Why I did not buy a

Fraser River Placer Claim

that was for sale in the Cariboo

Aspects that can Affect the Value of a Placer Claim

Machine Digging, Cutting Trees and Drawing Water
Cost More and Take More Time than I Expected

In the spring of 2005, I decided not to buy a placer claim that was for sale on the Fraser River North of Quesnel in the Cariboo region of BC. I lost a fair bit of money because of things I didn't know and regulatory aspects that I found out about when I got the reclamation permit.

I have had the gold bug for a long time. This was the first time I was going to do machine digging.

I am not trying to discourage anybody. I learned about how things work. Learning is good. In fact... see the bottom of this page.

Anyone interested in discussing placer mining or mining ventures can contact me, Brian Marshall, at: bmarshal@agt.net or +1 403-651-0584.

Access and Hiring Equipment

There was access to the claim via forestry roads. It would have been fine if I was going to bring in some serious equipment to do some serious work. I didn't have the money for that. I needed to find a local 'guy with a backhoe', and some alternates, to come in periodically. This was going to be more time-consuming and expensive than I had planned.

Cutting Trees and Drawing Water

After getting a reclamation permit, I still had to get a license to cut and a permit to draw water from the river. My mistake - I thought they were going to be issued with the reclamation permit. It meant that I couldn't do proper testing before I had to decide whether I was going to buy the claim or forfeit the money I had already paid.

Fraser River Bar Restrictions and Water Levels

There are recommended practices for mining Fraser River bars. My reclamation permit specified that I had to follow these practices. There were many limitations and rules. One was that work on the bar was only to be done "in the dry". Another aspect about Fraser bars is that the water level can change substantially and quickly, and work early in the year can result in equipment (like excavators) being lost. Fraser bars can only be worked part of the season. All these factors affect whether money can be made.

Questions about Prospective Value

Making Money - Considerations

As I said, I am not trying to discourage anybody. In fact, I have an opportunity - underground placer mining on French Snowshoe Creek in the Cariboo Mining District.

The gold bug in me had flared up again. I acquired two cell claims in the Vowell Creek area (South of Golden) in 2009. My son and I have been doing a little prospecting.

Around this time, I came up with the idea of underground placer mining to reach the bedrock channel under good gold-producing creeks, and leasing the required mining rights rather than buying claims. Deep channels are sort of the "Final Frontier" - where much of the remaining gold in the Cariboo might be found.

Then, a month or two later, I got a phone call from Mitch Mortensen, who read this page, and he told about his claims on French Snowshoe Creek. One in particular is almost perfect for the underground placer mining approach. What I find exciting is the word from the BC government is that the bedrock channel has never been explored on this claim and downstream to the mouth of the creek.

Currently, this is just an idea and a name (that is not being used).

I have developed an interest in hand tunneling methods. It turns out that hand tunneling is still being done today - that it can be the most economical way to drive smallish tunnels through soft ground. There are old methods and new adaptations that can used for underground placer mining. The costs can be quite modest, considering that we are talking about underground mining. $50,000 could pay for a substantial amount of mining.

My opportunity will stay just an opportunity, without some outside financing and a good deal of planning. As I write this, in November 2009, I am not in a position to do this planning, or any work on this opportunity, but this will change.

People with questions or comments can call Brian at +1 403-651-0584 or email bmarshal@agt.net (note: only one L in email address).