History & Geology
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.
Greenstone and Gold
Contacts, faults and zones of weak rock are all places that can act as a pipeline to convey gold-bearing fluids, leading to valuable deposits.
All the Gold Ever Mined...
If you have been prospecting for any length of time, then you have probably heard something like, “All the gold ever mined would equal a cube 60 feet on each side.”
Know Your District
We have to remember that the earliest miners were not geologists, but came from a variety of backgrounds. Their survival depended on finding enough gold so they worked hard and adapted to whatever challenges these new areas presented.
The Rush to Treasure Hill
There were some exceptional times in the far-flung history of the West. Rich finds of minerals that set men’s souls ablaze. From the rich gold fields of California, men who arrived too late to find riches went searching in every direction. The trail that we will follow leads east, past the shining silver district of the Comstock Lode.
The Seven Troughs Mining District
The favorable geology of the northeastern and central parts of the Seven Troughs Range are the parts most interesting to prospectors. They are underlain by a thick sequence of Tertiary volcanic rocks, mostly rhyolites and andesites.
The Tombstone Silver-Lead District, Arizona
In 1877, a prospector named Ed Schieffelin discovered silver in “the middle of nowhere” and staked two claims: “Tumbstone” and “Graveyard.” Soon a town and mining district were organized and acquired the name “Tombstone” after making a spelling correction.
Ask The Experts
Sulfides and oxides—what's the difference between the two?
Subscription Required:
The Bawl Mill
• Legislative and Regulatory Update
• Ask The Experts - Who owns this historic mill and how do I handle possible mercury contamination?
• Ask The Experts - Sampling and assays
• Keep Watch for The Unexpected
• Resurrecting An Old Hard Rock Mine—Gold At Last!
• Imagining the Ultimate Prospecting Adventure
• Gold Prospecting for Better or Worse: Cold Gold
• Gary It's There
• Following the Clues
• A Generous Lesson on Detecting Bedrock
• Melman on Gold & Silver
• Mining Stock Quotes and Mineral & Metal Prices
Free:
PLP Update







