Small Mining Operations
PLP and MMAC Update
January 2018 by Scott Harn
A Model Mining Operation
After he excavates the ore down to bedrock, he goes over the bedrock with a metal detector to ensure he didn't leave any gold behind before he backfills the area.
Gary It's There
This year was a test. We had never done anything like this before, yet we grossed $30,000 in the short time we had to mine.
Dredging Safety: Don't Ignore The Warning Signs
At first, I tried to shift things around, but then a hand with a rock would appear, so I would stop trying to adjust my gear and grab the rock to keep things moving.
The Oregon Claim
When I started dredging a short distance downstream from that feature I realized that I was into a major paystreak and much of the gold was coming right out of the upper gravel. I could see the chunky pieces falling out of the gravel as they were pulled into...
Heavy Glacial Rocks and Gold in the Midwest
Over the years, I've noticed a pattern in the type of rocks associated with the best gold deposits in Midwestern glacial gravel.
Wyoming's Billion Dollar Nugget—The Trilogy Ends
The next hurdle to jump was whether the trommel motor would start again after sitting on the desert for six years without being started. The last time it had taken a three foot pipe wrench to bust it loose.
PLP Update: Back to The 'Swamp' on Behalf of Small Miners
We spent the morning in a meeting with one of the higher-ups at the US Forest Service. I presented him with 412 complaints received from our readers, along with a summary of the complaints to make his job easier.
Subscription Required:
The Bawl Mill
• Legislative and Regulatory Update
• California: The Land of Big Nuggets—Part II
• How to Interpret Assay Values
• Bedrock Nugget Hunting: Tools of the Trade
• A Primer on Bitcoin and Other Cryptocurrencies
• Gold Hunting on Libby Creek
• Man's Best Friend
• An Interview with Minelab Engineer Mark Lawrie
• Third Largest Nugget in Existence Returns to Dallas
• Melman on Gold & Silver
• Mining Stock Quotes and Mineral & Metal Prices
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