ISHPEMING -- Digging for gold in the U.P. was a topic Sunday at the Ishpeming Rock and Mineral Club's monthly meeting.

Those who attended discussed mining in the Upper Peninsula from the earliest gold discoveries in the 1800s and beyond. Rocks and other minerals were also displayed for a silent auction at the Cliffs Shaft Mine Museum.

Author Dan Fountain lead the discussion.

"There was, at one time, a tremendous amount of gold mining going on or attempted gold mining going on with very little found, so he took it upon himself to research and do the exploring, went out to look at the old gold mines wherever they're at, and tried to get a write up on each and every one of them," said Ernest Johnson, the program's chairman.