Geology degrees and knowledge.

[blackchipjim]

Good afternoon to all, so as I sit pondering if I will ever have enough of a knowledge base to prospect for gold properly I turn to audience once again. I have for a better part of two years watched countless videos on rocks and minerals. Most on you tube but other sources as well that are available on the Internet if for no other reason than availability. I have learned a lot but not enough and will continue to learn both on the net and in the field when possible. My big question how many of the miners here are certified or have been doing this for a really long time.I am impressed by most of you on this site by the way.

 

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[Mad Machinist]

Been in and out of mining for the last 20+ years. I guess you could say I am certified since I have my 5000-23 papers through MSHA. Work in mining as a day job while looking for a big strike to work for myself.

 

[Bonaro]

I grew up around mining. For family picnics we would take pans a sluices instead of lawn darts and volleyballs. As a teen my stepdad worked on a large dredging project in Montana so I got to play on a big cutterhead dredge, 24" suction pipe, 6' cutterhead. Gold fever never faded and I built my first dredge about 30 years ago. Now I have a separate outbuilding just to hold all my mining junk. I buy and sell used mining gear and run guided dredging trips on the side. Certified? They don't make a piece of paper that covers what most of us do. Some of us are certifiable

 

[blackchipjim]

I would like to clarify my meaning. A piece of paper is not what I really meant. I really meant to what degree is being knowledgable about geology is going to make a person a better gold and gem miner. I know seat of the pans field experience and knowing what to look for is paramount to success.

 

[Goldwasher]

Hmmm.. I bet more gold has been found by people without hanging papers than by "certified" geologists.

Not that geologists don't find deposits. Seems like most I've ever met are in a different field.

Interesting how in most industries its a small percentage that go out and really get dirty in remote areas ,and enjoy the rugged aspect.

However there are millions of "laymen" with vast serious knowledge. Who chase and seek knowledge. About geology and shiny heavy rocks. Got hooked when they were young and never gave it up.

They go out and take part in finding millions of dollars in wealth every year!! They never set foot in a geology class.

Just sayin'

 

[Bonaro]

I hesitate to call myself an expert because I dont like to beat my own drum. However, I have been actively gold mining for a long time and I have dredged in just about every western state and Alaska. Im not that much of a hard rock miner but I have done just about any kind of placer mining you can imagine and I can compete with the best of them.. That said...I have near zero formal training in Geology. What little I know I have gained by reading books and watching video. I have been mining is Washington for the last 30 years so I am familiar with local geology. I do wish that I had taken some formal training

 

[blackchipjim]

I have always looked up to self taught people in any field of expertise. I was just curious about about both self taught and formally edumacted people if they persued the hands on of gold or other mineral mining.

 

[Bejay]

70 years old now. Been mining 40 + years. As a very young child I learned about rocks and ore from my grandfather who was an avid prospector and did his own assays....and had placer claims. I studied geology at a major University and started prospecting/mining in my 20s. Geology helps one understand what he sees out in the field, but it does not replace hard work. I would say that the geology is extremely helpful in making determinations on a particular prospect. I am sure there are many miners out there today who have found more than I...but one thing is certain: the gold bug intrigues those who decide to walk the walk and talk the talk. I can think back to being 5 years old and my gramps showing me ore and discussing his assay work with me. He was a big believer in night time prospecting with a black light out in the field. It was all about mineralization! Today it is about knowing Laws and CFR's etc.

Bejay

 

[blackchipjim]

Yo Bejay did gramps use a black light to show where fluorite was

 

[Assembler]

Good afternoon to all, so as I sit pondering if I will ever have enough of a knowledge base to prospect for gold properly I turn to audience once again. I have for a better part of two years watched countless videos on rocks and minerals. Most on you tube but other sources as well that are available on the Internet if for no other reason than availability. I have learned a lot but not enough and will continue to learn both on the net and in the field when possible. My big question how many of the miners here are certified or have been doing this for a really long time.I am impressed by most of you on this site by the way.

What types of prospecting are you thinking of doing?

 

[mikep691]

I'm definitely certifiable. Does that count?

 

[Assembler]

I'm definitely certifiable. Does that count?

This is humor right?

In the light of humor is a "Certificate for patent application on Mineral survey NO. ____" clearly "Certifiable"?........LOL
Also "Certificate of Transcript", "Certificate of Approval" and "Certificate of Surveyor".......clearly "Certifiable"......LOL.
Good one mikep691 and thank you.

 

[Bonaro]

I have always looked up to self taught people in any field of expertise. I was just curious about about both self taught and formally edumacted people if they persued the hands on of gold or other mineral mining.

Self taught people will tell you to look for gold in the crumbly reddish white stuff with crystals especially when its close to the green grease rock.
Edumacated people will say that gold is usually indicated in the decomposed auriferous quartz veins which show iron sulphide or oxide intrusion especially in the contact zone with serpentine schist
Its the same explanation...you just have to pay attention to the big words

 

[Mgumby16]

As someone who went to college for geology i will say that most of what you are taught in undergraduate geology courses is big picture stuff. We did not have classes in undergrad that i would say specifically help with prospecting for gold.

From this I am always trying to formulate ideas on how the gold in my area formed and its relationship to geology of the region which could all be considered big picture stuff. In the end to prove those ideas it still all comes down to sample, sample, sample, sample sample, reformulate my idea from those samples cause my first, second and third hypothesis are usually wrong, then sample sample and sample some more. Very slowly a picture will start to come together on what is going on.

And honestly my best gold finds were found due to luck, and going to where big gold has been found before, and sampling everything. My best honey hole shows almost no gold at the surface, very little under the cobble and ontop of the clay (which a lot of people would stop at cause the assume it acts as a false bedrock). All the gold was under the clay right on top of bedrock.

So basically you dont need a geology degree to be successful, you need to read about the history of gold in your area, sample a lot, perseverance and document everything. It doesnt hurt to read up on the geology of the area as well. I will also say how you sample will depend on the equipment you plan to use, if you are using a dredge then you need to punch sample holes with the dredge and document how long you ran and the amount of gold recovered.

Hope this helps.

 

[Bejay]

Yo Bejay did gramps use a black light to show where fluorite was

A little bit of topic thread stray; but briefly:
He was not just a gold prospector. He most often focused on major mineral deposits that he felt might attract mining companies. So any fluorescent mineralization attracted his attention: as many were indicators of other associated minerals of value. His method was to walk around at night with a highly intense black light wand, (powered by a battery pack attached to his belt)..( I have it now). He would gather and bag samples that fluoresced; and place markers so he could find them during the day. Each bagged sample would correlate by number to the stake/marker on the ground...(this was long before GPS). He would then explore further for minerals that accompanied the formation of valuable deposits. I used to be fascinated with all that he did. He was not really a miner in the sense of the "WORK" REQUIRED but more a prospector wanting to find valuable deposits that could be sold to those who wanted to extract the valuable minerals. Probably in todays world we would think of him as a internet miner: research...locate....prospect....and find a mining company to sell to. He was not a rock hound....and I never saw a rock that was gathered merely for beauty.

Bejay

 

[Bejay]

Mgumby16 said: As someone who went to college for geology i will say that most of what you are taught in undergraduate geology courses is big picture stuff. We did not have classes in undergrad that i would say specifically help with prospecting for gold.

That is an interesting perception that I would have to disagree with. Specifically one needs to understand what one is seeing in the field. Understanding geologic time plays a very important role in understanding what one encounters while prospecting/mining. Being able to identify the unique characteristics of deposition and deposits makes one more astute in the field. When reading mining data; and geologic data associated with known deposits the language used is most often associated with geologic terminology. In the field a person with general geologic undergrad studies has a great deal of perception capabilities. It is my belief that knowledge brings forth an understanding of what one sees while mining. To this day I have a few areas that are puzzling....but all "geological" writings have been dumbfounded as well. But after 30 years of working/mining I can contribute further geologic evidence to maybe advance the current findings; or lack thereof. I would offer that anyone mining would benefit from a single year of general geology studies without having to take advanced undergrad courses. That coupled with years of mining, will potentially offer big rewards. IMHO But knowledge is only useful if you utilize it and put effort into continued studies.

Bejay

 

[arizau]

Having spent 30+ years involved with the mining industry at a minesite, and, through questions and observations I learned a lot from friends who were Mining, Geological, Mechanical and Metallurgical Engineers as well as from Chemists about their fields and mine plant processes. Hind sight is 20 20 but I kinda wish I had chosen another profession other than Business Administration. I would have probably flunked out of their engineering programs though since I am color blind and that continues to hinder me in my own prospecting. It is a good thing that yellows are colors that I can identify. Funny thing about my friends though....only one of many pursued gold prospecting for his own benefit.

 

[blackchipjim]

I find myself bouncing between gold mining videos, geology videos, and identification sites. This website along with others keep my mind full of thoughts and information. I fully enjoy having my questions answered no matter how simple or mundane it may be. I'm glad there are so many members willing to put in their two cents into my memory bank

 

[Assembler]

I find myself bouncing between gold mining videos, geology videos, and identification sites. This website along with others keep my mind full of thoughts and information. I fully enjoy having my questions answered no matter how simple or mundane it may be. I'm glad there are so many members willing to put in their two cents into my memory bank

It is always a joy to talk to a newer member like your self that has this much interest in all types of prospecting / mining.

Say this one reads that you are in the Ohio State area. If you happen to read say in newspapers or maybe in the local court house anything about the "Part of the Northwest Territory which became the State of Ohio" would love to read anything you happen to come across. If you happen to talk to some one who knows a lot about this would like to hear about it. Thank you.

This was the experimental area for the development of the "Rectangular survey system" just in case you may not be aware of this.

 

[blackchipjim]

Actually I was not aware of that part of ohio's history. Part of my research for metal detecting took me back to some old maps that could help me in locating better places to detect. I couldn't afford the reprints of them and Internet has its limitations. I will look in the local website for some info.