Lesson 13 Preliminary Survey, Nevada Prospect 1

[@999dmarsh]

Dear Keith, I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for all your efforts with HRU. I am finding your video series enormously educational and very practically helpful. You are doing an amazing job and it is very much appreciated from my perspective. As for myself I am in the process of developing some hard rock deposits in Queensland Australia and while I have some experience in alluvial mining in Alaska and in Queensland, the hard rock mining is new to me so I am doing everything I can to educate myself in that regard and as I am sure you are aware there is relatively little info out there for the small scale hard rock miner. So, your site and your efforts are a treasure for someone like myself. Always looking forward to the next video as I always learn something new and valuable. Again, Thank You for all your hard work and selfless effort to share your extensive practical knowledge and experience with the rest of us. Wishing you all the best in all your endeavors!!! Warmest Regards, David Marshall

[@hardrockuniversity7283]

+999dmarsh Thank you very much for the kind words. It makes it all worthwhile. Don't forget- if you have a specific question you can always ask me directly and I will do what I can to help you out. It will take quite a while longer to compile a really comprehensive information resource. For example, that video took six hours to edit-believe it or not. The reason you have seen so many lately is because my construction job is on a short hiatus and I DO NOT do well sitting around :-) Hopefully the programmer will have the new web site up this weekend. Then I can put a few tools on it as I make them. Keith

[@999dmarsh]

+Hard Rock University Dear Keith, That's one of the reasons I am so appreciative of what you are doing as I am well aware of the efforts required. In a previous life I was involved in some video production, my rough rule of thumb was 1 man hour of work for each minute of finished video so I know where you are coming from:-) Not nearly as easy as it looks:-) I guess similar to gold mining in that regard.:-) Looking forward to the new site and new videos as they come along and thank you for your generous offer to answer specific questions as I am sure I will have some for you as I move forward on my project. Warmest Regards, David Marshall

[@hardrockuniversity7283]

Well, my editing isn't THAT bad. I should count myself luck I guess. The video I just uploaded only took a half hour to shoot and less than an hour to edit. UNFORTUNATELY, while it looked good when playing the timeline on Premier Pro, I must have had something less highlighted when I compiled and uploaded only the raw footage to You Tube. Luckily my brother spotted it within an hour so I was able to delete, re-compile, and am uploading the hew one right now. SHEESH! :-) I will probably put a 'guest video' or 'recommended web sites' on my site and when I do, let me know of any good sources I should mention. Wish you all the best. Keith

[@rantallion5032]

I want to thank you for your videos - they are very informative.

[@hardrockuniversity7283]

+Jeff Brasfield Thank you. Don't be afraid to sak questions if you have some either. Keith

[@rantallion5032]

I might just have some for you. keep up the good work jeff

[@hardrockuniversity7283]

Any question you have, someone else probably has too. Thank you.

[@drewbarkoff3434]

Hey Keith, Your videos are excellent! I love how much detail you go into as well as how scientifically well-done your sampling processes are. I am currently studying ore deposit geology at the U of A and you inspired me to step out of placers and get into hard rock mining. I just got my crusher and I can't wait to get out there and sample some rocks! Keep up the good work and keep the videos coming!

[@hardrockuniversity7283]

From a former Wildcat to another- glad to hear from you. What kind of crusher? I live near downtown and if you need some help on something- get in touch.

[@drewbarkoff3434]

+Hard Rock University Oh really?!? That's awesome! I got the "crazy crusher" because I wanted something portable and affordable. Thanks a lot for the offer, I am planning on heading to the Arivaca district as a group I am part of owns a series of claims down there but if you have any better suggestions, let me know.

[@hardrockuniversity7283]

Desert Gold Diggers? They only have placer claims, but few people care about a little rock hounding. We have the lode claims over most of sections 4,5,and 8 as long as you are on BLM land and not on the lode claim 'lesson 1'. You have my permission to take hard rock samples on our claims, but notify me if you want to take more than a couple of buckets from any one place.. We also have an interesting mineral on section 4 that nobody can seem to characterize. It is silvery colored, cubic, a sulfide, and 45% iron. It is also denser than pyrite. Perhaps you could ask around and see if anyone wants to look into it. PhD geologists can't help me because the want an x-ray crystallographic analysis to help out. I also have several hundred pounds of approx .1 Oz/T on hand if you need some for something like practicing hand panning micro fine gold. Keith

[@drewbarkoff3434]

+Hard Rock University Yeah the DGD! I've mostly stuck to their Greaterville placer claims so far but am still exploring. And I am aware that they're all placer claims but I was planning on scouring the hills hitting rocks with my hammer until I find the good stuff, you know, geology! Thank you for the offer, Keith and I may make my way over there one of these times to try to find that sulfide you're talking about and I can try to determine that for you! (have you done any work on it so far?). Thanks for that offer too, I may take you up on that if you don't mind just so I have material with guaranteed gold while I refine my processing routine. If you want to continue this conversation outside of KZbin, my email is [e-mail]

[@hardrockuniversity7283]

Ok, will do.

[@JamesKlukas-lu7xd]

Hey, thanks for the informative , hands on videos...prospecting is that kinda fun that's interwoven with hard work . Any how , it's big game huntin time and we sure use game carts to assist in the grunt work of getting the game to the truck...whether it's meat or pay dirt a cart will get er done..

[@hardrockuniversity7283]

Yep.

[@mjhound]

If you have to make lots of trips hauling up and down why not drive a stake in and attach cable and a come along to pull the slack out and send your sample buckets down zip line like attach small pulleys on the bucket handles nice videos keep them coming

[@hardrockuniversity7283]

Sorry about the delay, never got a notification on this. Another thing one can do with a cable way is to use a loop of cable with pulleys top and bottom and some kind of a brake. This way you can send ore down while sending empty buckets or supplies up with no effort. Keith

[@joeg3211]

Hi Keith, I just wanted to say that I have really enjoyed your videos so far! I think it is very important to have a resource such as the one you are creating and I hope you stick with it. You mentioned being open to ideas for future videos so here is one. Blasting is not really feasible for the small scale miner anymore and consequently it is difficult to extract any sizable tonnage of ore from underground. I think it would be interesting to see a video that demonstrates an alternative method to underground lode mining. Perhaps with the jackhammer? I'm just afraid of using one underground due to the vibration. Perhaps show scaling the work area before hand so it is safe to use the jackhammer? I think this would be best for underhand stoping but I would really like to see this method applied to advancing the face of the mine. Thanks, Joe

[@hardrockuniversity7283]

That sounds fine. Right now I am not actively advancing any drifts, but when I do I will make a video. Did you see my video on breaking and moving rock with hand tools? That illustrates all the basic principles except ground control. There are a few differences between advancing a drift and slicing a face, but not many. The technique shown would be exactly what you would use for underhand stoping. Vibration is less of a problem than you might think, but you do need to be careful. Proper scaling and ground support before commencing mining, and careful rock removal and ground support while mining keep you safe. BTW, are you familiar with the 'cellulose composite solid state ground movement detector'? Just take a wooden wedge and gently insert it into a crack so that any movement will let it fall. If it falls, run first and look back later! It is especially useful when stabilizing unstable ground. Keith

[@joeg3211]

+Hard Rock University Thanks for the quick reply! I did see your video on moving rock, very good information! One thing I have found that increases efficiency even more is to lay a piece of plywood down as a muck plate of sorts then use a flat head shovel to shovel off of it. Good to know vibrations aren't THAT big of a concern. There is a lot of water in the mines here in Oregon so rock always seems to be moving. I have scaled down very little rock due to the concern of what else it might bring down, I think this might be a great concern for a lot of newer people. It would be good to see how to do this safely and what safety concerns to look for. 'cellulose composite solid state ground movement detector'... I have been trying to figure out how to detect ground movement for a long time. This is a fantastic idea!! Thanks Keith! Joe

[@hardrockuniversity7283]

Wet ground will be more unstable. One big question is what kind of rock do you have? If the rock is naturally fragmented before the mining, then you can have some serious issues. What is your situation?

[@joeg3211]

+Hard Rock University The rock/vein is a well brecciated (rhyolite and andesite) and is cemented with a "soft silica gouge". I think the overall integrity of the adit is OK because there aren't a lot of rocks on the floor but material can be easily knocked off of the back. It's nice because it's incredibly easy to dig but also worrisome at the same time. The back of the adit is also rather flat, I'm wondering if I should try and sculpt it into more of an arch? Am I mistaken or would that inherently add structural integrity to it? Especially for advancing the face I want to make sure I'm using the correct technique. Thanks, Joe

[@hardrockuniversity7283]

Flat back vs arch is determined by whether or not the rock has natural fracture planes that are horizontal or nearly so. If the bedrock is fairly homogenous then the arched back is generally preferred.. Is there good ventilation? Keith

[@williamcrawford5459]

Another well done video. Question for you though. In your experience and opinion with hard rock mines how stable are most old hard rock mines? Here in CO there are many old mines that are well over a 100+ years old and other then maybe stuff blocking the portal appear to be quite solid? I personally expect many of those mines to be stable another 100+ years from now? I avoid going in old mines as a general rule but the few I have been in the timbers where completely rotted or gone and the surrounding rock didn't seemed phased. I often wonder if those old wooden timbers where kind of a feel good or last resort kinda thing because I find it hard to believe that those wooden timbers would make much of a difference if the tons and tons of host rock above you actually did cave in? Any way just wanted you thoughts on that or if you have ever gone in any and been stopped by an actually collapsed tunnel?

[@hardrockuniversity7283]

Yes I have been in a few shaky mines. In general though I agree that if has stood for 50 years it probably isn't going to fall today. Also ground support may be installed assuming that later mining will weaken the rock. If that later mining doesn't happen, no strain develops. Evaluate each situation as you go. In general I would list the dangers in order of likelihood as critters, slip and fall, bad air, and bad ground. Keith

[@arcticpara7775]

Keith,..as always GREAT video...like yourself..just turned 60.."OLD Arctic Paratrooper"...think you might have some Military in your past...M1a1 Platform... and your comment " Time on Target""Just picked up a Lode Mine in Esmeralda Co.,Nv...will be there in Oct to start Exploration& Sampling...wish me luck.. 73's WL7NP Mike

[@hardrockuniversity7283]

I have a great deal of respect for the military but came of age in '76. Not a good year for the military. Besides, I don't do well keeping my mouth shut or suffering fools lightly. I really didn't want to spend my time walking a very lonely stretch of fence. Thank you for your service. If you have any questions I can help with WRT your new property, please don't hesitate to ask. Keith

[@cristianmartanov4736]

Soooo if u have something bad in your vid just delete it especially if it s in the first part of the video (i.m talking about the dog).anyway good vid loved it keep up the good work

[@hardrockuniversity7283]

Sometimes I try to get a little entertainment value just to keep things light and cheerful. :-)