Calling All Experienced Miners and Prospectors

[FrugalRefiner]

We have a number of old and new members who have a lot of experience in mining and prospecting. As we have all seen, we have had a recent influx of less experienced miners and prospectors, many of whom believe they have found the richest ores to have ever existed. Mining and prospecting have never been the focus of this forum, so we are not well positioned to help them.

So, we are calling on those of you who have the experience. Our goal is to put together a list of resources that can help them. I've googled a bit, but I've mainly found sites that would be of interest to rockhounds, not those trying to identify ores.

So, I'm asking those with experience to share sites and other resources that can help these new guys. Sites that can help them identify ores, where ores are located, geological mining maps, etc. Also, places to get their ores assayed, tests they can perform in the field or once they get their rocks home.

I will compile the results into a single post that we can sticky at the top of this section, and that everyone can just provide a link to instead of trying to provide guidance thread by thread.

I thank you in advance for any guidance you can provide.

Dave

 

[erol]

Hello
I don't want to say that I have a lot of experience. But let's start by stating: The most important issue in rock mining is oxides. It is important to follow the unique oxides and different colors of the rocks while walking in nature. this tells us which color we should look for for which metal.

 

[goldshark]

Perhaps a google search of assay labs would benefit most, right off the bat. This is the #1 go to, to determine values.Do you want lab links, or will you google and post?
Pictures rarely do a sample much justice. No way to determine values.
Small equipment for crushing/reducing particle size can be bought, or made in a decent shop.
Already lots to study in the library section on assaying, smelting, refining. I haven't seen, but also haven't looked for a good field geology book, including good pictures on various rock types. One which includes good selection of ore types would save a lot of questions. Let me know how I can help, with specifics.

 

[FrugalRefiner]

I'd love to have links to labs that our members have actually used, along with locations, and if possible, general pricing. We can tell these new guys to google, but they won't. If we can provide a list, we can at least get them started on their way.

I know we can't help them identify much based on their blurry pictures. But if we can provide links to other web sites that deal with ores all the time, if those exist, they can go there for help from people who do that all the time.

Once they can actually recover some metals from their ores, we can help them refine them.

Thanks for any help on this project.

Dave

 

[Coldgarage]

I am told by a geology student in southern NM that he and any member of the public can request access to a state-funded XRF-gun for surface assay, that he has seen people take advantage of this benefit. I have access to an XRF through a large-volume jewelry buyer/seller when I sold my Rhodium investments to purchase an incredibly cheap house in disrepair. Alas, if someone would only buy my slimes lol

 

[GoldSaint]

“Pictures rarely do a sample much justice. No way to determine values.”

True true, however, it would be great to post pictures of ores or possible ores to help each other better understand what we’re looking for visually. Totally true, lots of great books out there, and also true lots of active people here willing to share pictures, etc. For example, erol’s oxide comment, maybe he can put some pictures up.

 

[SRM]

Just spitballing here....

Public resources include any State University with a geology program (may not have anyone familiar with economic geology), one of the few mining schools, and state geologist offices. Many rock and gem clubs have members that specialize in mineralogy. Some natural history museums have a resident geologist, but not all. There are mineral specimen dealers scattered around the world who have extensive knowledge. Most mines will have a geologist or staff or may be able to suggest a resource.

Most of the labs I have used are out west. Most recently, Bureau Veritas (offices around the world), SGS (international), Skyline (Tucson), American Analytical (Wallace ID), and a few others. All of the hardrock mines I have worked at have some level of analytical capability.

I wonder if anyone has compiled a simple summary of gold systems in layman's terms with host rock, associated minerals and alteration.

It might be good to include some metallurgy descriptions as well......gravity methods, basic flotation, etc.

 

[goldshark]

I am not sure GRF wants to go that direction. The quantity of minerals and geology settings, coupled with recovery systems, mining techniques, and all the other stuff involved, would make this forum explode to such a size, it would cripple the people only interested in refining. I see so many people asking the same questions time after time. I believe there are so many threads, that these question askers, are inundated with the threads and posts, that they are back to square 1, which is asking a question that has already been answered many times already. It would be great to eliminate the small chit chat, and other BS posts that are composed primarily of name calling, ridiculous processes posted by unqualified people, etc. Streamline and clean the forum up, to where somebody can find the answers to their questions efficiently, without wading through the BS.
Adding the prospecting and mining side would add to this site immensely. It is up to administrators to determine if this is a direction they wish to proceed in.
My thought would be to direct them to possibly a State prospectors club, or mining association. There are a multitude of organizations which started with the Gold Rush series on television, but I have noticed a waning of such, that a little infusion to them via a shout out, would be beneficial to all. There is no experience like field work, and hands on training. It is much better then posting grainy pictures on the internet, where everybody gives an opinion. Some may be correct, but I am guessing most are way off. For what it is worth.

 

[stella polaris]

I think as simple "How to test ore and what to avoid" could do good. Especially XRF results claiming high PGM should have an easy understandable article to read. Perhaps a producer of XRF might be willing to explain what it can and not can do. ( The dream results we see here actually give them bad reputation due to low knowledge of the users)

Otherwise, on minerals, i think Minedat.org is the best.
Most countries also have national mineralmaps and the most common minerals explained.

 

[stella polaris]

Once they can actually recover some metals from their ores, we can help them refine them.

Small scale is often a "forgotten" issue since most companies looking at larger operations. A "hobby miner" and an urban miner both looking for raw material. They both pre treat their volumes in order to refine it. Two diffrent legs but the end goal is the same, a refined PM. AS i see it Gold refining forum focus on the last step. But we also look in to pre treatment. Karat, electronics and ore they are all raw materials. Diffrent pre treatment with the same end goal.

 

[FrugalRefiner]

Let me clarify that we're not trying to become the rock identification site. We're not the ones to recommend to these new guys that they look for oxides. We want to direct these guys to sites that will do that.

Goldshark, I can google for assay labs, but I wouldn't know a good one from a bad one, or one that deals with scrap jewelry vs. ores. I'm looking for specific recommendations from those of you who have used labs. Telling these new guys to google for assay labs will get us, and them, nowhere.

Coldgarage, that is a good, specific reference for NM, but where do they get this XRF? And I think we all know the problems and limitations of XRF on rocks, so that may or may not help these guys. It may just convince them that they do, indeed, have 40% iridium in their shiny rock.

GoldSaint, we don't want to become the library for pictures. We want specific web sites that we can send people to that already do that.

SRM, your spitballing is in the right direction, but I'm looking for specifics. Which State universities do you know of that have geology programs? Do you know of specific rock and gem clubs that specialize in minerology? Which natural history museums have a resident geologist? What mines do you know of that have a geologist? Giving these new guys general suggestions like these will just frustrate them. I'm hoping some of you veterans know of specific universities, clubs, museums, mines, etc. that you've actually used. "Most of the labs I have used are out west. Most recently, Bureau Veritas (offices around the world), SGS (international), Skyline (Tucson), American Analytical (Wallace ID), and a few others." These are the specifics I'm asking for. Which others have you used? "All of the hardrock mines I have worked at have some level of analytical capability." Which hardrock mines have you worked with?

Goldshark, you're absolutely right. We don't want to become the prospecting and Mining resource of the internet. That's why I'm looking for sites that already exist that we can refer these guys to. We're excellent at teaching people how to refine their metals and that's where we want our focus to stay. Eliminating the chit chat and BS posts would be great, but unfortunately such is the nature of a forum. All we can do is try to steer the discussions back on topic. That's what the moderating team tries to do. If you have any State prospectors clubs or mining associations, please bring them on.

Stella, if you could write up such a post on how to test and what to avoid, like XRF, I'd love to incorporate it in the thread I'm trying to develop. You see guys, I'm just one person. I have the advantage of being retired, but I'm also somewhat sidelined right now with a little health battle. I'm on the recovery side now, so no worries. It just slows me down terribly. I'll definitely include minedat.org. You're absolutely right, we focus on the last step of refining, and we'd like to keep it that way.

Thank you all so very much for the help you're providing. Let's keep this project rolling!

Dave

 

[goldshark]

Some info from my end;
ASSAY/RESEARCH LABS
Hazen Research Labs www.hazenresearch.com Golden, Colo. 303-279-4501
ALS Global. www.alsglobal.com
COLORADO PROSPECTING GROUPS
Gold Prospectors of Colorado. https:gpoc.club
www.goldprospectorsoftherockies.com
www.coloradoprospector.com
www.findinggoldincolorado.com
www.coloradomineralsandfossilshows.com
www.coloradogoldcamp.com

 

[Shark]

This has some great potential. Just being able to point folks in the direction of a known and trusted resource would be a huge plus.

 

[FrugalRefiner]

Now THAT'S what I'm talking about goldshark!! Thank you!

Dave

 

[Shark]

www.alabamagoldcamp.com

Not sure how much in the way of testing but a nice spot to pan and some sluicing allowed. Nice general store with prospecting supplies as well. Ran by some pretty knowledgeable people.

 

[SRM]

https://nma.org/about-nma-2/resources/mining-schools-and-universities/

 

[jobinyt]

It's in the library here - I got a copy long ago of a book I've found to be a great help in identifying/determining if a sample of interest is worth more prospecting and an assay. The book is known as Dukes - author is Maulsby.

The problem with ores is they seldom look like the minerals they are supposed to be. Mineral samples in books and displays have a purity often hard to find in nature - even valuable ore deposits.

Maulsby provides the means to identify many of the metallic elements present in a sample - in some cases it helps in determining if the sample is rich in that element. Some of the testing tools can be carried while collecting. In general though, the full set of needed equipment is more suitable for use at one's home base, or is pack-able into a base camp. That later is especially valuable when a few days are spent in some back-country location.

 

[minero74]

There many prospecting clubs around
NM,AZ,CO,CA,NV
and one national like the GPAA.

some Clubs membership are cheap,others Not so cheap
But with the membership You can have almost unlimited access to their claims almost all the year around

I have membership in some prospecting Clubs
around AZ,CA,NV plus the GPAA

and my own claims in Arizona.
I’m stacking a Lode claim right now
filling Up all the permits with the BLM
pay of the fees and ready to go.

we have found placer gold all around their claims
I can even park my pick truck in the claim and walk around BLM lands nearby for prospecting

 

[FrugalRefiner]

YES!!! Keep them coming! Thank you all for you efforts!

Dave

 

[fishaholic5]

People need to be prepared to spend time searching this forum properly, learning the processes and learning basic rock and mineral identification too, especially if they wish to work from ore.
Misidentification of minerals is easy and the standard idea of leaching using AR a potential nightmare with the wrong ore....
Most people on the net now expect to be spoon fed.... Some even demand it.
I use little but an old rock and mineral book, chemical tests and other info from here on the forum and modified assays using a torch for most of what I do.
Nearly everything else other than the bacterial processes I developed for some things along the way are available to anyone searching the web properly.

The advice given here on the forum is good and safety comes first, no matter how much the $ signs are flashing in people's eyes.
Most people just need to slow down and search this site properly
Just my 2 cents...

Cheers Wal