There are countless prospecting books out there. They all teach the same general theories and show the same diagrams. While they are not bad books, in fact many are great and no collection should be without them, this book is written to take a different and simpler approach, especially for those who are brand new to prospecting and have failed to find their first color of gold. A prospectors lifetime of knowledge is simplified and condensed into an easy to read and understand guide that will hopefully benefit those who never even held a gold pan as much as those who have spent a few years prospecting but might still have a few questions they are seeking answers to. It is the intent that this is the prospecting book that will read as a novel, and teach every bit as much as an informational guide. What are the types of equipment available and how do I use them? What is it that I am looking for when I am prospecting? What do I do with my gold once I find it and how do I sell it? Are my black sands worth anything? What are black sands made out of? How do I find a place I can go and prospect? Is there a way to know where I should dig in a stream? How do mining claims work? These are some of the many questions that this book was written to address. While there is no guide that can tell you how to get rich mining for gold, this one has been written for the purpose of helping you be more likely to find gold on your future prospecting trips, or perhaps even in your own backyard; yes, many of you likely have gold in your backyard, especially if you have a stream running through it. All you have to do is know to look!It is easy to become discouraged as a prospector, or allow yourself to believe others when they say “there is no gold left to be found, the old-timers got it all”. I am proud to say, that is a misconception and is genuine disinformation. There are people who think because they have to work 40 hours a week for 40 years, that it isn't fair you can go out and perhaps strike it rich so you don't have to. Or, at the very least, find a few extra bucks that you won't have to work overtime to have. You are just a few pages away from learning the facts; and finding your first gold! The author has spent the majority of his free time over the past couple decades in the pursuit of gold and minerals in the Pacific Northwest since a very young age, and prospecting is a passion that he enjoys teaching to others and helping them be successful at it. When the author is not out prospecting, he is busy writing more books, and working at improving ones already published.