How To Find Gold: Ten Natural Geologic Indicator Hacks
If you want to find gold, Watch this video! The geology of the earth gives us clues as to where gold will be found, and if you want to find your own gold, you want to learn these ten geologic clues as to where gold will be found. I will take you out in the field to show you these and also demonstrate them with slides and pictures. There is gold out there for those who know what they are doing and can read the clues as to where its hiding. So join me for a journey to learn more about finding gold.
For those who want to learn more about prospecting and finding gold check out my book, Fists full of Gold. It’s an encyclopedia of everything on the topic of prospecting. It’s available on Amazon. You can find it at (affiliate):
www.amazon.com/gp/product/098...
For even more information on prospecting, minerals, gems and other related information you can also check out my website at:
nevada-outback-gems.com/prospe...
I'm a retired geologist and mining engineer. Worked in the gold industry from the late 70's through the 80's in Alaska, British Columbia and Nevada, prospecting and underground mining. You hit on many good points that help the average person. Each mining district is distinct but there are some broad commonalities (and, of course, exceptions) - a heat source to drive groundwater and geologic structure like folding and faulting that opens up pathways for fluid flow. These pathways are, as you point out, recognizable by the presence of alteration and quartz veining. The old timers would pan their way up creeks to locate the source of placer gold. A gold pan is an inexpensive but essential tool if you are young enough to bend over. Great channel.
Thanks for the kind words. Glad you enjoyed the video.
You’re about the most professional, thorough prospector utuber I have encountered. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
Wow, thanks for the kind words. Lots more great videos to come.
@@ChrisRalph 🤩🤩
@@ChrisRalph 🤩🤩
@@ChrisRalph @ 32:00 "the Quartz with a good amount of gold": In the ore that the "Dutchman" had in his possession/under his bed, at the time of his failing health and just prior to death, that which he gave to those closest him. I'm interested in understanding this subject piece, what they are referred to in Geologic terms and layman/Jeweler name for these pieces. 🔹A number of these pieces were later sold to a San Francisco Jeweler and he left them insitu, sliced them and made jewelry pieces, and a match box container, among other things" These were so naturally beautiful. I would like to be educated on their details, and should I ever have an opportunity to purchase a piece, I want to be well advised. When you have time, if you could enlighten me, I'd be most appreciative. Thanks, Beth Bartlett Sociologist/Behavioralist and Historian Tennessee, USA
This is got to be the best information for anyone that ever hunts that shinny available on youtube ! Thanks for your time and sharing your lifetime of knowledge with us .
Glad you enjoyed the video.
Yes 8n va panning my creek
I just ❤ all the correct information you provide in all your videos. Clean and easy to follow. Thank you so much, keep the videos coming.
Lots of videos coming up. Glad you liked them. 👍
Been prospecting for quite awhile, found gold in GA, SD, AZ and WY. This video is SUPER informative, learned quite a bit. Thanks Ralph.
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for the kind words.
MR. RALPH. I just wanted you to know that I have spent the last several hours ENTRANCED watching your amazing videos. You are very knowledgeable about gold and every other aspect of the geology that has anything to do with gold bearing areas. Thank you for your time and attention to producing this amazing series of videos...
Wow, thanks for the kind words.
I'm a fan!!! Im so happy to have FOUND you!!! Im a full time van dweller, always in diff places with time to explore.THANK YOU for helping me in my journey.
Welcome aboard! Thanks for watching.
Thanks, Chris. This was very educational. I read all your columns in the Journal.
Glad you enjoyed the video. Glad you enjoy the magazine too.
Big thanks for putting these videos together. Invaluable info.
Glad you enjoyed the video.
@@ChrisRalph how about the vegetations or trees that grows on the area indicators? Maybe there's some hacks. Anyway ..thanks!
Third time I've watched this video - VERY informative, thanks for all you do, Chris...!
I am glad you enjoyed the video.
Very informative
Excellent video! Educational and inspiring. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge. I can't wait for my "Fists Full of Gold" book to arrive.
Glad it was helpful!
Loved your video, very informative. Ordered your book on Amazon. THANKS
Glad you enjoyed the video.
I come across your videos on KZhead recommendation, I'm glad it's very very educating.. 👌
Glad you enjoyed the video.
@@ChrisRalph thank you Sir
Si il est traduit en arabe il va avoir des millions des abonnés, il est très bien
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING YOU & PASSING ON YOUR KNOWLEDGE I LOVE AND APPRECIATE YOU!💚
Glad you enjoyed the video.
Great
ok
Really enjoyed this video with the geologic examples...a picture is worth a thousand words at times!
Glad you enjoyed the video.
Thanks for taking the time to make this video. I followed the Amazon link and bought your book. Looking forward to the read.
I think you will enjoy it! Glad you enjoyed the video.
Thanks Chris! I'm in Michigan and I really enjoyed your video. A lot of these same deposits can be found both in the lower and of course the upper peninsula. My wife and I are celebrating our 40th at the end of the month and will spend a long weekend prospecting. :))). Thanks for the advice!
Best of luck to you in your efforts.
some of the best tips I have seen.
Thanks for the kind words.
Fantastic video, informative...thanks for taking the time to make it...!
Glad you enjoyed the video.
I bought the book. Fists Full Of Gold, is my favorite book on finding GOLD. Thank you for this book.
I'm glad you enjoy it!
Hi Chris, really appreciate your sharing of the knowledge on gold fossicking. Wife and I are about to go to western Australia in few weeks; my brother in law is there already at meekatharra and has been detecting there for a few weeks already but has found nothing although the ground looks good ie quartz and iron stone everywhere. I am asking if this a normal experience for new prospectors ie just keep at it and learn to be patient, or is it better to keep moving around until an area is found? Kind regards Mike.
I spent 6 weeks prospecting around WA and Meekatharra was our supply point for food, groceries, gasoline, etc. Sometimes it takes a long time to get the hang of it. Be very careful to listen for faint but repeatable targets. Too many new blokes dig only loud boomer targets - which are often trash. Quartz and ironstone are very common things - quartz is made of silicon and oxygen, the two most common elements in the earth's crust. Ironstone is the first and third most common elements - oxygen and iron. Gold on the other hand is very rare. Decades of prospectors armed with detectors have come before you. Learn some geology, learn where others have gone and learn to recognize good areas when you have some success. Maybe get a copy of my prospecting book. There is actually a diggings named "Ralph's diggings" near Meeka. I never made it there but apparently some family members found it originally.
Now I know why you decided NOT to become a Geology Teacher. You have probably made much more as a prospector and you get to teach the willing as often as you like without the headaches. Sounds like you hit the "motherlode" in more ways than one. Fantastic information. Thank You So Much!
I enjoy what I am doing.
Another Sub, thanks for sharing this information Chris!
Thanks for the sub! I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
This video is like a heart of gold to me. Simple priceless!!! Looking forward to read your book.
Thanks!
Thank you looking forward to getting involved
Any time! Thanks for the kind words.
Very helpful! I would appreciate locale specific videos. I live in Shasta County, CA. I love the shale/serpentine info, and would be grateful for more details specific to my area. Thank you!
I get a number of requests for "tell me where I can find good gold in my own backyard" type videos. Problem is only you and the other folks who live in your backyard are interested. I've done a few and they end up as not very popular videos. As with your request, the folks in LA, San Diego, AZ, NV, MT and other locations are not interested in Shasta County. That is why I do more general stuff. I would encourage you to join a local prospecting club and also do some research on your own. There are lots of resources that can be found with Google. Start with Googling "Bulletin 193 Gold Districts of California". If you search carefully, you will find a version that can be downloaded for free as a PDF file. Do some reading in that book and you will learn a lot about the gold districts of Shasta and neighboring counties.
Canadian Prospector here with +20 years experience. Very well done! Definitely very professionally and educationally done! Well done sir!
Thanks much 👍 Hope it is helpful
I love your videos Chris, thank you for all the great info!. I wander if you can suggest a place I could find host rock information for Quebec / northern Great Lakes Canada so I can gain a better idea what host rocks I’m hunting while I prospect in Ohio.
There is plenty of info on the internet, use Goolge and do some searching, you will learn and you will become a better prospector.
G'day from Australia! Just watched 12 what not to do's! Thanks for the details, hoping your right about not spending (as cant afford), popular expensive detectors. I have purchased a couple of Kogan detectors,,,finding heaps of junk cleaning the bush, but no luck on yellow stuff! I'll keep swinging and hope for some shiny stuff. Cheers Paul
I said it was important to learn the skills of finding gold first, before you buy a detector. I did not say go out and by the cheapest detector you can find. Gold is hard to find and a lot of cheap detectors dont have the sensitivity to find anything but big targets (and big targets are mostly junk).
@@ChrisRalph what is the best metal detector & how much ? From South Sudan
If you want to find gold you have to invest on a professional metal detector, Minelab is the best. If you can't afford a GPZ 7000, buy a SDC 2300, forget the rest, otherwise you will keep on cleaning the bush from the rubbish for all the serious prospectors.
Thank you for the explanation on how quartz gets into the desert pavement! I just ordered your book, can’t wait!
Thanks and I am I'm sure you will enjoy it!
loved the video, very good information. What do you know about granodiorite and gold ? Will be looking into the book, thanks Rj,BC Canada
In some places granitic rocks like granodiorite are associated with gold. In other places they are not, so it depends on the place. Glad you enjoyed the video.
thanks I enjoy your videos they clear up a lot of what I thought I knew
Glad you enjoyed it!
Great content! My wife and I live in Wyoming and just start prospecting for gold. Keep the great videos coming! Thanks
many more on the way. Glad you enjoyed the video.
Thank you Ralph for sharing this video. I just received your book yesterday and already read the first 40 pages. So far I'm intrigued and I'm getting ready to build a bellow powered dry washer out of wood. Thank you again for taking the time to make these videos.
You are very welcome
I bought this book and it has a lot of good information. Thank you for all the hard work.
Glad you enjoyed it! Lots more videos to come.
New to prospecting, bought the book. I am originally from the Wyoming side of the Black Hills. My late Irish father panned for gold in the area. Wintering down in Wickenburg/Stanton, AZ. Following the family heritage. Love the video. Learned tons of knowledge. Thank you for sharing.
Glad you enjoyed the video.
Finally someone who knows what he's talking about on this subject. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks for the kind words.
Hey Chris great video, I had a question about the possibility of rich gold deposits being found near or directly on rich gem claims. I found several valuable gems on site but it just seems like the claim could be extremely rich in gold from a geological perspective. Also rich gold mines surround the wilderness within ten miles of the gem claim but my rock hound buddy’s think I’m crazy for the curiosity of rich gold being on the gem claims. Any ideas or thoughts on this Chris? Thank you for your time if you read this.
Without knowing anything of the geology, impossible to say....
Thank you very much. I have been struggling to find gold locations without using any expensive out of reach equipment. Thank you
Glad I could help
Love your vids, adding that info for our gold hunting this year coming 2020! Happy Holidays!
I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
@@ChrisRalph We are going out soon in 2020 back mountains/wood, deep searching for all kinds of areas. One thing your vids teach that hit home is that just because someone else didn't find it, does not mean it's not there.
Dig the videos. I have a question about placer structure in year-round water streams. Curious about high-water or flood channels that cut across point bars. I'm not sure what to call them exactly -- cutoff chutes? I was checking out a local river known to have a little gold, doing some sampling, and got to examining one of those high-water channels. There was a good amount of vegetation encroaching down near to the bottom of this flood channel, so I'm thinking that it takes a fairly major high-water event to fill it up. There were some big root masses in the channel, with long, narrow sand/gravel deposits extending behind them -- very well defined. Dug down right behind the root masses and there was a level of about 6-inch cobbles a couple feet down. Question is, do these sorts of deposits in point bar cutoff channels have much potential for flood gold? Thanks again for the videos. They've been educational.
without actually seeing what you are describing, its way hard to say if something would be good or not only by your description. I'd suggest sampling those spots to see if they are good. Glad you enjoyed the video.
We discovered our best gold ever by far in an area which sounds almost exactly like you described. It gets richer going towards the center of the stream channel.
@@capslockbandit - Very interesting. Maybe to make it clearer, this graphic shows pretty well what I'm talking about: photos.app.goo.gl/NiJVapULB83fTuzY7 I went back up on that river a few days ago and brought home some classified material from those sand/gravel deposits I was talking about. They were sort of up on the flood channel's bank a bit -- I guess when the water gets _really_ high, it overflows the high water chute channel thing, at which time the water encounters some big root mass obstructions and lays down a line of material behind them. Panned out about a quarter of a bucket. Tons of black sands -- magnetite and something non- or not very magnetic, ilmenite? -- and lots and lots of sparkly sulfides. So that would seem promising. But not even a single tiny color that I could see with my jewlers loupe. Thought there might be some very fine stuff in there, but if there is, there's not much of it, and/or it's super, ultra-fine. Guess I'll pan the rest of it out. But reading you comment, definitely going to check out the bottom of the (currently) dry channel. There are good-sized cobbles on the bottom and they are really sort of cemented in there flat, like a cobblestone street. See if I can gouge my way through that and get some samples -- also, looks like the bedrock shouldn't be all that far down.
I've found quartz and (maybe / likely) serpentine rocks on the Canterbury foothill peaks in New Zealand but never any gold, yet. I often see rocks that split into thin slabs too. Obviously the West Coast is a good option to search. I was wondering whether mountain peaks are an area that others find interesting pieces, or gold? Cool video, thanks!
Mountain peaks are not a special area where gold is likely to be found.
I always thought gold would be at the bottom of things not the top..generally speaking..
You’ll find Quarts all over New Zealand..there’s a beach by Bluff in Southland where the whole beach is made from Quartz stones and rocks..I was always told that 1ton of quartz crushed is equal to around 10grams of gold is that true
thank you for the information chris!
Glad you enjoyed the video.
I'm grand new at this and you are very helpful. Glad I found your channel...
I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
@@ChrisRalph oops just noticed my typos. 😊
Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and expertise!! I'm just learning so I'm on snail time .....gonna watch this video several more times.....I'm thinking a metal detector couldn't hurt( the price of buying one might!!)
Glad it was helpful!
You can get stuff cheaper from auction sites you can though.
You answered a lot of questions I had especially about the desert. I live in NM never been prospecting, but now I know more or less what to look for. I usually look for Ancient Native American artifacts. Tools and And effigies. I’ve often wondered if you could find gold around here. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
Glad it was helpful!
Biggest problem in NM is land ownership. There is gold in NM but you just really have to research if the land you will be prospecting on is owned by someone. Unfortunately a lot of the most accessible places to prospect are on someone's land
@@uzielvillatorres4207 Can you pan in the streams up north? It would be the Forest Service. Like Kit Carson Nat’l Forest.
Happy New Year chris and God bless you for work and help
May God bless you as well. I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
I really enjoyed every thing you talk about. Thank you 😊❤️
Glad you enjoyed it!
I would love to try being a gold prospector. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
Ok u
glad you enjoyed the video.
@@ChrisRalph hi deos this green rocks contains gold please answer me
Thanks Chris that's very informative! May Allah bless you for doing these explanations!
You are very welcome.
Morning Chris, Thanks for the great info on hacks to find gold...I never lose interest in your knowledge...
My pleasure!
Thanks Chris I'm watching from Australia so am enjoying to see the place where you have been in Aussie land. 🐨
I hope to return to the Lucky Country some day, but no plans to do so real soon. Glad you enjoyed the video.
Chris, the camera isn't close enough to your face to read your lips so when you mention an unusual mineral, I sometimes have to repeat that portion a few times to pick up its name. For example, at 7:26/35:26 you mention "glassen", I think. Would you please add a text word at those spots, to make it clear? Thanks. Love your videos. Everyone needs to understand these indicator points. Keep up the good work!
Its Gossan. For more info, google "Gossan ore" - you will get gobs of more info. Glad you enjoyed the video.
@@ChrisRalph Mr Ralph, Richard is correct, I was puzzling out the same spots, especially gossan. Thank you for your work here, by the way. It is a good video.
ps I think the video will send traffic to your site and sell some books. Best of luck, and good day to you!
This was a really nice video, very informative and well explained, thanks a lot for sharing your knowledge!! Greetings from Europe
Glad it was helpful! More videos to come.
Just ordered your book! Thanks, I dig your videos.
I'm sure you will enjoy it!
Another very informative video. The audio is much improved as well. Good job!
Working on the technical aspects. Trying to figure out why KZhead loads the videos small. Glad you enjoyed the video.
I'm just now starting to try and learn how to prospect for Gold and I have been watching your videos and I think you are more thorough than most people I have been watching, thanks for being a professional and helping me get the knowledge to go out and do it myself 👍
Thanks for the kind words and I am glad to help.
Hi, Chris is my first time watching your videos, your steps is very understandable. Thanks , Tina
Glad it was helpful!
Hi Chris. Thank you. Very informative video. I am from South Africa and will be going out and putting your knowledge to the test. Will also buy your book. Thanks o ce again. Mike
Thanks for the kind words. I'm glad you enjoyed the video!
appreciate the effort you put in thanks
Glad you like them!
Thank you, am a newbie. Learned a bunch. Will be in touch. Thanks again
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you for sharing your knowledge. You are very articulate teacher. I like your style and presentation.
I appreciate that!
great video, thank you so much for sharing your vast knowledge!
Glad it was helpful!
Great info Chris! Cheers from Maine!
Thanks for the kind words. Glad it was helpful!
I haven't seen your video all the way yet and I already appreciate you sharing knowledge. It's way more valuable then gold!
Glad you think so!
Very informative video. You have captured my imagination and adventure and I thank you for that.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Very helpful video, thank you from a new prospector.
Glad it was helpful!
Bought a copy of your book. Thanks for the info!
I am sure you will enjoy it!
very insightful.. thanks for the video. 👍⛏
Glad you enjoyed the video.
Your videos are pure gold . I learned so much. Now if I can put it to use around Reno .
Best of luck to you in your efforts.
Just Bought your Book ! Thank you ! Just started reading it !!
I'm sure you will enjoy it!
Much appreciate the geology hack lesson Chris.
Glad to hear it was helpful.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge what does the gold run in in north carolina
There is good amounts of gold in North Carolina. Glad you enjoyed the video.
Excited informations, thank you !!
Our pleasure! I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
Very informative video, Chris....between your book and the videos, anyone should be able to find the elusive GOLD...
Glad you enjoyed the video.e you find fists full! Glad you enjoyed the video.
Very informative and interesting; thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thank You for sharing your knowledge very very helpful
You are very welcome
Thanks for sharing . I got my equipment and itx thawing. Now I want to go prove my research.Im excited 😁
Best of luck to you in your efforts!
I find alot of understanding of where gems are mostly. Great expert man
Glad you enjoyed the video.
@@ChrisRalph i dont have borex when i m melting what should i mix it rocks and sands? Thanks Mr
Hi Chris really love this video, please do more like this because it really helps me with my work here at a contact near a pluton in upper South Carolina
I already have several like it - check out: kzhead.info/sun/gLV_ls5po4KqrX0/bejne.html and kzhead.info/sun/mLJto5R-m5d7lmg/bejne.html and kzhead.info/sun/esuCdbWNsWWmlZE/bejne.html
Thank you so much for these videos. I feel like I should be paying you tuition. Just ordered your book.
Awesome, thank you! I think you will enjoy the book.
@@ChrisRalph Looking forward to it! So far you're just about the only resource I can find that gives advice more precise than "go where gold has been found before." As a beginner, I truly didn't know whether that meant a 50 meter radius or a 50 mile radius. Your videos have been invaluable in the pursuit of bringing that vague truism into focus. Quick question for you, if you have a sec. I've been putting some of what I'm learning into practice by doing some "recon" on Google Earth. I've found a few spots that meet most of the geological, topographical, and historical criteria for finding gold. There's one spot in particular that I'd love to visit. It appears to be a drainage zone (and by that I mean that topographically it resembles a stream; it is a crease that winds through the lowest elevation between mountains.) It is at the bottom of a "bowl" that is surrounded by mountains on 3 sides. It is not a creek or stream, but if you follow the path of the drainage, it eventually becomes one (one that has yielded gold in the past.) Can dry drainage areas like this at the bottom of a "bowl" in the mountains be productive areas? Based on what I've learned so far (which isn't much,) I would think it'd be a good place for alluvial gold to concentrate, much like it would in a river or stream, but I have never seen such areas spoken of in the very few resources on prospecting I can find. Can you think of reasons such areas wouldn't make for good prospecting? Bedrock likely to be too deep for instance? Any insight would be much appreciated. Cheers
OUTSTANDING PRESENTATION, VERY INFORMATIVE AND SCIENCE BASED. YOU ARE A REAL PROFESSOR OF PROSPECTING ! 🇺🇸👍⭐
I appreciate that! I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
Amazing Information, thanks for sharing.
Glad it was helpful!
Great refresher course
Glad you enjoyed the video.
Great information, learning a lot thanks
Glad it was helpful!
Hi thanks for sharing your knowledge . I wonder to ask if you have any idea about gold north algeria? I ll appreciat your advise on that matter.
Glad you enjoyed the video. Do some research on your country and you may find out!
Chris i really love your videos. Would you mind me asking a question? If not, could an esker, a type of glaciation feature, ever be as rewarding or worth even looking at compared to a bench feature, for example?
Glaciers tear up and destroy placers, mixing them together in a jumble. Only when the moraines are reprocessed by erosion are the lighter materials washed away and the natural concentrations of gold re-formed. Generally, eskers are not very well sorted, only partly so. They are like partly sorted moraines and should be extremely low grade. Benches in actual streams are 50 times better prospects.
@@ChrisRalph wow thank you for such a detailed response. I appreciate it very much and I love the channel 👍 hello from Ireland 🇮🇪
It was a good question and deserved a good answer......
I’m new here, 3rd video- I’m watching this one now. So thorough how you explain things. Thanks, Chris 🤓💫☄️💥🔥
Glad it was helpful!
Hello Chris , thankyou for the video , a lot of good interesting information , about were gold is found , and the rocks that are found near gold .
Glad it was helpful.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge. How about the lake havasu area?any suggestions.
There is gold there but it is a national park.Get caught and I guarantee it will not be worth it.
Thank you very much you are amazing! Love it presentation, very clear easy to understand with pictures. I just started to getting to know where I live right now is there is a lots of gold and so on.
Glad it was helpful!
Awesome Information thanks. Just got your book.
Hope you enjoy it! - I am sure you will.
I have acquired a lot of information from this video. Thanks man, great work👍. Can you share another video teaching on geobotany
Glad it was helpful.
Great at explaining the facts so you can understand it all
I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
Great vid , im definitly gonna watch it agian !
Glad you enjoyed the video.
Excellent job, Sir.
Glad you enjoyed the video!
Hey Chris how are you awesome and amazing video !!! I actually need your help, I noticed when u showed the map at (11:48) I looked at San Francisco and it showed Hold there as well!!!, do you know possibly what Beach that could be in SF, great video again
Do some research on Google - its near fleishhacker zoo.
I Think These Are Excellent Video's Chris. You Put Alot Into Them Dear. You Really Love Your Field. It's Heartfelt, And You Love It, And It Does Show. You Really Put Your Heart Into It. Thankyou For Bringing These Things To Us. I am More NEWER Too Your Channel. I Enjoy Listening To You. Well, I Have Alot On My Plate, Dealing With Alot Of Medical, Sooh, I Have to Go For Now, Sooh, Too-ta-Loo, Until The Next Time, I Will Be Seeing You. Enjoy. Miss CoCo
Hope you get to feeling better and all your medical issues work out.
Great video heaps of vgood info.
Glad you enjoyed it
I have a copy of your book and it is excellent. Thank you.
Awesome, thank you! Hope it helps you find a Fist full of gold.