Fall Drywashing—Just the Right Time of Year

November 2018 by Chris Ralph

I could see lots of quartz, both loose on the hillsides and in the numerous small prospect diggings. There was a small gold rush here more than a century ago.

Mother Lode Leaf Gold

July 2011
After removing about six inches of dirt and cobbles, the sound was a bit more recognizable. I was now confident that there was a definite target and not just a ground noise.

Detector Prospecting Accessories

January 2016

One of the first things to consider but that many people ignore is ergonomics. Prospecting for gold can involve long hours, often for days or weeks on end.

Gold From Black Sand Tailings

October 2011
The pile up on the small hill had to be a couple yards of black sand. I’m not one to ignore a little gold even if it is small in size—I have always believed that gold fever comes in all sizes.

Persistence Leads to Over a Pound of Gold

April 2019

I have figured out over the years that the winning combination is hard work, persistence, knowledge, and a little luck. This leads me to describe one of my best finds ever, a “honey hole” of placer gold, if you will.

A Golden Summer

November 2014
His take of gold was pretty close to what mine was—about a quarter of an ounce. We had just gleaned about half an ounce of gold in just twenty minutes.

Sniping for Gold—The Next Best Thing to Dredging

October 2020

I poked my head out of the water and said, “You won’t believe what I am going to show you!”

Addressing EPA Overreach: What Dredgers Need to Know

March 2016

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been attempting to extend their authority and intimidate miners and other public land users for decades. Suction gold dredgers are no exception, and we want to highlight a recent example of how to deal with this federal overreach.

Subscription Required:
The Bawl Mill   • Ask The Experts - Skim Bar Placers article clarification   • Ask The Experts - Is LR2000 working correctly?   • Ask The Experts - What claim papers am I required to file at the county level?   • Humble Beginnings   • Understanding Large Gold Deposit Types: Discovering New Mines   • Roads to Nowhere   • Treasure Hunters Challenge FBI Over Dig for Civil War Gold   • Out of the Ashes—New Access to Gold   • Alluvial Paystreaks   • Arizona Prospector Rescued from Mine Shaft   • California State and US National Gold Panning Championships   • Melman on Gold & Silver   • Mining Stock Quotes and Mineral & Metal Prices

Free:
Legislative and Regulatory Update   • Gold Prospecting for Better or Worse: Doomed from the Start   • PLP Update