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Just back from the Nome, Alaska area. Hard work (low and slow - listen carefully - focus) and little luck yielded a nice range of specimen nuggets. The were a few areas with hot rocks but most spots had acceptable slightly-mineralized soil conditions for my GPZ and GB2. It did seem I dug a lot of rusty 3-4" nails in the 24-36" range but only one nugget this deep. Does the GPZ and other detectors pick up rusty nails deeper than nuggets? Is there something about their shape and electrical/magnetic properties that make them easier targets?

Not sure if this will work but this is about the Gold Police in Western Australia... Warning for prospectors as detectives seize $50,000 worth of illegally mined gold near Kalgoorlie

Steve, We had a few beautiful sunny days in the high 60's and low 70's mixed with a few rainy days with highs in the low 50's. It is magnificent rolling tundra country with some steep valleys just perfect for gold hunting. The fishing was incredible with Dolly Varden Trout, Arctic Char, Grayling and Pike. I had never had Pike before ...... light, flaky and yummy. The musk ox have it great in the summer. They hang out all day grazing and occasionally playing in the residual patches of snow. I will be back. Fred, I am beginning to love iron but mostly the old mining artifacts: broken shovels, picks, chisels, ore cart parts, rails, spikes, etc.

Sure, I support responsible mining – we all do. However, who gets to decide what that is? A few days ago I watched a local TV program about Nevada Mining. They presented various viewpoints, including environmentalists who oppose mining. One guy who has been involved in local politics here in Northern Nevada for decades declared that there was no need whatsoever for gold mining – that we already had enough gold and all gold mining was an unnecessary degradation of the environment. He said that on the TV. So in his book, all of our gold mining is unnecessary destruction of the environment, not a bit of it is reasonable mining. Of course that’s not a unanimous view, but lots of folks would agree with him – far more than we care to admit. The artisanal miners mentioned in the article use picks and shovels, but the article makes them sound bad, and irresponsible. We use picks and shovels, we think our prospecting is responsible and has little or no impact. Yes, they use mercury in these remote villages and really in this day and age, there is no reason for it. The old time miners here used tons of mercury because it was so cheap – far more than these modern small scale miners - and most of that old time mercury eventually made it into the environment. There were many hundreds of hydraulic mines in the California mother lode, nearly all of which used mercury in large amounts. The Mother lode had many hundreds of lode mines and all the mills used mercury – dumping tons into the streams in their tailings. So as a result, today we see the Sierra foothills are barren moonscapes devoid of all life – with no plants and no animals – the mercury has killed everything. And every kid who once swam in those waters or eaten any fish from them is mentally retarded and unable to think – but wait - that is totally wrong. You guys who have been there know that what I have just said is not true at all. The reality is that in spite of all that mercury, the Sierra Nevada forests are lush and beautiful, they teem with wildlife and the waters are fine. Even the fish only have tiny traces of mercury, and they swim in those waters their whole lives. So “responsible” mining is a viewpoint. We think we are responsible. The old time miners, who really did do some notable damage, thought they were acting in a responsible manner too. The artisanal miners think they are reasonable and responsible too. Who is to say they are not? Many Greenies and progressives think all mining is evil destruction of the environment. From the greenie viewpoint, you guys in construction are in the business of destroying animal habitat to allow rich humans to live in cushy homes built by wrecking the environment at the construction site and in other locations too. So when you read an article like this, think about the viewpoint of the author. Look at what they are trying to feed you. Be skeptical and think for yourself. Clear cutting for farming destroys 100 times more land in the Amazon basin than mining does. Don’t drink the greenie Kool Aid.

I use one, really like it. Butl I never ran a Minelab. Still trying to figure out best applications for the 3 coils. I have found some pretty good southers NV nuggets.

Wondering about that token or button you found? There is of course Google but this site has links to over 150 websites specializing in this kind of information. Check it out at http://exonumia.com/links.htm

nice gold, I am sure you earned every piece! All gold hunting detectors LOVE iron...it is the curse of prospectors everywhere. fred

Nice gold Randy! How was the weather? I heard it got quite warm in Nome not too long ago. Gold is non-magnetic so all you get is the conductive effect. Iron is both conductive and magnetic and a double whammy for detectors.

I heard through the grapevine that user groups were trying to fight the Plumas NF Road Management Plan with the Americans with Disabilities act. When the FS closes existing roads making those areas only available to ambulatory people it would seem to me that is a violation of the aforementioned act. It would delight me to no end if the FS was foiled in its illegal attempts to close access to the National Forests through the use of the Federal Governments own regulations.

Tom, You told us things were coming and we will be excited. Leave it at that. Loose lips sink ships.

Sad commentary on our species.

Klunker picking up the last batch of snaps from his 110! Found his camera, it was with his buggy whips.