Well, a few months hence Hgfree hazards another appearance. I have been reading with considerable interest the variety of postings. I have gathered that this is a relatively wide-ranging forum which is a welcome change from some of the more restrictive ones out there.
I want to say something about what is rapidly becoming problematic, which is prospecting in general, whether using a pan or detector in the US. I can't help but think it's true, owing to
increasing pressure from the radical environmentalists. I have no quarrel with the concept of
conservation. I consider myself a conservationist. Anyone who maintains the idea that
the eroding away of our natural resources will somehow stand the test of time is simply
not conversant with the real world. However, what is becoming increasingly clear is that
a certain few individuals have managed to co-opt a larger community of otherwise sensible individuals into believing that prospectors and miners represent the end of the natural
world as we know it. For instance, I recall the head of the board of supervisors in Sierra
County, California, a county that for many decades depended on gold production for its
very existence, parading about in a t-shirt that read 'Mine Free by '93.' Such polarization
is even more apparent today. Far too often the extremists have won easy victories in the
law courts, and in the court of public opinion, given the paranoia about mining that has
seen wide acceptance in recent years. Whether as a pastime or vocation, many would-be prospectors or miners must be having second thoughts about getting started given the ever more restrictive measures that have been adopted in Ca. and elsewhere. Though not
by any means the only reason I chose to retire to Mexico, the growing evidence that the
US is fast becoming a country where individual freedom is valued less with each passing
day, is the most compelling. One can prospect and/or mine in Mexico with relative
impunity. Being a naturalized citizen is certainly an advantage, since I can stake a claim,
etc., in my own name. There are certain areas to steer clear of in Mexico. A few times
I've stumbled across serious marijuana and amapola (poppy) cultivations in Guerrero and
Michoacan but managed to get away unnoticed. A cautionary tale at least. According to
the governments own maps geocem anomalies in alluvials in the range of 500 ppm in the
states of Michoacan and Guerrero to name a few, are not uncommon. Few of these areas
have been prospected. Fewer still show claims in these areas. The mining laws here are
quite liberal and offer many incentives to the prospective mine operator. For the intrepid
gold prospectors among you Mexico is wide open, which is also true in most latin american
countries. Being able to speak and understand Spanish is a must for the serious mineral
explorer unless you can afford a translator. The dangers in Mexico are much exaggerated
by an overheated press. For the most part the interior is safe. I've traveled over and
tested quite a bit of ground here so if there are any questions I will try to answer them
as concisely and openly as I can. Sorry for being so long-winded, a tendency I have that
is probably the reason I've been so reluctant to correspond on these forums. Anyway, I
look forward to your replies. Thankyou for allowing me this space. Best to all,
Hgfree
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