![]() We set out and found private land that we could lease to host the expedition. With determination and passion to bring back that true miners experience, the search was on to locate a property that could host the 2018 Digger’s Expedition. It has been seven long years since the Gold Prospectors Association of America (GPAA) and the Lost Dutchman’s Mining Association (LDMA) have operated the “Motherlode” Expedition. The clay can prevent small gold particles from settling deeper and will be found lying on top of it. Rather than settling on bedrock, gold deposits are often found on what could be considered false bedrock of hardpan clay. Gold in the creeks and rivers of Tennessee is a bit different than what some prospectors may be accustomed to out west. There are some alluvial cones that were heavily mined in the area as well, and there were numerous small mines that produced low grade deposits in fissure veins. ![]() The present stream gravels, along with bench and "high terrace" deposits, contain abundant placer gold. Coker Creek and the Tellico River are the best-known areas for gold prospecting as there are numerous placer deposits and mines. Most of the gold in Tennessee is found in a small area in the southeastern part of the state in the Coker Creek gold belt, which lies in the Cherokee National Forest. It wasn't until 1836 that gold mining really got going. The gold rush experienced a delay, though, because the precious mineral was located on Cherokee Indian land. The Tennessee gold rush occurred in 1827 in Monroe County, in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains along Coker Creek. Just like Michael Phelps in his multiple Olympic journeys, participants in Digger’s Expedition in Coker Creek, Tenn., set out on a quest to. ![]() (Photos by Dominic Ricci, Richard Robinson, and Nina Beck) ![]() As featured in the 2018 Nov/Dec Gold Prospectors Magazine ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |