Hobbies And Interests
Finding Locations to Pan
Finding good locations begins with research. Most areas have been prospected already and the surest way to find gold is to look for it where it has been found before. Books, websites and records at city offices will have information about gold-bearing areas, abandoned claims and old mines. These areas will still contain gold today. Abandoned claims or areas just on the side of claims are good places to start searching. At old mines gold lost in mining transport or weathered from rock will find its way into streams, making areas downstream from mines good prospecting spots. Never prospect private land without permission.
Pans and Equipment
The gold pan you choose should be a comfortable size for you. It's easy to lose gold from a pan that is too big to control well. Use metal pans with side ribbing to help catch gold as you pan. Turn the pan upside down over a flame and blacken the inside bottom of the pan. The soot will help to trap gold in the pan. Use classifiers to sift material. Sorting through the classifier for gold chunks and panning the smaller materials saves arm power. Use crevice and suction tools to dislodge gold from cracks in rocks.
What to Look for on Location
Gold is carried downstream by rapid currents and is dropped where water slows. Tie a fishing bobber on foot-long string with a half-ounce weight on the end and drop it in the current. Watch where it slows or stops. Watch for areas that rocks churn water near shore and gravel bars. Gold will fall in these areas. Explore during high-water seasons and mark spots to pan when water levels fall. Set gold traps in various locations to find places new gold is being dropped.
Tips on Panning Your Site
Once you are on the site you are going to pan, set a barrier in the water to divert it around your digging spot so you are not fighting currents while you dig. The barrier can be a board, sheet of metal or a wall of rock. Dig as deep as you can. Gold is heavy and will work its way down toward bedrock. Dig on the side of large rocks that the current hits. Check for nuggets in rock crevices and in mosses or algae patches on rocks. Once you find gold in a location, use other equipment such as dredges (where legal) and rocker boxes to increase the amount of material you can pan during a day.