How To
So You Want To Be A Full-Time Prospector?
March 2011 by Chris Ralph
The high price of gold and the poor economic conditions here in the US have created an unusual situation—a large number of folks are thinking seriously about getting into prospecting and digging for gold on a full-time basis.
Detecting Alone -- What to Look For
I figure there are a lot of new people out there who have the same question. I will try to give some answers that hopefully will give you more confidence in finding your own spots.
Resurrecting An Old Hard Rock Mine—Gold At Last!
We’ve been busy with a plethora of projects, all aimed at gathering gold into a pile big enough to brag about. We’re not there yet, but I’ll show you some of the interesting projects we’ve completed since we talked last.
Route Planning Using GPS
My intention was to end this discussion with waypoints and routes, then I found USGS maps of the Plainfield Quadrangle.
Sampling for Success—Part II
The first and most important thing of the sampling process is to try to be as unbiased as possible. There is a natural tendency to select rock that looks the best—even unconsciously.
Extracting & Smelting Your Gold
Unfortunately, not all the gold that we prospectors find is pretty, or appealing to the eyes. They are not all nice, bright, shiny nuggets with lots of character that carry high collector value.
Regarding "Good Assays and Bad"
Last month I wrote an article entitled “Good Assays and Bad,” which gathered a few comments.
Ask the Experts
How do I set up a small placer operation?
Subscription Required:
The Bawl Mill
• Ask The Experts—Do I still have rights to this mining claim?
• Ask The Experts—What is a "closed" claim?
• Eastern Arizona: Gold and Base Metal Deposits Part II
• Rediscovering Placerville, California Part II
• Prospecting With The Help of Fluvial Geomorphology
• Oregon Anti-Dredging Bill
• Mud Men: Pocket Miners of Southwest Oregon Part II
• The Gold of Plumas de Oro
• Melman on Gold & Silver
• Mining Stock Quotes and Mineral & Metal Prices
Free:
2011 Gold Prospecting & Mining Summit April 23-25 in Placerville
• Legislative and Regulatory Update
• Cue Resources Seeks Uranium in Paraguay
