History & Geology
Exploring Iron Oxide Copper Gold Deposits
November 2017 by Chris Ralph
The excitement over IOCG deposits began with the discovery of a monster deposit at Olympic Dam in Australia in 1976. The discovery was accidental as the operator was searching for strata-bound copper deposits.
All About Garnets
I get a lot of questions from prospectors about garnets, their value and what they tell us about the geology of some types of mineral deposits. So I thought it would be a good idea to take a closer look at the lowly garnet and learn a bit more about it.
The Golden Streams of Butte County, California
Even though these were some of the earliest placer deposits to be worked, there is still plenty of gold left today—it just takes more work to recover. Knowing about the old locations where gold has been found is the first step to success.
The Strange History of the Utica Mine
In the summer of 1854, John Selkirk, a discouraged placer miner who was down on his luck and ready to go back to Massachusetts, tied his mule up in a gulch north of what is now downtown Angel's Camp.
How to Recognize Hard Rock Gold Ores
I regularly get inquiries along the line of: “Hey, I found this rock, and I think it might be gold ore. How can I tell?” Prospectors are always on the lookout for gold-bearing rocks that may be the source of any nearby placer gold.
Jadeite in California
...two jadeite locations in California have been thoroughly researched by geologists. There are no doubt others that lie in wait.
The Ely Copper-Gold District of Nevada
The main ore deposits of the Ely district are associated with an east-west belt of altered and mineralized rocks measuring about one mile wide that extends 8 miles westward from Ely.
The Rush to Treasure Hill
There were some exceptional times in the far-flung history of the West. Rich finds of minerals that set men’s souls ablaze. From the rich gold fields of California, men who arrived too late to find riches went searching in every direction. The trail that we will follow leads east, past the shining silver district of the Comstock Lode.
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The Bawl Mill
• Legislative and Regulatory Update
• Ask The Experts - How do I work this glacial deposit?
• Ask The Experts - How do I best recover gold in pyrite?
• It Pays to Know Your Bedrock
• BLM Cancels 10-Million-Acre Sage Grouse Mineral Withdrawal
• Take it to Bedrock
• The Beatty Mining District of Nevada
• Flood Plain Gold Deposits—What Are They Really?
• Conrey Dredge No. 4
• Melman on Gold & Silver
• Mining Stock Quotes and Mineral & Metal Prices
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Over the Divide: Nancy Glenn; Sondra (Adelson) Bernzweig
