My Gold Rush Career Begins in 1984

Chapter 143 Unorthodox Methods

Zhou Jingming surveyed along the river to determine the location and extent of the mineral deposits, and the method he chose was the natural heavy sand method.

The natural heavy sand method is based on the characteristic that placer gold particles are very heavy and can be directly separated with a gold sieve. It involves digging a pit at the surface or shallow depth of loose debris deposits, panning in the field, and directly determining whether placer gold is present.

Sampling methods include three types: river heavy sand sampling from drainage systems, outcrop sampling from terrace gravel layers, and heavy sand sampling from colluvial deposits on hillsides.

The first two methods can help understand the gold content of river sediments, the approximate distribution range of placer gold, and the grade and thickness of gold-bearing layers on terraces.

The third method is not currently needed by Zhou Jingming; it is used to trace the source of placer gold and identify target areas for lode gold deposits.

In fact, Zhou Jingming could find the location of the mine in Haxionggou by simply walking upstream along the river.

However, he simply couldn't muster any interest in this mining site.

It was a gold mine formed within a granite intrusion, and the granite contained a high proportion of quartz, meaning that this type of granite was harder, greatly increasing the difficulty of mining.

Even with the tools we have now, and even if we use methods like splitting rocks to mine, the crushing and sifting process would be very difficult.

In comparison, panning for placer gold is more cost-effective.

Over the next ten days, the three of them explored upstream. Usually, Zhou Jingming would select a small place rich in placer gold and let Wu Yang and Bai Zhishun collect and pan the material. He himself would look at the mountain shape and landform to determine a place suitable as a mining site, and then dig a sand pit thirty or forty centimeters deep at a short distance, and take a bucket of sand for panning.

Typically, a standard boat-shaped gold pan holds about 20 kilograms of sand. After panning, the gold sand at the bottom of the pan is weighed to calculate the approximate grade. After multiple samplings, the distribution range of gold sand at a mining site can be determined.

Of course, this grade is not accurate, because only the surface layer of mud and sand is taken. The actual result will be higher than the grade value obtained.

This is a basis for him to negotiate the price later, and it is a very necessary thing to do.

Over the past few days, the three of them have made considerable gains.

Zhou Jingming has a keen eye. He can accurately spot where gold dust accumulates in crevices and where gold is prone to accumulate. He can always collect a lot of silt from inconspicuous places that are frequently washed by water. It is almost as good as the fine sand that can be panned at the mine. Although it is a bit laborious to collect, the results are indeed much better than digging and panning at the mine.

On their busiest day, the three of them managed to acquire over 120 grams of gold.

It has been two and a half months since we moved from the small peninsula of the Haiertes River to the pincer-shaped valley of Haxionggou.

During this period, Zhou Jingming panned for gold at the mine and earned a considerable amount of gold.

With the help of a water pump to pan the gold, he could harvest about 22 grams a day on average. After half a month, he obtained 330 grams of gold.

When the oil ran out, we had to send more people to carry water to flush the mud and sand into the sluice. The harvest decreased to about 15 grams per day, but this lasted for a long time, about a month, and we got 450 grams.

The gold found on the gold prospector who tried to ruin Nora was divided among Wu Yang, Peng Yuanchao, and Li Guozhu. He took 40%, and the other three each took 20%. There were 385 grams of gold, and Zhou Jingming got 154 grams.

The three men fought a guerrilla war for a total of thirteen days, and obtained a total of 1,040 grams of gold.

The three agreed that Zhou Jingming would take 50%, Wu Yang 30%, and Bai Zhishun 20%.

He also received 520 grams of gold.

Since arriving at Haxionggou, Zhou Jingming has accumulated a total of 1,454 grams of gold.

Adding the 3,413 grams of gold he had previously hidden, Zhou Jingming now possessed a total of 4,867 grams of gold.

A rough estimate suggests that after the gold price increases next year, it could fetch over 200,000 yuan at market price.

This also gave him confidence, at least he didn't have to worry too much about paying wages. With 600 yuan per person and 100 people working with him, he could keep going for several months.

Of course, he also believed that he would obtain even more gold in the process.

Now, Zhou Jingming has identified seventeen of the better mining sites in Haxionggou, and has already explored the entire three-kilometer-long gold sand mine.

Some of the places suitable for guerrilla gold mining were recently taken over by gold prospectors who found Haxionggou. The remaining small places were also almost completely exploited by the three of them, so Zhou Jingming stopped his activities in Haxionggou.

On the second day of rest, he specially selected some good venison and mutton, finely sliced ​​them, and used the chili peppers, cooking oil, and other sauces he brought from the mountains to mix a hot pot base by feel. He set up a campfire outside the dugout, put on an antimony pot, and had a good hot pot meal.

People from three different places—Sichuan, western Hunan, and Luoyue—all have a strong preference for spicy food. Among them, Bai Zhishun is slightly less fond of it.

Therefore, after the hot pot meal, Zhou Jingming and Wu Yang ate to their hearts' content, exclaiming how satisfying it was. Wu Yang even begged Zhou Jingming to make more dishes like this in the future, feeling completely refreshed after eating it once.

Only Bai Zhishun kept inhaling cold air from the spiciness, saying that his whole face was numb from the spiciness. His expression of being unable to bear the spiciness but not being able to stop eating made Zhou Jingming and Wu Yang laugh for a long time.

After eating and drinking their fill and feeding Jinwang, the three of them lazily lay on the grass. Zhou Jingming handed Wu Yang a cigarette and lit it. After thinking for a moment, he also handed one to Bai Zhishun, who didn't smoke, so that he could experience the blissful feeling of having a cigarette after a meal.

Bai Zhishun hesitated for a long time before lighting a cigarette. He took just one puff, which made his nose and eyes water, causing Zhou Jingming and Wu Yang to burst into laughter.

But Bai Zhishun was stubborn. He coughed until the veins on his neck and head bulged and his face turned red, but he still managed to finish the cigarette.

After playing around for a while, Zhou Jingming looked at the blue sky and white clouds and felt a rare sense of ease: "Wu Yang, Shunzai, we've known each other for more than half a year. Do you trust me?"

"Of course I trust you, Brother Zhou. Why are you suddenly asking this? Don't you know what kind of person I am?" Wu Yang took a deep breath: "If I didn't trust you, I wouldn't have chosen to stay here with you. You're the one who brought me into this gold mining business, and you've always been thinking of me in every way. Even when it comes to dividing the gold, you've tried your best to give me a larger share. If I don't trust you, who else can I trust?"

Bai Zhishun's answer was even simpler: "Brother Zhou, you are my benefactor."

Hearing this answer, Zhou Jingming was very happy. In his opinion, these two people who were willing to stay with him in the wilderness were his greatest gain this year.

"Among all the people I know in the valley, I only trust the two of you!"

He paused for a while before asking, "Would you like to come with me and try your hand at the gold rush?"

"Of course, I think I'm quite suited for it. This kind of fighting and killing is really to my liking."

Wu Yang felt that he could find the exciting life he wanted here.

Bai Zhishun hesitated: "Brother Zhou, I am definitely willing, but I don't know anything except strength. I'm afraid I will become a burden. I want to follow you well, but I'm afraid I won't be able to do the things you ask me to do well."

"Shunzai, don't underestimate yourself. Everyone has their own place and their own strengths. There will always be a place for you to use your talents!"

Zhou Jingming looked at the sky and grinned foolishly: "Let's explore these gold-mining valleys properly. After a while, when it snows heavily in the mountains, let's all go back. I hope that you two can each lead a team into the mountains and work together. The more people, the better."

When Peng Yuanchao and the others left, I already said that from now on they would be paid wages. If they get less money, these people who come to work at the mine can be brought out to make a show of force, but it's unrealistic to expect them to risk their lives for us. Everyone's smart enough not to be stupid. So, I hope you can find some people you can trust.

I'm going back too, to get a few more people.

"What will happen to Jinwang if we all leave?"

“Jinwang is easy to handle. I can lead him back myself. If I can’t take the train, I can take a bus. It’ll just mean a few more transfers and a bit more hassle.”

Let's meet back in Tiemaike in early March next year, and then we'll head into the mountains together. Don't worry, I definitely won't treat you unfairly.

Zhou Jingming considered leaving Jinwang in the mountains, providing it with enough food, and having it guard the mining site. But upon closer inspection, he realized that aside from the potential gold prospectors who might wander into the area, the starving wild animals in the mountains could easily tear it apart.

Over the past six months, although Jin Wang has been difficult to tame, he has indeed been a hero at the mine site, playing a significant role in protecting it.

He couldn't bear to let it fall, nor did he want to let it fall.

"it is good!"

They both agreed in unison.

Wu Yang then asked, "So, what's next...?"

"Let's rest for another day tomorrow and prepare some dry food. The day after tomorrow, I'll take you two to a place, take some unconventional routes, and maybe make some more money."

"What kind of unorthodox methods?"

Wu Yang suddenly sat up and asked with great interest.

Zhou Jingming explained with a smile: "The people who are still in the Gold Rush Valley now are either some rich mines that are afraid of being occupied next year and have left people to guard them, or some gold prospectors who want to take advantage of the time difference to get rich quickly and take the wild route to pan for gold. Unlike in the team, where you can divide the gold according to the rules, everyone can share the gold equally."

These people would stay in the gold rush valley for more than a month after the main gold rush team withdrew, because at this time, even if they went down the river to mine placer gold, it would be easier to find gold when there were fewer competitors.

Of course, they won't be very active during these times, and the Qingshan team will chase them very hard.

However, after the snowfall and the arrival of winter, the number of times the mountain clearing team clears the mountains will be greatly reduced.

This gave them the opportunity to enter some normally off-limits areas to pan for gold, and they were able to get quite a bit of it.

Wu Yang's expression grew increasingly excited: "Forbidden zone? What forbidden zone?"

"As you probably know, most of the mineral resources in the mountains, once discovered and reported, are mined by state-owned gold mining companies. Such mineral resources are usually designated as restricted areas where unauthorized personnel are prohibited from entering."

In other words, we're taking an unconventional approach, which means going into these restricted areas to mine gold, following the veins, where the gold yield is much higher.

They would also look for mines left behind by older gold prospectors to explore the gold veins inside.

In the jargon of gold prospectors, it was called "washing the cave."

"So that's it!"

"We can't be careless. Anyone who dares to stay in the mountains to clean their cave at a time like this is a truly ruthless person. They'll start a fight at the drop of a hat and are willing to risk their lives."

Moreover, those mining sites, especially some abandoned mine shafts, are either sealed off because people have died there, or they have collapsed and are unstable.

High returns are often accompanied by high risks…

Zhou Jingming looked at the two of them with a smile: "You'd better be mentally prepared for this trip!"

(End of this chapter)