Prospecting & Detecting
California: The Land of Big Nuggets—Part I
December 2017 by Chris Ralph
The nugget sat there in plain sight, though it was covered in dirt, while hundreds of people had passed that way every day.
Ancestral Yuba River Placer Gold Deposits
The small-scale miner has reasonable opportunity to exploit some of these small, rich placer gold deposits.
Prospecting After Winter Storms
So, how much rain does it take to cause a major movement of gravels in a stream and redistribute the gold? The technical answer is enough water to move the bed load of the river.
Gold in the Slate Creek Basin

Continuing Hard Rock Exploration

How To File A Mining Claim
Filing claims is actually quite easy, though there are a number of pitfalls that you should watch out for. Over the years, I have made just about every mistake you can with a mining claim, and have learned a few things to watch out for along the way.
Ask The Experts
• Making a noisy dredge more quiet
An Interview with Minelab Engineer Mark Lawrie
The design of metal detectors well-suited for prospecting is an interesting process and not necessarily an easy one to achieve. It is a combination that blends the desires of what prospectors would like, the requirements of sales people and dealers, with the science and physics of what the electronics can achieve.
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The Bawl Mill
• Legislative and Regulatory Update
• Ask The Experts - Looking for help smelting gold
• Ask The Experts - Chlorine bleach and vinegar makes a deadly combination
• Ask The Experts - Were there insufficient values to continue mining at this site?
• Watch Out for Split Estates When Filing Your Claim
• Detecting the Fringe Areas
• Butte, Montana—The Richest Hill on Earth
• Conrey Dredge No. 4—Part II
• Gold Detecting Strategies for Hydraulic Mines and Debris Flows
• New Technology for Extracting Lithium To Be Tested in Nevada
• Melman on Gold & Silver
• Mining Stock Quotes and Mineral & Metal Prices
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