April 2013 (Vol. 82, No. 8) $3.75
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The Bawl Mill
• By the numbers
• Apparently Americans deserve more of the same... -
Ask the Experts - processing plants that can extract rare earth metals
Q: Do you know of any processing plants that can extract rare earth metals? -
Ask the Experts - what does MDB&M stand for?
Q: What does MDB&M stand for? -
Ask the Experts - proper mining claim procedures
Q: Can you offer any information on proper mining claim procedures? -
Legislative and Regulatory Update
• EPA investigated for environmental ties
• Hundreds of miners show up to rally at Oregon State Capitol
• DOI nominee would be bad for miners -
The Hughes Creek Placers, Montana
Gold discoveries in the Montana territories sparked a frantic stampede to these bonanza destinations in the early 1860s. Hughes Creek is located in Ravalli County, which is located in western Montana, and the gold here is... -
Benefits of a Detecting Partner
“Metal detecting is not a social function.” So said a good friend of mine. And it’s true. But that’s not to say the benefits of having a prospecting partner don’t outweigh those of being alone. -
Excavator Testing Wet Placer Ground
The excavator or backhoe has become the tool of choice for testing placer ground. These machines are the best way to explore and sample a placer deposit if the ground is not too wet or frozen and bedrock is not beyond the reach of the machine. -
Hard Rock Milling: A Matter of Scale
Most prospectors understand placer mining a lot better than hard rock mining and don’t realize the amount of work that goes into processing different types of hard rock ore. -
Paperwork Guy—A Cautionary Tale
I recently grew complacent, and it caused me to make a mistake that resulted in the loss of a mining claim. It brought my mining plans for the summer to a complete halt. -
ICMJ Online Forum Now Available
We still have a few bugs to work out, but our new online forum is up and running. -
Detecting For Gold—Are You Up For It?
Over the years that I have been detecting for gold I have had many of the same questions come up. I decided to write this article to hopefully answer some questions that a person wishing to detect for gold may have. -
A Trip Down the Yukon River
My girlfriend Beth and I decided to take our canoe down the Yukon and do some gold dredging... -
Selenium, Mercury and Suction Dredging—Studies Contradict CA State Water Resources Board
Federal and state regulatory agencies often cite mercury and methyl mercury in our waterways as a major factor for further restrictions on placer mining, and on suction gold dredge mining, in particular. However, these regulatory agencies are minimizing selenium and its neutralizing effects. -
Melman on Gold & Silver
Last month saw the mining industry take center stage as Toronto, Ontario was once again host city for the giant PDAC annual mining convention. We take at look at that gathering below, focusing on some of the negative industry sentiment on display.