Tourists will naturally desire to visit some of the towns, where they can observe closely the various operations connected with gold-mining, which is such an important industry of California. This can be done by leaving the main line of railroad at any station in the mining-region and going a little way into the country. Indeed, on the main line of the Central Pacific are several towns, where almost the only occupation of the people is gold-digging.

In the early days of lode gold mining, stamp mills were used for crushing the ore. Where there was free gold in the ore, a silver-plated copper plate was placed so that the discharge through the screen from the mortar, with the addition of water, flowed down over this plate which was coated with quicksilver, allowing the free gold to become amalgamated and retained on the plate. The man who operated such a mill was called an amalgamator.

As the title suggests, the subject matter in this book deals for the most part with the examination and testing of placers. It is intended primarily as a guide for the professional mineral examiner who examines mining claims located on public lands of the United States.

Calico Dorsey is a childrens book based on the real story of Dorsey, a dog that delivered mail in the boom town of Calico, California.

When the Berkley mine broke out afire the other day in Butte, Montana, sending five hundred men to the surface and suspending operations for a month in one of the biggest producers of the greatest mining camp on earth -- the camp that gives to the world's market one-fourth of its copper production -- the sight of the flames and smoke didn't cause as much as a ripple of excitement on the surface of the busy population at the foot of the hill, for Butte is accustomed to a mine fire that is perpetual and which burns with intense heat in the ground under her very business district.

I recently had the opportunity to visit the Western Museum of Mining & Industry in Colorado Springs, Colorado. WMMI's slogan is "The Museum that Works", a reference to the numerous pieces of antique machinery that are in working order and are operated during tours by the museum staff.

Ghost Towns and Mining Districts of Montana, by Terry Halden, is the definitive guide to the ghost towns and mining districts of Montana. This extensive work contains information and photos on over 300 ghost towns and 179 mining districts.

The most comprehensive study of John Cleveland Osgood to date, From Redstone to Ludlow covers events from 1892, when Osgood and his associates organized the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company, to 1917, when Osgood signed a contract with the United Mine Workers of America, marking the end of his long history of battling the union.

This comprehensive treatment of the smelting industry of Colorado, originally published in 1979 and now back in print with a new preface by the author, details the people, technologies, and business decisions that have shaped the smelting industry in the Rockies.

The Spenceville Copper Mine, located in Spenceville, Nevada Co., California, operated between 1863 and 1918. In its day, it was considered one of the most long-lived copper mines in the state.