I Was Looking for Gold But I Found Jade
Excited for this first notable evidence, I returned to that riverbed, looking for another paystreak and obviously more jade.
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Dealing With Hot Rocks and Mineralization
What about all that noise coming from the ground? What is a prospector supposed to do about that?
Pay Attention to the Features and Landmarks
People always ask me what is so important about locating contact zones. The answer to that: Gold.
Gold Prospecting for Better or Worse: All Work and No Pay
At first we decided to see what the flat by our camp would produce where the old-timers had worked it with their Pelton wheel and dragline buckets.
Which Coil Should I Use?
Selecting the wrong coil can potentially cause you to miss nuggets, so you want to be sure to select the best option for the situation at hand.
Our Old Friend, Mr. Crashbox
…what adjustment can I make to my dredge that will enhance its gold-catching ability?
Reading A River: Understanding Erosion and Gold
Rivers are not just random and accidental; streams and other drainages are what they are because of the forces of erosion acting on the bedrock.
The Basics of Permitting and Bonding Your Mining Operation
With the recent surge of interest in gold projects, it’s about time to revisit a subject that strikes fear into the hearts of small-scale miners: Permits.
Plotting and Persistence Lead to Big Gold
When he got home that night, he looked at the plotted points of gold and trash he had dug and saw that there was a distinct line where the gold nuggets were being found.
Using Countercurrent Material Flow to Improve Gold Recovery Efficiency
There is a material processing principle widely used in large milling operations to improve recovery that is poorly understood by most of the micro-mining and prospecting community...
Mining In The El Paso Range of Southern California
While none of the historical mining camps are active, the area is still a hub of activity for the modern prospector, and claims still blanket the hills and gulches.
Tips and Tricks: A Dredging Tip for Clearing the Tailings Pile
After a short time, the tailings pile can get very large, and can actually block the downstream end of the sluice box.
The Kern River
There are clubs with claims in the area and there’s a section of the river open to the public, but the rest of the area is claimed up so do your research first.
Prospecting Old Mine Dumps With A Drone
Due to the lockdown, I spent lots of time indoors this spring and I decided to add a drone as a faithful mate in my research.
Hard Rock 101: Blasting With Kinepak Explosives
Fortunately, there are products on the market that can address these problems and make a small-scale mining operation feasible.
Ancestral Yuba River Placer Gold Deposits
The small-scale miner has reasonable opportunity to exploit some of these small, rich placer gold deposits.
It's Not Always El Dorado
This was “pocket” country. All around were “pockets” that had been hand dug by old and new miners.
Sniping for Gold—The Next Best Thing to Dredging
I poked my head out of the water and said, “You won’t believe what I am going to show you!”
Hard Rock 101: Advanced Micro Blasting
They… create negligible fumes and much less fly rock than blasting. Below are some tips on maximizing your effectiveness with these tools.