North Carolina is one of the richest gold mining states on the East Coast, with a history that dates back over 200 years. Back in the early 1800s, thousands of men were scouring the creeks, rivers, and mountains in search of riches. The mining activity today is a far cry from what it once was, […]
Recent Posts
These are the recently added posts to RareGoldNuggets.com
Remote Gold Mines in Idaho’s Nez Perce National Forest
The Olinghouse District in Washoe County, NV | Gold Mining Areas
One of the more interesting gold deposits in Nevada is found about 35 miles east of Reno in Washoe County. There are a few things about the Olinghouse district that make it unusual. First, it is the only significant mining district in Washoe County. And second, the mines here produce some very interesting crystalline gold. […]
A Mini Gold Rush at Rock Creek | British Columbia near the WA Border
While the Fraser Gold Rush saw American miners arrive at the River in droves, a small gold rush was happening near the boundary between Canada and the United States. This area is known as Boundary Country, located to the east of southern Okanagan Valley and to the west of the West Kootenay. In 1858, two […]
San Diego Gold Prospecting | California Desert Mining
This article is going to take a look at a few gold mining areas way down in the Southern California desert. Of course, this area is generally overlooked and gets almost no attention in the history books. Perhaps that is for good reason. The gold strikes in Northern California certainly overshadowed these relatively small gold […]
8 Locations to Find Fossils in Idaho
This article covers a variety of different areas in Idaho where you can find fossils. Please note that some of these areas do allow collection for personal use, but many areas are off-limits to collecting! I am going to include these locations to make this a good comprehensive list, but please be aware of any […]
Natural Gold Display at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science
Those of us who take an interest in gems and mineral are often saddened to hear how many great specimens were destroyed by the early miners. At a time when most gold was only priced for its assay values, even large nuggets and crystalline gold specimens were often crushed and melted. Many of the largest […]
The California Gold Rush & The Rise of San Francisco
Diamonds found in California | Exceptionally Rare… but YES!
There are a few locations in California where diamonds have been found. However, the overall occurrence of these gemstones is quite rare, and there are no true diamond mines active in California. Most of the documented finds have been made by gold miners. The diamonds are not in hard rock. Rather, they are found as […]
Gold, Gems, Rockhounding & Treasure Hunting in Hawaii
We write a lot about gold prospecting opportunities in the United States. Many people are surprised to learn that gold can be found in almost all 50 states. I’ve got some bad news for you Hawaii… this is one place where you aren’t likely to find any natural occurrences of gold. The geology simply isn’t […]
Gold Panning in the Molalla River Recreation Area
This is a pretty little river that drains from the western flanks of the Cascade Mountains in northwest Oregon. The entire drainage is within Clackamas County, from its headwaters up near Bagby Hot Springs to where it drains into the Willamette River near Wilsonville. The Molalla River is one of the better areas for prospectors […]
Labradorite – Where to Find it & How it is Mined
Discovery and Source Labradorite is a mineral which was first discovered on Paul’s Island in Labrador, Northeast Canada. It has been known by Inuits native to this area for millennia, and more recently found by Moravian missionaries in the late 18th Century. Other deposits of the mineral have been found in Newfoundland, as […]
Gold, Minerals & Treasures of the Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon is one of the most famous canyons in the world for its magnificent beauty. Less known are the stories of various gold and riches hidden there. At the peak of the early gold rushes in Arizona and California, this area was mainly ignored by miners. Although some minor gold deposits were found, […]
Mining Gear that Every Gold Prospector Should Own
Gold prospecting does not have to be expensive! Occasionally some new gold pan or other do-dad hits the market that claims to “revolutionize” the way that we find gold. Truth be told, the ways that we find gold nowadays isn’t much different than it was during the Gold Rush. There are lots of guys out […]
Delaware Gold Prospecting | Don’t Expect to Get Rich
As one of the smallest states in the United States and the second smallest in terms of landmass, Delaware is definitely not at an advantageous position in terms of gold and other natural resources. Despite prospecting and perhaps some mining in the yesteryear, no considerable gold deposit has been found. That is even though Delaware’s […]