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bledito
Nomad
Posts: 420
Registered: 7-6-2013
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prospectors in baja
anyone out there done any seeking of gemstones or metal detecting. how about beach combing for lost stuff or on historic sites with a metal detector.
if what kinda stuff was found?
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Osprey
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3694
Registered: 5-23-2004
Location: Baja Ca. Sur
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Whoa, my metal detector will only help find metal, not gems. Do I need a newer better one?
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sancho
Ultra Nomad
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Location: OC So Cal
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I've always had that in mind, never have used a metal detector,
seems a lot of ground would never had a detector run
over it. Maybe Cortez Spanish coins around La Paz,
it is illegal to collect such items though. For all I know
maybe illegal for a tourist to use a detector? It's technically
illegal to collect a lot of things, like seashells , etc.
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woody with a view
PITA Nomad
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Registered: 11-8-2004
Location: Looking at the Coronado Islands
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Mood: Everchangin'
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tons of garnets in the western valle de los cirios. stories abound about prospectors and their loot. nothing i'll say here, but maybe over a campfire
someday!
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Bajaboy
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4375
Registered: 10-9-2003
Location: Bahia Asuncion, BCS, Mexico
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lots of gold around
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64749
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Want to look, but not take?
Get Walt Peterson's The Baja Adventure Book for many of the gem and mineral collecting locations.
Also, Rockhounding in Baja, by W.R.C. Shedenhelm, La Siesta Press c1980
Finally, our late amigo Herman Hill and his book Baja's Hidden Gold...
This one has a lot of geology info in it, mostly the San Felipe region:
and the rest of Baja, along the highways:
If you want to believe in lost mission treasure (there was none), here's a bed time story book:
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micah202
Super Nomad
Posts: 1615
Registered: 1-19-2011
Location: vancouver,BC
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...ahhh,,yer mean it's not been found yet!  
[Edited on 1-29-2015 by micah202]
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bledito
Nomad
Posts: 420
Registered: 7-6-2013
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osprey you just need two bent metal rods. They can find water, metal and even a full wayter bottle. you need to be wearing your ruby slippers though
and repeat three times there's no place like baja. Y'a just have to believe. 
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bajaguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9247
Registered: 9-16-2003
Location: Carson City, NV/Ensenada - Baja Country Club
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Mood: must be 5 O'clock somewhere in Baja
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Prospecting
Gold deposits near Ensenada include areas around Ojos Negros and Uruapan/Santo Tomas.
Problem is getting permission from landowners.
Do not know about any restrictions on metal detecting along beaches but the the beach area by the 'new' Malecon in Ensenada should be a good spot
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durrelllrobert
Elite Nomad
Posts: 7393
Registered: 11-22-2007
Location: Punta Banda BC
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Mood: thriving in Baja
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The only thing I ever found while beach combing with mine was a 50 peso note 
Bob Durrell
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dtbushpilot
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3288
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Location: Buena Vista BCS
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I send the grand kids out to the beach around the local palapas with a metal detector whenever they come down. They find lots of costume jewelry and
10 peso coins along with the occasional bottle cap and gum wrapper.
"Life is tough".....It's even tougher if you're stupid.....
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64749
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Quote: Originally posted by bajaguy  | Gold deposits near Ensenada include areas around Ojos Negros and Uruapan/Santo Tomas.
Problem is getting permission from landowners.
Do not know about any restrictions on metal detecting along beaches but the the beach area by the 'new' Malecon in Ensenada should be a good spot
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True that... met a prospector (was a Nomad) back in 2003, who said there were gold nuggets laying on top of the ground, north of Ojos Negros. He had
other locations he liked to work, near Punta Prieta and Meling Ranch, to name a few... Neal Johns met him too... nice guy, not sure if he is with us
anymore...
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bajafreaks
Nomad
Posts: 404
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Location: Gardnerville, NV./ Los Barriles BCS
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Mood: No Bad Days !!!
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bledito check your U2U.
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elskel
Nomad
Posts: 449
Registered: 10-9-2006
Location: Laguna Beach & Pescadero BCS
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metal detecting
I have done tons of metal detecting on the beaches around San Lucas over the years. I have found many gold rings, necklaces, and a few platinum rings,
coins and much trash (bottle caps). It was great when the nuevo peso came, a 10 peso coin equalled 1 dollar. Medano beach, Chileano they all have
produced over the years. It is always best during or right after a storm/surf = sand movement. bk
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bajaric
Senior Nomad
Posts: 631
Registered: 2-2-2015
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I have metal-detected and prospected several areas in Baja, mainly in the canyons along the upper sea of Cortez, never found so much as a single speck
of the yellow stuff. (yet) Nice scenery, though. I had better luck on the tourist beaches where they ride the banana boats at low tide, about ten
years ago found a gold crucifix that weighed half a troy ounce that way. More recently the same spot yielded nothing, I think people are more
cautious about losing jewelry since it is so expensive now and there are fewer tourists in general.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64749
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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| Quote: Originally posted by bajaric | | I have metal-detected and prospected several areas in Baja, mainly in the canyons along the upper sea of Cortez, never found so much as a single speck
of the yellow stuff. (yet) Nice scenery, though. I had better luck on the tourist beaches where they ride the banana boats at low tide, about ten
years ago found a gold crucifix that weighed half a troy ounce that way. More recently the same spot yielded nothing, I think people are more
cautious about losing jewelry since it is so expensive now and there are fewer tourists in general. |
Welcome to Nomad! I love the Eastside Canyons... Have only been up a few (south to north: Matomi, Parral, Berrendo, Carrizo, Agua Caliente, El
Cajon)... no closed or locked gates helps! Any photos or details?
Here's mine from about 8-10 years ago:
Matomi: Hwy. 5 to Rancho Matomi waterfall then up Valle Chico: http://vivabaja.com/618/page4.html
El Berrendo: http://vivabaja.com/106/page3.html
The others: http://vivabaja.com/404/
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Marc
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2802
Registered: 5-15-2010
Location: San Francisco & Palm Springs
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Mood: Waiting
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RIP Herman.
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bajaric
Senior Nomad
Posts: 631
Registered: 2-2-2015
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RIP
David K, thank you for welcome to forum. I have enjoyed the forum for years and finally decided to sign up.
The area I am currently interested in is a little south of the areas you mentioned. I am not being specific, partly because of the solitary,
secretive nature that has always characterized gold prospecting, and also because the canyons I have been exploring have some pretty sensitive
wildlife habitats and some people will dredge river bottoms and tear up the land for a few grams of gold. Not me, I stick to the dry washes and am
very careful not to damage any plants, frogs, etc.
Anyhow, with regards to the original post, the ideal prospecting location in Baja would be one with a safe place to camp, either in a secure camp
ground or far enough away for any population centers to eliminate any chance of some random narco-criminals showing up and terrorizing you and
stealing all of your stuff. Also a place where there is no local rancher or miner jealously guarding his land, and finally a place with a bunch of
gold nuggets laying around on the surface. In my experience, (except perhaps in the far northern reaches of Alaska or Siberia) such places are rather
difficult to find to say the least!
Baja-wise its more just for the fun of exploring, not finding anything, and then drinking a lot of Tecate and Padre Kino to kill the pain of striking
out --
I like to go through the old travel guides (I have Gulik, Petersen, Cross) and spot mentions of mining activities (not to mention trolling this forum)
and then compare them with the Baja Atlas map. I have found the best place is usually
the beach in front of the hotel -- best, Ric
[Edited on 2-5-2015 by bajaric]
[Edited on 2-5-2015 by bajaric]
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woody with a view
PITA Nomad
Posts: 15939
Registered: 11-8-2004
Location: Looking at the Coronado Islands
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Mood: Everchangin'
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you guys are looking in all the wrong places!
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/chinese-herdsman-stumbles-o...
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mtgoat666
Select Nomad
Posts: 18127
Registered: 9-16-2006
Location: San Diego
Member Is Offline
Mood: Hot n spicy
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| Quote: Originally posted by bajaric | RIP
David K, thank you for welcome to forum. I have enjoyed the forum for years and finally decided to sign up.
The area I am currently interested in is a little south of the areas you mentioned. I am not being specific, partly because of the solitary,
secretive nature that has always characterized gold prospecting, and also because the canyons I have been exploring have some pretty sensitive
wildlife habitats and some people will dredge river bottoms and tear up the land for a few grams of gold. Not me, I stick to the dry washes and am
very careful not to damage any plants, frogs, etc.
Anyhow, with regards to the original post, the ideal prospecting location in Baja would be one with a safe place to camp, either in a secure camp
ground or far enough away for any population centers to eliminate any chance of some random narco-criminals showing up and terrorizing you and
stealing all of your stuff. Also a place where there is no local rancher or miner jealously guarding his land, and finally a place with a bunch of
gold nuggets laying around on the surface. In my experience, (except perhaps in the far northern reaches of Alaska or Siberia) such places are rather
difficult to find to say the least!
Baja-wise its more just for the fun of exploring, not finding anything, and then drinking a lot of Tecate and Padre Kino to kill the pain of striking
out --
I like to go through the old travel guides (I have Gulik, Petersen, Cross) and spot mentions of mining activities (not to mention trolling this forum)
and then compare them with the Baja Atlas map. I have found the best place is usually
the beach in front of the hotel -- best, Ric
[Edited on 2-5-2015 by bajaric]
[Edited on 2-5-2015 by bajaric] |
you might have better luck hunting meteorites on dry lakes and dunes
for old mines, look at the INEGI maps, they (or another mex agency?) produced geologic resource maps a while back,... forgot where i saw them, but you
may find online or call around to find a library (SDSU? UABC?) that has them
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