Alaska Gold Blues

firebird_ak · 2013-05-27T09:38:13.000Z

Dad and I have a small gold mine at a remote location. We are excavating a buried stream channel around 75 to 100 feet wide. There is anywhere from 1 to 12 ft of black dirt overburden covered by 2 to 5 in trees. We have done a lot of work using an old jd350 but it keeps falling apart. It's time for a new plan. We have been thinking a 120 size excavator working with a 420 or equivalent backhoe to get the pay gravel exposed, mined, and through the washplant. Because the site is remote and our success depends on the health of the equipment we are looking at something with around 2,000 hours or less. We are planning for next year, but would like to get the backhoe this year to start clearing the overburden and getting a head start on production (hopefully a couple thousand yards) to help pay for the excavator. The black dirt is very easy to dig (the trees are thick but shallow and need to be moved independently of the dirt) but the stream gravel is much harder packed, although the jd350 didn't have any problem in the pay. I wonder if the backhoe will be an asset out there and what it is capable of accomplishing as a one machine operation. Any idea is worth considering because if we can make it pay then we can afford it.

Started by firebird_akMay 27, 201341 replies

zbo2New MemberFeb 5, 2016#41
Would be pretty neat to try that if you were retired or had a little money set aside so that you could take a couple years off to give it a legit shot. Just seems most folks go into it without the right equipment to give themselves a chance. It doesn't have to be new equipment either, but you would have to figure 100,000 worth of equip including the sluce stuff to make a real go at it. Just my opinion....
AKDMNew MemberAug 22, 2019#42
AKDM said: firebird_ak, I found this forum gathering information on crawler loaders. How is your project going ? Have you made any headway in your endeavor to upgrade your machine and project? I own a 955k which I am using to clear land we have in the Kenai area. If I can be of assistance let me know.... Click to expand... Sorry for taking so long to return a message firebird_ak as have been busy ! We are moved to the kpb as of 2013. Are you still in the area? regards AKDM

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