Prospecting & Detecting
Drywashing for Fine Gold
October 2017 by Alex Dolbeare
When working fine gold placers with a drywasher, there are some natural variables that can be beneficial as well as others that can be a hindrance to achieving good recovery.
Finding Gold with a VLF Detector—Part I
The very first thing to find out...is if the detector has the ability to be ground balanced.
Humble Beginnings
Right away I got a target, and it ended up being gold from a nice little bench. With only an hour left of daylight, I continued heading upstream and found five more tiny pieces of gold with my VLF…
Excavator Testing Wet Placer Ground
The excavator or backhoe has become the tool of choice for testing placer ground. These machines are the best way to explore and sample a placer deposit if the ground is not too wet or frozen and bedrock is not beyond the reach of the machine.
Prospecting for Pegmatites
…in some cases pegmatites have produced individual mineral crystals that are enormous, attaining lengths of over 40 feet long, and many of the world’s largest mineral crystals are examples that were found within pegmatite deposits.Bedrock
I am going to break bedrock down a bit and explain my view of the varying scenarios I come across in the field.
The "Madonna Nugget"—A Weekend Hunt to Remember
I worked my way to a flat area along a ridge where I could see a quartz blowout. As I got within 100 feet of it, I started seeing rock that I knew to be associated with gold.
Nevada's Lithium Boom
When prospecting for lithium, after confirming for macro attributes through research and field work, including examination of surface geology, the main tool is an accurate lithium assay.
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The Bawl Mill
• Legislative and Regulatory Update
• Ask The Experts - Where should I get my geology degree?
• Ask The Experts - How much rock shall I crush to determine the value?
• Placers Directly Associated with Lode Deposits
• Is It Time for a Change? New Ways to Find More Gold
• MMAC Update
• Silverton's Gold
• Procuring Mine Owner Permission at a Mine Site
• Champions Crowned at the California State Gold Panning Championships
• ICMJ Gold Prospecting and Mining Summit Postponed
• Kennecott Copper Mine, Kennecott, Alaska
• High Prices for Gold, Silver & Copper: What Does it Mean for Prospectors?
• Melman on Gold & Silver
• Mining Stock Quotes and Mineral & Metal Prices
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