How Far Has That Gold Traveled?

February 2022 by Chris Ralph

Let’s examine why your placer gold looks the way it does and what you can tell about its journey based upon its appearance.

Iowa Hill District

June 2012
For the last two years we’ve held a hands-on prospectors training session in the Iowa Hill district of California’s Mother Lode country as a part of our Gold Prospecting and Mining Summit event. Because of this, I thought it might be good to take a look at the history, geology and opportunities that the Iowa Hill district still offers to the individual prospector.

An Alaskan in the Lower 48

July 2013
Our destination was some old hydraulic workings where the old miners had washed literally mountains of material away to expose gold in ancient river channels.

How to Beat the Heat--and The Bedrock

October 2018

The pit was a classic one—exposed shale bedrock with all the material being washed out one end of the pit. Within a few minutes I had a nice mellow signal that was in open ground.

A Few Pointers About Cracks and Crevices

October 2013
Because these crevices catch and hold gold so well, it's worthwhile to learn how they form, which ones are good for catching gold and which ones are not.

A Hole In One

October 2023

A nugget that had been struck with a bullet! 

The Fine Art of Panning Heavy Sands

October 2011
The fine art of panning heavy sands requires a measure of patience. If you enjoy panning gold, you ought to enjoy this too, once you get the hang of it.

Ask the Experts

March 2014
Breaking cemented gravels

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