Remote Prospecting?

[Geowizard]

Got it Easy?

A prospector that lives in Fairbanks and can go round trip to Nome for $500. With a mining buddy, a 4-wheeler and gear in place in Nome, it's a different story. A prospector with past experience mining on West Beach and working around Nome over the past five years has got it Easy...

- Geowizard

[Jim_Alaska]

There is no doubt that living in Alaska has many benefits and advantages. I can't even imagine not living there and then trying to get everything in place to be able to succeed in any mining venture.

[Geowizard]

Probability of success;

It's all about "probability"...

Why can't I just go to the same places everyone has for the past century and make a discovery they didn't see?

What is the probability you know something the rest of the world is clueless about?

There are NEW tools and NEW data is available that gives MODERN prospectors "a leg up" on our predecessors.

The surveys practically place a big red "X" on the spot to start digging!

This avoids the wasted time caused by NOT having direction.

- Geowizard

[Geowizard]

Alaska is a BIG place;

And we have lots to talk about...

There is NO place in the free world like Alaska!

That's WHY I moved my mining operations and... Exploration operations to Alaska in 2009...

I found a NEW tool... Guess what my NEW tool is?

I have been BUSY... Downloading ALL of the survey DATA and organizing file folders on my PC...

There's a FASCINATING WORLD out there under our feet!

What have YOU found, Geowizard?

Stay tuned...

- Geowizard

[Jim_Alaska]

Probability of success;

It's all about "probability"...

Why can't I just go to the same places everyone has for the past century and make a discovery they didn't see? BECAUSE OF PROBABILITY....WHILE IT IS REMOTELY POSSIBLE, IT IS NOT PROBABLE.

What is the probability you know something the rest of the world is clueless about?
AGAIN NOT PROBABLE....THERE ARE MEN AND COMPANIES THAT HAVE DEVOTED THEIR LIVES AND FORTUNES TO THIS QUEST. IT IS NOT PROBABLE THAT I KNOW SOMETHING THEY DO NOT.

There are NEW tools and NEW data is available that gives MODERN prospectors "a leg up" on our predecessors. THE PROBABILITY OF SUCCESS FOR THIS CLASS OF MINER IS HIGH FOR THOSE WHO UTILIZE THE DATA.

The DIGHEM surveys practically place a big red "X" on the spot to start digging!
IT'S LIKE HAVING A REAL TIME TREASURE MAP, BUT ONLY IF YOU USE IT.

This avoids the wasted time caused by NOT having direction.

- Geowizard

[Geowizard]

I became a DATA miner;

AND... YOU can too...

Cyber space is a GREAT place to go prospecting! All you need is a computer and a connection to "The Web"...

The WEB is a World-Wide Web... LOOKIE HERE, boys... A GOLD MINE!

People used to ask, Geowizard, Where can I find GOLD? My reply; In a GOLD MINE!

Inactive GOLD mines "may" offer a few flashes in the pan... And, yes, there are those very FEW prospectors that have gone the extra MILE and made a discovery in an existing, inactive GOLD mine!

As Jim so aptly pointed out... the PROBABILITY is NOT in favor of the average prospector.

Improving the probability;

Prospectors can improve their probability of discovery of GOLD in several ways...

Location;

The first and foremost consideration is LOCATION. Working in or around a GOLD mining district with a documented HISTORY of past and present GOLD production vastly improves the probability that a prospector will discover GOLD.

Knowledge;

The old saying, "Knowledge is power" applies here... those prospectors that have taken the time and effort to learn about what GOLD is, what it looks like, how it forms, where it forms and how to properly identify GOLD have an advantage.

Tools;

Prospecting requires certain tools that are not found around the average household...

A prospector needs to have a rock hammer and shovel. I know it already sounds like work. It is work! Because GOLD is HEAVY, we can use GRAVITY to recover GOLD. Separation requires a GOLD pan. In order to most effectively separate GOLD with a GOLD pan, a prospector needs a screen (or screens). Usually, GOLD is SMALL... That means another tool called a "LOOP" or magnifying glass is needed. A sniffer bottle, tweezers and a glass or plastic VIAL to store GOLD in is also part of the TOOL package.

Metal Detector;

Most prospectors find that GOLD may be lying slightly below the surface and they use a metal detector to find GOLD. Many models and options make this tool flexible and able to meet the needs of many prospectors.

Dozer/Excavator;

Yep... they're on the list too...

Six inch Dredge;

Yep... it's on the list...

Gloves, hardhat, eye protection, knee pads, boots;

Yep... They're on the list...

I became a DATA miner...

- Geowizard

[Geowizard]

Pitching the prospect;

Prospectors that find themselves in the middle of a REAL GOOD prospect often need Capital...

I have found in my experience that there ARE entities that have MONEY.

I can cite many examples of individual people and companies that have venture capital and are looking for an opportunity to invest in GOLD mining projects. They come from various sectors of the business world and in most cases happen to simply find themselves in a CASH surplus.

Pitching the prospect;

A prospect needs development to be marketable. Let's say you made a remarkable discovery. The discovery needs to have a level of development that when marketed, it will provide certainty to the investment of cash into further development and production of GOLD or similar commodity. The pitch has to satisfy a broad range of questions that relate to probability of profit and feasibility of mining.

Remote discoveries;

A remote discover brings the inherent challenge of getting there from here... Prospecting has a limit imposed on the likelihood of whether or not, a discovery can be developed when factors related to access are considered.

Make a road?

If a prospect is to be developed, the preferred access will be by road. That's the path by which all of the equipment and support material will reach the mine site. There have been many extraordinary mines developed in extraordinary places!

Is it feasible?

The prospect must contain a metal that can be recovered economically. That part of the development of a discovery lies on the shoulders of the prospector. The process of beneficiation of the raw metal into a refined product that can be sold on the open market has to be well defined and proven.

It's all about economics;

Pitching a prospect has everything to do with selling your project based on the merit of economic benefit. The more work that is done up front to define the value of the commodity and cost factors involved in getting the commodity to market, the better the chances of success in pitching the project.

- Geowizard

[Jim_Alaska]

It would be interesting to see some numbers on just how many prospectors go about their prospecting with an eye toward actually promoting and selling their prospects.

I suspect that most prospectors are in it for themselves; in other words they prospect to be able to work their own claims in some limited fashion such as suction dredging or high banking.

I think this kind of prospector is in it for just enough gold to keep themselves interested and make a few bucks. Most never look to the bigger picture, which is finding a major deposit and working to interest investors or larger mining companies.

[Geowizard]

Jim,

You said;

"I think this kind of prospector is in it for just enough gold to keep themselves interested and make a few bucks. Most never look to the bigger picture, which is finding a major deposit and working to interest investors or larger mining companies."

ALL of the prospectors that have been fortunate enough to make a major discovery, that I have come across thru reading hundreds of accounts, have developed their discoveries to their maximum potential. There are many accounts of discoveries made by average prospectors that found mother lodes and became very wealthy as a result.

It doesn't make sense to do all of the work that prospecting involves and after so much disappointment, make a major discovery and walk away.

The full intent and purpose of prospecting is to make a major discovery at some point.

There may be a small minority of prospectors - not really prospectors that are just out fiddling around.

- Geowizard

[Jim_Alaska]

I was thinking of the "just fiddling around" ones when I wrote that. I have no doubt that those that do make a major discovery do develop it, but I thought mainly of the thousands that never do make a major discovery simply because they are content to make small ones and work them.