History & Geology
Rock and Formations of the Mother Lode Gold Belt
October 2015 by Chris Ralph
The faulting, folding and shearing that occurred in the Mother Lode belt has created zones of structurally weak rocks or contacts between different types of rock, which has been favorable for the deposition of gold bearing ores.
Mining Pegmatite Deposits
With successively lower temperatures as the water mixture cools, new sets of minerals are formed and many of those stable at a higher degree of heat became subject to alteration as the temperature progressively moved lower.
Critical Metals: Antimony
I’ve been taking a look at the mining and uses of a number of critical metals in series of articles, and it’s time to take a look at antimony.
Potholes and Other Bedrock Traps
Potholes in bedrock can trap placer minerals and even be glory holes. They are, at least, interesting geologic phenomena, and at best, a treasure trove of gold nuggets.
Ask The Experts
Gold in clastic black shale
Nevada's Silver City Gold District—Part I
The name Silver City is quite ironic as it doesn’t really fit the area’s metal production. The area encompassing the Silver City district is a great, stand-alone gold district, where the production value of gold has been much more than that of silver. Since the initial discovery of gold-bearing veins in the mid-1850s, the area has been a center of continuous small and large-scale gold production.Understanding and Prospecting Benches
The most obvious benches are usually near the valley floor, but they can be thousands of feet above the valley floor. Since benches were made by streams, they can contain placer deposits.
Understanding Large Gold Deposit Types: Discovering New Mines
The other opportunity that I see is in seeking unusual types of deposits. Specifically, the prospector would be searching for the stuff no one (or almost no one) is searching for. These deposits are effectively hiding in plain view.
Subscription Required:
The Bawl Mill
• Legislative and Regulatory Update
• Ask The Experts
• The Bucking Room
• A Long Dry Spell
• Prospectors Protest San Gabriel Mountains National Monument
• MMAC & PLP Update
• Where Should I Start?
• California State Gold Panning Championships
• From Curiosity to Mine Owner - Pt II
• 2016 Gold Prospecting and Mining Summit
• Growing Up Gold
• 2015 World Gold Panning Championships
• Melman on Gold & Silver
• Mining Stock Quotes and Mineral & Metal Prices
