Prospecting & Detecting
How Far Has That Gold Traveled?
February 2022 by Chris Ralph
Let’s examine why your placer gold looks the way it does and what you can tell about its journey based upon its appearance.
Holcomb Valley Gold, Southern California
The first time I found gold in the creek here is when I decided to try a new place to drywash on a hill not far from the dirt path I was on.
Habits, Procedure, and Where Is The Gold?
In my early days of nugget hunting things were fairly simple. Just headphones, a pack, a detector and a small pick were all I needed for my search for great wealth.
Carr Fire Gold
After burning more than 350 square miles, the Carr Fire near Redding, California, was finally out. Luckily our home was spared, and I had the opportunity to go metal detecting in burned areas previously too overgrown to access.
Becoming a Successful Detectorist
During my adventures I’ve learned a few key best practices that help me to consistently find gold nuggets with my detectors. You can apply many of these best practices to any type of prospecting. These best practices are really common sense; however, they are easy to neglect.
Pocket Gold
Once a seam is found it can be traced for miles in either direction. While you are tracing a clay line, you are looking for indicators. The indicators that I look for are ironstone, hematite, different color clays intermingled with the clay line, and a very iron-rich, brown gritty soil.
How to Turn Your Gold Finds Into Cash
Even if you are not ready to cash in right now, it might be good to evaluate your options and make a plan of action so when that day comes you know exactly what to do.
Detecting Alone -- What to Look For
I figure there are a lot of new people out there who have the same question. I will try to give some answers that hopefully will give you more confidence in finding your own spots.
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• Small High-Grade Pocket Districts
• Underwater Reclamation
• Gold Detecting—Are You Up For It?
• Crystallized Gold Mines of California
• Gold Prospecting for Better or Worse: Never Go Alone
• Prepping Your Gold Detecting Spots
• 'Outer Space' Diamond Headed for Auction
• Melman on Gold & Silver
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