Small Mining Operations
A High Price to Pay
February 2012 by Chris Ralph

Ask the Experts
Centrifugal bowls versus jigs
Good Assays and Bad
The high prices for gold and silver are exciting and certainly have revolutionized the prospecting and mining scene. New interest in gold and silver mining is springing up from every corner, from individual prospectors armed with gold pans to exploration and mining companies working to set up multimillion dollar commercial operations producing hundreds of thousands of ounces per year. The idea of getting riches from rocks is one that motivates a lot of folks all over the globe. It’s an exciting time, but this excitement brings out another side...
Understanding Rock Formations: Petrology for Prospectors
There are times when being able to recognize a type of rock can make you a much more successful prospector.
Soft Rock Excavation Techniques
Building A Portable Gold Mill
Through the milling process, the rock must be crushed and the values extracted. Let’s break down our discussion into the different parts and elements of the mill…
How to Refine Silver—Pt I
Silver refining has been used from ancient times to change the characteristics of the metal. Early metallurgists refined silver by heating it a couple hundred degrees above its melting point and holding the metal at an elevated temperature for a period of time.
PLP Update: The Path for Legally Re-Starting Suction Gold Dredge Mining in 2021
Present conflicts and realizations having to do with dependence on China have illuminated the fact that suction dredge miners have a vital role to play and are an ignored and untapped domestic resource—until now.
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The Bawl Mill
• Ask the Experts - ...Worth further investigation?
• Ask the Experts - Processing sulfide ore without mercury or cyanide.
• Regarding "Good Assays and Bad"
• New "Employment" Category
• 4 Keys to Successful Nugget Hunting
• Eolian Placer Gold
• All the Gold Ever Mined...
• The Basics of Geophysical Exploration
• Targeted for a Tax Audit
• Feds Order Closure of Idaho Mine
• Trying Out the New Highbanker
• A Gold Mine on a Washington Beach?
• Melman on Gold & Silver
• Mining Stock Quotes and Mineral & Metal Prices
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Ask the Experts - Old workings & tailings: What are my options?
• Legislative and Regulatory Update