Ask the Experts

August 2013 by Chris Ralph

Big Rock Gold

August 2012
Fran, and I had made a practice of turning big boulders in gold producing areas to find some great rewards. Sometimes it was slow and frustrating, but in the end “We got the gold!”

Iron Minerals, Your Detector and Gold

January 2013
It’s worthwhile for the prospector using a metal detector to know a little bit more about the association of iron and gold as well as how iron minerals affect your metal detector.

Nevada Miners: Check Your Claim Markers

December 2011
The Nevada Senate introduced SB108 in 2009 to prohibit PVC piping utilized by miners to stake mining claims.

Customizing Your Dredge

January 2013
I am going to suggest dozens of ways you can increase suction power, dredge to greater depths, and improve recovery methods in your sluice box.

Following Clues to a Hidden Gold Deposit

March 2012
Many years ago I was in the American Canyon. I remembered a few details about a placer deposit there, so we decided to make a trip down and re-check some of these old workings.

Panning for Gold on Canyon Creek

August 2016
I was able to remove the gravels with the assistance of a crowbar and I scooped them up with a garden trowel. This gravel contained over a pennyweight of gold and there were several 2-grain and 3-grain pieces…

Pros and Cons of Big Detector Coils

December 2016
Years later I returned with a new detector with a smaller coil and detector technology more sensitive to smaller nuggets. I found my first nugget within five minutes. I had a second five minutes after that.

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