How To
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.
Gold in Quartz

Resurrecting An Old Hard Rock Mine—Gold At Last!
We’ve been busy with a plethora of projects, all aimed at gathering gold into a pile big enough to brag about. We’re not there yet, but I’ll show you some of the interesting projects we’ve completed since we talked last.
A Lesson In Underwater Sniping
Of course, I know a bit about crevicing, but Steve seems to really have a knack for it, and I’m all about continual learning. I can always learn a few tricks from the pros.
Excavator Testing Wet Placer Ground
The excavator or backhoe has become the tool of choice for testing placer ground. These machines are the best way to explore and sample a placer deposit if the ground is not too wet or frozen and bedrock is not beyond the reach of the machine.
The Subsurface Suction Dredge

How to Interpret Assay Values
This assay system of ounces per ton sounds simple enough, but the use of the metric system and the additional measuring terms of “grams per ton” and “parts per million” (ppm) has created some misunderstanding of ore value.
The Basics of Froth Flotation

Subscription Required:
The Bawl Mill
• Our Readers Say
• Ask The Experts - Where can I get geological maps?
• Ask The Experts - What happens to gold during flash flooding in dry areas?
• Ask The Experts - How do gold and silver stocks react in market crashes?
• Ask The Experts - I need help with more in-depth mining research
• Ask The Experts - Is this gold?
• Legislative and Regulatory Update
• Entry-Level Metal Detectors for Gold Prospecting
• MMAC Update
• Nice Specimen Gold Recovered in Northern California
• The Coeur Rochester Mine
• Detecting and Recovering Those Tiny Pieces
• EPA Chief to Reconsider Paying Claims Over Mine Waste Spill
• Environmental Analysis Starts for Proposed Idaho Gold Mine
• Melman on Gold & Silver
• Mining Stock Quotes and Mineral & Metal Prices