Tracing Gold To Its Source

June 2021 by Chris Ralph

In this article I am going to talk about the different sources of gold and the clues a prospector can follow to find the source.

Mud Men: Pocket Miners of Southwest Oregon—Part I

February 2011
Rocks and minerals associated with clay seam gold deposits in southern Oregon are often in sedimentary rock units at least partially metamorphosed into argillite. They are also associated with mafic volcanic rocks, basalts and gabbro that...

Chasing Those Crumbs

March 2023

Potholes and Other Bedrock Traps

September 2012
Potholes in bedrock can trap placer minerals and even be glory holes. They are, at least, interesting geologic phenomena, and at best, a treasure trove of gold nuggets.

Using Sucker Guns to Find Gold

November 2013
...if you have a good, rich spot, hand-operated systems can produce some decent gold.

Prospecting and Mining Old Mine Sites

December 2016
In some places valuable ores can be found within the waste material of mine dumps, sorted ore piles, and detrital vein matter at the surface. Though many of these old mine sites can be an excellent source of gold, not all are created equal.

A Generous Lesson on Detecting Bedrock

May 2019

The signal I was hearing was coming from a vertical bedrock crack on the bank of the creek. I removed my backpack, took out my crevicing tools and started to clean out the crack when I saw a glint of gold.

Moving The Big Rocks

October 2016
The anticipation of finding out if the system of snatch blocks, shackles, chokers, anchor points, and the strap binding the massive slab of rock in the bottom of the river would even budge an inch was weighing on me. 

Subscription Required:
The Bawl Mill   • Ask The Experts - How do I stake this claim?   • Ask The Experts - Is this non-toxic leaching system for real?   • Ask The Experts - Where can I find more information about this claim?   • Ask The Experts - Can you tell me more about the Meadow Lake area?   • Tips & Tricks: How to Revive a Dredge Engine That’s Been Submerged   • Quit While You’re Goin’ Good   • The Historic Gold Rush Town of Quincy   • Gold Prospecting for Better or Worse: Add This to Your Bucket (Check) List   • Finding Gold Beyond Your Detector   • Opinion: Another Attack on Oregon’s Rural Communities   • Rand, Red Mountain, Atolia Mining Districts of Kern and San Bernardino Counties, California   • Melman on Gold & Silver   • Mining Stock Quotes and Mineral & Metal Prices

Free:
Legislative and Regulatory Update   • PLP Update