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 Significance of Nuggets in Placers

January 2016
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.

Gemstones to Die For

November 2014
Some gems can potentially poison you, make you sterile and even make you forget who you are.

Gold Placers of the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska

January 2014
The biggest obstacle is that like many streams on the Kenai Peninsula, high water during the summer months from snow melt and rain can make dredging nearly impossible. The best dredging is in the colder months of the year.

The Wild Rush To Find More Cobalt—Part II

March 2018

In this second part on cobalt, I will take a look at the various types of cobalt deposits and how you can prospect for them. Who knows—perhaps the next big cobalt strike will be yours.

Weathering, Erosion and Placers

April 2017
The big interest to prospectors thinking about the effect of erosion is not what might happen long into the future, but what they might find in the rivers later this summer when the water levels go down.

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.

Iron Ores and Iron Mining

September 2015
For more than 40 years, iron ore prices have been decided by private negotiations conducted between the largest of the iron miners and the largest steel producers. These two sides dominate both the spot and contract iron ore markets.

Subscription Required:
The Bawl Mill   • Ask The Experts - How were those gold concentrate bricks made?   • Ask The Experts - What should I know about prospecting for titanium?   • Mining Pegmatite Deposits   • Legislative and Regulatory Update   • SS Central America Gives Up Millions in Gold Rush Era Gold   • Falcon Fanatic: Journey of a Novice Detectorist   • Critical Minerals: Titanium   • Melman on Gold & Silver   • Mining Stock Quotes and Mineral & Metal Prices

Free:
PLP Update: Back to The 'Swamp' on Behalf of Small Miners