However, that area has lots of free milling gold that has been liberated from sulfides, making gravity concentration a perfectly viable exploration technique. Also, it's a hobbiest claim; I'm not trying to raise money for diamond drilling, to pump a stock or to option the claim.
]]>1. West Africa: The New "Golden Corridor"
West African nations—particularly Ghana, Guinea, and Nigeria—are experiencing a paradoxical economic shift. While gold prices at $5,600+ per ounce provide a massive revenue boost for mines, the collapse of traditional Middle Eastern shipping and flight routes has created a logistics bottleneck. Buy Gold Bars
The Pivot to Domestic and Intra-African Logistics
The "Lobito Corridor" Expansion: With sea routes through the Red Sea compromised, the Lobito Corridor (linking Angola, Zambia, and the DRC) has become a vital artery. It allows minerals to reach the Atlantic coast directly, bypassing high-risk zones in the East and North.
Algeria’s Western Mining Railway: A 950km rail line now connects deep-inland West African mining basins to northern Mediterranean ports. This has shifted heavy equipment transport from costly, dangerous road haulage to high-volume rail.
Local Value Addition: To avoid the "shipping penalty," countries like Ghana are fast-tracking domestic gold refineries. The goal is to export finished bullion via air freight to hubs like Switzerland or London, bypassing the congested storage facilities in Dubai.
2. Southeast Asia: The "Asia for Asia" Strategy
Southeast Asia (ASEAN) has responded to the 2026 maritime crisis by turning inward. Since shipping heavy equipment to Europe now takes 15 extra days around the Cape of Good Hope, the region is doubling down on "intra-regional" trade.
The Rise of "Near-Sourcing"
Short-Sea Shipping: Instead of relying on global mega-carriers that are currently avoiding the Middle East, ASEAN firms are using smaller, regional "feeder" vessels to move equipment between Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia. This keeps supply chains within protected, stable waters.
The "Asia Plus One" Standard: Global firms are no longer just diversifying away from China; they are building "redundant" heavy manufacturing hubs in Vietnam and Malaysia. This ensures that if one maritime chokepoint closes, equipment can be sourced from a different regional node.
Digital Integration (DEFA): In 2026, the Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) has gone live. It allows for paperless customs and interoperable QR payments across ASEAN, slashing the time heavy machinery spends sitting in ports—a critical saving when freight rates are $4,000 higher per container.
3. The Impact on Heavy Equipment Sourcing
For developers and industrial managers in 2026, the "Golden Rule" of procurement has changed:
]]>B.C.’s long-standing anti-nuclear policies don’t just forbid the use of nuclear power in B.C. – it also forbids the mining and exploration sector from even looking for nuclear power fuels – uranium and thorium.
A seven-year ban on thorium and uranium exploration was implemented in 1980 by the Bill Bennett Social Credit government and renewed in 2009 under the Gordon Campbell Liberal government – a move that ended up costing taxpayers millions in compensation to companies that had exploration licences expropriated.
Canada is already the world’s second-largest producer of uranium, with provinces like Ontario and Quebec benefiting from its economic potential. With nuclear energy playing a key role in global carbon reduction strategies, B.C. should position itself as a leader in supplying the necessary resources.
What are your thoughts on this ?
The main sources I use include the EMPR Annual Reports, The ARIS search on IMAPBC and MINFILE search via MTO. I also do a search on google and archives. I found a great resource of information at the West Kootenay Chamber of Mines for information on Crown Grants and historic mines of the area.
I just started researching the Yukon via the GeoYukon site.
Is there any other methods of Historical Data Compilation you prefer or use?
If you would like a Historical Data Compilation done on your property, feel free to reach out.
]]>There's not really any excuse to repeat the mistakes that miners on the show have made now that 'case studies' in each episode are available.
What are some of the lessons you have learned from their show?
Be very specific --- anything from prospecting, finding and testing new ground, to transporting material, hoppers, trommels, distribution boxes, sluices, matting, multiple sizes and sections of expanded metal over alternating miner's moss and astroturf / fake grass carpet, plus a cleanup process, gold room, etc.
]]>Thank you for the reminder! I renewed my FMC and saved my claim from Forfeit! You guys are awesome. We have two claims on Vancouver Island that my Wife and son work when we have access (Mosaic Strict access policy). Safe days out there everyone and good luck!
]]>I spent a lot of time watching geology talks online during the Covid. Most of the following are academic economic geology oriented, but maybe of interest to some folks. I would be keen to have other links, so please feel free to respond here with additional links.
Let's try to keep this forum thread focused on geology talks, please. We can start another thread for other types of videos people might be interested in.
]]>I'll scope this thread to gas engines only.
Here are some example builds (not necessarily the 'best', but certainly some of the lightest and most portable:
4 stroke engine - build #1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFvqLJlrRRw
2 stroke string trimmer engine - build #2 (pan or bucket underneath)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmVJBJl-Zn4
2 stroke string trimmer engine - build #3
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/lCrf3BQ9VRo
4 stroke engine - build #4 (tow hitch impact mill)
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/0zuhA-8wQ1w.
4 stroke engine - Dodgy home made crusher - build #5
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/f9sBrjEu04A
EXAMPLE: MINERAL EXPLORATION PROMPT #1
(Attach your PDF in the AI form)
"This PDF contains details about a [DEPOSIT_TYPE] gold deposit on the _____ property near _____, BC, Canada.
Please read this PDF and identify:
Any flaws in historical mining work in the early 1900’s
Any flaws in exploration strategy by the author of the report, plus what they should have done instead
Any ways to use modern geologic and mineral exploration knowledge, tools and techniques plus other modern technologies to gain a better understanding of this gold deposit"
]]>A number of these operations had multiple shareholders, large bills for fuel and workers, and other expenses, and the financial losses were too great to continue. That doesn't mean they didn't get any gold.
With a modern understanding of geology as well as geophysics, geochemistry and other exploration methods plus modern technologies (e.g. drones, XRF, even computer vision and machine learning, AI, etc), could any / some of these small past producers become profitable for a solo operator running a portable crushing and sluicing circuit? If one can't afford a shaker table, The PopAndSon sluice (1/2" and 3/16" expanded over miner's moss, slow, even flow, moderate feed) reportedly captures 85% down to 300 mesh, (or Gold Cube etc) so major sluice losses from stamp mills (e.g. only capturing 40-60% of hard rock gold) are a thing of the past.
One hard rock example of a past producer in the Okanagan I can think of ran 11 grams per ton Au on the plates. At today's spot prices under the fictitious scenario of selling gold at today's spot price (approx $150 CAD/gram), that would be $1,650 per ton. Even at spot -20% that would be $1,320 CAD per ton.
If a solo operator could do 0.5 tons per day that is a decent little side hustle.
In your opinion, which modern methods, technologies and levels of understanding with geology, geophysics and geochemistry could turn some of these small past producers into a profitable and fun venture for a solo operator?
Note: I am not talking about the standard hard rock exploration model of a prospector optioning a property to a junior for diamond drilling to pump up a stock price to create equity. Instead, I'm interested in whether modern knowledge, methods and technologies can enable a solo miner to better understand a deposit, such that a profitable mining plan and cost structure can be developed.
]]>Watch the video and see for yourself:
The credit applies to exploration for all base and precious metals, coal and some industrial minerals. Drilling expenses for oil and gas do not qualify. Mining exploration expenses for oil and gas incurred after February 22, 2024, no longer qualify for the credit.
Qualified mining exploration expenses may include expenses incurred in the course of:
The credit is calculated as 20% of qualified mining exploration expenses less the amount of any assistance received or receivable. Assistance includes reimbursements you have received or are entitled to receive, as well as grants, subsidies, rebates and forgivable loans.
Mineral exploration in Mountain Pine Beetle affected areas
An enhanced rate of 30% is available for qualified mineral exploration undertaken in prescribed Mountain Pine Beetle affected areas.
Claiming the credit
You claim the credit when you file your T1 Income Tax Return, by completing and attaching the British Columbia Mining Exploration Tax Credit (Individuals) form (T88).
To claim a share of a partnership's tax credit, members of a partnership must also file a completed British Columbia Mining Exploration Tax Credit Partnership Schedule (T1249).
You must claim the credit no later than 18 months after the end of the tax year. The credit is fully refundable but must first be applied against total income tax payable. There are no carry-forward or carry-back provisions.
Here's how mine works:
Note this is from memory; I haven't actually flown a survey since 2023!
I have found that with my relatively fast and RAM-rich computer (32GB, was top of the line 2.5y ago), I can create photogrammetric 3d surfaces and very good orthophotos for up to ~600 drone photos this way. Beyond that, my computer can't hold enough of the images in memory for analysis (there may be other ways to compensate for this, I'd say I'm an intermediate amateur WebODM user, but I haven't been able to thread that needle). There is a possibility through WebODM to access "Lightning" a super-computer processing network for larger datasets, but it is a paid service and requires an account that I've never bothered to create.
]]>Not all of bc is available but this could be a very useful tool for prospecting
Check it out and tell me what ya think
]]>Check it out:
T
Watch this space, course coming soon!
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