Prospecting & Detecting
Sierra County Gold—Part I
December 2013 by Chris Ralph
...this county contained some of the richest placer ground found in all of California and still produces some pretty impressive finds to this day.
Just Another Ordinary Weekend
There was no evidence that anyone else had ever worked this gully with the exception of some old sample piles near the foot of the ravine.This is Why You Check Your Tailings
The nugget was cast aside with larger rocks during the screening process, but it was found later by an employee...
Sampling Placer Stockpiles
Sampling other people's stockpiles or dumps has some inherent risks that sampling undisturbed ground does not have.
Fall Drywashing—Just the Right Time of Year
I could see lots of quartz, both loose on the hillsides and in the numerous small prospect diggings. There was a small gold rush here more than a century ago.
Metal Detector Testing Methods
It will not be any easier than on your table at home, and so testing a very small test target like the ballpoint pen can tell you immediately if a detector is suitable for looking for tiny gold nuggets.Prospecting and Mining Old Mine Sites
In some places valuable ores can be found within the waste material of mine dumps, sorted ore piles, and detrital vein matter at the surface. Though many of these old mine sites can be an excellent source of gold, not all are created equal.
Highbanking at the 144
My third sample location proved to be my last and most interesting. I needed to look no further.
Subscription Required:
The Bawl Mill
• Ask the Experts
• Ask the Experts
• Ask the Experts
• ICMJ's Annual Index
• Ophir—Possibly the Best Kept Secret in Alaska—Part II
• Hunting for Hardrock: The Basics
• Gold in the San Francisco District Oatman, Mohave County, Arizona
• Heavy Glacial Rocks and Gold in the Midwest
• Strategic Metals—Part II
• The Amazing Mineral Tourmaline
• Melman on Gold & Silver
• Mining Stock Quotes and Mineral & Metal Prices
Free:
Legislative and Regulatory Update
• It's the Bottom of the Ninth—And Not Just for California
• Our 29-Troy-Ounce Golden Blessing
