A Passion for Gold

Ralph Roberts's is not a household name in Nevada, but it should be - it was he who discovered the Carlin Belt gold deposits that created a major mining boom in the state in the last four decades of the twentieth century. But this discovery was only one episode of his remarkably eventful life. A Passion for Gold is Roberts's account of that life, a story as colorful and adventurous as that of any fictional hero. Roberts's engagingly told autobiography traces his life from its beginnings in eastern Washington State to his fame as a world-renowned geologist, skillfully alternating personal experiences with the development of his understanding of the structure of Nevada's geology and the forces that shaped it. His fascination with ore-bearing minerals led to a long and productive career with the U.S. Geologic Survey, which took him to extended postings in Central America and later to Saudi Arabia, where he was instrumental in the redevelopment of the ancient gold mines at Mahd adh Dhahab, possibly the site of the biblical Ophir. But he returned again and again to Nevada, intrigued by its geological complexity and the precious minerals that lay hidden beneath its convoluted surfaces, a

After forty-four years with the U.S. Geological Survey, Ralph J. Roberts retired in 1981 and formed a partnership providing consultation for the exploration of gold deposits. He is the recipient of numerous professional awards including the Distinguished Service Award from the U.S. Department of the Interior; the Man of the Year Award from the Nevada Mining Association; and the Medal of Merit from the American Mining Hall of Fame.