Gold Prospecting in Alaska

Gold Prospecting Videos

The following links are Quicktime movies of prospecting for Gold in Alaska during Summer of 1997. If there is something you would like to see in addition to these please let me know and I will make it available. The movies are large and time consuming to download so patience is required. All movies are from the Central Mining District in Alaska. The Central Mining District begins approximately 100 miles North of Fairbanks on the Steese Highway.

Where the dredges, pounding, whine and scream,
And the rock goes in, in an unending stream
And comes out at the end, a sourdough's dream
Of GOLD, GOLD, GOLD!

This movie shows the use of a backpacker sluice box. (3.1 MB Quicktime Movie)
This movie is more footage of the use of a backpacker sluice box. (9.9 MB Quicktime Movie)
This movie shows an active placer mine from a distance. (2 MB Quicktime Movie)
This movie shows the area where I look for nuggets at an operating placer gold mine. (3.3 MB Quicktime Movie)
This movie shows more of the same placer gold mine. (9.9 MB Quicktime Movie)
This movie shows the device that classifies and sluices the gold bearing gravel. (4.6 MB Quicktime movie)
This movie shows more of the same equipment used for extracting gold from gravel. (2.2 MB Quicktime Movie)
This movie shows a closeup of the gravel washer. (4 MB Quicktime Movie)
This movie shows the gravel washer in operation without gravel. (3.9 MB Quicktime Movie)
This movie shows another mining operation visible from Eagle Summit. (2.4 MB Quicktime Movie)
This movie shows my friend Ramon at another placer mine looking for nuggets with his MineLab XT18000 detector. (3.3 MB Quicktime Movie)
The following Three movies are all of the same Gravel Classifier at a different mine. This unit is different from the previous one. It is basically a modified Gravel and sand classifier that you would find at a gravel pit. A sluice box has been added to the final stage. This setup uses a motor to shake the "Hopper" to help the big rocks move down the incline while the pressurized water sprays over them to wash smaller gravel and gold off of them. The boulders are then carried by a conveyor belt out of the way while the smaller gravel, sand and GOLD are diverted into the sluice box.
Shaker
Shaker2
Shaker3 is a closeup of the sluice part of this device.

Gold Prospecting with Jim Foley

The following links are Quicktime movies of my friend Jim Foley using a 5" Keene suction dredge during August 1997. This mining is in the Fairbanks Mining District. The excellent camera work was of course done by me.

This movie (1.9 MB Quicktime Movie) shows the general setup for the suction dredging operation and the airboat used to get to the location.
This movie (2.7 MB Quicktime Movie) shows a closeup of the dredging procedure.
Underwater Closeup (2 MB Quicktime Movie) of the suction dredge nozzle sucking up gravel.
This movie (2.2 MB Quicktime Movie) shows Jim Foley waving at camera. What a HAM!!
This movie (5.9 MB Quicktime Movie) shows Jim putting concentrate through secondary sluice operation.
This movie (3.3 MB Quicktime Movie) shows more secondary sluicing.
This movie (2.1 MB Quicktime Movie) shows the final result of the secondary sluicing of the concentrate.
This movie (2.6 MB Quicktime Movie) shows the panning out of the final concentrate after the secondary sluicing operation. The Final Result of the Day!!

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