BOOK REVIEW — Book examines ABCs of gold exploration — Author sets out practical, sensible guidelines

.BREVIEWED BY STUART McDOUGALL

The Gold Explorer’s Handbook, By James Regan, 25

Available from Rosendale Press, London, England

The Gold Explorer’s Handbook is a straightforward and down-to-earth introduction to the gold exploration business.

Author James Regan decides against romanticizing the industry and, instead, offers a thoughtful overview of the nuts and bolts of the trade.

A veteran prospector, Regan draws on years of experience in several different countries, providing sound and practical advice on the how to look for gold.

Topics include: the logistics involved in field investigations; the various techniques and methods used for pinpointing areas of interest (for example, through aerial photographs and remote sensing); and testing and evaluating primary and secondary gold targets in the field.

Regan also provides the reader with a good introduction to the advantages and disadvantages of the various geophysical and drilling methods available, and he emphasizes the importance of choosing a suitable geochemical survey. His detailed coverage of field items required for various climates and terrains serves as an excellent check list for those hoping to undertake a productive and safe venture into the bush.

Although Regan’s descriptions throughout the book are generally sound, the section on major primary gold deposits could, perhaps, have benefited from more thorough research. For example, by over-relying on recent studies of active sea-floor geothermal systems, Regan erroneously defines hydrothermal deposits in the book’s glossary as “formed by the exhalation and precipitation of hydrothermal fluids from vents on the sea floor.” Taken literally, this definition would exclude, for example, the same epithermal replacement deposits that he covers and is, therefore, incomplete.

The description is rooted in a misconception of the sea-floor studies.

Fortunately, however, Regan provides sufficient references from which the reader can conduct a more thorough search of his own.

Overall, The Gold Explorer’s Handbook is a worthwhile read for any would-be prospector. Many of the guidelines presented by the author will most likely assist many in building a proper foundation for a career in the prospecting business.