THERE’S GOLD IN THEM THAR BLACK HILLS

Yesterday, we were collecting agates in the agate beds along highway 44 in South Dakota.    A car pulled up and some well-dressed people got out.  Well- dressed for rockhounding in the agate beds on Buffalo Gap Grassland, that is.  They looked over and spotted me searching the ground, and the man said “Are you finding any gold?”  Shocked, I looked at him and replied, “Uh, no, not here.”   He seemed surprised and said, “Well, there’s lots of gold here in South Dakota”.   I laughed.   “Yeah.” I said, “but it’s not found here in the grasslands.    You need to head about 80 miles west to find gold in this state.” 

Homestake Mine, Lead, SD

It is true that there is alot of gold in South Dakota.   But, as with any place where gold is found, it is located in specific places not just randomly scattered throughout the state.   And here in South Dakota, the gold deposits are found in the Black Hills, in the West Central portion of the state.    Gold can be found from Lead and Deadwood, throughout the Black Hills all the way to Custer.   In fact, there are several gold mines located in this area, with the largest and most famous one being the Homestake Mine in Lead.  

Mining i n  Deadwood

In 1874, during General George Custer’s expedition into the Black Hills, gold was first discovered in French Creek.  Shortly after that, South Dakota’s gold rush started and mines were opened in Custer, Keystone, Lead, and Deadwood.    The Homestake Mine in Lead was the most productive mine, producing 30 million troy ounces of gold until it was closed in 1992.   Today, the open pit can still be seen in Lead, and the visitor center has a map of the immense underground system of shafts and tunnels which underlies the entire town of Lead and goes down 8000 feet into the granite bedrock.

Though the major mines of South Dakota are no longer in operation, there are still plenty of opportunities for the recreational miner to find gold in South Dakota.    There are both lode and placer deposits distributed throughout the Black Hills.  Nearly all of the Creeks and small tributaries in the Black Hills of Custer County, Lawrence County and Pennington County contain placer deposits.    Gold can be found in the stream gravels as well as the bench and terrace gravel deposits.   

French Creek, Black Hills National Forest

When mining in the Black Hills, be aware of claims.   Many of the easily accessible areas, especially along French Creek west of Custer, are private property or full of claims, but with a little patience and persistence, one can find a place to pan.   Many times a claim will be well marked, but often times it isn't.  Look for wooden posts or pvc pipes with claim markers on them.  Some claims are marked with brightly-colored streamers on the tree branches.  Also, 50 feet on each side of a road is public right of way, so you can pan in any stream at a road crossing.   Often times, culverts under roads offer excellent opportunities for panning, as the riffles in the culvert act as a natural sluice.   

If you are a GPAA member, several claims are located along Rochford Rd. in the National Forest and one is near Lead.  If you are not a GPAA Member and would like to become one, we have memberships available for purchase.  Go to http://rocksinmyhead.biz/Club-Memberships_c119.htm.    Memberships come with a gold pan and accessories, the Mining Guide full of GPAA claims locations, and lots of instructional materials. There is also a local Gold Prospecting Club in Rapid City that has claims throughout the Black Hills.  Their phone # is  605-341-0483.   

There are many places within the Black Hills National Forest between Hill City and Lead where camping is permitted also.   We have been to a couple of places around Mystic, along Rapid Creek and Castle Creek where we could camp right next to the Creek where we were panning.   These areas are primitive sites only and rather remote, so be sure to bring everything you need if you plan to camp there. There are also lots of campgrounds located in and around the Black Hills that are just a short drive away from panning locations if you don't want to boondock.   

No permit is needed to pan within the National Forest, however other mining activities such as sluicing and hibanking require a permit or a Notice of Intent.   It is best to check with the Forest Service Office in the area you wish to prospect to be sure of the regulations in that location.

Several companies also have fee mining opportunities.   The Big Thunder Gold Mine in Keystone offers group trips for hibanking, sluicing, and panning on their private claims.    They also give a mine tour which comes with a free panning lesson and session.   You can keep any gold you find. Their website is http://www.bigthundermine.com/index.php.  

Castleton Ghost Town, SD

The mining history of the Black Hills is very colorful and interesting.   If you are heading through the Black Hills, it is worth it to check out the Homestake Mine Visitors Center and some of the other mines in the area. Hill City and Keystone have rich mining histories.  The Museum of Mining in Lead provides an interesting look at mining history in the area.   Round out your travel experience by doing some gold panning for yourself while you are in the Black Hills.  There are also some ghost towns scattered throughout the Black Hills.  An interesting website with lots of archival photos of mining in the Black Hills is http://www.miningartifacts.org/South-Dakota-Mines.html.

For gold prospecting equipment, books, maps, supplies, and more, visit our website http://rocksinmyhead.com.   Happy prospecting!