Hobbies And Interests
Things You'll Need
Instructions
Join a gold prospecting or treasure hunting club. The Gold Prospectors of America is a nationwide club with chapters in every state. Joining a club will provide you with access to proven gold-bearing mining claims as well as a wealth of knowledge willingly shared with new members. You will find panning demonstrations, equipment building classes and metal-detecting workshops.
Visit prospecting supply stores to acquaint yourself with the types of equipment used by recreational gold prospectors and treasure hunters. Request brochures and study how a sluice box, gold dredge and metal detector work. Find mines that sell and ship concentrates and gravels. You can practice panning techniques and gem recognition at home before you head for the wilderness.
Research the area where you are interested in prospecting, metal detecting or searching for other gems and minerals. Study the history of the area and make note of where gold and gemstones were found in the past. The old-timers didn't get it all. Every year conditions in stream beds change. The equipment available to the recreational prospector is far superior to the tools used during gold rush times. Sizable nuggets are often found in previously worked mining tailing piles, or the materials left over from mining activities.
Respect property boundaries. Looking for gold or gemstones on a private claim constitutes Mineral Trespass. Contact the district office of the Bureau of Land Management or the U.S. Forest Service to obtain copies of maps showing public lands open for mineral entry.
Pan creek gravels. Look for gravel bars or spots where the heavier materials would have settled during flooding or fast water movement. Dig a couple of shovelfuls and place in your gold pan. Cover with water and agitate well. Remove large rocks, roots and debris. Swirl the pan around and around, slowly discarding the water containing sediment and lighter materials. Add more water and continue the process until only fine black sand or gold remains. There are many techniques for panning gold. Consult books on gold panning to learn about the many different types of gold pans and methods used by today's prospectors.
Purchase a gem and rock identification handbook. Examine the types of rocks, minerals and gemstones that may be found in the area you are searching. Use a gravel classifier (available from gold prospecting supply stores) to screen the gravels. Look for the mineral or gem you are trying to locate. These can be removed with tweezers. Rubies and garnets are found in many gold-bearing areas.