History & Geology
Strategic Metals—Part II
December 2013 by Bill Rich
There are literally thousands of abandoned wasterock and ore dumps that dot the United States that could hold many tones of strategic metals.
Gold in Beatty, Nevada
In this case, signs of gold were found at the bottom of the alluvial and then traced in a triangle up the face of the mountain until they stopped—that is where the digging began.
Ask the Experts: VMS ore
Q: Are there any mills that handle VMS ore?
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.
The Goldfield Mining District, Nevada—Part II
The majority of the gold produced in Goldfield has come from ores that are close enough to the surface to be oxidized by the air. This oxidized ore is normally a soft, shattered, earthy material usually stained yellow to brown by oxides of iron.
The Many Facets of Iron
I’ve been fascinated by iron minerals for many years. So let’s take a look at this very interesting and colorful element.
Simple Rules of Gold Geology: Comparing Epithermal and Mesothermal Deposits
Geology is a science of general tendencies with frequent exceptions, not one of hard and fast rules that are always true and never vary. For almost every well-accepted rule of gold deposits, I can point you to a number of important exceptions.
Kennecott Copper Mine, Kennecott, Alaska
For approximately 30 years, the mines produced good ore, some so rich it was simply sent straight to bagging, bypassing milling and loaded directly on the rail cars.
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• Ask the Experts
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• Sierra County Gold—Part I
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• 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
• The Amazing Mineral Tourmaline
• Melman on Gold & Silver
• Mining Stock Quotes and Mineral & Metal Prices
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• It's the Bottom of the Ninth—And Not Just for California
• Our 29-Troy-Ounce Golden Blessing
