Ask the Experts

November 2012 by Chris Ralph

Sampling Placer Stockpiles

August 2013
Sampling other people's stockpiles or dumps has some inherent risks that sampling undisturbed ground does not have.

The Pothole Patch

January 2015
"Suh-wheet!" I exclaimed as I sprang to my feet and quickly pumped my detector coil high overhead to alert Smokey that I had just found a nugget.

Salted Mining Properties—How to Properly Evaluate a Claim

March 2012
Sometimes there are good mining claims on the market available to purchase, but there are also folks out there who are willing to take your money under false pretenses. Don’t fool yourself into thinking that these wolves in sheep’s clothing are few and far between.

Early Summer Mining in Wyoming

August 2017

Old tailing piles extend for miles. There was still plenty of water flowing here, so WPA members set up highbankers at several settling ponds.

Early Winter Detecting in the Sierras

January 2017
The mine site consists of river gravels from an ancient channel covering over 20 acres, and the place is covered with very large river rock and small tree overgrowth.

Sierra County Gold—Part I

December 2013
...this county contained some of the richest placer ground found in all of California and still produces some pretty impressive finds to this day.

Making Adjustments to Catch Fine Gold

November 2013
This fine gold that is so common is probably the most notorious for eluding our riffles and mattings.

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