Prospecting & Detecting
Dredging Tips and Tricks: T-80 Air Compressor Maintenance
June 2020 by Harry Griffin
The next morning, I retrieved the compressor and again attacked the sticky head bolt. As if by magic (and some applied physics) the head bolt sighed and finally broke loose.
My Explosive Introduction to Gold Mining
My friend came walking in from the garage with what looked to me like a stick of dynamite. Chuckling, he said, “Have you ever been gold mining?”
In my head I was thinking, “Not at 3 am in the morning with dynamite.”
Speed Prospecting for Hard Rock Gold
An online video gave me some ideas, and with a lot of trial and error I developed a reliable method of panning free gold particles down below 35 microns quickly and easily.
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?
Procuring Mine Owner Permission at a Mine Site
The first experience involved an overgrown gold mine operated during the 1880s. A razed mill adjoined the mine and could be glimpsed from the isolated public dirt road I was traveling.
Diary of a Diamond Prospector
I couldn’t wait to get started. With no field budget, an assay budget of $100/year, a 1975-Ford Bronco that was a road hazard, a gas card, a topo map and full support of the director, I headed to the State Line district near Tie Siding along US Highway 287 to begin mapping kimberlite.
Getting A Successful Start in Metal Detecting for Gold
Once you have a detector, learn how to use it and get out in the field—you can’t find anything with it in your garage.
Exploring The Historic Rand Mining District, Southern California
My largest nugget from this area is almost one-half ounce. I’ve found several smaller chunks and many pickers in addition to the fines and flakes that I put in my poke.
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• Our Readers Say Re: It's Time to Get the Heck Out of China
• Ask The Experts - What’s the status of suction gold dredge permitting in California?
• Ask The Experts - How do I properly and safely dispose of blasting caps?
• Ask The Experts - How much silver per ton does it take to make a mine profitable?
• Ask The Experts - How clean do my gold concentrates need to be to pour a gold button or bar?
• Ask The Experts - What is the name and model of the old jaw crusher pictured in last month’s issue?
• Hard Rock 101: Mechanical Techniques
• Clearing the Nugget Trap with a Detector
• Resurrecting an Old Hard Rock Mine—Setting Up the Millsite
• Desert Prospecting Yields More Than Just Gold
• Memories of Shirttail Creek, Northern California
• Indictments Pile Up for Gold Traders
• Melman on Gold & Silver
• Mining Stock Quotes and Mineral & Metal Prices
Free:
Seeking The Truth—A Letter From the Editor
• Legislative and Regulatory Update
• PLP Update: The Path for Legally Re-Starting Suction Gold Dredge Mining in 2021
