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Miners Clean Washington Rivers and Streams
May 2007 by Richard Holcomb
The Washington Department of Health has issued several warnings about mercury contamination in fish and shellfish. The small-scale mining community is the only group that is actively removing mercury and lead from the waterways of the State of Washington using the only economically feasible method available—with suction dredges and other small-scale mining equipment.An Unusual Death in Downieville's Gold Rush
While women were extremely rare in the early California gold camps, their relative absence did not always guarantee their safety or protection if they happened to be of Mexican nationality. The most memorable, graphic example of this tendency took place in Downieville, seat of Sierra County located on a fork of the Yuba River.
Oregon Suction Gold Dredgers Score Big Win
The main issues in this case involved the DEQ’s authority to regulate discharges under sections 402 and 404 of the Clean Water Act.
Hard Rock and Placer Gold of Manhattan, Nevada
He found 5 to 7 feet of gravel containing half an ounce per yard. This started a rush of placer activity and several other shafts were sunk, with some large multi-ounce nuggets being found.
Testing Ores for Free Gold

Melman on Gold & Silver
The only phrase that comes to mind in reviewing this past month is "deja vu." We've seen all this before; falling gold prices, rising stock markets, soaring hi-tech stocks, crazy initial public offerings (IPO's) and a return to public confidence that all problems can be solved.
Sluicing and Detecting Downstream
…early last fall, I found my first gold-rich patch along a few crevices in the same river and found five grams of gold nuggets in one outing.
Ask the Experts - processing plants that can extract rare earth metals
Q: Do you know of any processing plants that can extract rare earth metals?
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The Bawl Mill
• Ask the Experts—Where can I find plans for a home-built suction dredge?
• Ask The Experts—Can you help explain the ratings in Melman On Gold & Silver?
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• Kalgoorlie, Australia—Born of Gold
• Colorado Court Rules on Cyanide Ban
• Selling Your Gold—Where To Start
• The Business of Mines—Consider Your Tax Deductions Now
• Exploration, Development and Taxes
• US v. Donald Eno—IBLA Rules in Favor of Miner
• Melman on Gold & Silver
• Mining Stock Quotes, Mineral & Metal Prices
• Looking Back