All Articles
Ask the Experts—Why doesn't the 1872 Mining Law apply to all 50 states?
May 2008 by Chris Ralph
Q: In the Feb 2008 Mining Journal you ran an article, “Gold Deposits of North Carolina,” by Chris Ralph. The article states that the 1872 Mining Law does not apply in North Carolina and in fact only has merit in 19 of the 50 states. Can you explain how that could happen?Strategic Metals—Part II
There are literally thousands of abandoned wasterock and ore dumps that dot the United States that could hold many tones of strategic metals.
The Wisdom of Mark Twain—And Tales of Cheating the Unwary Prospector
I (enjoy) Twain’s description of a gold mine, “A hole in the ground with a liar at the top.” Some humor here? You bet, but I’m sure he meant it to be a real eye opener as well.
Mining Districts: A Short Review of Legal Authorities
Mining Districts are the private regulatory authority granted by Congress recognized to regulate the mineral lands held by the United States and for the disposal to citizens of the United States, by means of development and potentially perfected by patent.
Gold in Tennessee
The best known placer gold locality in Tennessee is the Coker Creek district, in the southeastern part of the state. The district lies within Cherokee National Forest and covers Coker Creek and its tributaries on the west side of the Smoky Mountains.
Couple Creates Jewelry of the Iron Range
Bryan and Teresa Sandnas’ idea of turning taconite into high-quality jewelry seemed as brilliant as ... well, a lump of iron ore. But what seemed like an implausible plan has turned a crude Iron Range resource into small pieces of beauty.
Successful Detecting Requires Attention to Detail—Part I
So much of gold detecting depends on attention to detail. Every gold area offers its own distinct geological markers and as prospectors we must pick up on those markers.
That First Nugget
After getting all the gear together we headed up the old road that led us to an old ground sluice site. George and Kaleb were using lightweight VLF (very low frequency) detectors. I carried a newer technology unit that is just a tad coil-heavy in the front.
Subscription Required:
The Bawl Mill
• Ask The Experts—Where do I find information about getting paid for raw gold?
• Understanding Geologic Deposit Models
• The Lost Silver Triangle of the Sierra Madre—Part II
• Prospecting for Diamonds
• Avino’s Durango Project
• Success With A Detector
• Horsetail Gold
• The Makorakoza of Zimbabwe—Centuries of Prospecting in Gold-Hosting Dolerites
• Melman on Gold & Silver
• Mining Stock Quotes and Mineral & Metal Prices
