History & Geology
How Mesothermal/Orogenic Gold Deposits Form
August 2021 by Chris Ralph
These deposits are very widespread across the planet. In fact, they are so extensive that something around 75% of all the gold ever mined comes from these types of deposits (if one includes the placer deposits that also formed from them).
Quartz: The Indicator of Gold
Quartz: The Indicator of Gold
The Significance of Nuggets in Placers
Chances are better that both types of gold did not come from the same source. Let's look at the probable conditions to cause two types of gold in a placer.
How to Recognize Hard Rock Gold Ores
I regularly get inquiries along the line of: “Hey, I found this rock, and I think it might be gold ore. How can I tell?” Prospectors are always on the lookout for gold-bearing rocks that may be the source of any nearby placer gold.
Montana’s Rosetta Stone: Discovering Mines In The Treasure State
This is the intelligent way to start modern prospecting. The value of literary research yields challenging outings, specimens, history and geologic research.
Gold Deposits of Montana
Historically, Montana has been an important gold producer, in terms of both lodes and placers, and it still produces gold for the prospector today.
Yesterday's Gold—Today's Mine
It would seem that we are often indeed destined to repeat history. In terms of gold discovery, even with all the advancements that have been made over the years, it seems we are once again on the cusp of returning to the 1800s world of gold mining. Even as you read this, a new gold rush is taking place in a sleepy little town in South Carolina.
Butte, Montana—The Richest Hill on Earth
I recently had the opportunity to spend a day exploring around Butte, Montana and was amazed by the amount of mining that has taken place there. The old-timers called Butte “the richest hill on earth” and had pretty good reasons for doing so.
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The Bawl Mill
• Ask The Experts - Are pulse induction detectors the right tech for gold?
• Ask The Experts - Why can’t I find gold with my detector?
• Ask The Experts - Are two rock crushing machines (jaw crusher and chain crusher) necessary?
• Ask The Experts - Why am I finding only coarse gold, not fines in this area?
• Ask The Experts - Is the amount of gold reserves claimed by mining companies real or just hype?
• How To Identify Minerals
• Chasing Hard Rock Gold As A Placer Deposit
• Gold Prospecting for Better or Worse: Bumbling Through A Gold Bonanza
• My Explosive Introduction to Gold Mining
• Georgetown CA: A Historically Rich Mother Lode Treasure
• Reminder: Annual Claim Filings and Fees Due
• Melman on Gold & Silver
• Mining Stock Quotes and Mineral & Metal Prices
