Small Mining Operations
Building A Portable Gold Mill
November 2021 by Chris Ralph
Through the milling process, the rock must be crushed and the values extracted. Let’s break down our discussion into the different parts and elements of the mill…
To Foam or Not to Foam
George was considering filling his dredge floats with closed-cell foam, ensuring that there would be no area available within each float for flooding.
A Father’s Day to Remember: 24,000 Ounces Gold in Quartz
Father’s Day in Australia was on September 2, and it’s a day a group of miners from “down under” won’t soon forget.
Recovering Fine Gold with Oleophilic Adhesion

The Miner’s Switchback
Common thought is the switchback slows the velocity of the rushing water and gold drops out from the cut bank to a fill gravel bar within or below the switchback. I am not going to disregard that model; however, I hope to improve upon it.
Putting Together A Small Free Gold Mill—Part II
There are many smaller old hard rock mines out there—more than you might think. There are some small hard rock properties that are even open to be claimed if one does the right amount of research to find them.
PLP Update: How to Restore The Rights of Suction Dredge Miners
A two-pronged approach is necessary to restore suction dredging; federal preemption needs to be established as addressed above via petition; and clarification from the EPA is needed to establish that no Section 402 permit is necessary when there is no “addition” of a pollutant.
Evolution Of A Desert Wash Plant
The water instantly dropped though the screen, leaving a pile of mud behind! I was so excited that I replaced it with a 150-mesh screen, and the same thing happened!
Subscription Required:
The Bawl Mill
• Ask The Experts - What is “flotation” and what type of assay do I need?
• Ask The Experts - Easier way to break down compacted clays?
• Ask The Experts - Where can I get geological maps?
• Ask The Experts - Is there gold under the old cobble piles?
• Ask The Experts - Can you help me understand the gold deposition in this area of Wyoming?
• Cherry-Picking for Gold Nuggets
• Using A Blasting Machine in Rock Breaking
• Gold Prospecting for Better or Worse: Tangling With A Desert Monster
• Another Prospecting Adventure: Coulterville
• Seven Important Attitudes for the Successful Prospector
• Melman on Gold & Silver
• Mining Stock Quotes and Mineral & Metal Prices