6.14.2009HELP I need help from someone who understands GeologyI am dredging in the South Muddy River about a mile from the LDMA Camp. This area of the creek has not been worked since 1909, when Hydraulic mining was shut down by a nieghboring county because the cows where dying from the silting. ..Noone in the area has been able to help me... Here is the quiz....I have a Clay (Battleship Grey) layer, 6-18 inches thick, that is void of any materiel; below the surface gravel and rocks, below that I have a nice pay layer under thatranging from 1" to 5" thick...Nice RED dirt with gravel mixed in.... then Saphorite (decomposing Bedrock) Most likely granite or kimberlite. I have gone thru the saphorite 3-4 foot and no end in site....1. Is it worth it to continue thru the Saphorite?2. Any guess-tamets how many years ago the Clay layer may have been laid down?3. Or should I just stop at the pay layer and move on?Sorry this is private Property that I had to interview for 5 hours and be checked out by the owner, so I Can NOT take on any partners. Hell I can not even take any one onto the property to look around, He's a Lawyer and I had to sign 5 different releases to get on the property.... But It is well Worth it
My guess is that the clay was formed in the Late Cretaceous period. That's a period when inland seas and basins were formed by the down warping of the atlantic coastal plain.
The clay I've hit in that area has been pretty stiff and greasy and I've seen the gravel layer as thick as 25 to 30 inches. Are you working north or south of the Brackett town Rd?
Not only is it uniform it is all over with in a 25 mile area that I know of. You can dig a hole anywhere in 3-4 counties and hit that clay layer anywhere from 6 foot to 30 foot below the topsoil.
The creek has eroded itself 14-18 feet below the surroundin pastures. so yep its uniform
I'd guess the decomposing bedrock is granite. I'd stick with the pay layer. It's doubtful you'll find anything farther down. Is the clay layer uniform across the length of the river you're working?
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Not only is it uniform it is all over with in a 25 mile area that I know of. You can dig a hole anywhere in 3-4 counties and hit that clay layer anywhere from 6 foot to 30 foot below the topsoil.
The creek has eroded itself 14-18 feet below the surroundin pastures. so yep its uniform