All Articles
Common Operations—Small-Scale Mining and Sharing the "Take"
March 2006 by Jim Straight
The “Forty-niners,” known as “Argonauts,” separated the loose gold known as “wet diggin’s” from the river gravels using a wash pan. The pan was made of tin or iron and had a flat bottom and sloping sides.
$100 Million Lost on Faulty ESA Listing
The Preble’s meadow jumping mouse, once seen as a costly impediment to development, is now viewed by the government as a critter that never really existed—and is no longer in need of federal protection under the Endangered Species Act.
Legislative and Regulatory Update
Hard Rock 101: Micro Blasting
Micro blasting can be used to take down hanging rock, separate minerals from overburden, and collect gemstones and other high-value product with minimal damage.
Picks & Pans: Detecting Micro-Nuggets
I like to play in a big sandbox called the Mojave Desert. I have different ways of getting my kicks. My particular delight is seeing, “How low can I go?” Blame it on too much sun, but there are days I don’t feel like drywashing.
Oil Seeps in Arizona
Compared to California, Arizona has virtually no oil seeps. But, the great Permian Basin of West Texas has virtually none either. Arizona has something that neither California nor Texas have, and that is public lands that are open for leasing. The northern half of Arizona has more seeps and is thus of greater interest, but it would be foolish to disregard the southern half because giant oil and natural gas fields could underlie some of the broad desert valleys.
Ask The Experts: Should I take my claim access problems to the Desert Advisory Council?
Q: The nearest access to the claim is a half mile walk, which is tough for a lode claim.
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The Bawl Mill
• A Word from the Editor
• Basic Geology for the Independent Miner—Part III Understanding Plate Tectonics, Volcanism and Mountain Building
• The Fortymile Goldfields
• The Rocks that Burn—Part II Is Oil Shale the Answer?
• Record Interest at Recent Mining Conventions
• Trout Thriving In Treated Mine Water
• Company Notes
• Melman on Gold & Silver
• Mining Stock Quotes and Mineral & Metal Prices
