Prospecting & Detecting
Prospector's Guide to Rock Breaking and Blasting
December 2016 by Chris Ralph
The holes were overloaded with explosives, but I didn’t know it. I was just a green mining engineer fresh out of school and told to watch as the experienced miners set the charge.
Springtime Sampling In The High Desert
As the ground thaws and dries out and the warmth of spring starts to settle in, it’s time to start afresh with a new prospecting season.
Prospecting After Winter Storms
So, how much rain does it take to cause a major movement of gravels in a stream and redistribute the gold? The technical answer is enough water to move the bed load of the river.
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.
Turning Hobby Mining into Business Mining
The first thing a person should do is seriously consider whether they want to go mining as a hobby or a business, and the tax implications of the choice.
Ganes Creek Hits 10 Years—Part I
Find huge gold nuggets with your metal detector! That has been the promise, and for a lucky group of detectorists in the Ganes Creek “Pound Club” the reality of finding gold at Ganes Creek, Alaska.
Northwestern Alaska Mineral Resources
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.
Rediscovering Placerville, California
Several areas came to mind, but each was eliminated for one reason or another. One that seemed to be hanging on was the old historic mining town called Placerville.
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The Bawl Mill
• Our Readers Say
• Ask the Experts: What type of wetsuit do I need?
• MMAC Update
• Pros and Cons of Big Detector Coils
• Prospecting and Mining Old Mine Sites
• Detecting Strategies for Heavily Forested Areas
• Mining Districts and Community Outreach
• Alaskan Gold Adventure
• Learning the Game and the Power to Change It
• Central Idaho Federal Employees Back to Work With Local Help
• Mining Stock Quotes and Mineral & Metal Prices
• Melman on Gold & Silver







