Gold Prospecting and Panning: A Comprehensive Guide

Embarking on yet another passion, my interest in gold prospecting was ignited during my travels through the historic mining towns of the West. Captivated by the allure of uncovering the coveted yellow metal, I succumbed to the inevitable gold fever. What ensued was an immersive journey into the world of prospecting, transitioning from unsuccessful attempts with metal detectors to the gratifying art of gold panning. In this detailed guide, we delve into the intricacies of old prospecting and gold panning, offering insights, techniques, and equipment essentials.

Equipment Needed for Gold Panning: To embark on a successful gold panning expedition, a basic set of equipment is imperative. Waterproof boots, warm socks, and a gold pan form the core essentials. The choice of a gold pan varies, but the principle remains constant – gold, being heavier, settles at the bottom when agitated in water. Additional tools include a sniffer bottle for extracting gold, a classifier for sieving, a pointed shovel, a smaller spade, and a container for collecting concentrates. Gloves, tweezers, and a plastic bottle round out the accessory list. These items are readily available and can be acquired without significant expense.

Choosing a Prospective Stream: Locating a suitable stream is pivotal in gold panning success. Opt for streams with a history of placer gold production, preferably on public land to avoid trespassing issues. Verify mining claims and land management regulations to ensure compliance. While well-known streams offer reliability, exploring lesser-known areas can yield surprising results, as gold continually weathers into stream beds, replenishing deposits.

Exploring a Secret Panning Spot: Maintaining the thrill of discovery, finding a secret gold panning spot adds an element of exclusivity to the experience. The ideal location possesses a history of gold production, is on public land, and strikes a balance between accessibility and seclusion. The joy of uncovering a little-known spot in a popular region enhances the overall adventure.

Where to Dig: Understanding the dynamics of water flow is crucial in identifying where to dig. Gold, being significantly heavier than other materials, settles where water slows down. Inside bends, areas behind large rocks, and cracks in rocks are prime locations for digging. The stream bed, especially down to solid bedrock, is a reliable source of gold. Combining these considerations with strategic digging locations maximizes the chances of uncovering gold deposits.

Processing Pay Dirt: Once a promising spot is identified, the process of extracting pay dirt begins. Using a classifier to sieve out larger rocks and a gold pan to separate heavier materials, the initial steps focus on isolating the concentrated material containing potential gold. Vigilant observation and occasional re-stratification of material ensure efficient separation. Balancing efficiency with thoroughness, prospectors aim to capture every bit of gold present in the pan.

Panning at Home: Taking the collected black sand concentrates home allows for unhurried processing. Employing water tubs and pans, the prospector refines the extraction, ensuring no gold is overlooked. Relying on a magnet to remove residual black sand, repeated panning guarantees a comprehensive extraction of gold. The final product, stored in a vial, becomes a tangible testament to the success of the panning endeavor.

How to pan

Fill your pan with a shovel full of spoil from a beach or crevice and find a quiet pool of water. Squat down and immerse the pan under the water. Shake the pan from side to side a few times. This will rinse off any gold sticking to the stones on top, and send it to the bottom of the pan. Lift the pan and scoop off the larger stones from the surface. Put the pan back under the water and work the gravels around with your fingers to get the contents of the pan thoroughly wet. Bubbles may come to the surface as you do this. As you lift the gold pan out of the water, tilt it slightly forward and away from you and let the displaced water wash out some of the top gravels and stones. It is a relatively small movement, so if you are too vigorous you may lose the contents of your pan. Shake your pan from side to side from time to time, then make the dip and forward movement, allowing the water to ease the top layer of lighter material out of the pan. That’s all there is to it. Make the water do the work for you, not your arms. It gets easier with practice.

When you have about a cupful of grit in the bottom of your pan, continue the same procedure, but very carefully. Shake sideways, dip and lift gently, at the same time increasing the angle of the pan until it is nearly upright with the lip in the water.

When you are satisfied that you have got rid of most of the grit, lift the pan out of the water, and gently swirl it in a circular motion. A narrow, black sand tail should appear behind the residue. The gold should be in this tail. It may be a little or a lot, depending on the creek you are in and the work you have put in.

With care and patience, you can continue panning with smaller and smaller movements until all the black sand and debris are gone and only the gold is left. If you don’t have time for a washup, or to clean out the black sand, take the whole panful home and pan it out there in a wide, shallow bowl or tub.

Using a Sluice Box.

Choose a part of the creek that has a steady flow of water in which to put your box. Clear a space in the creek and place your box in the gap. Put the top facing upstream so that the water flows through the box. The riffles will then be at the downstream end. Prop up the top of your one metre-long box so that it is about ten centimeters higher than the bottom. That’s about a handbreadth.

Ideally, you should have about a couple of centimeters of water flowing through. Put a generous shovel full of gravel in the top end. If the water sweeps the bigger gravel and grit away down the box and leaves a small beach in front of the first riffle, your flow is just right. If it washes every bit of grit out of the box and the riffles start to float off, it is too fast. If nothing much moves, even after using your rake to help the big stones through, it is too slow.

When you have the flow just right, check the downstream end to make sure there is room to receive the tailings that will be coming out of the box. They pile up quickly and interfere with the flow of water. During sluicing, a few sweeps with the rake or your gumboot will keep the tailings clear of the end. You are now set to dig for gold.

Don’t be surprised if you see some gold in your box after the first few bucketfuls—fine gold and small flakes don’t always go down to rock bottom.

• 1.  What do I need to get started in prospecting? A gold pan, and a sluice box is what I would recommend.  These pieces of equipment will allow you to see if you want to invest more later on.  With out breaking the bank on a whim.  Want to see the equipment I use??
• 2.  Where do I find gold? Depends on where you live.  If you live in any of the states from Alabama up through Maryland there is a good chance you live within driving distance of some prospecting areas.  California, Alaska, Colorado, and many other states produce gold in various amounts.  Do some research on the internet and local historians to gather information.  The area you live in may not produce gold.  It may produce sapphires, and other valuable materials.  The creeks in and around Alabama’s gold belt produces, gold, silver, platinum, garnets, sapphires among other things…
• 3. How do I locate places to go prospecting In the gold producing areas there are a number of clubs that attract prospectors.  The GPAA (Gold Prospectors Assn. Of  America) is the largest such club in the nation. The GPAA has a starting kit that contains a gold pan as well as a  book they produce.  The book contains information on locations that members can prospect all across the nation.  Most are free!  You keep all the gold you find.
• 4. I don’t know anything about this hobby, how long does it take to learn? Just one or two outings with someone who knows a little about it, you are hooked from your first yellow glimmer on! 
• 5. People don’t really find gold do they??  I mean all the gold is gone, isn’t it? YES they find plenty!!  NO it is not all gone!  There will be plenty of  gold to find long after you and I are gone!!  New methods of searching and processing gold has opened some areas that were long thought to be gone.  Now they are producing again! And there are new areas no one thought to look that is opening up all the time! 
• 6. Is it worth the effort? With gold being around $1950.00 or so an ounce, depending on the market at the time you try to sell. YES!  Do the math, $10.00 worth of gas, $10.00 worth of snacks for a day.  6 hours out in the sunshine and fresh air.  And come home with say $2200.00 if I find just one ounce.  I still come out ahead, if I don’t find any, I still come out ahead

The Sluice Box – Gold Panning

How should the box be placed in the stream?

To use the Sluice Box effectively, position it in a stream, placing a substantial rock under it for stability. Once set, add material gradually, allowing the water to wash away debris. Maintain a 4-inch drop for optimal performance. Periodically, inspect for gold by removing a component, checking for any nuggets or residue. After this, separate the mesh wire, wash the remaining material into a bucket, and reassemble. The panning process involves shaking and layer removal, ultimately revealing any gold particles. Despite not striking gold in this particular session, the Sluice Box showcases an impressive design for capturing gold efficiently. In this video, at my taste, looks like it’s sitting too low in the water, maybe bring it up higher out of the water some. loots like the water is taking too much of the dirt away

As you can see the entrance of the sluice box is slightly higher than the rear. You can also see the small dam that I made using stones laying in the creek bed. If the water is not flowing fast enough, a small dam can help. It raises the water level, water being water will take the path of least resistance. Across the sluice box. The flare forces the water to run quicker through the box.

This is the same setup, just a head on view.  Point the box aiming with the stream of water.  If it is diagonal to the water flow the concentrates tend to build up on one side.  You want the material to flow evenly across the riffles.  It can separate the material in a very effective manner if it is allowed to handle the material evenly.

Same setup as above.  Notice the > shape extending from the corners of the carpet to the middle of the third riffle.  This can act as an indicator to how fast the water is flowing, how evenly it is flowing and if the box is positioned wrong. 

This is a close up of the bed of the sluice box. The flare is to the left the exit is to the right. You can see the riffles. Look closely, you can see the small ridges, or riffles in the carpet itself. These are VERY effective in separating out the fine gold and black sands. Offering them a secure place to hide. Most of the sands and gold are caught by the time it reaches the third riffle.

a few tips to maximize your Sluice Box experience.

• First off, consider slowing down the process a bit. It’s all about patience. Instead of the usual pace, try a slightly slower flow. Another tweak you can make is replacing half of the black mat with outdoor carpet. It might just make a difference!
• Now, when it comes to running material through the sluice, don’t be too hasty with the cleanup. Try running more material through it before you decide to clean it out. You might be surprised at what you find after a bit of accumulation.
• Here’s another tip: when adding material, try putting in smaller scoops at a time. It helps the sluice work more efficiently. Experiment by running two buckets full through it before giving it a good clean. This could be the key to unlocking more success. And speaking of cleaning, don’t forget the details. Make sure to clean off the screen and ruffles in the bucket, as well as the mat. A thorough cleanup ensures optimal performance.
• Now, for a pro tip: when you’re out in the field, take a close look at the inside bends of the river. Look for big stones; they might be hiding big, shiny nuggets underneath. Dig under those stones, and who knows what treasures you might uncover!

So, there you have it—some practical advice to enhance your Sluice Box adventures. Remember, it’s all about refining the process and enjoying the journey. Happy prospecting!

What problems could I encounter? With some practice you will get the hang of it. If the Water runs too fast. It will not allow the gold and black sand to hang on the sluice box. However if it runs too slow, the riffles will clog up. Allowing the gold and black sand to travel over the riffles and off the back of the sluice box. As I said, with some practice you will find a certain way you like for the combination to work for you. If the box is slow, increase the volume of water, or drop the back end some. If it is too fast, set a large rock in front of the box to slow the water down, or raise the back end. Or you can raise the front end some. If the trail of material is all on one side of the box. Turn it in the water so the water flows straight. Or if this is not the problem, dump the material in the center of the box, not the side.

How long does it take to sluice one ounce of gold through high banking?

Dan Hurt takes us on a riveting journey through the intricate process of highbanking, addressing a frequently posed question: How long does it truly take to amass an ounce of gold? Prospecting enthusiasts often ponder the question: How long does it take to sluice one ounce of gold through high banking?

Describing a sluice box setup for gold prospecting. Keypoints

A sluice box is a tool used in placer mining, where water is used to separate gold particles from other sediment. I’ll provide some clarification and additional information .

1. Sluice Box Design:
   • The entrance of the sluice box is slightly higher than the rear. This design helps create a flow of water that aids in separating gold from other materials.
   • A small dam made of stones in the creek bed can be used to raise the water level when the flow is not fast enough. This higher water level encourages the water to flow over the sluice box more effectively.
   • The flare at the entrance of the sluice box forces the water to run quicker through the box, enhancing the separation process.
2. Positioning:
   • It’s crucial to point the sluice box directly with the stream of water. A diagonal positioning can cause concentrates to build up on one side, affecting the efficiency of material separation.
   • Ensuring that the material flows evenly across the riffles is essential for effective separation.
3. Indicators for Water Flow:
   • The > shape extending from the corners of the carpet to the middle of the third riffle can act as an indicator of water flow speed, evenness, and correct box positioning. Monitoring this shape can help optimize the setup for better results.
4. Riffles:
   • Riffles are the ridges or obstructions in the sluice box that trap and capture gold particles. The close-up of the bed shows these riffles in detail.
   • The small ridges or riffles in the carpet itself are effective in separating fine gold and black sands. Most of these materials are caught by the time they reach the third riffle.
5. Gold Concentration:
   • The design and placement of riffles, along with the flow dynamics created by the sluice box configuration, contribute to effectively concentrating gold and other heavy materials.

Overall, it’s a well-thought-out sluice box setup aimed at maximizing the efficiency of gold prospecting by using water flow and gravity to separate valuable materials from sediment.