Ask The Experts

Q: Could you write more about the last two methods that you mentioned—the expanding chemical mixtures and the micro blasters, how and when to use them, and when not to use them?

Q: I am looking for a “trommel machine” that doesn’t separate anything but clay slurry from rock hard clay.

Q: I have a question/request regarding some black sand left from my Dad’s prospecting days.

Q: I have tried various leaching techniques from which I cannot get a precipitate.

Q: Since the weather in California is not as nasty as it is in Alaska, would it be advisable to wear the same setups as he wrote about?

Q: The Arizona BLM state office has started sending out registered letters to association placer claim holders...

Q: Can and should you remove their poles and notice right then and there or should you wait until you have convinced them of their trespass?

Q: I am in the process of filing an appeal with my lawyer, but am seeking more “expert” advice in the arenas of “mining claims” and BLM jurisdiction.

Q: Aside from the softness scratch test and other methods of identification, what feedback would you have on identifying gold in hard rock that may be mixed with other metals that affect its color?

Q: The nearest access to the claim is a half mile walk, which is tough for a lode claim.

Q: With safety as a given, what can the average miner, or Joe-blow greenhorn do to identify and extract some metals or minerals with off-the-shelf products or natural ingredients?

• Any suggestions about gold panning in Oregon?

• Can I get advice on a hard rock property in Calaveras County, California?

• How small should I crush my hard rock ore?

• Are these gold amounts large enough to interest a mining company?