blvd Red Bluff, CA 96080 Tyler-Jelly Building
March 17 – 18, 2012 Puyallup, WA Puyallup Fair & Events Center 110 9th Ave SW Puyallup, WA 98371 Expo Hall
March 24 – 25, 2012 Salem, OR Oregon State Fair 2330 17th Street NE Salem, OR 97303 Columbia Hall
March 31 – April 1, 2012 Fresno, CA Big Fresno Fair 1121 S. Chance Avenue Fresno, CA 93702- 3707Commerce Building
April 21 – 22, 2012 Las Vegas, NV South Point Hotel & Casino 9777 Las Vegas Blvd. South Las Vegas, NV 89183 Exhibit Halls C & D-Group Code: GOL0419-(Discount deadline 3/23/12)-Rm. Resv 866-791-7626
April 28 – 29, 2012 Spokane, WA County Fair & Expo Center 404 N. Havana Ste 1 Spokane, WA 99202-4663 Bay 3
May 5 – 6, 2012 Boise, ID Expo Idaho 5610 Glenwood Boise, ID 83714 Center Expo Building
May 12 – 13, 2012 Salt Lake City, UT Utah State Fairpark 155 North 1000 West Salt Lake City, UT 84116 Grand Building
May 19 – 20, 2012 Reno, NV Reno-Sparks Livestock Events Center 1350 N. Wells Ave Reno, NV 89512 Exhibit Hall

MineCache.com - Gold Prospecting with Google Earth

2011-10-21T10:36:00.000-07:00

MineCache.com - Home - Gold Prospecting with Google Earth: "MineCache & Google Earth for Mapping Gold Prospecting Locations

MineCache is a Google Earth add-on that lets you visually map locations where gold has been found in the United States. MineCache is easier to use than Geocommunicator for mapping BLM mineral mining claim data in Google Earth. Use MineCache as a online gold map tool to help you narrow down your gold prospecting locations or to help you find existing gold mine locations."

Just discovered this - could be very handy.

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Prospecting Pictures

2011-10-21T10:29:00.000-07:00

Sarina Finkelstein | Photographer | New York, NY |

NY Times modern day gold rush article

Very neat images - only wish the piece didn't characterize the majority of prospectors as being down on their luck, unemployed, or drop outs when the vast majority of us are gainfully employed and doing quite well while enjoying our favorite hobby.

Cash for Gold Scams

2011-10-20T11:32:00.001-07:00

On a daily basis we are bombarded with questions about selling scrap gold. Since GoldFeverProspecting.com is a gold nugget dealer and mining equipment retailer we do not deal in jewelry or scrap gold - we only buy and sell natural placer gold. However, we do know well from countless horror stories related to us by customers over the years, that almost all of the Cash for Gold guys are either shady or outright crooks. The prices offered are almost always well below fair market value and the shenanigans they pull are reprehensible.

interesting info here:
10 Confessions Of A Cash4Gold Employee

Some quick gold selling tips: know what you have before selling. If you don't know the total weight or karat purity of your gold take it to a custom jeweler to have it tested - or even a pawn shop. You may need to pretend you are interested in selling for them to do an acid test on it. Resist the temptation to sell instantly and shop around first. It will usually gain you 20 or more percent.

Test your gold at home

Scales for gold and jewelry

Check sites like www.kitco.com to see where the current melt price is for gold. The $ quoted will be for 24 karat so your scrap gold will of course be less.

Contact gold refiners directly. You can find a listing of refiners at www.icmj.com. Contact at least 2 or 3 to compare. Some will have minimum quantity requirements for refining. Some wil charge a flat fee and others may charge a percentage of gold recovered.

Did you know? Placer gold is never 24k - that is a man made product after refining. California gold nuggets often run 20-22k, Australian 22-23k, Alaska 18k or worse sometimes. Most American jewelry falls in the range of 10k to 18k gold. Jewelry is some Asian or middle eastern countries can have higher karat on average. A 14 karat ring is less than 60% pure gold.

24 k       100% purity

22 k      91.7%

20 k     83.2%

18 k       75%

16 k      66.6%

14 k      58.3%

12 k       50%

10 k      41.7%

8 k       33.3%

Did you know? Scrap gold buyers do not pay you for any jewels or precious stones contained in your old jewelry. If you have a gemstone of real value pull it out from the setting and keep it or take it to a real jewelry appraiser.

Did you know most mall jewelry stores work on margins of 200-300% or more. Ever wonder how they run those 50-75% off sales all the time. Well now you know.

Did you know our gold nugget margins are only 5-15% usually? We don't play games - we make our money on volume of sales and hopefully lots of repeat business.

If you have natural placer gold you want to sell at a fair price contact us: Sell Your Placer Gold We understand the market for natural gold nuggets and can also accommodate consignment sales for higher end pieces.

We don't refine scrap jewelry directly but have trusted contacts - if you have scrap jewelry you want to sell let us know and we will put you in touch with a trustworthy refiner.

As always, use common sense when selling your gold- don't take the first offer and try to shop around thoroughly. You be surprised how many people make one phone call or click one link only.

A solid gold cube of 66 feet

2011-10-20T10:51:00.000-07:00

Gold fact: At the end of 2006, it was estimated that all the gold ever mined totals 158,000 tons. More interesting - all those tons of gold equals a cube with an edge length of only 66 feet. That is some dense AND rare metal!! Think about that - all the gold ever found in all of history consolidated into that one single cube.

Reminds me of a customer bringing in a 5+ oz placer nugget to sell that he found in Mariposa creek about an hour away from my home in Central California. It was worth several thousand dollars of course but the size of it was a bit disappointing to look at. The nugget fit easily in the middle of the palm of my hand - not an astonishing piece to look at, but BOW HOWDY I will never forget the weight of that sucker. Even after all these years and the millions of dollars of gold I have come into contact with, I never quite get used to the density of gold or the value either. If you haven't held a large nugget before, imagine the price of a used car sitting in the palm of your hand.

By the way, the guy who found that sweet nugget did it in a creek running through the middle of town that had supposedly been worked over for generations by pros and tourists alike. - Now use that motivation to go out and find some gold!

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Technical Signs Say Gold’s Fall May Continue - Bloomberg

2011-10-20T10:39:00.000-07:00

Technical Signs Say Gold’s Fall May Continue - Bloomberg: 10/20/11 "Gold prices, down 14 percent since touching a record in September, are poised for more losses, according to technical analysis by Steel Vine Investments LLC.
Bullion’s advance from the Sept. 26 low of $1,535 an ounce to a high of $1,696.80 on Oct. 17 created a so-called bear flag pattern where price movements resemble an inverted flag, according to Spencer Patton, the Chicago-based chief investment officer for Steel Vine.
The metal’s plunge from a record $1,923.70 on Sept. 6 to the low on Sept. 26 created the so-called flag pole. Losses in the past three sessions signal the completion of the pattern, and that prices will resume their decline, Patton said. Gold may drop to $1,550 by the first week of November, he said.
“The market has decisively broken out of this pattern,” Patton said in a telephone interview yesterday. “Gold looks weak in the near term.”"

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Note: there are also many reasons for the long term upside for gold prices and we are long term bulls. The above is just a sampling of short term sentiment.

The Beginning

2011-10-14T17:54:00.001-07:00

GoldFeverProspecting.com began from the humblest of beginnings. A guy with a hobby and a desire to find some decent gold prospecting equipment.

The beginning: I’ve always had a terrible habit of turning all my fun hobbies into a job or some type of business venture. Recreational poker grew into a semi pro endeavor. Moving to Tahoe and innocently working as a ski bum one year out of college quickly turned into trying to design t-shirts for the local tourist market. Growing up “literally” in the Pebble Beach golf pro shop (my Aunt ran it for years) fostered a lifelong passion for Golf AND retail and almost turned into an attempt at the pro tour. A bad case of psoriasis on my hands devastatingly took care of that dream - but there is always the senior tour! LOL I’ll try to recount some interesting tales of life on the links in another blog some time.

Moving from the San Francisco bay area to the gold country allowed (forced) me to become a gold prospecting entrepreneur. As a California born and raised kid I’ve had a lifelong interest in gold prospecting. History lessons on the gold rush are mandatory in schools in Ca. Trips as a little kid to the most awesome Frontier Village Amusement Park (sadly long since closed in 1980)

to try my hand at panning for gold and later journeys with my grandfather to the Sacramento area to give gold panning and sluicing a real shot instilled the gold fever in me from a young age. I still remember the Lost Dutchman mine ride. Frontier Village info: www.Frontiervillage.net

Later in life, I found myself partnering with family in a small local home and garden décor retail shop. When the internet matured and I discovered a national customer base was far better than a local one, the small local business morphed into several ecommerce ventures which continue today. With my relocation to gold country (I followed a girl, now my wife) it was natural to try my hand at prospecting for real. I found myself living on 6 acres of prime river front on the Fresno River and couldn’t for the life of me find any gear to use to get the gold. As any prospector knows there is only so much you can do with a pan and sluice box. I loved every minute of working the ground for my first few flakes (well I Ioved it for a little while). My back and my impatient nature quickly grew to hate panning my concentrates out by hand but I had no idea if there was any equipment out there to help. I searched and searched locally but couldn’t find more than a gold pan for sale in a grocery store and this was in the middle of gold country! There was a small prospecting / rock shop about two hours drive away and a gold panning tourist trap in town but they rarely had anything of use to a real prospector in stock. I knew prospecting was a big hobby and growing quickly and I began to wonder what everyone else in the country was doing for equipment. What I quickly found was that there was a dearth of competent sellers of gold prospecting equipment. There were numerous mom and pop outfits hawking a few items – often homemade rickety junk and a very few organized retailers attempting some sort of focused approach to offering a range of prospecting gear. Me selling prospecting gear on the internet quickly followed. I dabbled on eBay but quickly found I was giving a large part of my profit away to them and I hated their customer NO service attitude toward their sellers. So in I jump with my own website and after a couple of years trying to locate enough professionally made products and promote it properly, my newest hobby/job had turned into a full time business - GoldFeverProspecting.com. Now jump ahead 6 years and we have quickly grown to become the largest independent dealer of recreational gold prospecting equipment in the country.

In this blog I HOPE to regularly offer up some insight into daily business operations (i.e. venting), prospecting equipment reviews (gear we love and hate) and commentary on gold prospecting related issues (things that make us hopeful or maybe pissed off). I might even chip in some gold market commentary too since I was actively involved in day trading for years as well. I say “I HOPE” because free time is super short, business is booming with the high price of gold, and I’m a new father too!