The Geology of Diamond Deposits

May 2019 by Chris Ralph

New theories have been developed and they may lead to new discoveries and give prospectors some new insight on where to look for diamonds.

Prospecting for Pegmatites

July 2015

…in some cases pegmatites have produced individual mineral crystals that are enormous, attaining lengths of over 40 feet long, and many of the world’s largest mineral crystals are examples that were found within pegmatite deposits.

The Struggle to Reopen Alaska's Largest Gold Mine

November 2012
The historical AJ mine, located east of Juneau, Alaska, was considered the largest gold mine in the state at one time. Joe Juneau and Richard Harris struck gold there in 1880, and it has been more recently known as a tourist destination.

Eastern Arizona: Gold and Base Metal Deposits—Part I

February 2011
Arizona is well-known for its copper-gold porphyries and massive base metal-gold sulfide deposits such that primary gold deposits in the state are often overshadowed.

What Are Those Rocks In My Pan?

June 2011
The placer mineral identification key is designed to answer this question. It attempts to recognize all the minerals in your gold pan concentrates.

Gold Depositiion and Gradients of Placer Streams—Part II

July 2012
The steeper the gradient is, the more potential erosive power to move gold and other bedload sediments, and the more power to remove obstacles to flow.

All About Minerals

November 2015
There are several common ways that new mineral crystals form and grow. Perhaps the simplest is when minerals form through the cooling of molten rock and the atoms bond together into mineral crystals.

Why Did This Silver Mine Close? - Pt III

December 2014
Narrowing down a closure date will allow you to check the commodity price during that time and possibly confirm that a low price, rather than a lack of ore, was the driving force that closed the operation.

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