Understanding Large Gold Deposit Types: Discovering New Mines

November 2018 by Chris Ralph

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.

Gold in Quartz

February 2016
Because quartz and gold may be deposited together across a considerable range of temperatures, not all quartz veins are the same, and there are several different types of gold-quartz deposits.

Proper Placer Sample Processing

November 2013
...your sampling procedures should not be designed to catch gold your mining technique will never recover.

Lode or Placer: What Difference Does It Make?

September 2014
This explains the large difference in particle sizes between placers and hydrothermal lode deposits, but also means that while the mining may be similar in some cases, the sampling and recovery techniques are usually quite different.

Excavator Testing Wet Placer Ground

April 2013
The excavator or backhoe has become the tool of choice for testing placer ground. These machines are the best way to explore and sample a placer deposit if the ground is not too wet or frozen and bedrock is not beyond the reach of the machine.

Tips for Detecting Nugget Patches

April 2015

Certainly many other successful nugget hunters have mentioned these methods; hopefully I can add to or clarify these methods.

How Long Does It Take to Find and Recover An Ounce of Gold?

June 2019

Some ask if a prospector can collect an entire ounce in a day. It is possible; I’ve done it before.

Prospecting for Diamonds

January 2013
Let’s take a look at diamonds and diamond mining and see how they form, how they are used beyond just jewelry, and what leads geologists to find diamond deposits.

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