There’s Nothing Like Finding Gold!
AND WE DID!
Arizona is a place full of rocks and minerals!
Here is a specimen of Fluorite that I found here in Arizona.
But here it is under U-V Light.
It fluoresces!
Gold does not fluoresce but it’s a mineral that likes to shine!
Sweet, sweet man and I belong to a Prospecting Club as well as a Rock Club.
Yuuup… I’m a Prospector!
Prospecting for Gold is not easy. But it is fun!
We get to go out into our amazing desert!
First off sweet, sweet man looks at his maps to find out where our Prospecting Club Claim Posts are located.
Once we find our Prospector’s Club Claim… we can dig!
First off we have to get out our equipment.
A drywasher, a vacuum, buckets, and shovels.
Sweet, sweet man then digs in a certain area. I vaccum up the light sand and dirt in the area.
However, gold is heavy and it will collect in the bottom of the drywasher.
The blower is attached to the drywasher to make it vibrate so that rocks, dirt, sand filter out and gold filters in.
Then after a morning of prospecting the area is put back together again to show respect to the claim and to the land.
Where sweet, sweet man pans for gold in our back yard. Remember the red and gray bins… He pans through all of it to get to the “black sand.”
This is just a small portion of what we found that day.
The larger pieces are called “pickers!”
We have found Gold as big as half the size of my pinkie fingernail.
Why do we do it… you ask?
Cause we have FUN!! It gets us 4-wheeling into the desert!
Even better yet… at the end of the day we always enjoy one of these!
Have you ever found GOLD? Do you like to Rock Hound?
Until Next Time ~Nancy
Had me going there for a minute! Was gonna ask for a loan LOL
Give me about 10 years… then we’ll talk. But ya never know… I may find that nugget!
Oh Nancy…that is just the best coolest fun thing you are doing. I do love the rocks. But never have I pursued them with the gusto you do.
A really delightful post that really put me in the midst of a really fun day engaged in an activity I know nothing about, but am learning fast about.
Thank you.
Well Miss JoHanna… since you are the song woman… I think you should now call me Gold Dust Woman! 🙂 🙂
Oh Yes indeed! I would love to call you Gold Dust Woman! Yes indeed. 🙂
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
Wow, awesome! How exciting, Nancy. Thank you for sharing your adventure! 🙂
Oh… it’s an adventure! Especially when a tarantula popped out of a hole the other day. I jumped 40 feet into the sky.
Now I know, I know… they are not harmful. But it’s that sudden pop of movement and not knowing what it is for a moment that gets to me.
I’d jump 40 feet into the sky (won’t know how to land safely). 😀 What a thrill of finding G-O-L-D!!!
It is a thrill!!!
Never found gold..but the whole thing is rather fascinating. It looks like a good time///especially if you find enough to cover your beer costs at the end. Cheers!
Hmmm… never thought of it that way! 🙂 🙂
Looks like fun and how satisfying to actually find gold! 💛
It is fun… and it’s another form of exercise.
And also we will hike around the area as well.
It’s ALL GOOD!
What an awesome adventure you are having.
There is so much to learn and do out there.
You can still be a maverick….enjoy!!
Ahhhh, I like it… a Maverick! Yes, I like being called a Maverick!
Wow Nancy,
Two types of gold – Solid AND Liquid – and now I’m wondering which one you enjoyed finding the most 🙂
Clare
I like them both! 🙂 🙂 🙂
What a fun hobby and gets you out into some fascinating desert…ever see snakes??
Yes…it is a fun time! and YES we do find snakes but when the temps are higher. Right now they are hibernating. So they just need to not be disturbed!! Best time to Rock Hound and Gold Mine is in the winter!
Good plan to mine when those snakes are asleep..shhh.
Yesssssssssssssssssss! 😉
Sounds like a lot of work but fun at the same time especially when you find a little treasure. Great reason to explore the backcountry 🙂
That is exactly why we do it. For the love of the back country!
Oh that looks like so much fun! I would love to try and sign me up for the refreshments too!
HA HA HA HA It’s something different that’s for sure. But being in the back country… and getting out with nature… ALL GOOD!
And the adult libations at the end of the day… icing on the cake! 🙂
I love rocks! I think prospecting would be fun. If we ever settle in Arizona I will be joining a cactus club and a rockhound club. I can’t wait!! Thanks for sharing your day prospecting:)
There are so many Rockhounding Clubs in Arizona because I just found out recently that there are 12,000+ mining claims in the state. We just went to one recently and found beautiful Purple Agate! It’s by Sheep Bridge. The purple agate when sliced and then polished… WHOA! I also enjoy wire wrapping these gorgeous finds! I have many pretty pendants because of this new found hobby!
Thanks for stopping by!
Do you have the equipment to cut and polish your own rocks? I can remember getting our son one of those rock polishing sets for Christmas when he was very young. It was so cool to see the beautiful rocks come out. I did roam around an area owned by the Rock and Mineral Club in Boulder City, NV on our way out to the Anniversary Slot. It was overwhelming just looking at the pretty rocks lying under my feet as I walked.
We do tumble rocks to polish them. Sweet, sweet man has saws to cut larger rocks. And we have friends who can polish larger rocks. It is unbelievable what can be done to these rocks we find!!
Very cool, Nancy!!
Wow! That is so cool. We are always out picking up odd rocks, but can’t say we’ve ever found any gold! Of course, we don’t work that hard either.
Well don’t get any ideas. The Gold is all mine! Ha ha ha !!!
I’d love to find me some gold 😊 quite an adventure. Plus I’m amazed how on earth did You see this donkey to shoot a photo!
I see it every time we go. I just need to zoom in closer the next time we go. Thanks for the visit.
I dare not let my husband read this post. He loves to watch prospecting shows. One year we allowed him to pick the vacation (when the kids were younger) and he wanted to go gold hunting. It was a bit of a disaster. Although I love the desert and I love being outside this would not be my choice for an afternoon but he would absolutely love it. Good that you found some gstuff. Sounds like you had a great time. I’ll wait for you at the bar!
I am giggling reading your comment. I don’t think I would want to make this a vacation event! HA HA HA But we do enjoy getting out in the back country… once a week, if we are lucky. The views are incredible!
As for waiting for me at the bar… perfect! We will chat up a storm! HA HA HA
I’ve never found gold, but it looks like a blast even with the hard work involved. But I’m curious – how much is the amount you show in the picture worth. Is it $1 or $10?
Well… I can’t put a dollar amount on it. But there was more added to this amount. Let’s just say… We aren’t going to get rich from this. Ha ha ha !!
What a fun way to spend some time out in the great outdoors! :))