Prospecting & Detecting
Heavy Glacial Rocks and Gold in the Midwest
December 2013 by Chuck Lassiter
Over the years, I've noticed a pattern in the type of rocks associated with the best gold deposits in Midwestern glacial gravel.
There's a First Time for Everyone
...day one was like watching the Gold Rush television show. He furiously worked the nozzle in an up and down fashion that resembled Jack Hoffman sitting on a backhoe.
Alaskan Gold Adventure
In Chicken I had my first experience with the famous Alaska blue clay, sometimes called the blue layer. The blue layer is where the best fine gold was to be found.
Volume is the Key to Success
While recovery rates are important, they must necessarily be secondary to the volume of material processed. Running more material at lower recovery rates is generally preferable to increasing the efficiency of the system.
Pickers and Nuggets
Mike and I each selected a side of the creek and started to work our way upstream. We both worked the water and sides of the creek, and better than half the gold found in this area is in the water.
Endurance Is Golden
Feeling through the mud, I felt the weight and shape of what could only be gold. Throwing my hand in the water revealed a sixteen-gram nugget oozing with character.
Piles of Gold
These gritty clay lines were only a quarter of an inch up to three inches wide. Once the line had been laid out, they would look at the wall of gritty clay material and seek more indicators.
Where to Find Gold in Indiana
You might think that gold prospecting techniques are basically the same everywhere, and in many instances you’d be correct. Some geographical locations, however, due to their unique geological conditions, present unusual challenges...
Subscription Required:
The Bawl Mill
• Ask the Experts
• Ask the Experts
• Ask the Experts
• Sierra County Gold—Part I
• ICMJ's Annual Index
• Ophir—Possibly the Best Kept Secret in Alaska—Part II
• Hunting for Hardrock: The Basics
• Gold in the San Francisco District Oatman, Mohave County, Arizona
• Strategic Metals—Part II
• The Amazing Mineral Tourmaline
• Melman on Gold & Silver
• Mining Stock Quotes and Mineral & Metal Prices
Free:
Legislative and Regulatory Update
• It's the Bottom of the Ninth—And Not Just for California
• Our 29-Troy-Ounce Golden Blessing
