My first berm mining experience

[mjwcaster]

First off let me say for mining my range, $1 per lb of clean lead delivered is a great deal and I am envious of those with sand berms, better equipment or better techniques.

I have been picking up lead off the ground when I am shooting lately (not often enough), but had never mined before.
Our range is closed for renovations (building new pistol range, making other old range dedicated rifle, moving pistol berm over to new range).
Since it is closed and the berm is due to be moved I asked the president if I could mine the berm. He basically said he didn't care (Ok so he was a little more colorful).

The pistol berm is dirt/clay with some/too much gravel mixed in.
I started by picking up by hand, then tried the minnow trap sifter.
The dirt was dry and dusty and sifted ok, but with so much gravel I still needed to sort out by hand.
Took about the same amount of time total to get the same amount of lead, but with the sifter I could at least finish sorting in the shade or I can bring it home and sort at my leisure.

For tools I had a hoe, shovel,leaf rake and minnow trap.
All methods I tried and tools seemed to yield about the same, 20-25 lbs per hour.
I measured very scientifically- how long did it take to fill up my plastic coffee can.

I ended up just raking or using the hoe to move the top of the dirt a little and then sit down at the top of the berm and work my way down picking up lead, using my hands to smooth off more loose dry dirt until it got hard again.

I expected to find much more lead at the bottom of the berm where it should have washed down, but that was not the case.

I am not sure how much this berm has been mined and while working I remembered that it was moved/rebuilt less than 2 years ago. So that may explain why I didn't find much/any lead under the first few inches when I tried digging.
I had hoped that since I can destroy the berm if I want that I would be able to dig down and find a mother load.

I have at least a few more days left to mine it, so I think I will try again, if it doesn't rain much more. Just had some good storms last night.

I hate to let all that lead go to waste, but it sure doesn't want to some out easy for me.

At the very least I think I will minnow trap sift as much as I can fit in my car and bring it home for further sorting.

I want to get into casting, so I want to build up a nice stash before I get started.

Thanks to castboolits I now have another addiction.

I actually fell asleep thinking about picking up lead and woke up dreaming about it.

So I can now say, 'Hi, My name is Matt and I am a lead-a-holic'

I just need to find some meetings close to me.

Matt

[USAFrox]

Man, I wish I could mine down my berms. Congratulations, and I hope your next time out, that you find the mother lode!

[btroj]

Get what you can.

I always look at what I get as being 2 to 5 year old bullets. Over time the ones buried deep in the berm work their way to the surface for picking.
I hand pick mine. Luckily my berms are old, most over 20 years of use. Some much longer than that.

Gravel sucks.

[Jailer]

Gravel sucks.

Yes, but it floats. ;)

[Oreo]

First off let me say for mining my range, $1 per lb of clean lead delivered is a great deal and I am envious of those with sand berms, better equipment or better techniques.

Yes sir!

I've pulled a good amount of lead out of a local clay-ish berm. Its hard work and makes you wonder if your time is better spent putting a few hrs of OT in at work and buying lead with the earnings. You'll think that again when you do your first real smelt. Its rewarding but its dirty and tiring. Its a fools errand but sometimes a man has got to do what a man has got to do.

[woody13]

Yes the same with my burms I shift through. The bulk is I'n the top layer and 20-25lbs an hour is a good average. Plus when it's free it's even better and more enjoyable I feel.

[clodhopper]

25 lbs an hr is about what I pick from the clay, gravel, and broken clay birds.
My range has seven pistol bays, some to new to yield much others pretty rich.
On a quiet week day morning, I just back the car up almost to the berm, open the door and tune in Rush.

[uaskme]

I got a milk crate and lined it with 1/4" wire mesh. You can put some material in it and shake it. I mined 1K pounds last year. It is not easy. Own berms are clay also and it has to be bone dry or the dirt wont come off the boolits.

[RoGrrr]

I post this on a regular basis, as it has plenty of good info to help us to extract our ore. If you have any additional ideas, please post them so we all can benefit.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?174512-Range-diving-186lbs&highlight=186lbs

I normally walk away with well over 100 Lbs of ore and if I have the time, I get a couple hundred Lbs.

Bottom line, when you have the opportunity, get all you can but only sort out the dirt (takes TIME) when you get home. The ore is far too valuable to WASTE TIME getting rid of dirt at the range. You will see some good methods for cleaning but remember my motto - Get in, GET IT, Get OUT !

[Magana559]

Wish I could mine my rifle range, nobody ever mines it, and its been open for over 70 years!

[beezapilot]

I've been mining a range for a few years now. Another source that is terrific is the beach (if geography is in your favor) all those guys with metal detectors should be your friends, for every Spanish coin, priceless ring, or freshly dropped -and still ticking- Rolex they dig up- they find about 1000 lead sinkers. After all, it gives them an opportunity to help clean up the environment.

[inspector_17]

last time at my club range, mainly .22 but larger permitted on paper only, I thought I would check the pistol line. lots of lead remains below the targets. picked up a pound or so in about 15 min. lots of copper found there too. thinking about making a trap. went to the rifle line and found a couple of pounds just laying around on the surface. (berms are mostly shale covered by a little dirt). surprisingly found quite a few 45-70. have to clear out/around targets to be able to do any mining. many bullet holes in the shale, so wouldn't be hard to find. just labor intensive to get started. have to talk to board members this Sun at monthly shoot to see if mining is ok.

[beezapilot]

My mining time is because I am on the maintenance squad of the range, so every two weeks I help mow & repair stands & all that- no one cares if I stay late to mine and "Groom the berm", amazing to me how few people pick up their brass as well...