Detecting Wet Ground Yields More Fun Than Gold

June 2019 by Ray Mills

We all continued over to another location at the top of a massive placer operation. Arriving at the draw, I showed everyone where gold had been found before and we all began detecting.

Gold Placers in Italy

August 2018

Gold is a fairly widespread mineral in the Italian Alps and in the Northern Apennines. It is found both in primary mineralization and in past and recent floods.

The Madonna Nugget

October 2013
It was down deeper than I expected for surface trash. It wasn't until I was down six inches that the target screamed from my scoop.

Following Clues to a Lost Gold Deposit—The Northern Extension of the Cedarberg

April 2012
Last month, in “Following Clues to a Hidden Gold Deposit,” I ended the article with the direction that we were on the hunt! We were getting prepared and ready to roll with our detectors, then snow came, and lots of it. We had already found the seam diggings mine on the mountainside in wild, rough brush and trees. It had been well hidden.

Selenium, Mercury and Suction Dredging—Studies Contradict CA State Water Resources Board

April 2013
Federal and state regulatory agencies often cite mercury and methyl mercury in our waterways as a major factor for further restrictions on placer mining, and on suction gold dredge mining, in particular. However, these regulatory agencies are minimizing selenium and its neutralizing effects.

Thinking Outside The Creek

March 2015
Imagine for a minute the year is 1850. You’ve read and heard that gold was discovered in California and the creeks are so rich you can just scoop it up with your hands.

A Successful Trip Through Gold Basin

January 2016
This time we took the detectors. Roger had worked that spot very well and wanted to see if my new detector would uncover any gold he might have missed.

Where Should I Start?

October 2015
Digging in the right spots will produce excellent results, like this group of nuggets taken by the author while metal detecting during the last few months. The biggest nugget is over an ounce.

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June 2019 (Vol. 88, No. 10)   • The Bawl Mill   • Legislative and Regulatory Update   • Ask The Experts - Can you provide information on gold in Ghana?   • Ask The Experts - Geophysics and gold deposits   • Ask The Experts - Do these items qualify as mechanized equipment?   • Ask The Experts - EPA Method 6020 testing   • Ask The Experts - New detector or stick with the old?   • The Value of Old Patches   • A 'Rare' Opportunity for America   • Tips for Cleaning Gold Nuggets   • How Long Does It Take to Find and Recover An Ounce of Gold?   • Gold Prospecting for Better or Worse: In A Tight Spot   • Over The Divide: Jim Straight, 1930-2019   • Beach Mining for Placer Gold   • Reno's 1872 Time Capsule Includes Gold Rush Lore   • Melman on Gold & Silver   • Mining Stock Quotes and Mineral & Metal Prices

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