Chris sent me a copy of his epic book on prospecting. Wow , I am at a loss for words to fully describe what a help this will be to anyone who looks for placer or elluvial gold, no matter what equipment is used. It has everything. Geology, how to use equipment, how to choose a detector , how to research gold bearing areas, how to use maps and aerial photos, Geo maps, and the list goes on. This will be the prospectors bible. It's still in the refining stages, but it looks to me that it isn't far from going to the printer once some typos are corrected. Add this to your collection along with Jim Straights books and you won't need much more in your library. Fantastic job Chris, hurry it up, every prospector needs this.----Bob

Chris ,when will yuo have your book on the market. Let me know as I want one.
Harry

Montana is ever so correct!!! Chris Ralph's book is the most comprehensive single volume on gold hunting I have ever seen...and I have bought and read a ton of prospecting/detecting/geology books.

( too bad most of the info goes in and runs right out)

I was fortunate to get a peek when I met up with Chris and company in Sierra City.

I have my place reserved in the first run, I hope...

Fred

Chris,
If you get the book completed in time, bring a bunch of them to the AZO outing this coming spring and make sure to set one aside for me.

Thanks, Mike

I was going to say the same thing before finishing reading all of Montana Bob's comments, sounds like a prospector's bible, can't wait to pick one up.

Chris
I along with a legion of other prospectors look forward to your book hitting the market.
We all know you are a gold mine (pun intended) of information.
Put me down for a copy.
Will you be signing them for us??
Bob

I will be in line too. I look forward to it Chris. I really enjoyed the show on the Prospecting Channel of you and your turquoise mine. Good hunting Chris and be safe always !

John Tomlinson,CET

Put me down for a copy also and maybe multiple copies for our Club, Rocky Mountain Prospector's and Treasure Hunter's (www.rmpth.com). Newbies can always learn from the Pros!

Bill

Thanks Bob!

I appreciate your kind words.

The version Bob has read is fully complete but pretty rough, and still has a lot of typos. That version reflects where I was about the middle of September, so a lot of polish, repair and editing have taken place since then. I have found that editing really is a tough job! When you read things you have written yourself, you tend to insert missing words, correct mistakes in your sentences, etc. You do it in your head because you know exactly what you meant to say. Other folks don’t necessarily automatically know what you meant. Because it’s so long, it’s taking a lot of time to edit. The book is over 225,000 words, on 360+ pages with loads of illustrations and photos. I’ve had it essentially done (except for editing) since mid August, but the editing is taking far longer than I expected. I still hope to have it done and to the printer by December 1, and if I run past that date it won’t be by much. The book should be all printed up and in my hands in early January.

I promise that it won’t be a secret and it will be posted on all the forums when it becomes available. The price will be $29.95.

Some of the highlights of what the Book covers:
 The basics of prospecting and finding gold, including:
• The fact that there is lots of gold is still out there to be found
• How to pan, sluice, dredge and dry wash for gold
• An extensive section on metal detecting, perhaps the best on the market
 Building your own equipment: including your own sluice, dredge or dry washer
 How to deal with and get the most out of your black sands
 How to get the best prices for your gold, specimens and nuggets
 A full coverage of the geology of gold and silver mineral deposits:
• All about minerals and how to identify them
• Minerals associated with gold deposits
• Rocks: what they are and how to identify them
• Basic geology for the prospector in an understandable form
• A detailed explanation of placer geology and how paystreaks form
• A detailed explanation of hard rock geology and how gold deposits form
• How to recognize many types of hard rock gold and silver deposits
 How to do research to find your own rich concentrations of gold
• Using and understanding topographic maps, aerial photos and GPS
• How To use Geology Maps To find Gold
 Signs and indicators of gold deposits you want to look for in the field
 How to prospect for commercial deposits of gold and silver
 Mining Law and How to stake your own Claim
 Platinum placers and deposits – How to prospect for them
 Diamonds in Placers – How to recognize them
 Maps of where to find gold in the US and Australia

Hey Chris,

I'm pretty sure I'm on a want list for one of your long anticipated books, but if not, put me down for one copy, please,
and of course, I would like it signed by you!

I didn't get to see you in the goldfields this year, but hope to in the future.

Thank you!

Gary/ ~LARGO~

Hey Chris,

I know I have asked to be put on the list on numerous occasions so this is probably just over kill ... just want to be sure that I am there. I'll be in AZ the whole month of February and will be staying at the Sierra Vista in Congress like last year ... I assume you will be at the AZO outing so will at least see you then if not before.

Thanks again for the info on that gold extraction scheme I wrote to you about a couple months ago. Your information saved the day for my friend ... or at least she hasn't spoken about it lately!

Mike F

Morning Chrus: The book sounds great and I'd appreciate you adding my name to the list of those who want your book.

Don

Sounds like a great book put me down for one also. Thx d dog

Cool !!!!

Well Gosh... Great for Reno Chris.... Mackay Rules... A new book is needed... Welcome to
the "club."

Chris... Over the months I have had rumors and snippets of information that that you had
a book in the fire... With gold at an alltime high, it will sell well...

I plan on being at the January Gold Show in Lancaster; maybe I can buy a copy then?

My Best... Tailgate Jim Straight.

Hi Jim -

No question - Mackey rules!

The book has been under construction since 2001, so its been a very long term project.

I do plan on being there and having copies for sale at the Lancaster GPAA show.

I hope it sells well, as I plan on having 3000 copies printed. It may take me a while to sell all those copies, but I am clearing space in the garage for long term dry storage.

Isnt the price of gold amazing? We all wonder how high it will go. It certainly will attract interest in prospecting. Its kind of like 1975 all over again, because we will see interest in prospecting grow with the price of gold (only a very few of us remember prospecting back 35 years ago!).

Chris

Well Chris... quite a coincidence that we both have cleared out our garage to store
a "big" book... For me, only 28 copies per full sized box ... My first printing was 2,000
which means a lot of room.. keep them off the floor well covered...

Welcome to the Big-Book club... My final revision of my big book weighs 2 lb. 2.5
ounces and the last update was in March 2004... 324 pages... Mine started out to be
an article in the 1983 issue of Western & Eastern Treasures Silver & Gold Annual,
but it was rejected as being too long (3,400 words).

Sorta scary for Ol' Dear Me... I originally wrote it on an APPLE-11 GS with a
dot-matric typewriter... needed two separate disks... No spell check, used
a dictionary... One think for sure: I Likely will hold the "recoord as binfge teh 'typow' kinge."

Also... I thank all of those who over the past 30 plus years have read my articles and
books... without all of your support I would have a garage filled with books and
unpublished articles... I started out as a rag-tag kid in Ely, Nevada and have made
my way since I was 16 in 1946... Lucky I be!

Congradulations Chris! I sure would be up for a copy. I hope to be at the Stanton outing.

Errante Hombre