Geology is the scientific study of the Earth, its structure, properties, processes, and the history of life on Earth. It includes the study of rocks, minerals, and the forces that have shaped the planet, as well as the study of the Earth’s atmosphere, oceans, and biosphere. Geologists use a variety of techniques, including fieldwork, laboratory analysis, and remote sensing, to investigate the Earth’s materials and structures, and to understand the processes that have shaped our planet over time.

💠Throughout much of human history, many people have been fascinated with gold.

💠 Almost every civilization has prized this special metal.

💠The first question everyone has is “How do I find gold?”

After much effort over the millenia, people have developed lots of ways to find that precious metal.

💠Sometimes, mother nature herself provides hints about where she is hiding some gold.

💠One of these natural indicators can be found by looking at the plants and soil where you think gold might be hidden.

Always remember that gold is rarely found in large chunks.

💠It will either consist of tiny flakes, or as thin streaks of material within rocks.

💠 In fact, prospectors refer to the tiny gold flakes found in river sands as “colors.”

💠Plants Which Might Grow Near Gold

💠The easiest and most common way of searching for gold is known as placer mining.

💠 This refers to finding gold found away from its original underground site and moved over time.

💠 Placer mining is most frequently done either at the bottom of streams or where streams used to flow.

Cottonwood trees, which grow in wet areas will also grow over top of the areas where streams used to flow.

💠Although an old stream bed may be dry on the surface, there may still be dampness underground.

💠Even though the trees don’t necessarily indicate that gold is there, they (or any type of riparian plant for that matter) may help you to locate a placer gold source if you are in gold country.

💠One of the plants which often grow in areas over gold deposits is the horsetail plant.

💠Horsetail plants were often used by miners in the past as a guide to where gold might be found.

💠 It can tolerate the existence of heavy metals in the soil, which has made people believe gold may be nearby.

💠 Ironically, the horsetail plant also had a practical use for prospectors during the gold rush.

💠 It was primarily used for washing pots and pans.

💠The Desert Trumpet is another indicator that helps prospectors know where to look for gold.

💠 They require more mineralization in the soil than most desert plants.

💠 The red dirt the Desert Trumpet grows in is likely near heavy metals like gold.

💠The Trumpet is most commonly found in arid parts of the American Southwest.