Prospecting & Detecting
Tips and Tricks
July 2020 by Harry Griffin
Many suggestions had some pieces or parts that would work some of the time, but Dredger Dan’s suggestion was, in my humble opinion, the cleanest, cleverest, and most dependable.
Still Gold in Humbug, Arizona
Has anyone made it through childhood, or even adulthood, without at least one dream of finding gold or buried treasure? It is the stuff of daydreams—the kindling for the flame of hope. We so long for it that we eagerly accept stories and maps from friends and strangers alike that promise us fame and fortune.
Hunting for Hardrock: The Basics

A Few Methods for Sampling Hardrock Deposits

Creating Your Own Luck
Now that you are actually going to be out there doing some prospecting, I may be able to help.
A Successful Trip Through Gold Basin

Get Boots On The Ground For Patch Hunting
The first requirement is permission from a land owner. This can be tricky and it’s always a bit nerve-racking to approach a stranger cold with such a request.
Dredging Tips and Tricks: T-80 Air Compressor Maintenance
The next morning, I retrieved the compressor and again attacked the sticky head bolt. As if by magic (and some applied physics) the head bolt sighed and finally broke loose.
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The Bawl Mill
• Ask The Experts - Can GPR be used for lode prospecting?
• Ask The Experts - How do I extract gold from pyrite?
• Ask The Experts - Should I dig faint sounds with no indicator bars while detecting?
• Ask The Experts - Should the detector sound on iron and nickel in a gold area?
• Hard Rock 101: Micro Blasting
• Sluicing and Detecting Downstream
• Gold Prospecting for Better or Worse: Does Caliche Grow?
• 10 Keys to Prospecting Like A Pro
• Polymetallic Skarn Deposits
• Practical Advice for Milling Hard Rock Ores
• Speed Prospecting for Hard Rock Gold
• Forrest Fenn Treasure Chest Finally Found?
• Melman on Gold & Silver
• Mining Stock Quotes and Mineral & Metal Prices