How Topography Affects Prospecting for Gold

April 2022 by Chris Ralph

Keeping in mind how the local topography affects where gold has been deposited can help you find more gold, and is certainly something the prospector needs to keep in mind.

Divide and Conquer—Detecting Old Placer Grounds with Friends

February 2014
He no sooner had turned around and started moving when I hollered again that I had another nice one.

Digging It Dry

October 2016
I believe dry washing is an underappreciated prospecting method. There are plenty of places where there is some pretty decent gold to be had, but the spot is a long way from any water and dry processing may well be the best way to go.

WWII Vet & Prospector Still Going Strong

July 2011
Lately I’ve been having success utilizing two types of detectors in succession. The first is a pulse induction (PI) detector with a blanket-style antennae, and I follow it up with a very low frequency (VLF) detector.

All About Quartz—Part I

May 2013
One of the first minerals most prospectors learn to recognize is quartz, because, in the right circumstances, it can be an excellent indicator mineral for prospectors. Quartz is common, easy to identify, and is often associated with gold and other valuable metal deposits.

Shallow Water Crevicing Can Bring Big Rewards

May 2013
Shallow water crevicing or sniping can produce gold if you’re persistent, a hard worker and lucky. It’s nice to have a snorkel, wet suit and goggles. The best practice for success, in my humble opinion, has always been to determine the best gold location and then figure out how to capture it.

I Was Looking for Gold But I Found Jade

February 2021

Excited for this first notable evidence, I returned to that riverbed, looking for another paystreak and obviously more jade.

Detecting for Gold: A Return to Familiar Ground

March 2019

I probably swung over a few targets without noticing them. My first target came  about ten minutes later as I went over a part of the high bench in this wide section of the dry wash.

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