Prospecting & Detecting
Google Earth Pro for Prospectors and Miners
October 2023 by Michael Howard
Butte County: Another Mother Lode Favorite
There are so many places in this region to discuss that one article won’t be enough to cover it all, so I’ll focus on a couple of places that we found interesting while searching for gold.
Small-Scale Miners Rock the Mining World
With the high price of gold, there are many new prospectors out in the hills all over the United States, and while we would all prefer to be finding those larger nuggets, it doesn’t always work that way. Sometimes all that is available is nothing more than a few small flakes. The truth is, new prospectors are sprouting up all across the planet—especially in the developing nations.
Summertime Gold Panning
I have smaller pans for cleaning black sand concentrates, big pans for taking large samples, pans with corners for pouring out materials, and pans with lots of special riffles. This variation is why I have so many pans—they each have their specialty.
Using Google Earth and Other Maps
Last month, one of our readers requested an article regarding the possible use of Google Earth for prospecting research. It was a good idea, so here it is.
Gold Rush in the Congo
It all started with a phone call from my friend and prospecting partner Pat Keene. He told me that he knew of an investor who was just starting out in the gold industry and was looking for a gold consultant to go to Africa to prospect and analyze a 400 sq. mile concession in the middle of the Congo rainforest. I waited for the “just kidding” line...
Where Should I Start?
Digging in the right spots will produce excellent results, like this group of nuggets taken by the author while metal detecting during the last few months. The biggest nugget is over an ounce.
Gleaning for Gold
It couldn’t possibly be a bullet or other trash this deep into the hill. No sir, it was a solid zip-zip signal that I know so well.
Subscription Required:
Sampling Mission in Placer County's Last Chance Mining District
• Discovering Nugget Hollow
• Finding Gold - Fact vs Fiction
• A Hole In One
• Drilling Down - Looking With Drill Bit Eyes
Free:
The Bawl Mill
• Legislation and Regulation
• PLP Update October 2023
• ICMJ Visits Sumpter Oregon, Gold Mining Town
