Prospecting & Detecting
Sold: 87-Ounce Nugget
April 2016 by Scott Harn
A gold prospector in central Victoria, Australia stumbled across an 87-ounce gold nugget in early February 2015, after his wife told him to head outside to get some air. He had given up smoking a few weeks prior and was getting a bit “grumpy,” she told him.
A Golden Summer
His take of gold was pretty close to what mine was—about a quarter of an ounce. We had just gleaned about half an ounce of gold in just twenty minutes.
Key to Successful Prospecting: Confidence
The one undeniable truth in prospecting is that the more time you spend in the field, the more gold you will find. Here are a few keys I use to help build my confidence.
Iowa Hill District
For the last two years we’ve held a hands-on prospectors training session in the Iowa Hill district of California’s Mother Lode country as a part of our Gold Prospecting and Mining Summit event. Because of this, I thought it might be good to take a look at the history, geology and opportunities that the Iowa Hill district still offers to the individual prospector.
Pumping Water With Solar Power
Solar energy can be used for any size placer or hard rock mining operation. It is most practical for small and longer-term operations provided your mine is not located in a dense forest.
Detecting for Gold in Nevada
Within a few minutes I got my first signal and dug out a small flake about three grains.
Australian Gold Adventure
I had my heart set on finding a large nugget on this trip, and it seemed to me that pounding known patches was not likely to turn up a monster. Inevitably I would spend at least half my day wandering off...
Ask The Experts
Can a metal detector be used to find limonitic gossan material?
Subscription Required:
The Bawl Mill
• Legislative and Regulatory Update
• Ask The Experts
• Ask The Experts
• Ask The Experts
• Dry Washer, Wet System or Metal Detector?
• Multiple Use Lands, Symbiotic Relations and Conflict Resolution
• Enrichment of Mineral Deposits by Weathering—Part II
• Vendors Announced for Gold Prospecting and Mining Summit
• The Tombstone Silver-Lead District, Arizona
• Melman on Gold & Silver
• Mining Stock Quotes and Mineral & Metal Prices
Free:
How to Stake Your Own Mining Claims—Part II
• MMAC & PLP Update
