Suction dredge mining does not harm fish and can actually improve fish habitat, scientists say. Claudia Wise and Joseph Greene, worked for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for more than 30 years. Wise is a retired physical scientist and Greene is a retired research biologist. Both scientists have done extensive research on the issue and cannot find any evidence to substantiate claims made by environmental activists that suction dredging harms fish or fish habitat. They say suction dredging can benefit salmon and other species of fish by improving habitat in rivers and streams.

National conference set for April 20, 2012 in Las Vegas:
OFFICIAL REGISTRATION
Gold Prospectors Association of America’s
2ND ANNUAL CHAPTER SUMMIT

Response has been incredible!  Please take this time to register by email gpaachapters@goldprospectors.org so that we can reserve your spot. Conference will start at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, April 20, 2012 and run till 4 p.m.

GPAA online poll results

The most recent GPAA online poll suggests that 17 percent or 234 survey participants have found more between one and six ounces of gold, while 72 percent (974) have found less than an ounce. At last count, four percent of repondents (48) said they’ve found between six and 12 troy ounces of gold, while three percent (36) said they have uncovered between 12 and 60 ounces. One percent (17) said they’ve found between 60-120 troy ounces of gold. Another one percent (9) claim to have found enough gold to make Gold Fever host Tom Massie blush and two percent (27) claim to have found more than GPAA founder, the late George ‘Buzzard’ Massie, himself — that’s hundreds upon hundreds of ounces of gold! For the full poll results or to cast your vote in the new March poll, which asks, “Have you ever been to a GPAA Gold & Treasure Show?”, please visit the GPAA home page: www.goldprospectors.org

Chapter Summit set for April 20 in Vegas

The Gold Prospectors Association of America is calling all elected local chapter officials to attend the second official Chapter Summit in Las Vegas this spring. The summit will be held the day before the Las Vegas Gold & Treasure Show at the South Point Hotel & Casino, April 21-22. Dominic Ricci, GPAA Director of Operations, is currently planning the all-day conference, which is slated for Friday, April 20, preceding the weekend show.

Remote Creosus location appeals to adventure-seeking gold prospectors

With all the recent media attention about skyrocketing gold prices and new reality TV shows about gold mining in Alaska, you would think prospecting is some kind of new fad. It isn’t. Gold prospecting has been going on in Alaska since the Klondike Gold Rush more than a century ago, long before Alaska officially became a state in 1959. The GPAA’s Alaska Gold Expedition has been escorting prospectors to the gold-laden beaches of Nome for decades. And, as part of its 30th anniversary celebration, GPAA’s Alaska Gold Expedition will host the grand opening of its newest prospecting camp, Creosus, this coming summer.

Due to the overwhelming popularity of the February/March issue of the Pick & Shovel Gazette, the GPAA has decided to make this particular issue available for anyone to download. GPAA Editor Content/Director Brad Jones said readers are enjoying the controversial, harder edge news stories in recent issue of the Pick & Shovel Gazette, especially when it comes to land rights. “This edition, more than any other issue of the Pick & Shovel, has been extremely well read by members and non-members,” Jones said.

Click here to download Pick & Shovel Gazette February March 2012

Some Southern Oregon and Northern California sheriffs have banded together to challenge the United States Forest Service on land rights issues. The sheriffs claim the federal agency is continually overstepping its bounds of authority and harassing citizens who are doing nothing more than exercising their rights to access public lands. They claim the U.S. Forest Service has been harassing civilians, mainly those involved in mining or prospecting.

OPINION — A clear-cut case for renewing focus on American Industry

Until we stop consuming minerals, someone is going to need to dig them up, somewhere. No environmentalist, no matter how eco-conscious, is able to reduce consumption down to nothing. The only way to completely stop consumption is to be dead.
Fortunately, there are eco-friendly ways to manage and regulate the mining and consumption of natural resources.

Our most recent outing was a blast! We had about 35 people attend the drywashing/nugget shooting outing through American Prospector Treasure Seeker at one of the GPAA Claims in Barstow, Calif. (Coolgardie area). We had participants from the age of seven on up into their seventies. What a great group of people!

A lot of investors have taken a liking to gold since 2008. After the recession hit America hard, anyone with a lot of cash from Wall Street bankers to Asian executives were looking at getting into the gold game to protect their capital, after the stock market wiped out fortunes and left many wealthy, white-collar workers suddenly on line for unemployment benefits.