Gold prospecting is the act of searching for new gold deposits. Methods used vary with the type of deposit sought and the resources of the prospector. Although traditionally a commercial activity, in some developed countries placer gold prospecting has also become a popular outdoor recreation. Gold prospecting has been popular since antiquity. From the earliest textual and archaeological references, gold prospecting was a common thread for gaining wealth.
Gold prospecting at the Ivalo River in 1898Gold rush traces at river in Alaska. Here, placer gold has been industrially extracted by sluices and mechanical devices. Great volumes of material have been washed along this river, the traces can still been seen on this aerial image,
Prospecting for placer gold is normally done with a gold pan or similar instrument to wash free gold particles from loose surface sediment.[1] The use of gold pans is centuries old, but is still common among prospectors and miners with little financial backing.
Deeper placer deposits may be sampled by trenching or drilling.[2] Geophysical methods such as seismic, gravity or magnetics may be used to locate buried river channels that are likely locations for placer gold.[3] Sampling and assaying a placer gold deposit to determine its economic viability is subject to many pitfalls.[4]
Once placer gold is discovered, the gold pan is usually replaced by sluices or mechanical devices to wash greater volumes of material. Discovery of placer gold has often resulted in discovery of hardrock gold deposits when the placers are traced to their sources.
Prospecting for hardrock gold depositsedit
Prospectors for hardrock, or lode gold deposits, can use many tools. It is done at the simplest level by surface examination of rock outcrops, looking for exposures of mineral veins, hydrothermal alteration, or rock types known to host gold deposits. Field tools may be nothing more than a rock hammer and hand lens.
Hardrock gold deposits are more varied in mineralogy and geology than placer deposits, and prospecting methods can be very different for different types of deposits. As with placer gold, the sophistication of methods used to prospect for hardrock gold vary with the financial resources of the prospector. Drilling is often used to explore the subsurface. Surface geophysical methods may be used to locate geophysical anomalies associated with gold deposits. Samples of rocks or soil may be collected for geochemical laboratory assay, to determine metal content or detect geochemical anomalies.[5] Hardrock gold particles may be too small to see, even with a microscope.
Most gold today is produced in large open-pit and deep underground mines. However, small-scale gold mining is still common, especially in developing countries.
A 2012 study by Australian scientists found that termites have been found to excrete trace deposits of gold. According to the CSIRO, the termites burrow beneath eroded subterranean material which typically masks human attempts to find gold, and ingest and bring the new deposits to the surface. They believe that studying termite nests may lead to less invasive methods of finding gold deposits.[6][7][8] Herodotus reported about gold-digging ants.
^J.M. West (1971) How to Mine and Prospect for Placer Gold, US Bureau of Mines, Information Circular 8517.
^J.G. Stone and others, "Using diamond drilling to evaluate a placer deposit: a case study," Mining Engineering, September 1988, p.875-880.
^Scott A. Stebbins (1987) Cost Estimation Handbook for Small Placer Mines, US Bureau of Mines, Information Circular 9170.
^Placer Examination Principles and Practice (n.d.) US Bureau of Land Management, Technical Bulletin 4.
^R.P. Fischer and F.S. Fisher (1968) Interpreting Pan-Concentrate Analyses of Stream Sediments in Geochemical Exploration for Gold, US Geological Survey, Circular 592.
^. www.meeja.com.au. 2012-12-16. Archived from the original on 2013-04-20. Retrieved 2012-12-16.
^Wright, Andrew (10 December 2012). "Ant and termite colonies unearth gold". CSIROpedia. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
^Stewart, Aaron D.; Anand, Ravi R.; Laird, Jamie S.; Verrall, Michael; Ryan, Chris G.; Jonge, Martin D. de; Paterson, David; Howard, Daryl L. (8 November 2011). "Distribution of Metals in the Termite Tumulitermes tumuli (Froggatt): Two Types of Malpighian Tubule Concretion Host Zn and Ca Mutually Exclusively". PLOS ONE. 6 (11): e27578. Bibcode:2011PLoSO...627578S. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0027578. ISSN 1932-6203. PMC3210811. PMID 22087339.
gold, prospecting, searching, gold, deposits, methods, used, vary, with, type, deposit, sought, resources, prospector, although, traditionally, commercial, activity, some, developed, countries, placer, gold, prospecting, also, become, popular, outdoor, recreat. Gold prospecting is the act of searching for new gold deposits Methods used vary with the type of deposit sought and the resources of the prospector Although traditionally a commercial activity in some developed countries placer gold prospecting has also become a popular outdoor recreation Gold prospecting has been popular since antiquity From the earliest textual and archaeological references gold prospecting was a common thread for gaining wealth A gold pan Contents 1 Prospecting for placer gold 2 Prospecting for hardrock gold deposits 3 Recreational prospecting 4 Gallery 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksProspecting for placer gold edit nbsp Gold prospecting at the Ivalo River in 1898 nbsp Gold rush traces at river in Alaska Here placer gold has been industrially extracted by sluices and mechanical devices Great volumes of material have been washed along this river the traces can still been seen on this aerial image Prospecting for placer gold is normally done with a gold pan or similar instrument to wash free gold particles from loose surface sediment 1 The use of gold pans is centuries old but is still common among prospectors and miners with little financial backing Deeper placer deposits may be sampled by trenching or drilling 2 Geophysical methods such as seismic gravity or magnetics may be used to locate buried river channels that are likely locations for placer gold 3 Sampling and assaying a placer gold deposit to determine its economic viability is subject to many pitfalls 4 Once placer gold is discovered the gold pan is usually replaced by sluices or mechanical devices to wash greater volumes of material Discovery of placer gold has often resulted in discovery of hardrock gold deposits when the placers are traced to their sources Prospecting for hardrock gold deposits editProspectors for hardrock or lode gold deposits can use many tools It is done at the simplest level by surface examination of rock outcrops looking for exposures of mineral veins hydrothermal alteration or rock types known to host gold deposits Field tools may be nothing more than a rock hammer and hand lens Hardrock gold deposits are more varied in mineralogy and geology than placer deposits and prospecting methods can be very different for different types of deposits As with placer gold the sophistication of methods used to prospect for hardrock gold vary with the financial resources of the prospector Drilling is often used to explore the subsurface Surface geophysical methods may be used to locate geophysical anomalies associated with gold deposits Samples of rocks or soil may be collected for geochemical laboratory assay to determine metal content or detect geochemical anomalies 5 Hardrock gold particles may be too small to see even with a microscope Most gold today is produced in large open pit and deep underground mines However small scale gold mining is still common especially in developing countries A 2012 study by Australian scientists found that termites have been found to excrete trace deposits of gold According to the CSIRO the termites burrow beneath eroded subterranean material which typically masks human attempts to find gold and ingest and bring the new deposits to the surface They believe that studying termite nests may lead to less invasive methods of finding gold deposits 6 7 8 Herodotus reported about gold digging ants Recreational prospecting editMain article Recreational gold mining Small scale recreational prospecting for placer gold has been seen in many parts of the world including New Zealand especially in Otago Australia South Africa Wales at Dolaucothi and in Gwynedd in Canada and in the United States especially in western states but also elsewhere Gallery edit nbsp A gold nugget from the Blue Ribbon Mine in Alaska nbsp Gold nuggets in a pan also from the Blue Ribbon Mine in Alaska nbsp Old workings in a drywash in southern Arizona nbsp Using a metal detector in a Southern California desert an individual prospector found this gold nugget known as the Mojave Nugget weighing 156 troy ounces 4 9 kg nbsp Bernhardt Holtermann and the gold specimen Holtermann Nugget discovered at Star of Hope Mine in 1872See also editGold mining in Alaska Gold in California Gold nugget Gold panning Gold Prospectors Association of America Gold rush Hushing Mineral exploration Placer mining Recreational gold miningReferences edit J M West 1971 How to Mine and Prospect for Placer Gold US Bureau of Mines Information Circular 8517 J G Stone and others Using diamond drilling to evaluate a placer deposit a case study Mining Engineering September 1988 p 875 880 Scott A Stebbins 1987 Cost Estimation Handbook for Small Placer Mines US Bureau of Mines Information Circular 9170 Placer Examination Principles and Practice n d US Bureau of Land Management Technical Bulletin 4 R P Fischer and F S Fisher 1968 Interpreting Pan Concentrate Analyses of Stream Sediments in Geochemical Exploration for Gold US Geological Survey Circular 592 Termites that poo gold www meeja com au 2012 12 16 Archived from the original on 2013 04 20 Retrieved 2012 12 16 Wright Andrew 10 December 2012 Ant and termite colonies unearth gold CSIROpedia Retrieved 19 January 2021 Stewart Aaron D Anand Ravi R Laird Jamie S Verrall Michael Ryan Chris G Jonge Martin D de Paterson David Howard Daryl L 8 November 2011 Distribution of Metals in the Termite Tumulitermes tumuli Froggatt Two Types of Malpighian Tubule Concretion Host Zn and Ca Mutually Exclusively PLOS ONE 6 11 e27578 Bibcode 2011PLoSO 627578S doi 10 1371 journal pone 0027578 ISSN 1932 6203 PMC 3210811 PMID 22087339 External links editUSGS article on gold prospecting Public Gold Fossicking Areas in New Zealand Modern Day Gold Diggers slideshow by NPR Gold Maps Historic Mines Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Gold prospecting amp oldid 1180385200, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
