How To
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September 2015 by Chris Ralph
What are the steps for filing a mining claim?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.
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• Making a noisy dredge more quiet
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• How do I clean up gold encrusted with iron-sulfides?
Montana’s Rosetta Stone: Discovering Mines In The Treasure State

Ask The Experts: Is there a safe DIY alternative to cyanide or mercury for extraction?
Q: With safety as a given, what can the average miner, or Joe-blow greenhorn do to identify and extract some metals or minerals with off-the-shelf products or natural ingredients?
A Few Pointers About Cracks and Crevices

Understanding Skim Bar Placers
Perhaps the most notable thing about skim placers is that they form on the top surface of gravel bars, as opposed to coarser gold placers where the weight of the gold particles allows the gold to settle down on or near bedrock.
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• Retired Geologist Warned Public of Pending EPA Disaster
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• AMRA Takes On USFS in Idaho
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• Two Men Claim Discovery of Nazi Treasure Train
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