History & Geology
The Many Facets of Iron
March 2013 by Bill Rich
I’ve been fascinated by iron minerals for many years. So let’s take a look at this very interesting and colorful element.
Ask The Experts
Q: Is this gold or some other metal?
The Goldfield Mining District, Nevada—Part II
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.
Prospecting for Silver Deposits
In some ways, silver is the forgotten precious metal because it straddles both the world of precious metals and jewelry, while having many important industrial applications like a base metal. The price of silver reflects both the precious metal investment demand as well as the industrial demand.
The Birimian Greenstone Belts of West Africa
The country we were to visit was Burkina Faso, a small country about the same size of my home state of Nevada with about 10 times more people. The second day I was in Africa, we went out to the goldfields for the first time.
Why Did This Silver Mine Close? - Pt III
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.
Understanding Large Gold Deposit Types: Discovering New Mines
The other opportunity that I see is in seeking unusual types of deposits. Specifically, the prospector would be searching for the stuff no one (or almost no one) is searching for. These deposits are effectively hiding in plain view.
Why Haven't They Mined This Claim?
Improvements in mining equipment and techniques, along with a higher gold price, make many mining properties profitable today that may not have been in the past.
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• Legislative and Regulatory Update
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• Benches and Fossil Placers
• Turning Hobby Mining into Business Mining
• Buying a Mining Claim: Questions to Ask
• Looking for that Hidden Placer
• And the Survey Says...
• $50 Million Swiped in Diamond Heist
• Melman on Gold & Silver
• Mining Stock Quotes and Mineral & Metal Prices
