FINDING GOLD MOVIES

[Matt Mattson]

Another movie from the trip: Finding Gold XVI (in Oregon)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9klZ4-7GKRY

[Hoser John]

says movie removed by user???

[Matt Mattson]

Had to remove & repost that one because the title stepped on some footage. Here it is again:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxJlRgsG3PA

[jodie079]

Great additions!
Thanks for sharing...

[dickb]

Hi Matt and Connie:

I watched your video on Finding Gold XIV: Sapphire sluicing and I was wondering if you sent the sapphires out to have them heat treated before you faceted them?

I've watched most of the video's and found a lot of great information about chasing rocks and gold. Can't thank you enough for taking the time to put all that information together to help other miners/prospectors.

I'm planning a trip out west next summer and hope to put all of this great information to good use.

I have many questions and have started reading some of the books that you reccomended on the web site. Now that I have retired, I plan to do some of the things that I didn't have the time for when I was chasing dollars.

Keep up the good work and your efforts at teaching are not being wasted. Thanks a LOT for your information.

Dickb

[Matt Mattson]

Hi Matt and Connie:

I watched your video on Finding Gold XIV: Sapphire sluicing and I was wondering if you sent the sapphires out to have them heat treated before you faceted them?

I've watched most of the video's and found a lot of great information about chasing rocks and gold. Can't thank you enough for taking the time to put all that information together to help other miners/prospectors.

I'm planning a trip out west next summer and hope to put all of this great information to good use.

I have many questions and have started reading some of the books that you reccomended on the web site. Now that I have retired, I plan to do some of the things that I didn't have the time for when I was chasing dollars.

Keep up the good work and your efforts at teaching are not being wasted. Thanks a LOT for your information.

Dickb

Dickb:

We don't send ours out, preferring to cut natural stones. We noticed that there seems to be a premium for natural stones when it comes to Montana sapphire (it takes much digging through the high-end sales sites to get a feel for it). I would suggest doing the same and coming to your own conclusions. You will see some stones sell very cheap, while the identical stone (color, weight) will sell for thousands, the difference is usually the cut and polish (especially the polish). I would suggest some further reading material (not on the site), free online:

http://www.secretsofthegemtrade.com/chapter_22_o1.htm

Just so happens his free chapter is on sapphires. It is a good book to own or check out at the library as well.

Very best of luck to you!

[dickb]

Hi Matt & Connie:

Thanks for the quick reply and book link.

I've been wondering if that heat treatment was worth the money when I read about it in Gem Mountain's website. I like the idea of the deep cornflower blue color, because I think that it would really stand out in a yellow gold setting. I just was guessing that it wouldn't make the stone worth that much more.

I read the chapter in the link and that book is already on my list of books to add to my library. Currently I'm reading "Gem Cutting, A Lapidary's Manual" 2nd edition by Sinkankas. It's a little old but the information probably hasn't changed much since 1962. I find it very informative.

I find a lot of information that gets the cutter from the rough to the finished stone, but information from there to finding a buyer is a lot harder to find. I'm still crawling, so no rush there. I like being outdoors and think that this hobby will fit my personality fine.

Need to get a lot of things first. Hope to see many more of your video's comming to U Tube. I also hope that your last trip was very sucessful in finding more rocks and minerals. I've already bookmarked Phillipsburg, Denio and Plush.

One other comment and then I'll stop. I really liked the look of your camper. I have one that is much larger and was thinking of getting something smaller. Now I'm building one that will be the size of a popup with hard sides.

Good luck to you and Ma.

Dickb

[dickb]

Hi Matt:

I received my copy of Secrets today along with Fred's book on Opals. Just flipped through them and was impressed with the information that they cover. Now I've got some more reading to keep me occupied while the snow is on the ground. Thanks a lot for the tip.

Dickb

[Matt Mattson]

Hi Matt:

I received my copy of Secrets today along with Fred's book on Opals. Just flipped through them and was impressed with the information that they cover. Now I've got some more reading to keep me occupied while the snow is on the ground. Thanks a lot for the tip.

Dickb

Glad to be of help, those are both great books.

[Matt Mattson]

Finding Gold XVIII: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSc285uTA8s