The most productive placer mining era was 1858 80 when rich deposits of placer gold were found in the southwestern and central parts of arizona and hundreds of individuals worked the rich surface accumulations of gold subsequent placer mining was done by individuals working small deposits in many areas of the state using small scale portable equipment such as rockers sluices and drywashers. Accurate historical locations of arizona gold placer fields with valuable information for todays modern prospector you must realize that there is plenty of gold to be discovered by modern prospectors who use this book for locating then using metal detectors read more 3 people found this helpful. Placer gold deposits of arizona introduction cochise county dos cabezas and teviston districts courtland gleeson district turquoise district bisbee warren district gold gulch placer huachuca placers hereford or hartford district other cochise county placer districts gila county payson green valley district globe miami district. The most productive placer mining era was 1858 80 when rich deposits of placer gold were found in the southwestern and central parts of arizona and hundreds of individuals worked the rich surface accumulations of gold subsequent placer mining was done by individuals working small deposits in many areas of the state using small scale portable equipment such as rockers sluices and drywashers