Small Mining Operations
Designing and Evaluating Placer Gold Recovery Plants
September 2014 by Chris Ralph
For this article, I am focusing on industrial production plants that can handle 10 cubic yards per hour or more and would be fed by a loader or other heavy equipment...
Prospecting for Copper—What to Look for on the Outcrop
For the prospector, knowing what oxidized hydrothermal alteration looks like in the field is an important exploration tool.
The Hughes Creek Placers, Montana
Gold discoveries in the Montana territories sparked a frantic stampede to these bonanza destinations in the early 1860s. Hughes Creek is located in Ravalli County, which is located in western Montana, and the gold here is...
Commercial Placer Mining: Alaska Style
There are currently about 170 commercial-scale placer operations in Alaska. Most of these are small operations with just a few people working; they are often family affairs that operate seasonally only during favorable weather.
Blast from the Past: Jeff Casserly Tells His Own Story
I have been finding nuggets all my life, beginning in Sierra County 50 years ago, and believe me they don’t pop up out of the ground like mushrooms when they see me coming and say, “Here I am and take me home.”
Hard Rock 101: Advanced Micro Blasting
They… create negligible fumes and much less fly rock than blasting. Below are some tips on maximizing your effectiveness with these tools.
How Rich Must My Ore Be?
How rich does a hard rock ore have to be for it to be worthwhile to process and extract the gold?
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.
Subscription Required:
The Bawl Mill
• Ask the Experts
• Ask the Experts
• Taking on the EPA, Sasquatch, Ratchilla and Gold Dredging
• Gully Prospecting and Mining
• Wilfley Tables—Repair, Rebuild & Set Up
• Finding Streams of Gold
• This is Why You Check Your Tailings
• Lode or Placer: What Difference Does It Make?
• New Rules to Impact the Lease/Buy Decision
• There's a First Time for Everyone
• Appeals Court OKs Permits for Upper Peninsula Mine
• Melman on Gold & Silver
• Mining Stock Quotes and Mineral & Metal Prices
Free:
Legislative and Regulatory Update
• Mining Journal Honored as Prospecting Magazine of the Year!
