History & Geology
The Oquirrh Mountains, Utah
July 2013 by Bill Rich
...we will visit three dormant mining districts that lie in the Oquirrh Range in Utah. Some major activity that transformed the lives of thousands of people occurred here from the mid 1860s to the late 1990s.
The Struggle to Reopen Alaska's Largest Gold Mine
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.
Using Vegetation and Soil Conditions as Prospecting Aids
Wouldn’t it be great if you could know if there is gold in the ground without setting foot on the ground? Well you can, to a certain extent, if you can recognize mined ground from unmined.
Ophir—Possibly the Best Kept Secret in Alaska!
...I decided to excavate the semi-frozen high-bank that was resting on a soft shale bedrock footing. Within three feet, I encountered an intrusive!
The Strange History of the Utica Mine
In the summer of 1854, John Selkirk, a discouraged placer miner who was down on his luck and ready to go back to Massachusetts, tied his mule up in a gulch north of what is now downtown Angel's Camp.
Calcite and Limestone
The other distinguishing feature of calcite has to do with its chemistry. Geologists sometimes take a small bottle of dilute hydrochloric acid out into the field with them because calcite reacts with acids to make a bubbly foam.
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.
Ask the Experts: VMS ore
Q: Are there any mills that handle VMS ore?
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• The Birimian Greenstone Belts of West Africa
• Study Confirms Mercury Levels Safe in California's Gold Country
• All About Quartz—Part II
• The Pearce Mineralized Area, Dragoon Mountains, Arizona
• An Alaskan in the Lower 48
• Romancing the Rock
• Placer Channel Sampling
• Melman on Gold & Silver
• Mining Stock Quotes and Mineral & Metal Prices
• Record $11 Million Fine for California Mine
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