Small Mining Operations
The Basics of Exploration Leases and Contracts—Part II
March 2019 by Chris Ralph
This is the point where you might ask, “What do these types of contracts typically look like and how are they negotiated?” Well, that is the topic of this month’s article.
Conductive Minerals and Your Metal Detector
...most prospectors don't even think about the conductivity of minerals, but there are some that do conduct electricity to a certain degree, so metal detectors will respond to them.
Proper Assaying of Placer Samples
The whole purpose of sampling mineralized ground is to measure the values in a small volume of material that would be representative of a much larger volume of similar material. The key word is representative. Chemical and fire assaying will not accurately represent placer deposits by themselves.
Dredging The Outside Bend
This stringer was where it was not supposed to be, and it contained nuggets that were not supposed to be there.
Persistence Leads to Over a Pound of Gold
I have figured out over the years that the winning combination is hard work, persistence, knowledge, and a little luck. This leads me to describe one of my best finds ever, a “honey hole” of placer gold, if you will.
Bering Sea Gold—Part I
The popularity of the new Discovery Channel series Bering Sea Gold has peaked interest in what gold resources are offshore of Nome, Alaska. The Cape Nome mining district is world famous...
The Hughes Creek Placers, Montana
Gold discoveries in the Montana territories sparked a frantic stampede to these bonanza destinations in the early 1860s. Hughes Creek is located in Ravalli County, which is located in western Montana, and the gold here is...
Subscription Required:
The Bawl Mill
• Ask The Experts - Any references on gold formation?
• Ask The Experts - Finalizing an agreement with a mining company
• Pumping Water With Solar Power
• My Introduction To Gold Prospecting
• Resurrecting An Old Hard Rock Mine—Safety Is No Accident
• Mining Claims: Breaking All The Commandments
• The Importance Of Mining Critical Minerals In The USA
• Gold Prospecting for Better or Worse: Gold Is Where You Find It
• Detecting for Gold: A Return to Familiar Ground
• Melman on Gold & Silver
• Mining Stock Quotes and Mineral & Metal Prices







