History & Geology
How To Identify Minerals
August 2021 by Chris Ralph
There are a number of characteristics that are used when one identifies a mineral. Each characteristic gives an indication as to what the mineral might be, and the combination of them will point to what it is.
How To Identify Minerals
There are a number of characteristics that are used when one identifies a mineral. Each characteristic gives an indication as to what the mineral might be, and the combination of them will point to what it is.
California: The Land of Big Nuggets—Part II
There are a number of Tertiary river channels in the area, most of which trend south-southwest. They tend to be steep, narrow, and rich with coarse gold.
Enrichment of Mineral Deposits by Weathering—Part I
The exact minerals formed in the concentrated supergene deposits depends much on the type of country rock around the deposit and the chemistry of the deposit itself, but if conditions are right, this process will form some rich patches of bonanza ore, in some places valued at thousands of dollars to the ton.Gold Circle (Midas) Gold District
Many prospectors thought that Nevada was all prospected out following all the rich discoveries of the 1860s and 1870s, and what was there to be found had already been found.
Your Guide to Prospecting in Alaska
Alaska is getting a lot of interest these days, not least because of all the gold prospecting shows on television. Hardly a month seems to pass without some new prospecting show being announced, and a couple of the most popular feature Alaska.
Gold Depositiion and Gradients of Placer Streams—Part II
The steeper the gradient is, the more potential erosive power to move gold and other bedload sediments, and the more power to remove obstacles to flow.
The Downieville Gold District
Many locals are just waiting for California to allow dredging once more, especially with the current gold prices. There are still plenty of good opportunities for prospectors in this area, just as it has been for so many years.
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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?
• Chasing Hard Rock Gold As A Placer Deposit
• Gold Prospecting for Better or Worse: Bumbling Through A Gold Bonanza
• How Mesothermal/Orogenic Gold Deposits Form
• 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
