FRIDAY is metalporn! Today's episode: PlAcEr GoLd!

Weiss

Wild west shoot-outs, pony express, and chunks of gold big as yer fist, just lying there waitin' to be scooped up!

gecko109

All of these were found by myself using a suction dredge in a creek in Indiana. "Nuggets" this size are VERY rare in the midwest. Finding them requires the use of a dredge (to get down to bedrock in a fast moving stream), and of course a little luck. The bounty displayed here took about 15 or so different trips and represents approx 5 grams of placer gold. So you see, its just a hobby, the gold recovered doesnt even pay for my gas, not that i'd ever sell any of my "babies"!

Weiss

That's awesome, Gecko. I didn't even know it was possible in Indiana.

gecko109

<< <i>That's awesome, Gecko. I didn't even know it was possible in Indiana. >>




Its all glacial drift gold. Indiana has no native gold deposits. All of the placer gold in the state came from Canada via the glaciers thousands of years ago. However, even though there are probably millions of ounces in Indiana, it is mostly widely disbursed making it difficult to find in "paying" concentrations. There are several creeks that run along the end moraine of the glacial area that are fast moving enough to sort out the gravel from the gold however. This makes it possible for a guy like me to find some of this "chunky" stuff on occassion. From talking to quite a few serious Indiana prospectors, the general concensus is the largest single piece of gold taken from a waterway in Indiana is about 1/4 ounce and was a slug the size and shape of a nickel. Im fairly sure that there have been larger "unreported" finds however!

cars

Sweet Nugs. I like that one above the R on the dime. Nice & Smooth

Tons of Nugget pics here, LARGE Nuggets

156 Ounce Nugget:

Gold Nugget Pleco:





I Found this one in my septic tank

1jester

<< <i>All of these were found by myself using a suction dredge in a creek in Indiana. "Nuggets" this size are VERY rare in the midwest. Finding them requires the use of a dredge (to get down to bedrock in a fast moving stream), and of course a little luck. The bounty displayed here took about 15 or so different trips and represents approx 5 grams of placer gold. So you see, its just a hobby, the gold recovered doesnt even pay for my gas, not that i'd ever sell any of my "babies"!

>>



Those are so cool looking! They look like chocolate covered raisins, only gold-plated!