Following the Boulder Train: Travels with Prospectors and Rock Doctors

by Tom Henry

Mining is BC's second largest industry but you'd never know it to visit any BC bookstore. Books on logging, fishing, and tourism are there in abundance, but the subject of mining is practically untouched. As Tom Henry proves beyond a doubt in this lively volume, it is not for any lack of wonderful stories about the men and women who have been bitten by the rock-chipping bug over the years. Henry ctually took a course in exploration geology and experienced first hand the unique way of looking at the world peculiar to mineral hunters. Every rock is an "outcrop" with a story to tell about the forces that formed the local landscape, and what mineral treasures may be hidden beneath.

Following the Boulder Train is full of remarkable life histories of legendary prospectors who made fortunes but couldn't take enough time away from bushwhacking to enjoy them, and of others who enjoyed them too much, making and losing so many fortunes they can't remember them all. The book offers memorable insights into the driven, obsessed world of mineral exploration and the mining industry in BC.

Genres: Science

192 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2006

Reviews

[Bill Leach · Rating 3 out of 5]

A light but entertaining book on various mineral prospectors, and their characters. The book provides some insight into their techniques. Interesting sections on the use of dogs, dowsing (huge history around Evelyn Penrose) and analysis of plants that concentrate gold, such as Phacelia.

[Ginn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this look into prospecting in BC. The narrative strayed a bit in places with some off-topic things (I think maybe because it would have been too short (and dull to the casual reader) if random side-stories weren't included) but on the whole it was informative.

[Clivemichael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining for the budding geologist.