(I posted this on other sites, so if you already read it, just ignore, or read again!)
Ant hills can be a good source for prospecting. Ants can dig down 2 to 4 feet, depending on the type of ant. As they dig, they bring up everything they can carry INCLUDING GOLD! Sure, it may be flake or flour gold, but gold nontheless, AND it's pre-classified for you!
Always use caution though, as some ants will "attack" and bite. You do not need to dig the whole thing up unless you find something promising. You can take a 1/4 or 1/8 of the mound, preferably on the down hill side (to help preserve the nest). If it's a large mound, it could be 4 feet deep, if a small mound, maybe 1 to 2 foot deep. Scoop some of the sand off the top and pan it carfully, looking for black sands and colors. Then pan another level from the middle, and then again from the bottom of the mound. This way you will have some indication of the depth that the colors came from.
Remember, what is on the top of the mound came from the deepest part of the nest and what is on the bottom of the mound came from the shallow part of the nest.
Sometimes you will find abandoned ant hills. I assume the queen died or something and the rest just headed out in search of a new queen. These hills, there is no problems digging them up if you findcolors. If it's an active colony, AND you actually DO find good color and want to dig up the whole area, remember... it could go down a few feet and perhaps spread out in any direction under ground, so you may be looking at a cubic yard of material. Break out the dry washer or re-circulating sluice and have at it! Let the little guys do the preliminary prospecting for you!
If an active colony, you may want to kill the nest before you dig, or you may end up with a LOT of ant bites! I've seen ants take down a frog, and a scorpion, and a baby Mohave Green rattle snake! No fun having ants in yer pants!
Happy Hunting!
Crazycrusher
http://www.crazycrusher.com
Comments
I am a Newby to this site...this looks like a terrific place. We was were out in Utah a couple years ago just driving around in the high desert and I noticed a lot of red ant hills. I thought the might bring up some gold now and then. Since gold is very heavy, what is the largest piece they could possibly bring up, anh thoughts?
Thanks...Joe!
Its been a long time ago when and older prospector told me about this, but you are looking for old ant hills were there are no ant not unless you dont mind being bit by them. He told me to run a metal detector over it and if it sound off then dig there but if you dont have one it dont hear to dig there to. The one I dug up the was gold in that and yes he ran a detector over it and there was five to ten little flacks in it. Good luck with the ants. LOL
Hi Bill, just tell the wife it's time for "pay back" to the ants! LOL But I understand phobias, I suffer from Mertzaphobia for years!
Crusher thanks for the Idea. But I doubt I'll get the wife to go for it as she has an absolute phobia to
the darn things. Couple years ago she slept on the sofa for 3 months cause of an Argentene Ant invasion.
Now that is interesting!! But it does make absolutely perfect sense. Thanks for the info AND the idea!