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Mining Tools This publication aims to provide small-scale miners with technical alternatives. These technical innovations are intended as a comprehensive approach to the problems of small-scale mining, endeavoring as they do to improve the microeconomic, macroeconomic, social and ecological outputs. The handbook deals with analysis, mining activities, beneficiation and energy, and contains hints on technical issues and work organization. It also includes information about historical mining machinery - which is comprehensively documented in Central Europe - modern, small-scale mining equipment and traditional techniques. By merging historical, modern and traditional elements, a basis is generated for developing appropriate technology in line with actual needs. Although only limited documentation was available concerning locally developed, traditional techniques in the small-scale mining sector in Africa and Asia, the handbook is nonetheless suitable for global use as the techniques described can be implemented everywhere, thus making a major contribution to technology transfer and innovations in small-scale mining outside Latin America too.

Medieval Sourcebook: Accounts of Tin Mining in Cornwall, Stanner Charters of 1198 & 1201 (Site Excerpt) All miners and buyers of black tin, and first smelters of tin and merchants of tin of the first smelting have just and ancient customs and liberties established in Devon and Cornwall. Likewise just and ancient weights of the first and second smelting of tin, determined by the oath of the above-mentioned jurors, and marked with the stamp of the Lord King, shall be kept....Also all men have the common right of buying tin by just, ancient, and free customs, as they are accustomed to have and ought to have, by the mark from any thousand weight of the second smelting...

Prospecting and Mining Basics of Gold and Base Metals. There are 1,000s of producing mines in the world and more are being developed every year. From out of the ground, they provide the raw materials for the manufacturing, construction and chemical industries and most of the energy minerals on which our society is so dependent. Finding these mines has required years of detailed prospecting. This prospecting work and the techniques used to discover those metals (gold or otherwise) is more ”high-tech” than ever.

Basement Chemistry for the Prospector With a little common sense and attention to detail anyone can use chemicals to recover metals in complete safety. It is the de-mystification of some basic chemistry to which this page is dedicated. Hoo-Rah.

Gold Panning Instructions Before you actually start to process your first pan full of material, look around for the best location for panning. Select a spot where the water is a minimum of six inches deep and flowing just fast enough to keep the muddy water from impairing your vision of your pan and a place where you can sit down comfortably.

How to Mine and Prospect for Gold This Bureau of Mines publication, Information Circular 8517, was released in 1971. Since that time, changes in Federal regulations have made it possible for individuals to purchase, hold, sell, and otherwise deal with gold. Also, please note that mercury has been identified as a hazardous substance and should only be used under controlled conditions and not released into the environment.

Sluicing Instructions After you have located a promising deposit of gold-bearing gravel, walk along the stream bank and look for a place where you can set up your sluice box. You should search for a spot where the current is moving quite swiftly. Once you find such a place, set your sluice box directly in the current so that the box is filled with water almost to the top.

Dictionary of Mining Related Terms

EPA 1999 Suction Dredge Study on the Fortymile River, Alaska

Government Agencies & Resources (United States)
(USGS resources, state agencies, regional agencies, BLM offices and resources, USFS offices and resources, state geological surveys, etc.)

•Listed by State

•National & Regional

1872 Mining Law Summary & CFR 3809--Mining Claims Under The General Mining Laws text or pdf version

Underground Mining Methods

Who Owns The West? Mining Claims in America's West Claims, patents, and plans & notices. If you are not familiar with these mining terms, learn about them here. The mining industry's ownership of minerals on public land falls into these three basic categories of data in federal land transaction records. They are also the terms we use to describe the results of our investigation into "Who Owns the West" reported in this website. Please note: this web site contains claims and patents on all federal land; however, it contains plans and notices only on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land.

Historical Mineral Prospecting Long before the development of writing, humans recognized such distinct mineral properties such as hardness, cohesiveness, and color (Rapp and Hill, 1998; 113). In fact, mineral prospecting has been a part of human culture for thousands of years. Focusing on North America alone, evidence has suggested man to have occupied this land for nearly 12,000 years.

Learn Gold Prospecting and Exploration of Gold and Base Metal ... Although here we will be talking about gold prospecting or gold mining specifically, we give great detail to many other mineral groups. Since they are all part of the same group we cannot discard one, for the mere fact that it isn’t what were looking for. Prospecting for metals in general basically follows the same principals, what changes are the parameters used when analyzing the results.

Exploring for Minerals The Western Canada Sedimentary Basin underlying most of Alberta contains vast mineral wealth. The geological strata not only contain oil sands, oil, natural gas and coal deposits, but also a large variety of metallic and industrial minerals. In addition, the Canadian Shield in the northeast corner of the province consists of igneous and metamorphic rocks of Precambrian age similar to those in other regions of Canada where important deposits of metallic minerals have been found.

ICMJ's Prospecting and Mining Journal A typical issue is 64 pages, filled with useful information. We provide up-to-date information regarding all phases of mining, focusing on precious metals. We offer plenty of articles detailing mining and prospecting ventures around the world. You'll find up-to-date methods on prospecting, assaying, refining, dredging, mining, detection; legislation, regulations, geology, technology, history, and first-hand accounts from those who have worked the equipment, dug the trenches and the tunnels.

Salt Everything you could possibly want to know about salt - and more. Truly fascinating site with some surprising links to even more helpful and informative sites.

"The Mining Law of 1872" From the BLM Website.

"Skarns & Skarn Deposits" After a mere 5 minutes of browsing, I was fascinated but still haven’t a clue what a skarn really is. Luckily, there is plenty of supplemental info & links from here to explain it all in depth, if I ever get back!

"The Mineral Gallery" This amazing database has over 450 photos of 80+ minerals – more of gems – and some in 3D stereoscopic vision! WOW! Click on a mineral type and get a detailed examination of the mineral and where it is found. Awesome, simply awesome!

Prospecting Course
Learn how to Prospect for Metals and Minerals with the Course Notes from a Prospecting School; 83 years old and still going strong.

Exploration Primer
Designed after a Seminar Series: "Exploration and Mining for Brokers and Investors" this Primer explains all of the phases, techniques, and processes used in mineral exploration and mining, from prospecting through production. A great resource for Students, Hobbyists and Investors.

EduMine Multi-disciplinary Online Education for the Mineral Exploration and Mining Industries.

"A-Z Minerals, By Name" Minerals text & pic gallery. Very extensive and detailed. May not be as fun as the sight at theimage.com "Mineral Gallery", but possibly more extensive, and just as good. This is a commercial site by a rock seller, but don't let that stop you from using this excellent resource.

The Minerals and Mining Statistics Division (MMSD) is part of the Minerals and Metals Sector (MMS) of Natural Resources Canada. MMSD is responsible for the collection, analysis and dissemination of comprehensive statistics on the Canadian minerals industry describing ore reserves, exploration, and mineral production and use, and for the conduct, in collaboration with Statistics Canada and the provincial and territorial governments, of various surveys of mine complex development and production.

The Alaska Gold Forum Very informative and interesting site with archived stories. Lots of traffic, so lots of information.

A look at Coal Mining in 1877

Andrew Roy explains how miners dig coal

The 1869 Avondale disaster

Stephen Crane writes about mining coal (1894)

Rev. John McDowell tells the life of a coal miner

Among the Coal Miners (1902)

At work in the coal fields (1904)

The hazards of coal mining in the 19th century

The Avondale Disaster of 1869

The Overthrow of the Molly Maguires (a lurid 1894 account)

Stephen Crane, IN THE DEPTHS OF A COAL MINE (from McClure's in 1894

The Life of a Coal Miner (1902)

The Anthracite Strike of 1902

An Anthracite Miner's Story (1902)

The Boys in the Breakers (1904)

Mr. Coal's Story (an appeal to end child labor in the mines)  

"Un-mined" Websites: (alphabetical list)

Alabama Gold Mines - map of Alabama gold shows 140 gold mines and gold prospects

Alabama Gold Page - Prospecting information and tips

Alaskaminers.com - Alaska Mining Community Portal Site

Tom Ashworth's Prospectors Cache - Dedicated to recreational prospectors. Mining location information, how to, facts, lots of information, chats, forums, etc.

California Treasure Hunting - Database for Mining, Prospecting, MetalDetecting, and Treasure Hunting.

Comstock Gold Prospectors - Primary goal is to educate the public on how to locate and recover this beautiful and versatile mineral without disrupting the balance of nature

East Coast Prospector - Contains "research and old records that are almost forgotten"

Finders Golden Pages - Prospecting information including latest gold nugget finds in the Central Victorian Goldfields.

Georgia Gold Mines - Information for Prospecting, Panning, Treasure Hunting and Rockhounding

Georgia Gold Prospectors Association - Organized for the purpose of Recreational Gold Prospecting in the Southeastern U.S.

Georgia Mineral Society - Volunteer organization dedicated to educating the youth of the state and the members of this Society in the field of Earth Sciences

Gold Hunter - Gold Prospecting And Related Subjects...

The Gold Ledge - Gold mining, metal detecting, rock and gem collecting and history

Gold Maps for the Recreational Prospector - A major online resource for gold/gem maps

Gold Miner's Headquarters - Mining Information Resource

The Gold Panner - Site dedicated to promoting recreational gold panning in the Southeast, especially Georgia.

Goldpanning on Alaska's Kenai Peninsula - A guide to recreational gold panning on the Kenai Peninsula, Chugach National Forest, Alaska

goldprospecting.net - Gold Prospecting Research

Gold Prospecting Mining and Information Resources - Prospecting-mining online books; minesite waypoints; mining terms glossary; how-to; related links and resources.

Goldsearchers.com - Site dedicated to all recreational prospectors

Goldfever.Com - A Gold Fever Experience, California's Gold History, Gravity Dredge Plans, Gold from the Sea, Goldfever Users' Guide to the World Wide Web, and more ....

Goldpan Site - Gold Prospecting and Mining; Antique Engines and Power; Antique Tractors & Equipment; Railroads and Steam Power; Farm Equipment

goMetalDetecting.com - Metal detecting and treasure hunting stories, tips, advice, tutorials.

gotgoldfever.com - Dedicated to the prospectors east of the Mississippi.

Metaldetector.com - Resource for novice and professional treasure hunters alike, with complete information on the exciting hobby of metal detecting. Features include articles that guide you through choosing the the best equipment, detailed product descriptions and a dealer locator. Provided by Detector Electronics.

Metal Detector Reviews - Read honest reviews by real people. Find out what metal detector everyone uses and why.

Michigan Gold - History of Mining in the Upper Peninsula

Minin' Gold - The Recreational Gold Prospecting and Mining Page

North Carolina Gold Mines - Information for Prospecting, Panning, Treasure Hunting and Rockhounding

NuggetShooter - Site dedicated to looking for and finding gold nuggets with a metal detector, custom research, maps, books, info, stories, photos, and more.

Phil's UK Metal Detecting Page - Personal page, with lots of information.

Rockhoundstation1.com - Where rock, gem, gold, fossil, artifact, and treasure hounds of the globe can unite for pleasure and business.

Thrift Store Prospecting - Where to look, how to test, how much to pay, how to recover the gold, and how to turn it into immediate cash anytime you want.

Treasure Net - Treasure and Gold Hunting Resource Center

Treasure Hunting.TV - One of the leading Treasure Hunting Sites, Articles, Directory, Forum, News Feeds, Rallies and Much more.

TreasureQuest - Online treasure hunting community. metal detecting forums, auctions, guides, directories and more.

Washington State Rockhounding - Gem and mineral collector information site

Wisconsin Prospectors - Find the best places to look for gold in Wisconsin

Yukon Gold Mining with Frank Erl - Explore the world of placer mining by taking a behind the scenes look at the operation of one of the Yukon's most famous gold miners, Frank Erl.

Unresearched Links

Gold & Treasure Hunter Online Magazine

The Online Treasure Hunter

The Transnational Treasure Hunting Net

The Alabama Gold Page

Mining "Rules of Thumb"

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