:,

INTRODUCTION

without
Thrs handbook has'been written to assist the man
inl'elligently'
31s33
technical education in prospecting such
placers
and to suggest means for equipping and operating 'tlie
outlay gf-ialcr and
at, the least cost to show a profit on ihe
described
,9gmat'd litt1e^more
rroney. Some of the methods
Ot'irers
than native ingenuity, a little cash, and':a'stlong back'

rncney for
will require the investmeni of a modest amou.t't of
to desmipequipment. No space in this book has been de?oted
tuption of methods that involve substantial investttents' bi
ital, hov,-ever impottant they may be in c6ntributing to

hydraunational output of goid. For this reason, dredg-ing and

licking, the largest fact'ors in the mining of alluvial deposit's'
amount of
have received small mention in t]-se pages, as the
thern
capital and engineerlng esperience required for them P'rt

of tlLe sillail c rle::''ior'

recThe methods and equlill='-- 'iescribed in this book are
o camps:
ommended as having plor-ec1 iheir merit in scores
an
important
for
they have unquestionably been responsible
for
proportion of the world's gold' In obtaining the materiai
the text I have consulted the publications of the Geological
of tha
Survey and the Bureau of Mines, as well as those
technical pres''
states where placer mining is important' The
oi Mining
and professionai papers of the American lristitute
much vaiuable ma
and \{etallurgicai Engineers have yielded
terial. Constructive criticism of the text' has been receivecl
t'o col'from several experienced placer engineere' in additicn
all of rvhich I an
respondence from others in the fieId, for

out, of reach

indebted.

contribute to making the work of

search of gc
courageous men who go ottt, into the hil1s in

If this book shall