GOLD · PANNING because it will have. a film of grease or �---· ---··-· --- Your reward may be a few flecks of bright oil which must be removed or your gold chips (called color) in the bottom of the will pick up a coating of oil and will pan or it may be several lumps of odd "float" out of your pan. Heat it on your PAY-DIRT shaped gold called nu ets; in either stove until it is a nice blue clor and � case, you are ''hooked • You become a all oils are burned out. We suggest as GOlD PANNER with an eye, �erever you go additional equipment, a pair of tweezers, In Southern Oregon for possible deposits. a small vial or two, a trowel, and a small pick or shovel. "A deposit" to the amateur may mean fine for gold flecks caught in some moss or Find a comfortable place to squat pr sit around the roots of trees -- it may mean at the edge of. a quiet pool or slow mov ing rock hounds and a real Bonanza of nuggets on the down spot on the stream, fill your pan stream side of a large boulder. about half-full of likely looking sand or gravel (as you become more adapt you amateur gold miners. All gold comes originally from ledges and may wish to start with more). Suhnerge crevices in the rocks and is washed down the pan in the water and with your hands the mountain sites to the streams. Spring wash and turn the contents, letting the floods or heavy rains carry it downstream dirt wash away in the water. Pick out where it is caught and dropped (because or scoop out the larger pieces of rock of its weight) in destructions or in and gravel (or squeeze the moss and dis quiet water behind boulders or at the foot card). Take the pan out of the water and of a riffle or water fall. Almost all shake it from side to side with a swirl streams in Josephine County as well as ing motion causing the water to go around those in Coos, Curry, Jackson and Douglas and around. This causes the heavier gold Counties are good sources of color. to sink to the bottom and you can then Remember, if you trespass on private scoop more gravel off the top. With the property or a posted claim, be sure. to pan at a slight angle downward, 'dip the ask permission. Some real miners will front edge in the water and continue be most helpful and will even help you the side shake -- the gold will now fall locate a good place to pan· whereas, to·the bottom at the lower edge. Continue others guard their "digginls" very dipping, shaking, and removing sand until jealously. Rember also that someone · you have a very small amount left -- now should be informed as to where you will you must be very careful so that you don't be, never go alone; be watchful for wash the gold from the pan. With practice, tricks and snakes; avoid old mine tunnels. you can cause the sand to go to the DIG opposite side of the pan from the gold. YOUR EQUIPMENT: You will need a gold When you have removed as rnuch sand as you pan designed for the purpose with flar safely can you will have (if· you are in N .. 3 4 � \ ing sides and about or inches deep. "pay-dirt" a small stringer of black sand 6 24 General sizes are available from to and gold. Pick the larger pieces out with inches in diameter -- pick the size that your tweezers and place in the vial. The is easiest for you to handle, remember fine flecks of color you can pour right a pan can ing that large full of gravel with the sand into another vial for be- quite heavy as you pan. Your pan further separating when you·get home • . must be ''burnt" or ''blued" before using GOOD LUCK!!!! p. IF YOU LIKE 'IHE OUT-oF-DOORS, have Jasper: Opaque, plain, banaed, figured, agate, carnelian, chalcedony, grossul 1 strong back, and aren.' t afraid of flowered or scenic color varied arite garnet, gold, jasper, quartz crystals. I snakes or far-away places, you are Chalcedony: Translucent, waxlike luster, probably a ROCKHOUND or a would be color pale blue or gray. DOUGlAS COUNIY: North and South22 Umpqua GOLD MINER,. �: Transparent to opaque, plain, Rivers gravels (especially mi. E. banded, figured, scenic, mossy and of Roseburg) - agate, carnelian, chal THIS LEAFLET THEN, IS FOR YOU! (uncommon in this area) the precious cedony, jasper, petrified and silicified We can't pretend that it is a complete fiery variety. . wood,· teredo petrified wood, "Oregon coverage of this area nor that it is Optical quartz: Transparent, water clear Jade'' (massive grossularite garnet). ' written by experts, but we hope that and free from inclusions of any kind. JACKSON COUNIY: East of Ashland on
· Amethyst: Same as optical quartz, except Greensprings Mountain - Agate, agate you. will find it a useful guide.I · it has a deep violet color. nodules, carnelian, chalcedony, jasper. If you are a newcomer at this game of Petrified Wood: Agatized, opalized, Big Butte area - agate. 12 "rock" gathering, you,'11 need a rock jasperized or sandstone-like•. Cedar Springs Mountain - malachite. hammer, sack, and boots, and will find miles north of Medford at Table Rock Other "rocksu found in the area are: Mountain - agate, pertrified wood. the following to be mighty useful: Californite, carnelian, chrysocolla, Rogue River gravels, 4 miles East of First Aid Kit Shovel chrysoprase, garnet, gold, grossularite Central Point to 15 miles East of Eagle Small-Army Pick Probe , arnet, quartz crystals, idocrase, Bucket R Point (also in Butte Creek gravels) Rock sacks 'Oregon Jade", jasper, malachite, =��cRoc.k�Harrrne�c-�=��-�Ghisels - mosscagate._=c.cc_ --=-� . - -- .. ��-=== ------� nephrite;�otoicu-rat jasper;-= pyrite-, 2 JOSEPHINE COUNTY: Cave Creek (area lb Jack Hammer Bar rhodonite, serpentine, teredo petrified Matches around Oregon Caves) - agate, chalcedony Compass wood. Flashlight Rope gold nuggets, jasper1� petrified wood, Maps of the area to be visited IN SOUTHWESTERN OREGON, Al110ST EVERY rhodonite. Holland miles south along CREEK, RIVER, OR STREAM DESCENDING TO Althouse Creek - agate, garnet, gold, REMEMBER:· Someone should know where lliE PACIFIC OCEAN INCLUDES ATTRACTIVE jasper, quartz crystals, serpentine. you will be; .never go alone; be watch GEM STONE MINERALS AND PETRIFIED WOOD Waldo and Galice districts - gold, ful for ticks and snakes; avoid old IN ITS GRAVEL BARS. Look for "Pay-Dirt" azurite, chrysocolla, malachite. mine tunnels; respect other.' s diggings in the bed of a dry wash or a gravel bar KLAMATH COUNIY: Crater Lake Park of a flowing stream; where a stream or a (irrmediately south) - "Crater Lake (if tools or clothing are left in a II • digging area, the owners intend to dry-wash runs through an upland valley Flower Jasper. come back); ask permission before or small flat area; or eroded and worn Klamath River gravels - agate, chalce· entering on private property. down ridges.of an ancient mountain system. dony, jasper. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION AND LOCATIONS: SOME GOOD LOCATIONS in Southeastern You will find that the term "AGA'IW" The Rogue Gem and Geology Club has Oregon Counties are: is used and understood by most Rock placed maps and other:information in thE hounds to . CURRY COUNTY: Brookings - Jade. Ocean include almost any of the Reference Section of the Josephine · beaches north and south of the mouths Quartz family. These are the ones County Library, on 5th Street between of the Chetco and Rogue Rivers - agate, most often found in this general area. . "B" and "C" Streets. . Brief descriptions of californite (Idocrase), jasper. Rogue this group are: (1) Agate: Transparent to translucent, River gravels; mouth of river (2)near might be banded, figured, or mossy, Wedderburn - grossularite garnet. � color varied. upstream from Gold Beach near Agness f -�
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