Books/Suggested Reading

[Hillbilly Joe]

I am curious what books and resources you guys would suggest to a new prospector just starting and learning. Thank you in advance!

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Agony and Death on a Gold Rush Steamer: The Disastrous Sinking of the Side-Wheeler Yankee Blade - Grab it through Amazon!

[rocme44]

There are many good books for beginners, but more info can be obtained by joining a local club. That info would be specific to your area.

Welcome to a rewarding hobby, good luck.

 

[PaulieNoNuggets]

I'm currently about halfway through 'Fists full of gold' by Chris Ralph. So far seems to be quite good as far as the basics are concerned, though I'm hoping for a bit more depth in the second half. I've learned a few handy tips from it, but mostly so far it's covering what I've already learned from this forum and from looking at youtube videos and other prospecting sites. If you want all the information in one place rather than having to go scouring through old posts and internet videos I'd say this book is a pretty good place to start.
Check out used books on Amazon - I got 'Fists full of gold' for just under $20, and scored the 'Handbook for Prospectors' by Richard Pearl for only $5. Sorry, can't give you a review on that second one yet as I haven't started it

 

[Jimmydolittle]

Someone on here posted a whole lot of books that could be downloaded, a couple months back, might do a search to see if you can find them. I don't recall who posted it.

 

[Terry Soloman]

I second 'Fists full of Gold,' by Chris Ralph.

 

[Fullpan]

For an account of 1930's depression era mining, before all the restrictions - "Bacon and Beans From A Gold Pan" - ck Amazon for it. It will get your motor running.

 

[Goodyguy]

An old thread but a good source of free reading material.
Click here for the motherlode of free books on prospecting and gold

Scroll down the thread for more picks.

 

[goldenmojo]

Diary of a 49er Free on Google Books

The Diary of a Forty-niner - Google Books

 

[rodoconnor]

All of Jim Straight's books.K. Von Mueller's Dredging and his Vibrostatic Concentrator book [ if you can find it]. Always something to be learned from KVM

 

[dave wiseman]

Besides The Handbook for Prospector's by Richard Pearl and the older editions of the same book by VonBernewitz,try and find How to find Gold by the late great Aussie author Ion Idreiss.

 

[midnightmoon]

For an account of 1930's depression era mining, before all the restrictions - "Bacon and Beans From A Gold Pan" - ck Amazon for it. It will get your motor running.

(+ 1) on the "Bacon & Beans ..." it will definitely stoke the fever. Loved it. (not a how-to, but a fascinating bio).

For knowledge & technique (+ 1) to what PaulieNoNuggets suggested -- "Fists Full of Gold".

And one of my favs still is one of my first: "Recreational Gold Prospecting for Fun and Profit" by Gail Butler. She is a third generation prospector, following her Dad and Grampa.

 

[goldenmojo]

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