Gold Mining On The Yuba River

Gold Mining On The Yuba River The Ancient American River, Ancient Yuba River, Ancient Calaveras River, Ancient Mokelumne River, Ancient Tuolumne River, Ancient Magalia Channel, Ancient Intervolcanic Cateract Channel, Ancient Intervolcanic American River and the Ancient Jura River (from the Jurassic Period), are plotted in detail on Big Tens California Gold Map 5. The present-day rivers bearing the same names as their ancient rivers are also shown.

The Ancient Rivers of Gold in northern California are from the Tertiary Period. The Tertiary rivers existed millions of years ago and many of them had large quantities of gold within their gravels. Because of that, they are known as the "Ancient Rivers of Gold." Each ancient river is discussed below.

Information on this page is based on the classic work of Waldemar Lindgren of the United States Geological Survey and by study of Big Tens California Gold Map 5, which shows the relationship of the ancient rivers to landmarks, such as roads, creeks and towns in the region.

These now-dry Tertiary rivers are thought to be a prime source of the gold found in many of the rivers and streams of the Mother Lode region of northern California. The ancient rivers are discontinuous and sometimes follow tortuous routes. They have been altered by volcanic activity, erosion, and in some instances portions of the rivers have been covered by lava. Much of the region underwent extreme volcanic eruptions. Volcanic flows have been found up to 4,000 feet deep. Volcanic flows were up to 60 miles in length. Portions of an ancient river may be found at ground level or near the top of a mountain, or on the side of a mountain, or buried.

Early prospectors found portions of the ancient rivers and worked them for their rich gold content. Later, mining companies used hydraulic mining or drift mining techniques to recover the gold. In hydraulic mining, water under pressure is directed to, for example, the side of a ravine to dislodge the gravels and send the material to the sluices where the gold is recovered. The equipment that was used (called a "monitor" or "giant") was similar to a very large hose nozzle.

Geologic reports speak of gravel deposits up to 250 feet deep with gold deposits interspersed at various levels within the gravels. Some of the gravels of the ancient rivers of gold have been cemented together over time. Smaller materials between the larger gravels have bound the larger gravels together. Drift mining is used in those instances to follow the channel underneath the volcanic covering. In drift mining, tunnels are driven in bedrock underneath the channels and when the channels are reached, the richest stratum, resting immediately on the bedrock, is extracted by underground mining methods and then washed at the mouth of the tunnel.

Many miles of the ancient rivers are still un-worked and may be very rich in gold.

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[martialartist34]

Im hardcore into prospecting and just getting started. from my understanding, theres no gold in illinois and thats where im located, but saw a sign that said illinois crossing.. may i ask where you were located in this video??

[wheresblair]

@martialartist34 Gold Mining On The Yuba River in northern California hit the more info tab on the video

[rcfrenzy16]

@martialartist34 There is very little gold in Illinois but there is gold i live on the Sangamon river and have panned acupple of little flakes of gold with a considerable amount of time but fun finding gold where people say there is not gold but there is.

[wheresblair]

@rcfrenzy16 Hi I have found gold in Kansas small just dust.

[Markiii97]

hi!

i have a question, I've been gold mining and I came to a red-orange substance should I continue gold mining or go to a different place? please reply !

and great video.

[wheresblair]

@Markiii97 Yes? theres two typs of pay dirt red & black. Good luck Mark

[miningx]

hi there!

when panning out, you should keep more of the 'black sand- heavies' bring home/shop, dry it out and can easy blow or magnet the rest... you'll keep more flakes and other fine gold than panning right to the end like that.

love the vids keep them up!!!

[TWSceptic]

Terrible music, just terrible.

[goldfinder49er1]

@caessarion u can't smoke pot at wal mart...and u must like workin indoors...id rather bust my ass workin hard for a livin not hardley workin...plus no old fuck is tellin u want to do...

[wonkasin]

Bush-Cheney....stay out of Nevada County Buster....pans and hands only...hope you get busted.

[copeton2012]

don't tell her

[caessarion]

FUCK the more vids i see the more my dream dies. I have to make 150 a day. Thats 3 grams, looks like one gram is a good day, fukn wal mart pays that!

[GalderIncarnate]

@scmclark This ^

[scmclark]

I hope you filled your holes back in..Dont give real prospectors bad names!

[ArizonaBob]

Enjoyed this! Looking forward to some more great vids...so I subbed. Cheers!