How to Recognize Hard Rock Gold Ores

September 2017 by Chris Ralph

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.

Resurrecting An Old Hard Rock Mine—Safety Is No Accident

March 2019

Now it was time for the nerve-wracking part of the job: actually removing anything from the hanging wall we deemed to be in need of removal because it was either loose, could be loose, looked loose, or we felt it was just downright dangerous

The Fire Assay of Carbon

February 2016
Carbon, activated charcoal, or “char,” as some old timers refer to it, can be an assayer’s nightmare.

So You Want To Be A Full-Time Prospector?

March 2011
The high price of gold and the poor economic conditions here in the US have created an unusual situation—a large number of folks are thinking seriously about getting into prospecting and digging for gold on a full-time basis.

Determining the Amount of Gold in Rich Ores

February 2016
This is just the type of specimen that could have been easily ignored by the old-time miners. It felt a little heavier in my hand than a chunk of quartz of that size ought to have been.

Ask the Experts

January 2015
• How do I clean up gold encrusted with iron-sulfides?

Montana’s Rosetta Stone: Discovering Mines In The Treasure State

May 2015
This is the intelligent way to start modern prospecting. The value of literary research yields challenging outings, specimens, history and geologic research.

Ask The Experts: Is there a safe DIY alternative to cyanide or mercury for extraction?

September 2016

Q: With safety as a given, what can the average miner, or Joe-blow greenhorn do to identify and extract some metals or minerals with off-the-shelf products or natural ingredients?

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