The Goldfield Mining District, Nevada—Part II

July 2017 by Chris Ralph

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.

Alaska's Cripple Creek Mining District

November 2011
If developed with metal detecting in mind, this virgin ground could be a bonanza for nugget hunting.

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.

The Wild Rush To Find More Cobalt—Part II

March 2018

In this second part on cobalt, I will take a look at the various types of cobalt deposits and how you can prospect for them. Who knows—perhaps the next big cobalt strike will be yours.

Colorado Uranium Mining in the 1950s Boom

March 2021

You can learn a lot from a small mining operation because you have to become proficient in every job. Soon I was preparing fuses, placing powder (dynamite) and learning the ins and outs of drilling and blasting.

The Heavy Minerals in Your Concentrates

June 2016
The fact that mineral deposits can contribute specific types of heavy minerals is why the analysis of the heavy mineral concentrates in the streams of an area can be an important prospecting technique for finding undiscovered mineral deposits.

Gangue Minerals - What Do They Tell Us?

January 2017
There are a large number of different kinds of gangue minerals, and each of them has its own tale to contribute to the story of the chemistry and geology of a deposit.

Exploring and Mining for Uranium

August 2011
For a time uranium was more popular with prospectors than gold, but this is no longer true, and it has been decades since it was common to see individuals armed with Geiger counters out in the field.

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