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.
Alaska's Cripple Creek Mining District
If developed with metal detecting in mind, this virgin ground could be a bonanza for nugget hunting.
Unique Rare Earth Mine in Texas
Exploration for and prospecting in search of similar deposits should focus on rhyolite bodies located in fluorite-bearing areas.
Gangue Minerals - What Do They Tell Us?
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.
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.
The Golden Streams of Butte County, California
Even though these were some of the earliest placer deposits to be worked, there is still plenty of gold left today—it just takes more work to recover. Knowing about the old locations where gold has been found is the first step to success.
All About Quartz—Part I
One of the first minerals most prospectors learn to recognize is quartz, because, in the right circumstances, it can be an excellent indicator mineral for prospectors. Quartz is common, easy to identify, and is often associated with gold and other valuable metal deposits.
Butte, Montana—The Richest Hill on Earth
I recently had the opportunity to spend a day exploring around Butte, Montana and was amazed by the amount of mining that has taken place there. The old-timers called Butte “the richest hill on earth” and had pretty good reasons for doing so.
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The Bawl Mill
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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
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