Las Médulas—The Gem of the Roman Gold Mines

July 2018 by Alan J. Chenworth

This mine was a real wonder of engineering, and the water supply and drifts had to be carefully managed to keep it in operation. In fact, it didn’t close due to lack of gold, but instead closed with the fall of the Roman Empire.

The Golden Streams of Butte County, California

May 2011
Even though these were some of the earliest placer deposits to be worked, there is still plenty of gold left today—it just takes more work to recover. Knowing about the old locations where gold has been found is the first step to success.

Critical Metals: Copper

May 2012
From time to time I’ve been doing a series on critical metals and how important they are to our complex and technological society. This month we are going to take a look at copper, and how important that metal is to our modern lives.

What Are Those Rocks In My Pan?

June 2011
The placer mineral identification key is designed to answer this question. It attempts to recognize all the minerals in your gold pan concentrates.

The Strange History of the Utica Mine

January 2016
In the summer of 1854, John Selkirk, a discouraged placer miner who was down on his luck and ready to go back to Massachusetts, tied his mule up in a gulch north of what is now downtown Angel's Camp.

The Batteries Metal Rush

August 2018

There is a major change coming in the economy of the world and now is the time for prospectors and miners to grab a ticket and get on board.

Northwestern Alaska Mineral Resources

February 2016
Gold and jade are actually only minor mineral resources for the Northwestern Alaska region as a whole. Modern prospecting has focused more on base metal than precious metal resources.

Gold Refining In The Ancient World

March 2015

One thing that stood out for me is that Agricola was very specific about the type of metal or wood in the implements and vessels that were to be used.

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