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NEXT MEETING THURSDAY DECEMBER 3, 1998 (Remember that the December meeting will be our Christmas potluck, and Elections for our club officers. If you or someone you know would like to get more involved in the club, now is the time to start by becoming an officer or a board member. There will be no raffles held at this meeting. Bring your favorite dish and come join the fun at our end of the year meeting.)
MEETING MINUTES FOR NOVEMBER:
Examples of activities that are allowed as volunteer credit:
Examples of activities that are not included in volunteer hours: (There maybe some exceptions to these rules. They will be discussed and a ruling made on them) These activities are not included in the volunteer hours credit. But they are activities that are looked at for the end of the year Presidential awards. So if you know of any person that has put time into the club, or you yourself has put time into the club make sure you tell one of the officers of what and how much, since this is the only way we can find out who does what for the club and include them into the Presidential awards resentation at the December meeting.
New business: A proposal was made that the club buy $100 of raffle tickets, then if we win we will raffle the prize off at one of our regular meetings. Discussion of the proposal was made and Hayden Piper made a motion to buy the $100 of OIM raffle tickets, Dave Watson Seconded the motion, motion voted on and passed.
Washington political report: Don Hemphill mentioned that Rich Castellow from WF&W stated that they have printed up all the changes proposed to the Fish and Gold Book and changes will be discussed at a November 24th meeting. Time and place was not identified.
Club Outings report: Don Hemphill and Clarence Mohr went to our new claims on Willow Creek in Eastern Oregon. Don reported that they think they found the claim. They found what they thought was the marker post, but the claim information was missing. He took Jerry's new rocker box with him, but decided that after looking at the soil he would not use it, since they had a good power sluice with them. Gold Drawings: It has been noted that the gold drawing has been at 50 grains for a number of months. Hayden Piper brought up that if it doesn't go the second month we continue drawing chips till it does go. The only reason this policy existed was that it never went this long before at 50 grains to give concern. After the discussion Hayden Pipe made a motion that the second month that the gold drawing was at 50 grains that we draw till it is won. The motion was seconded, voted on and passed. This new policy took effect during the November 50 grains gold drawing.
GEE CREEK COFFEE STOP:
THE BIG GREEN CON:
SPORTSMAN SHOW: A call went out for someone to volunteer to chair the sportsman show committee, it is in February. At the meeting there wasn't anyone stepping forward. It would be greatly appreciated if we could get a volunteer at the next meeting. If you have the time , please contact on of the board members. Carol Cherry ask that members bring in old leather coats, or other old leather articles made of soft leather, so she can make little vile bags for the sportsman show. Dave Watson suggested that we bring in a TV and VCR to show a panning vedio, or other appropriate videos. Al Worley volunteered his 13" TV/VCR combination.
NOMINATIONS FOR CLUB OFFICERS:
Vice President:
Secretary:
Treasure:
JUST A REMINDER:
ANOTHER CLUB MEMBER MOVES AWAY: A motion was made to buy Dave's claim for $500. Motion was seconded, voted on and past.
The club is very sorry to see another good club member go, but we wish him well and happy prospecting. Dave may the gold shine brightly in your pan where ever you may go! #720- Carolyn Hemphill was drawn for the 50 grains of gold. Carolyn was not present to claim her gold, so we redrew and #916 was drawn-Dawn Fredricks won the 50 grains of gold. It will be back to 10 grains in January. 13 grain gold nugget was raffled off and ticket #3879 was drawn. The lucky ticket was brought up with Ken Ripple firmly attached to it. Meeting adjourned.
PRESIDENTIAL AWARDS:
MAILING IN DUES:
UP AND COMING EVENTS:
NEWS THAT YOU CAN USE: Mojave John @ The Lifestyle Store
ARE YOU READY FOR NEXT SEASONS PROSPECTINGNow that prospecting season is coming to a close, are you getting you equipment ready for next season. Make sure that you drain any water that may still be in you pumps and hoses so it doesn't freeze and break them. Clean you equipment and do repairs now before you forget what they are. This will save you many aggravating hours next season when you get back out on the stream. Do you have any gas left over setting in gas cans or gas tanks. If you don't plan on draining it out and using it in your car, then you should go down to the store (G. I. Joes, Fred Myers, etc.) and pick up a can or two of Sta-Bile and put it in your gas. Sta-Bile is a gas antioxidant, which will stabilize you gas so it won't go bad over the winter. Old gas oxidizes and will not burn properly. It fouls up the carburetor and spark plugs. Have you left your wooden handle tools out in the water this year and they are getting a little rough. Now it the time to get them out and sand the handles and put linseed oil on them. This will keep them from cracking and giving you splinters next season. What about the metal parts, are they dirty and rusty. Now it the time to get a wire brush, ore wire wheel and clean them off. If you are using them for gold prospecting, don't oil them, unless you plan on removing the oil before you go out prospecting next year. Then don't use a petroleum product to get the oil off. Use soap and hot water. If you can't keep your metal hand tools in a dry place for the winter, try these tricks. You can put wax shoe polish on them. Shoe polish will wash off with hot soap and water fairly easy, or you can paint them to give them a protective coating. If you plan on painting them, use a bright yellow, orange, or some other cooler that will stand out against the natural colors of the river area to make them easy to find. I have known prospector losing tools because they couldn't find them even when they know that they just laid it down right by their work area. Now is the time to take inventory of all your equipment and make a list of tools that you need next season, and plan on purchasing, or making them this winter so they will be ready to go next season. Also once you have cleaned, and inventoried everything, get them all together in once spot so you don't have to spend hours the night before you plan on leaving trying to find everything, or perchance forgetting something. Happy prospecting, and may the gold fill your pan. Pappy Ore/Washer
NAME TAGS:
SPECIAL RAFFLES:
HOW TO SNIP FOR GOLDNot necessarily a lazy man's method!Reprinted from the Washington Prospectors Mining Association newsletter and the Northwest Gold and Gem Prospectors newsletter July 1998) Sniping is a term dating back to at least the depression era when transient people who made their means by mining were known as snipers. In modern recreational mining it is a term used to describe working underwater by hand with a mask and snorkel. This type of mining is great fun, but it's not for everyone. There is inherent danger swimming in most mountain streams. Don't risk it if you're not a strong swimmer or in good health. When sniping, you are not looking for fine gold, but nuggets and flakes that are trapped in and on bedrock with you hand thus exposing crevices. Using tools you break the crevice open and loosen the material. Fan again creating currents, which blows sand and gravel out of the crevices exposing gold. A suction bulb is a tool for extracting the exposed gold. I add surgical tubing to the bulb so I can attach it to my wrist. You will be surprised at the amount of force you can use to clear out the sand and gravel without loosening pieces of gold. Lighten up a little as you approach the bottom of the crevice and you may get a few extra small flakes. Work the crevice and break up the bottom and re-fan. It's hard to get a feel for this at first but you will start to find nails, sinkers, and bullets which are much lighter than gold. You can use this as a gauge. You should look for crevices with tightly packed gravel, as this is an indication the crevice was not recently worked. Don't forger: grab the nails, sinkers and bullets and pack them out as trash. The great thing about sniping is your ability to move along the river. Try a few crevices and move on if you're not finding anything. You can work only so deep, so you need to cover as much ground as you possibly can. Don't take too many tools along; only those you can carry in your two hands. Most creeks and rivers run pretty cold most of the year. I suggest you wear a Farmer John-style wet suit. Cut pieces of inner tube, and glue them to your thighs and shins, and also on your elbows to protect your wet suit. Don't use diving booties for kicking around on sharp bedrock: use an old pair of tennis shoes. I recommend you use a facemask with a purge valve built in, because it's a lot easier to clear the mask under water. I modified my snorkel by adding a 6" extension. WARNING: if you add too long an extension you will be breathing what you have exhaled, not breathing fresh air, and bye-bye, miner! This is another good reason for a mask with a purge valve; inhale through your snorkel, and exhale through your mask. Have fun sniping!
CONDITIONING YOUR GOLD PANBy Chris BlanaReprinted from the Washington Prospectors Mining Association newsletter. Having a problem with that new gold pan? Read on for some excellent advice........... Is that new gold pan giving you fits? Are you watching fine gold slip right over the riffles and out of the pan? What most people don't realize is that new plastic gold pans have not been conditioned for panning. When the pans are manufactured there is a wax residue and possibly some oils left on all plastic pans thanks to the molding process. Keene Engineering Company recommends cleaning your gold pan with the solvent acetone* and fine steel wool, but using Simple Green cleaner is a safer alternative and works just as sell. Keep cleaning your pan until the water in it wets the bottom and sides and doesn't bead or puddle up. Try it! It works! [If you use acetone please follow the cautions on the container. It's nasty stuff]. Yup! Chris is right! It really does work!
E-MAIL AND WEB PAGE ADDRESSES:
THE OLE PROSPECTOR'S TRADING POST:
Highbanker: Used once, 3.5 HP Northern Star motor, 100' hose included asking $600.00 Call Carol J. Berg at (541) 389-5102, or E-mail at: CarolBBMC@Juno.Com.
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