Good article. It hits all the key points of prospecting. There are some other articles that deal more specifically with locating ancient riverbeds by examining topography, vegetation and rock types that are also good. One trick i've learned is to solicit good local information from RETIRED prospectors. My first stop in any new locale is the town "resthome". If you're in gold country, you'll find several old prospectors there who are willing to share their knowledge openly and freely without any reservation. Afterall, they're not in the game anymore. It's a great place to pick up tips and directions.