Finding Gold With A Simple Sluice Box

March 2022 by Chris Ralph

…the sluice is a normal first step up from a gold pan for many prospectors. They are simple to use, easily portable, can capture a lot of gold, and can process gravel 10 to 20 times faster than a person can pan…

Detecting at the Sixteen to One Mine

December 2012
A while back I was given a very special opportunity to take my metal detector to one of the most famous gold mines in all of California, the Original Sixteen to One mine in Alleghany.

ICMJ Visits Empire Mine State Historic Park

December 2022

Digging It Dry

October 2016
I believe dry washing is an underappreciated prospecting method. There are plenty of places where there is some pretty decent gold to be had, but the spot is a long way from any water and dry processing may well be the best way to go.

Twenty-Five Gold Indicators You Should Know

March 2014

I frequently get asked, "What should I look for when I am out prospecting that will tell me there are good amounts of gold present in the ground?"

Successful Detecting Requires Attention to Detail—Part I

August 2016
So much of gold detecting depends on attention to detail. Every gold area offers its own distinct geological markers and as prospectors we must pick up on those markers.

The Heavy Minerals in Your Concentrates

June 2016
The fact that mineral deposits can contribute specific types of heavy minerals is why the analysis of the heavy mineral concentrates in the streams of an area can be an important prospecting technique for finding undiscovered mineral deposits.

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.

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