History & Geology
Ask The Experts
July 2015 by Chris Ralph
Q: Is there a correlation between fault zones and mineralization of economic metals?Prospector's Guide to Rock Breaking and Blasting
The holes were overloaded with explosives, but I didn’t know it. I was just a green mining engineer fresh out of school and told to watch as the experienced miners set the charge.
The Goldfield Mining District, Nevada—Part II
The majority of the gold produced in Goldfield has come from ores that are close enough to the surface to be oxidized by the air. This oxidized ore is normally a soft, shattered, earthy material usually stained yellow to brown by oxides of iron.
Gold in the San Francisco District Oatman, Mohave County, Arizona
I suspect detailed geological mapping and prospecting would lead to discovery of one or more overlooked gold deposits in the district even though it has been heavily prospected in the past.
Ask The Experts
Sulfides and oxides—what's the difference between the two?
Using Favorable Rock Types to Find More Gold
The more experienced prospectors know these lesser known spots are the types of places where big finds are still made.
Eolian Placer Gold
I would first like to mention that I am not a geologist. I have, however, spent the last 8 years intently searching for gold nuggets with a metal detector. I have found gold in numerous locations, and in several different types of gold deposits.
The Heavy Minerals in Your Concentrates
The fact that mineral deposits can contribute specific types of heavy minerals is why the analysis of the heavy mineral concentrates in the streams of an area can be an important prospecting technique for finding undiscovered mineral deposits.
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The Bawl Mill
• Ask The Experts
• Trail to Treasure
• The Smell of Gold -- Part II
• Hard Rock University: Expensive Hobby or Real Business?
• The Reason We Fight
• My Great Nevada Adventure
• Prospecting for Pegmatites
• Melman on Gold & Silver
• Mining Stock Quotes and Mineral & Metal Prices
