Gold Mining Tricks of the Trade

By Tom Leftwich

Let me grab your Attention! There are over two hundred pictures in this book.– You wouldn’t be reading this if you weren’t interested in Gold Mining! So was I! Forty years ago and tons of dirt later, I have learned a little about how to “Git The Gold”. This book is my attempt to pass on to you my knowledge of where to find Gold and how to separate it from Momma Nature. The contents fully explain and illustrate the beginning to end techniques I have used and methods I have developed or invented to make a lazy gold miner’s work a little easier. A number of the instruments are innovative concepts with design drawings for DIY gold seekers furnished with instructions and photographs of operations and the gold capture results .Why don't I build and sell my devices?“ Gold mining is tough work and I built my own. You can just as easily do the same from my illustrations. Besides , I’m too lazy to work. Why should I be working, building stuff, when I could be out yonder Gold Mining!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Feb 2, 2019
• ISBN: 9780359401338

Book preview

Gold Mining Tricks of the Trade

Gold Mining Tricks of the Trade

By

Tom Leftwich

Copyright © 2019

By  Author : Tom Leftwich

All rights reserved.

ISBN  978-0-359-40133-8

LuLu  Publisher 24383517

Printed in United States of America

Introduction

Tricks of the Trade is an adventure into the art of gold mining and the many secrets of finding gold deposits, methods of placer gold prospecting and the techniques used to capture that elusive ol’ big and little yeller.

Gold Mining has been with every civilization since the first man or woman discovered it’s amazing characteristics for producing beauty. The earliest writings indicate gold was used as money. The Egyptians are credited with using the first sluice box to separate gold from dirt and History records it’s use as money during the Roman Empire era. How much is gold worth? My answer is ; an ounce of gold anywhere in the world is worth an ounce of gold. What you or anyone else thinks it’s worth is up to the individual  or your government. It has been written that the Native  American Indians said White man is foolish. Yellow metal too soft for weapon and Indian cannot eat.Gold has a hypnotic effect and it’s rareness and beauty make it highly desirable and prized by almost everyone. The Indian , however; is correct. Many an old prospector has been  found dead with a pocket full of gold, but he died from thirst and starvation. So, how much is gold worth to you? Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. So is the real value of gold.

My reason for writing this book is due to the fact that when I got into Gold Mining , I could find no book written by a true gold miner. Most of the old timers that spent a lifetime seeking gold could neither read or write and their knowledge was lost when they passed. Their secrets and techniques were lost forever. Fortunately, I had some of the best teachers still alive when I got started. Most notably was Bud Lee Sherman of Awahanee California.he learned from the ol’timers, built his own sluice box when he was sixteen and introduced me to the little known  and commonly used methods of Gold Mining. Frequently at Gold Shows and other exhibitions where I and my wife Fran were teaching and demonstrating mining equipment; I have been repeatedly asked to recommend a Book for learning how to go about getting started in finding and processing methods for gold . Many have said that they own a lot of books on the subject, but they are too confusing or technical for their individual capability. Often they ask me if I had published such a book? Fortunately, now I can say, Yes, Gold mining Tricks of the Trade  will get you started and offer you a lotta short cuts which can save you time , money and frustration attempting to use some of those not really so Wonderful  expensive gadgets on the market. As a Caution to anyone looking for gold; I have to emphasize Gold Mining is Hard Work! Herein I’ve tried to make things as simple as possible because I’m a cheap skate simple guy myself that being natural born lazy; I’m always looking for the easiest way to do anything. A number of the equipments and processes that I illustrate are innovative tools and techniques that I personally conceived or devised. Questions are always asked as to why I don’t make and sell these things.  My answer, Gold mining is tough work and I built my own. You can just as easily do the same from my illustrations.  Besides , I have already told you I’m too lazy to work. Why should I be working, building stuff, when I could be out yonder Gold Mining!"

Prior to publication , it was necessary for me to make a determination on pictures and diagrams versus the written words of description. Pictures are worth a thousand words so; you’ll find over 200 pictures to illustrate the operations. I have purposely included some narrative from Articles I have written in order to include these illustrative pictures. The high cost of publication necessitates all black and white photos for the print version , but you’ll be pleased to find full color in the inexpensive on-line e-book version. Both of which will be available from publisher Lulu.com and all book selling outlets at the lowest price possible. I know you’ll enjoy! Good Luck

Dedication:

This work is dedicated to all of you Gold Miners out there. Thank you for holding on with innovative practices that enables you to keep ‘Gittin the Gold’ in the face of misguided bureaucrats and a ton of meaningless regulations. A very special thanks to all of the gold Miners contributing to the development of this work,  illustrating the various techniques and equipments shown. Alphabetically they are, Sally Adamson, Rick Braender, Mike Busch, Perry Combs, Neal Dixon, Dave Norman, Jim Madden, Mike and Machael Hern, Jo Ann and Kevin Kettleson, Fran Leftwich, Dave Nelson, Robert Machris, Don Miller, Jackson Jack Miller, Allen Schmidt, Keith White, Ken Wiegand, Bob and Gail Yawn. Thanks to all of you, I loved every minute.

Acknowledgments:

A very special thank you to my lifelong best friend and fellow Gold miner, my wife, Fran. None of this would have been possible without her devotion and wonderful support. ( Moving Rocks?)

Disclaimer

For Gold mining , Tricks of the Trade .First of all, read any label on anything sold in our full blame and lawyer ridden society today. You’ll find no guarantees on anything and I have to follow that principal when I disclaim any responsibility for how or if you use my techniques or equipment designs for anything . If you dig under a big rock, it’ll probably fall on you. God  made the laws of gravity so don’t sue the manufacturer of the shovel  because of your lack of common sense. Unfortunately , history records that the highest death rate among Gold Miners during the 1800’s resulted from miners digging coyote holes into old river banks looking for Gold and big rocks falling on them. Please Note: No Miners of similar persuasion are still with us today. So like all Gold Miners, use, redesign, or fabricate these implements at your own risk! If you do decide to Coyote for gold; Please write your name on the soles of your shoes. We’ll need proper spelling for your Tombstone.

Chapter 1  What is a Gold Miner

Mark Twain is credited with this statement. What is a Gold Miner? A liar standing by a hole in the ground!

I’m a gold miner and it’s said they will lie, cheat and steal if they can go looking for gold. Does that tell you I’m kinda addicted? Yes it says a lot, but I’m too lazy to be a gold miner. I’ve got all of those sterling character traits, but I’m too lazy to have Gold fever. My wife Fran, will let you know in no uncertain terms that I am the spittin image of A lazy man will always look for an easy way to get outta work. Having confessed all of that, I’ve been mining gold for over forty years. Almost thirty of that spent every summer mining(thousands of hours) at the Roaring Camp Gold Mining Resort in Pine Grove, California.

My winter months were spent trying to devise things that’ll Git the Gold without killing myself. Success ? Yes, on both counts! I may have broke even, if you’re figuring equipment cost versus gold recovered. On the other hand, if you figure the pure pleasure and satisfaction I’ve been so fortunate to enjoy, you just can’t buy that with any money. Life has been pretty wonderful for this old gold miner mainly because I wasn’t trying to get rich ; I was there to enjoy it with  hundreds of friends.

Before we get started on this Do It Yourself Gold Mining Business; let me introduce myself. The real me is a lazy ol’dirt ball of an ex-cowboy, Country Western Entertainer and Aero Space Field Engineer that loves looking for Gold . I was fortunate enough to get into Gold Mining without developing a leave home and give up my day job case of Gold Fever! It’s a wonderful hobby that is equally enjoyed by thousands of folks just like yourself and you’ll never find a more wonderful group of people. There are literally hundreds of methods out there and hundreds of books written on the subject of gold. You may have already read or own a few.

I don’t consider myself an expert , but I do have thirty some years of Gold Diggin