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PA M PH LET
N O . 35
F irstE d itio n ,
M ay
1 9 3 1
S e c o n d
E d itio n ,
Ju n e
1 9 3 1
T h ird
E d itio n ,
Ju n e
1 9 3 1
F o u rth
E d itio n ,
M ay
1 9 3 2
F ifth
E d itio n ,
Ju n e
1 9 3 2
S ix th
E d itio n ,
J u ly
1 9 3 2
S e v e n th
E d itio n ,
D ec.
1 9 3 2
E ig h th
E d itio n ,
A p ril
1 9 3 3
N in th
E d itio n ,
A p ril
1 9 3 4
T e n th
E d itio n , A p ril
1 9 3 4
E le .-e n th
E d itio n , M arch
1 9 3 5
T w e lfth
E d itio n ,
A p ril
1 9 3 8
T h irte e n th
E d itio n ,
N ovem ber
1 9 4 4
S T A T E
O F
ID A H O
c .A .
B O T T O L F S E N ,
G overnor
Idaho Bureau of M ines and
G e o lo g y
A .W. FAHRENW ALD, D ir e c to r
Elem entary M ethodso f
P la c e r M in e s
B y
W. W.
S T A L E Y
U N IV E R S IT Y
O F
ID A H O
M oscow , ID A H O
T A B L E
O F
C O N T E N T S
P a g e
B rie f h i s t o r y o f a l l u v i a l m i n i n g. . _ . . ._ ._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _. _. . _ ._ _....... _ _. ._ ._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . ._ ._ _.________________________
2
G e o lo g y o f a l l u v i a l d e p o s its ._. . . . . ._ _ _ ._ _ _ _ ..._ _ ._ _ _ _ .... _.......... _......_ _ ....._ _ _. . _....._ _. ._ _ _ _ ...._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ .
2
S u b s ta n c e s lik e lyt o occur in placers
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .________. ......._ ._ _ _ _._ _ .____. _......
2
F o rm a tio n
o fp la c e rs............. _. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ._ .
2
C la ssific a tio n
o f
p l a c e r s....................... _....... _ ._ ._ _ _ ..._ ._ _ ._ _. ._ _ _ _ ... _.._ _ _ ._ _. _. . . . . .________. _ ... _
3
R esidual placers
___________._____ .____ .__ ._______.._ ._ ... _ ._. . . . . . . ._ _ . . . ._ _ _ _ ._ ._. ._ _ . . . ._ ._ _ _ _ _ ..._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ .
4
H ills id e . p la c e r s
____ . . . ._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ._ _ _ _ _ _ ._ _ _ . . ._ ._ ._ ._ _ _. _. . _....... _.. _ ._ ._. . . . ._ _ _ . . . ._ _ _ ,_________ ._ _._ _
4
C reek
p la c e rs. . . . . .~
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4
G u lc h
p la c e rs
._ ._ ._ ._. . _.. _.. _.._ _ _. _ .. _.. _..._ _ _......... _.............._ _ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . _.._ ._ _..... _.._ _ ._ ..
4
R i v e r - b a r p l a c e r s ._ _ _ ... _.... _.......... _... _. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ._ _ .........._ ._ ..... _.. _........_ _ ....
4
B e n c h p l a c e r s ... _.._ _...._ _ _ ._ ._ _ _ ..._ _ _.... _....... _..._____ .. . . . . . . . ._ ._ ......._ _ ._ _ _ _ ........._____. _. ._....
5
P o s itio n o f g o ldi n d e p o s it .______ ...... _............. _. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ._ _ _ ........_ _ ._____ ....._ ._ _ _ _ _ _ _ ........
5
A ssociated m inerals. . . . . . _......._ _ ..... _... _...............' . . . . . . . . . . . . . . _...... _......._ ._ ........ _ ._ ._ ......._ _.
5
S a m p l i n g o f p l a c e r d e p o s i t s _ . . ._ ._ . . ._ ._ _ ._ ._. . . . . . _....... _...._ _ ....... _. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ._ _ ._ _. . _ ._ .
5
D e s c rip tio n s o fth e s im p le r m in in g m e th o d sa n da p p a ra tu s
._. . . . . . . . . . . . ._ . . . ._ _.____ . . . . . . .
6
P a n n in g
.-......_ _ _ ._ ._ _ . . . . ._ _.____ . ...._..._ _ _. _ .........._..._ ._ _ _ _ _ _...._ _ _ _ ... _...._ _ ..... _ ._ . . . . . . . . . ._ .............
7
O p e ra tio n o fp a n
.-. . . . . . . . . . . . . . ._ _. _ ........._ ._ _ .........._..._...... _.. _......._ ._ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ._..... _ ._....
7
R ockers
.. _........... _....._ _ _ . . . . . . . . ._._ _ ......_ _ ._ _....... _........._ _ .. _.... _. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . _ ._ ....... _...............
7
O p e ra tio n o f ro c k e r
--__. . _......_ _ _ . . . . . _....._ _....... _......... _...... _....._ _ _ ....... _........ _ . ._ _ _ _._____ .
9
C le a n -u p
-._ _. . . . . . . . . . . .________. _. ._ ._ ._ _ _ _. .... _.... _ . ._ _ _ _ _ _ _ . ......_...._ _ _ ._ _ _ _ .... _......._... _ _......'.._ _ ... _..
1 1
S lu ic e s
.._ ._ ... _................. _ ._ ._ _ .._ _ .._ ._ _.............._ ._ _. _ ._ _ ......_ _.__ ......_ _ ....._ . _ . . ._ _ _ . . ._ _ _. _ ......_. ....
1 1
M aterial
_ . . ._ _ _ _. _. ._ _ _. . . . _. . . . . ._ _ . . . . . . . ._ ._ _ ........_ _ _ ._ ._ _. ._ _. _ . . ._ _. _. ._ _ _ _ ........ _... _...._ _ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1 1
D im e n s io n s
......_ ._ _. _ . . . . . _ ._. ._.... _ ._ ._ ......._...._ _ _ ..._ _ . . . . . . . . . . ._ _. _ _.__ ......_........._ _ .........________
1 1
C o n s tru c tio n
......._..._ _ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ._ ._ ....._. . . . . . . . . . . ._........_ ._ _ _ ......_..._..........________.___
1 1
H ead
b o x
....._. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ._........._ _. _ ......._ _ .............._ ._ ... _......._....._ _ _. _. ._ ....._____
1 3
G riz z ly
... _. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ._ _ ..._ _ _ _. _. ._ _ _.. _.._ _ _. _ ... _.. _.._ _................. _ _...._ ._ _ _ ......______. . ._ _. _
1 3
R iffle s
...._. . . . . . . . . . . ._........_ _. _ ....._. . . . . . . . . ._....._ _ ...._....._ ._ _... _ ....._..._ _ _ _. _ . . . . ._ _.__ ......_ ._ ...._ _ _ _
1 3
C le a n -u p
_ ._. . . ._ . . . . . . ._ _ ._ ._ _ . . . . . . . . . . . . . ._.. _ ._ . . . . . . ._ _ . . . . . . ._ _. ._ _. . _ _.. _ _._______ ._ ._ . . . ._ _ . . . . . ._ ._ _ _ _ _. _. . ._ .
1 5
O p e ra tio n
_. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . _... _.. _........_ _ _ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . _.._ _. ._ ._. . . . . . . . . _...__________ . . . .
1 5
R ecovery
o f f in e g o ld
.._ _. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ._ ._ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ._...________ .... _...._...._.. _ _. . . _ _. . . ._1 5
U n d e rc u rre n ts
._ _........ _................................ _.............. _...... _ ._ ._. ._ _ ._ ._ _ _ ..... _....______ ._ _ _ _. .
1 5
G o ld -s a v in g ta b le s. . . . . . . . . . _. . . . . . . . ._ _ ...___........... _....... _................._ ._ _ _ _ _ _ ..._ _. ._ _ _ .__ .___ ._______
1 7
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Useo f cyanide .__. . . . . . ._ _ _ ...._ _ ....._ _. . _.. _.._ _ _. ._ _ _............______ ......._ _.____ ._________________________
1 8
R e to rtin gth ea m a lg a m
........ _.._ _ _ _. ._ ._ _ _ ._ _ _ _ _ _ _. _. ._ _ _ _. ._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
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1 8
U se of m ercuryi n placer m in in g. . . ._ _ _. ._ _ . . . . ._ ._ _ _ _ _ .. . . . . . . . . . . ._ _ _ _. ._ _ .... _...__________ .___ .___________ .___
1 8
A m a lg a m a tio n
p la te s
..._ ._ _ _......._____ ......... _. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ._ _ _ _ ... _...._ _. _ ......________ ._ _ _ _ _ _
1 9
C le a n in g a m a lg a m
fro m
p l a t e. . . . . . . . . . . . . ._ _ _. _ . . ._ _. _. . _ . . . _........... _........ _.. _ . . ._ ._ _ _ _ _ ....... _.._ _
1 9
S lu ic e
. . ._ _....... _..._._ _ . . . . . . . . . . _. . . . . . . . . . ._ _ ...._ _ _ _.._ _. _ . . ._ _ _ _ _ _ ...... _.._ _ _ ._ ._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ._ _ _ _ _ _ _ ._ _ _ _. ._ _ ._ _ _.___ __1 9
C le a n -u p
b a rre l
_.._ _ ..._ _ ._ _ _. . . ._ ._ ..._ _ ... _........._ _ _. _ ...._ _ ..._ ._ _ _. _ ..._ ._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ .____ ._ _ _
2 1
R ecovery of goldfro m
a m a lg a m
_._ _. . _ _....._ _ _ .... _ _. . _.... _...._ ._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ._ ._
2 1
P la c e rm in in gi n Id a h o
__ ._ ._. . . . . ._ _ . . . . . . ._ . . ._ . . . _.... _ . . . ._ . . . . . . ._ . . . . _.. _ . . . _ . . . ._____ ._ _ _ ._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _. . _.._ ._ ._ _ _
2 1
L is t o f m in in g d is tric tst o a c c o m p a n y s k e tc h
m ap
o fI d a h o_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ .___
2 1
P l a c e r M i n i n gD istric to f I d a h o. . . . . . . . . . . _.._ _...._ _ _ _ .. _ . ._ ._ ._ ._ _ ._ ._ _ _ _ _ _ _ .'_ ,, _ _ ,_ _ _ _ ._ _......_ '.._ _ ,_ _ ,_ _ _ _
2 2
A p p e n d ix
_.._ _ _ _ ..... _ ._ ._ . . . _.. _..... _... _ ._. ._ ._ . ._ _ _ _ ._ _._ ._. . . . _. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ,. . . . . . . . . . . . _...... _..._ _ ._ _ ._ _ _ _ _ ,,_ ._ _ _ ._ .
2 3
Id a h os ta te m in in g la w sre la tin gt o p la c e r d e p o s its
_ . . . _...._ _, . _ _ ,_ _ _ _ _ _ _. _. ._ _ ,,_ ._ _ _ _ _ ._ _. "_ _ _ _ _ _
2 3
P la c e r c la im s
........_ ._ _ ...._ _ _ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . _ ._ ......_ _.._ ._ _. _ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ._.....______. . . . . . . . . . ._ ._ _ _ _. ._ _._____
2 3
E x tra c ts fro m
U nited S ta te s code com pact
e d itio n
._ _. ._ _ _ _ _ _ _ ._ _ _ ..._ _ ..._ _ _. . . . . . . ._ _ _ _. . _2 3
Id e n tific a tio n o f m in e ra ls c o m m o n lyo c c u rrin g w ith g o ldi n
p la c e r d e p o s its. ._ _ . ._ ,
2 4
E x p la n a tio n
o f term s
.._ _. . . . . . ._ . . . . . ._ . . ._ . . . _ _ .._ _. . -........ _...._ _ _ _. _ . . ,_ ," _. . ._ ,_ .._ _ _ .,'_ ,.,_ _ ,_ _ _ ., .. ,_ _ ,_ _ ,_ ._
2 6
B ib lio g ra p h y
_.._ ._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ .._ _ ._ _ _ _ ._ _ _ _ _ _ ._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ._ _ _. . . _.... _....__________ ._ _ ._ _ _. ._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . ._ ._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _2 7 ,
2 8
D ryp l a c e r m i n i n g e q u i p m e n t. . . . . ._ _ ,_ _ _ _ _ _ ._ ,_ _ ._ _ _ ..._ _ _ _ _ _ _ ..... _.... _ ._ ._ ._ ._ ,_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ..._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ._ _ _
2 1
L IS T O F IL L U S T R A T IO N S
P a g e
F ig u re s1 ,2 , 3 , 4_ _......_ _ _ " " " ... ". . . . . ._ _ _ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ._ _ ,..._ _....., . _. . . ,..." ._ .," _ ,_ _ ,_ ,_ ,_ " "
_______ ._ ,
8
F ig u re
5
' . . . , . . . _ . . ., _. . . . . _............... _.... _......._ _ .............. ,. . ,. . ." ". . . . . . . . . . . . .' ". . " , ' . " . _. . ,_ "- - - - - - - - ,.,',' 1 0
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F ig u re
1 0
. " ,...... , . " ' ,........_ _ ._ ,_ , ................................. ,........ ,...... - ." ,. . . . " .'._. . ._ , ..._ _. . .- . - , , '---- , -
1 6
M a p s h o w in g lo c a tio n o fP l a c e ra r e a s._ ". . ,__ ,___ "...................... , " ' . , . ,__ " " " _ " " " '- - - " " - , - ,
2 0
M oscow , Idaho
A p ril2 7 ,1 9 3 4
D r. JohnW . Finch
Director, Idaho Bureau of M ines and Geology
S ir:
M a te ria l is s u b m itte d h e re w ith f o r a p a m p h le t o n p la c e r m in in g m e th o d s
fo r th e m ore o r less inexperienced
p r o s p e c to r .

T h e o b je c t th ro u g h o u t th is discussion has been to present the m aterial in as non-technical language a s p o s s ib le .

T his is thought to be necessary
because of th e inquiries received
in the past in the B ureau office from
so m any who have not had
te c h n ic a l
tra in in g .
A n
e la b o ra te
d is c u s s io n
o f
th e
g e o g o lic a l
p rin c ip le s
in v o lv e d
i n

th e form ation of gold placers is not attem pted because it is not considered to be essential to the purpose of this paper.

N o
a tte m p t h a s
b e e n
m ade
t o
g iv e
a
c o m p le te
b ib lio g ra p h y
o f
p la c e r
m in in g .
B o o k s o r a rtic le s w h ic h
a r e n o n -te c h n ic a l a n d
e a s ily u n d e rs to o d
by m ining people m ake up the bulk of the list.
A lso , a p o in t w a s m a d e t o
in c lu d e b o o k s e a s ily o b ta in a b le .
I tis realized that a num ber of the govern-
m e n t p u b lic a tio n s
h a v e
b e e n
o u t of
print for som e years; how ever, they
m a y b e o b ta in e d f r o m
som e lib raries.
T h is p a p e r is n o t m e a n t to b e a tr e a tis e o n a llu v ia l m in in g .
The exper-
ienced m iner or one of m eans is referred
t o
th e
m o re e x te n s iv e w o rk s o n
this subject.
S in c e th e p u b lic a tio n of th e th ir d e d itio n of P a m p h le t N o .3 5 , th e p re s e n t
e d itio n
has been
e n la rg e d
t o
in c lu d e a
d is c u s s io n
o n
u n d e rc u rre n ts
as a
m eans
of rem oving fine
g o ld , a m a lg a m a tio n
p ro c e d u re , o p e ra tio n
o f
d ry
p la c e rs , a n d o th e r m in o r d e ta ils s u g g e s te d by in q u irie s .
It is hoped
th a t th is p a p e r
m ay
serve the prospector and
c o n trib u te to
th e fu rth e rin g of th e m in in g in d u s try in Id a h o .
Respectfully yours,
W . W .S T A L E Y
M in in g E n g in e e r, Id a h o B u re a u
o f
M in e s
a n d G e o lo g y
of 00

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