Gemstone mining in Vietnam has caught on quit impressively over the last few years. However, gems were discovered here back in 1987 in the Luc Yen area of Yen Bai province. Compared to many of the mining ventures around the world, the discovery of valuable gems in Vietnam is centuries late. There are now a […]
Recent Posts
These are the recently added posts to RareGoldNuggets.com
The 953 Ounce Gold Nugget found in Victoria | Epic Historical Find
Australia is no stranger to large gold finds. There have been some monsters found here. Victoria in particular was famous for some exceptionally large nuggets. A region that came to be known as the “Golden Triangle” has produced some of the continents most spectacular discoveries. In fact, many of the world’s largest gold nuggets came […]
How Detectorists Can Find Big Gold Nuggets in 2021 (And Beyond)
If you just bought a metal detector for the first time, there’s a good chance that the dealer who sold it to you didn’t fill you in on something… The well-known goldfields have been getting “flogged” for decades, and the easy pickin’s are long gone. Finding gold nuggets was never easy, but it was sure […]
Gold in Central Montana | The Judith & North Moccasin Mountains
Fergus County in Montana has two distinct gold deposits. What makes them unusual is the location. Right in the heart of Central Montana, they are quite a long distance away from the large mineral deposits in the western side of the state. These two mining districts were primarily lode deposits, and most of their production […]
Richest Gold Mining Areas in the Selkirk Mountains
The Selkirk is an expansive mountain range that cuts across the border of the United States and Canada. The scenic mountain range starts off from the northern part of the Idaho Panhandle and stretches across the eastern parts of Washington State before reaching across the border of British Columbia. The Selkirk Mountains have long been […]
Old Photos of Historical Bucketline Gold Dredges in Oregon
The arrival of bucket-line dredging brought a spike in gold production throughout the Oregon goldfields. The first use of these massive machines often began in the late 1800s, but they were used well into the 20th century. The large volume of gravel that they were able to process allowed them to work ground that was […]
Mackay, Idaho and the White Knob Mining Company
The quiet town of Mackay in the valley of the White Knob Mountains has a rich history. This history dates back to the late-1880s when the White Knob Mountains emerged as a popular mining area. Mining activities started shortly after the discovery of copper in 1879. For a short period, Cliff City and the White […]
Detecting Old Drywash Piles to Find Missed Gold Nuggets
Gold prospectors in arid regions are limited in the ways that they can recover gold. Many of the methods that work elsewhere are not feasible in the desert. The reason is simple. Water is the basic requirement for a wide variety of placer mining methods. Panning, sluicing, dredging, high banking, and even using a simple […]
Hydraulic Gold Mines of Dutch Flat, California
Dutch Flat is considered one of California’s richest historic gold mining sites. For a time, this mine in Placer County was bustling with activity. The ground was heavily claimed and worked extensively for decades. The site is now very popular, sitting right alongside Interstate 80 on the pass between Sacramento and Reno. When gold was […]
Gold Mining during the Early Roman Empire
Before we get to mining in Rome, it is important to state first of all that metalworking was not invented in the Roman Empire. These techniques were already very common in Italy as early as the Bronze Age, roughly around 53 BC. However, the expansion of the Roman Empire meant that demand for metal was […]
The Rich History of Mining in Metaline Falls, Washington
The town of Metaline Falls, a pale shadow of its former self is situated in Pend Oreille County. This active town of just 250 residents once stood as the trading center for mines that produced silver, gold, lead, and zinc. The availability of minerals and easy access to the miners prompted the settlers to name […]
Digging for Gold at the Libby Creek Recreational Prospecting Area
Libby Creek in Montana is one of the best places in Montana to prospect gold. It’s also one of the few publicly accessible sites where a casual prospector can spend the day panning in an area known to have gold. Historically, Libby Creek was not the richest gold mining sites in the state. There was […]
Ferry County, WA | Gold Mining in Republic
The city of Republic in Washington State was founded by gold prospectors over 110 years ago. Although it is known for its proud mining history, it also has a strong logging history and many recreational activities. Republic is a beautiful open wilderness tucked along the valley between Wauconda and Sherman Passes, just at the intersection […]
The Gold Mining Districts of El Dorado County, CA
This is where to California Gold Rush started. The gold deposits throughout El Dorado County were extensive and rich, attracting thousands of men to the goldfields. Gold was dug and stakes were claimed. The rivers were full of gold nuggets, but perhaps even richer were the ancient tertiary channels high above were even richer. Lode […]
Gold Panning in Southwest Washington | Lewis River & Gifford Pinchot NF
Gold deposits aren’t widespread in Southwest Washington, but there are a few locations where a diligent prospector can find a bit of color. There was never much of a “gold rush” here. There was some small short-lived excitement in a few areas, but the deposits were never rich enough to attract much interest. Yet if […]