Lucia Patterson

Lucia Patterson is a Geologist/GIS Analyst who has been employed by the Nevada Division of Minerals (NDOM) for the last 11 years.  She obtained her Bachelor of Science in Geology from California State University, Chico and obtained her Master of Science in Geology focusing on economic geology from the University of Nevada, Reno.  She worked as a mineral exploration geologist for six years in Nevada before taking her current position with NDOM.

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David Lawler

David Lawler is a seasoned minerals geoscientist and explorationist with over 40 years of experience in the mineral exploration and development sector. Throughout his extensive career, he has conducted comprehensive assessments of precious metals, base metals, diamonds, gemstones, and industrial minerals. His expertise has supported numerous private investment groups and international mining companies on projects spanning domestic and international markets.

Rick Solinsky

Driven by a lifelong fascination with gold, Rick Solinsky has spent decades exploring and preserving the mining history of the Sierra Nevada. After co-founding the Western Mining Alliance in the early 2000s, he embarked on an extensive research project, spending tens of thousands of hours mapping thousands of original mining claim records across eight counties and reconstructing over 150 years of regional history. He also spearheaded an ambitious archival effort by photographing and indexing over 40,000 articles from every Sierra County newspaper published between 1854 and 1950, ultimately transferring the complete collection to the Sierra County Historical Society. 

Ray Mills

Ray Mills is a lifelong gold prospector whose roots in the craft run deep. After serving in the U.S. Army and spending a career in the industrial HVAC sector in North Carolina, Ray moved his family to California, where he transitioned to electronic prospecting. Fortunate enough to spend years detecting with and learning from legendary figures like Charles Garrett, Roy Lagal, and Jim Straight, Ray bridges the gap between old-school wilderness mining and modern metal detecting.

Tami Force

Tami has explored Nevada and eastern Sierra ghost towns and mining camps for 25 years.

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Since 2020, she has actively shared her love of ghost towns through Nevada Ghost Towns & Beyond, Radio Goldfield, and presentations at museums, historical societies, and publications, including Nevada Magazine.

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Larry Schack

Larry, a former US Robotics engineer and competitive Ironman triathlete, founded GoldiBox in 2022 to revolutionize modern gold prospecting.

Drawing from 15 years of prospecting experience and a deep love for the outdoors, he realized traditional gear was too heavy and clunky for recreational miners who hike miles into the wild.

After years of testing and tweaking, Larry engineered a line of ultra-lightweight, intuitive, and field-serviceable recovery gear. Today, GoldiBox products are used worldwide, blending engineering expertise with a prospector's passion to help a new generation chase gold with more freedom, efficiency, and less weight.