Prospecting & Detecting
The Life of an Independent Prospector
July 2012 by Jonathan Porter
“JP, is it possible to make a living looking for gold with a metal detector?” I get asked this question a lot...
Additional articles that might interest you...
How Long Does It Take to Find and Recover An Ounce of Gold?
June 2019
Some ask if a prospector can collect an entire ounce in a day. It is possible; I’ve done it before.
Twenty Minutes on a Five-inch Dredge
September 2013
The first thing I realized was this was not a toy—this thing had power and I needed to really pay attention. I got into position, took a deep breath, and pushed that monster into the hard pack.
The first thing I realized was this was not a toy—this thing had power and I needed to really pay attention. I got into position, took a deep breath, and pushed that monster into the hard pack.
California State and US National Panning Championships
November 2014
Over 200 panners competed in this two-day event to decide who was the best of the best.
Over 200 panners competed in this two-day event to decide who was the best of the best.
Fault Zones and Prospects
June 2011
As we walked back we were just reaching the point of where the faulting should be and there, covered with deep grass, was very faint evidence of an old road going up the mountainside! What was that old road doing there?
As we walked back we were just reaching the point of where the faulting should be and there, covered with deep grass, was very faint evidence of an old road going up the mountainside! What was that old road doing there?
So, Where's The Gold?—Finding Gold Detectors Miss
December 2010
We decided to run a detector over each piece. If we got a decent signal we placed the piece into a high-grade pile and the rest went into another pile to be worked on later. This high-grade pile wasn’t that large—maybe 25 pounds...
We decided to run a detector over each piece. If we got a decent signal we placed the piece into a high-grade pile and the rest went into another pile to be worked on later. This high-grade pile wasn’t that large—maybe 25 pounds...
Sierra County Gold—Part II
January 2014
...we will continue our examination of the rich streams and mining districts, and then take a look at some of the big nuggets that have been found here.
...we will continue our examination of the rich streams and mining districts, and then take a look at some of the big nuggets that have been found here.
Arizona's Youngest...and Oldest Prospector
June 2014
I started with, "Hey, Rusty, tell me about the time..." and that was all it took.
I started with, "Hey, Rusty, tell me about the time..." and that was all it took.
Subscription Required:
The Bawl Mill
• Gold Depositiion and Gradients of Placer Streams—Part II
• Gold in Guyana—Part I: Porknocking on the Puruni River Road
• That Something Extra
• Prospecting for Copper Ores—Part II
• Metallic Trash—Scourge of the Prospector
• Gold Mining Boom in the Carolinas
• California Suction Dredging Update
• Mine, Baby, Mine!
• Hecla to Reopen Lucky Friday Mine
• Nova Scotia Shows It's Serious About Jobs & Mining
• Melman on Gold & Silver
• Mining Stock Quotes and Mineral & Metal Prices
