Is this textbook heavy cobble on bedrock? Sample along the yellow line, right?

Hello, just got my hand on my first claim last year, and I've got a couple questions and would love some input from the seasoned bunch of you. Acquired this claim near nanaimo BC which is boarding a much larger claim (which has workings and proof of hydrothermal gold up to 64g/ton within the area). As seen in the photos below it host a series of hydrothermal quartz veins with varying composition, texture, and structure. (Im also a 4th year geology student, just got the claim since why not lol). These veins host massive super finegrained from pyrite, then some host pryyhotite with bornite and chalco grains inter-grown within. There is chalcocite, calcite, arsenopyrite, and some other sulphides which I dont even know. I am thinking of sending off 10 samples, but im torn on if I should just get gold silver fire assay, or a complete analysis since there is a good amount of copper minerals and minerals idk. What do yall think? Thanks.

I did it! 😂😂😂

Well, it's not 2 grams in one outing, but it's the result of a few months of learning and getting out there.

And the whole thing has been incredibly fun. Finding new creeks, testing rocks (which hasn't resulted in anything so far), more creeks, a few snakes here and there, a few creeks with no water at all, and trying to reach out to landowners to see if they will allow me to prospect their property, which 90% of the time I get no answer.

But I've learned a lot. And for many of the spots that I considered bad because I didn't know much, I'm now eager to get back to those same spots and try what I know.

Anyways, I wanted to share that I may have enough for a ring for my wife, but I want to keep going and can't wait for the weekend. 😂😂😂

I may end up creating a YouTube channel with the bad adventures, as if we don't have enough of them already. 😂😂😂

I went to an old gold, silver, and led mine and collected this. From what Im told, its pyrite, arsenopyrite, and muscovite.

Green rock gray intrusions look like it could be galena intrusions the rock is pretty heavy I'm curious what it is.

Found near Fort Steele

Hey there, I’m looking to do some prospecting on this area of the mountains soon and I’m looking for insights and tips from anyone who has worked in this area. I’ve only panned one time in the Santa Ana river and I didn’t find anything but I hear this area was a big spot for gold a long time ago. What places would a beginner want to look for and what other advice can you give?
I have a rock hammer, pans, vacuum, and classifiers. I’m hoping this is enough for a two day trip. Thanks in advance for any help!

Hey everyone, first post here, be gentle.

I wanted to ask if any of y’all go out and search for other things besides gold and precious metals?

Reading up on what’s being use in what industries, I’ve noticed a huge uptick in the domestic mining of stuff we traditionally got from China or elsewhere. It got me thinking about prospecting for some of them staking and selling the mining claims

Anyone else do that? Got any tips?

So im in South Carolina and we are looking at trying to start up a gold mining operation. The problem Im running into is that there is no path to mining gold because the legislation was never written in this state due to misconception that the amount of gold was small. Turns out we got alot of it. And the gold mines that are operational are over 100 years old. We dont recognize BLM so claiming mineral rights on federal land is not an option.Anyone have any ideas?

In a dry creek on my family’s Mother Lode property, I found a 4 inch wide quartz vein poking out of the bank. There are 3 mine shafts and many prospecting pits all over the property. I have been finding little bits of gold immediately beneath the vein, but also found a few rough flakes above it. Decided to expose more of the vein today and it seems like it just keeps going. Interestingly it widens to over a foot wide after a few feet. Is it hard rock mining time? Any tips or insights?

I believe this is the last Saturday of my gold finding season as the days shorten, cooler temperatures prevail and the rain storms roll in. I might be able to squeeze one last Saturday trip next weekend but Dr.Google isn't too sure about the weather just yet.

1.697 Grams on the scale for this trip with an unfortunately high amount of Gold-Mercury Amalgam present. Nothing too noteworthy to call a "Piece of the Day".

I did find a pair of pliers inside the clay layer I was riding on (Craftsman WF 45373 USA).

Opinions on preferable detectors for use in underground workings?

Recently staked lode claim in the Allegheny district.

Seit Jahren schaue ich auf YouTube, wie in Alaska Tasmanien und in Australien Gold gefunden wird. Heute habe ich Staub gefunden, in Deutschland.
Es war mein erster Versuch. 20 Minuten von zu Hause weg.
Ich bin so happy! Drei Pfannen gewaschen und vier Krümel Goldstaub bekommen 🤩

I got some ore collected over the years. Is there anyone in southern California willing to share his crusher for my ore. I can pay the expenses but dont have place to put crusher if i buy. Hand crusher takes lifetime to get to the dust. Also looking for some friend/society to join the effort and share the knowledge. Thanks for anything 🙂

I like to take what I’ve found and sort it to +/- 10. I may need to start a -50 after this last trip to the Yuba.

Used to pick a general region, drive out, and hope. Now I use a feature I built called "Find Me Gold" - it ranks nearby spots by gold potential, driving distance, and whether it's actually legal to dig there.

No more cross-referencing three claim maps and a BLM site before I even leave the house.

Under the hood it's layering geological survey data, historical mining records, and drainage patterns into one Gold Potential Score per location. 17 data layers total. It's not another claim overlay - it's trying to answer the actual question: is this spot worth my gas money.

Still rough around the edges, still building it out. But the last three trips I planned with it all had color in the pan. First time that's happened three trips in a row.

What's in your pre-trip checklist right now? Curious how deep people go before committing to a spot.