Prospecting in Alaska pt 1

As you notice from my titles listed on the right hand side of the page, I'm an Alaskan prospector.  It's a hobby I've been doing ever since I met my husband, Michael, in 1996.  Together with our partners, one of which is my best friend, Stella, we have spent over 22 years in the Talkeetna Mountains exploring.  Michael, Warren, and Stella had spent another 10 years or so involved in this hobby before I joined them.  While we often use a gold pan in our prospecting adventures, the gold pan is not our primary tool.  We are hard rock prospectors, not prospectors looking for placer gold in a creek.  If gold were easily found in a creek, it's usually already claimed.  Therefore, our treasure hunt takes us higher.

We usually have to start looking about the 4,000 foot level to find anything of value.  Those who have been to Independence Mine Historical park, are probably aware that all the gold mines in Hatcher's Pass are located high in the mountains, way above treeline.  Over the years, we have searched many miles looking for the right signs in the rocks.  Then about 5 years ago, something changed... or should I say, we changed.  On an unction and after much prayer, we decided to give up our knowledge and plans and simply start asking God where to look.  Our current mining claim, the one I'm sitting on in the above video is a result of listening to the Holy Spirit.

Peacock Ore sample

The story starts when Stella asked me to go on a hike to find more malachite for her jewelry intentions.  She'd located a small pocket in a particular spot, but it was difficult for her now to get up that high.  She's almost 70, so I decided to go along to be the pack mule just in case we found more than she could carry.  That day as we hiked, she pointed to where we needed to go, but I felt the Holy Spirit pulling me further up stream.  I said to her, "Stella, I know you want to go over there, but I really feel the Holy Spirit saying keep going here."  Stella, a true believer in Jesus, replied, "then on we go."  We walked about another 500 feet when I spotted some blue and green rock on the ground.  Not malachite but definitely of the copper crystal base.  So, we tracked it upstream for about another 300-400 feet then the stone abruptly stopped.  After searching both sides of the creek, one obvious conclusion remained.  The rock had fallen from up above.  I did the craziest and most logical thing, I climbed up the side of the rock face.  It was steep, incredibly steep, and I probably wouldn't do it again, but it was worth it.  At the top of the cliff were 4 outcroppings that were covered with copper staining from the backside.  You couldn't see any of this from the creek floor or valley below.  Only at the right angle could you view this incredible find.  I traveled along the slide upstream, looking for a different route down the mountain, a safer route.  Then I saw it.  Not only did I see the safe route down, but I saw the last outcropping had a vein of pyrite showing.

That vein of pyrite was mixed peacock ore, also known as bornite.  It was beautiful, with all the colors of a rainbow!  Most importantly, it's a great copper ore.  After taking samples and hauling them down the mountain, we returned home with joy to show our partners.  Next, we legally staked our claim.

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