Weights and Measures of Gold

Courtesy of Wikipedia

Discover the 5 Types of Gold Deposits

For great information on the 5 gold deposit types, see http://www.goldprospectingonline.com/world-gold-deposits/gold-deposit-types/ .
You will find info about the Mother Lode, Placer Gold, Residual Deposit, Alluvial Gold, and Bench Placers. Each selection gives beautiful sample photos, while the residual deposit photo will cause salivation!

FYI Beautiful Photo Pictures of the Mascot Gold Mine in British Columbia

Go here to see photos of the mine, ore cars, etc and learn about how supplies were brought in to save the deteriorating gold mine that closed in 1949. Click the autoplay button at the top of the page for a wonderful slide show.
http://chemelec.com/Mascot-Mine/Mascot-Mine-Viewer.htm

                      http://www.helenmills.me/2011/08/mascot-gold-mine-at-hedley.html

GoldFeverProspecting.com Tips Are Very Helpful Specifically With Dredging Gold

This is a good overview of how a gold suction dredger works. It begins with a diagram showing the parts to the cycle/ process. then there is text describing design and intake size of nozzles. Power source and compressed air are also covered. The issue of suction gravel and possible stoppage are dealt with. The power jets and the header box are of importance and described. Issues of dredge flotation are briefly covered. WARNING: There are links to commercials/ad information for possible purchase. This is worth a fast read for anybody starting out who wants to prospect/ dredge with the big boys right off. Gold Fever Prospecting holds number one position in Google search with regard to most gold prospecting topics - and with good reason. Disclaimer, I have never dredged.
http://www.goldfeverprospecting.com/howdosugodrw.html

                                                      1915 Gold Dredging in Canada
                                                      Thanks to Wikipedia
Of course this photo is of a huge turn of the century dredge, while the reference above is about a small individual floating dredge using something like an inner tube or larger, not made of steel and weighing tons.

"Lodes" of Information About Gold Prospecting and Identifying Gold Ore

Here is a blog with outstanding information on gold prospecting. The author of this blog has great experience in identifying gold ore and concentrating on where to find gold. His orientation is toward educating about the fastest way to find it.
The photographs are just outstanding.  He also lists about 50 of his favorite spots for gold prospecting if he could buy properties.
Another thing I like about this blog is the description of iron stained ore (gossan) which is something we see a lot of in Arizona (well, that is relative). If you see this type of ore - gossan, quartz, schist with quartz)- look around. I have seen a number of abandoned gold mines in Arizona with this kind of rock formation.
In addition, the blog goes into a description of geology of dipping veins. There is also scholarly information about ore shoots.
And something new for me,  he indicates that a massive pyrite deposit smells like garlic! I think this is an absolute must read.
http://searching-for-gold.blogspot.com/

                                      Nuggets from the Star of Hope Mine, Australia

Rattlesnakes Are Out This TIme of Year; Be Careful When Prospecting for Gold, and Be Careful at Home

Frequently we warn about snake activity in the spring and summer in the desert southwest. You really should wear snake guards on your legs, especially if there are high weeds and grass you are trekking through. But just to come back to reality, those of us who live close to the desert should always be aware of what is immediately around us.
I found this guy in my back yard yesterday. He was slithering along a tomato bed, possibly trying to shade himself under the vines. Luckily I spotted him. It would have been very easy for me to reach under the tomato plant to pull off some dead leaves or fertilize.

I also want to pass on an experience I had at a metal detector hunt. Snakes seek cover when alarmed unless you have gotten up dangerously close. A club member was waving his detector under some small branches of a mesquite tree where there was a lot of old dead organic material. Guess who was in there staring at him. No rattle. Maybe the snake thought he was invisible? So then everybody gets warned. People get carried away with there ear phones trying to find treasure, so you need to make sure they hear you.

Scotland has Gold - See the Lode Mine and Gold Panning Areas

This article provides a map of locations of gold in Scotland with map directions to each site.

http://izzym.hubpages.com/hub/Gold-Prospecting-in-Scotland