Prospecting & Detecting
Prospecting for Diamonds
January 2013 by Chris Ralph
Let’s take a look at diamonds and diamond mining and see how they form, how they are used beyond just jewelry, and what leads geologists to find diamond deposits.My Lucky Thirteen Nuggets
Even with my favorite top-of-the-line gold detector there were several false digs. Many of the hot rocks gave a solid signal that was too much like a nugget to ignore. After trying several tests I just dug everything because it is better to be safe than leave a big, deep nugget for a more diligent gold hunter.
Ask The Experts
Designing my own dredge...
Tips for Detecting Nugget Patches

Dredging Tips and Tricks: A Measure of Water Pump Efficiency
…as an academic argument, when mated to the appropriate engine, is the pump really moving water at the rate of 400 GPM?
Hidden Value in Old Tailings
The 15 rare earth elements were discovered long after the gold rush began to wane, but demand for them only took off over the past 10 years...
More Tips on How to Find Gold with A Detector
When detecting an area that has been cleaned to bedrock and you have new trees growing, always make sure you get your coil as close as possible to the tree. Why?
Exploring The Historic Rand Mining District, Southern California
My largest nugget from this area is almost one-half ounce. I’ve found several smaller chunks and many pickers in addition to the fines and flakes that I put in my poke.
Subscription Required:
The Bawl Mill
• From the Editor
• Ask the Experts
• Iron Minerals, Your Detector and Gold
• The Robinson Mine—Big Things Happen Here
• Forty-Six Nuggets
• Customizing Your Dredge
• Small Miner Beats Forest Service in Court
• Using Vegetation and Soil Conditions as Prospecting Aids
• Green Valley Reconnaissance
• Gold Pour Signals Revival in the Mother Lode
• Melman on Gold & Silver
• Mining Stock Quotes and Mineral & Metal Prices