Panning for gold is one of the favorite prospecting methods by beginners and experts, and also one of the most ancient ones. While it can take some practice to master this art, it can also teach you everything you need to know to make your future prospecting trips more valuable.
If you’re a beginner who wants to start gold panning, you’ll first need to acquire a suitable pan. After that, you’ll need to find a location that is likely to have gold. Once you’ve done that, you can collect some material, submerge it, sweep out any rocks, and continue sweeping and shaking until gold is visible.
But before grabbing your pans and heading out to the prospecting site, read on to make your trip even more profitable!
Table of Contents
What Is Gold Panning?
Gold panning is the most ancient method of prospecting and recovering placer gold[1]. The simple principle behind this method is that gold is about six times heavier than the surrounding streambed materials. Therefore, it will drop to the bottom of the pan following tilting and swirling movements.
A similar phenomenon does indeed happen in nature when the gold particles present in the course of a stream fall toward the bottom due to insufficient water velocity. Alongside gold, in these locations, you will be able to find other heavier materials – such as iron and iron pyrites (fool’s gold) – which compose the black sand remaining at the bottom of the pan[2].
Undoubtedly, panning for gold is an excellent introduction to the field of prospecting and boasts several benefits that we are going to see in the section below.
However, once you become more knowledgeable about the geology of a specific location, you might decide to upgrade to a sluice box or dredge. These tools are more suitable for knowledgeable prospectors and allow them to process more streambed material within shorter timeframes.
The Benefits of Gold Panning
As we have seen, learning to pan for gold is the ideal first step that beginners should take[3]. While you might be able to process only small amounts of materials at a time at first, as you practice, you will notice an increase in speed and efficiency in the process.
The benefits of starting your prospecting activities by panning are many, but here we are going to see the most important ones.
Small Budget
Amateurs and hobbyists that decide to start prospecting for gold are not likely to be willing to invest large sums of many in equipment. Indeed, as for any activity, it is always best to learn the basics before upgrading to more refined tools.
That is why using a pan during your prospecting outings is a perfect choice. These tools are low-cost and easily accessible since they can be acquired from most prospecting and outdoor activities shops.
Opportunity to Learn
Undoubtedly, investing in other tools and equipment such as sluice boxes and dredges allows you to process large quantities of material at once. However, if you are not an expert about the geology of the location and the tell-tale signs that indicate a placer gold, it is best to start with a pan.
This simple tool allows you to understand what are the locations that are most likely to be gold-bearing grounds. At the same time, using a pan requires you to understand a little more about how gold deposits form. This knowledge is then essential when it comes down to investing in more expensive pieces of equipment.
More Opportunities to Practice
Panning for gold is an activity that could be carried on in the majority of lands that are free or not claimed by other prospectors. Instead, for the use of sluice boxes and dredges, you might need to get in touch with authorities and landowners to get the necessary permissions to prospect in these areas.
However, not all beginner prospectors are lucky enough to be in a free gold-bearing ground that they can sample. Consequently, pans allow you to practice more in the locations that are available to you, whether this is your yard or a creek[4].
Selecting Your Equipment
There is not much equipment you will need – aside from the pan itself – to get start prospecting. However, below you can find the other materials that you should include in your kit to maximize the chances of finding gold during your prospecting trip.
Types of Gold Pans and Essential Features
There are several types of gold pans[5] on the market today, and not two prospectors might be able to agree on which one is the best model. However, for beginners, a plastic pan is an excellent choice, as these are often lighter and easier to carry than steel ones.
They will not rust or become damaged if you decide to use nitric acid during the final stages of the gold panning process. Also, if you opt to retrieve the particles of gold through a magnet, this will not be possible on a metal pan, as the whole tool will be magnetic.
In terms of the baffles, also known as riffles, gold pans usually boast and can come in different sizes and shapes. While the design of the riffles can vary from model to model, they are always set on one half of the pan’s body, while the other one is completely smooth.
Some models also come with “cheater riffles” [6], which are an innovative design that can genuinely help beginner prospectors recover gold and fine particles quickly and within short periods.
Shovel and Bucket
A shovel and a bucket will not strictly figure in the panning process, but they are also necessary. Indeed, the material to process might be close enough to the body of water that you won’t need to go far. However, you might decide to process equipment that is not as close to where you want to be panning.
Additionally, a bucket and a shovel are always present in any prospector kit, and you could even opt to invest in a few different types of them for better flexibility.
Magnifying Tweezers, Suction Bottles, Vials
Other tools you should include in your kit include magnifying tweezers to pick the particles of gold[7] that remain at the panning process’ bottom. This gold collection method is one of the slowest ones, as particles that can be as small as sand grains will have to pick the particles one by one.
Other gold recovery methods used at the end of the panning process include sucking the remaining black sand and heavy material with a suction bottle. Alternatively, you could opt to use a magnet[8] to attract the black sand away from the gold particles.
In any case, it is entirely possible to pan the material down to the gold particles, but this can take a little practice and panning experience. Of course, without such expertise, there is a risk of losing some valuable particles in the process.
Gold Panning: A Step-By-Step Guide
Once you are ready with all the equipment, you can start panning for gold. Below you can find step-by-step guidelines that can guide you through this delicate but straightforward process[9].
Step 1 – Collecting Streambed Material
Collecting suitable streambed material is the first step of the process. Ideally, you should have a little knowledge of the geology of your area before starting to prospect for gold, but this is not necessary to practice.
Each location has different characteristics and requirements. However, generally:
- Look for the creek section where the body of water becomes wider. In this location, the water velocity will be slower, which will cause the gold particles to fall towards the streambed[10].
- Follow a fast-flowing river or rapids until the water settles and slows down. For the same reason seen above, the water pressure will not be as intense, and the gold will start to deposit[11].
- Gold particles always follow the shortest path along a creek or river. Therefore, if your body of water is turning multiple times, you should be on the inside of each curve[12].
- If you notice “floats” or pieces of eye-catching minerals such as quartz in a body of water, you are likely to be near a gold lode[13].
Step 2 – Placing the Material on the Pan
The material you have collected should be enough to fill your pan – or at least three-quarters of it. More expert prospectors will be able to fill the pan to almost full, but doing so can cause some of the gold particles to fall off during the panning process.
Step 3 – Choosing a Viable Location for Panning
Next, you should find a suitable location along the body of the river for panning. Even in this case, not all rivers or creeks will boast the same feature, and the right place can change. Ideally, you should find a location where the water is at least 6in (15cm) deep and slow-moving.
Additionally, this process can require you to spend some time in the same position. While it is possible to pan for gold while kneeling or standing, you should opt to find a rock or trunk to sit on while washing the material.
Step 4 – Submerge the Pan and Work the Material
Now that your pan is full of suitable material for sampling and you have selected the right location for your panning activity, it is time to submerge it slightly. The water should fill the pan almost entirely.
Again, you should avoid filling the pan if you are not an expert in the process, as this can increase the chances of losing precious particles.
Once the pan is almost full of water, use your fingers to move the material and break it apart. This step is essential, as it allows any block of mud to become loose and release precious gold particles. These flakes and sand-like gold will rapidly fall towards the bottom of the pan due to its weight.
While continuing to do so, the pans should be kept just below the surface, to allow the lighter materials (which are worthless for this research) to float out and escape from the pan.
Step 5 – Start Panning the Material
After all the material has been broken down, you should have a liquid substance in your pan. At this point, you will start shaking the pan left and right, with a steady motion, just below the surface of the water.
During this step, it is essential to keep the riffles away from your body, in the furthest part of the pan, which is the one deeper in the water. This step is essential to avoid losing any particles during this first stage.
This continuous movement will allow the lighter material to float toward the surface of the water, while the heavy substances will separate from the light one and find their way down to the bottom of the pan.
If you notice your material to boast bundles and more significant mass, you might need to repeat steps 4 and 5 several times. While shaking the content with the left-to-right movement, avoid pushing much of the placer outside of the pan. Controlled motions work best in this case.
Step 6 – Sweep Out Any Rock
As you complete step 5, you will notice some rocks and stones to rise to the surfaces. These should be clean and not bear signs of valuable streambed material on their surfaces. If this is the case, extract them from the pan and dispose of them – you can do so by sweeping the pan’s surface with the back of your hand.
If you have to manually pick up one of the most massive rocks from the pan, make sure their surfaces are spotless and don’t boast signs of valuable streambed material.
Step 7 – Repeat Steps 5 and 6
The concept behind the process of panning is the one described in steps number 5 and six. Indeed, the first movement – breaking the material down with your fingers – allows the particles of gold to separate from the light elements and sink to the pan’s bottom.
The second movement is essential to start eliminating some of the worthless material from the pan.
Step 8 – Tilt the Pan and Allow the Water to Sweep the Top Layer
Once the lightest of materials are out of the pan, the prospector will start tilting the pan forward at a 30 to 45-degree angle. You should be extremely careful not to tilt the pan too much and lose valuable material.
While tilting the pan, so only one side is still in the water, move it slowly backward and forward. This movement allows the water to sweep off the top layer of materials and pushes the gold toward the bottom edge of the pan.
Step 9 – Continue Sweeping and Shaking
Hold the whole pan again just below the surface and start moving it in a slow and controlled circular motion – or through a left-to-right movement. The stream water will run on the pan’s surface, carrying away any light material still on the surface of the pan.
Since it can be challenging to understand how much material is in the pan during this step, alternate shaking the pan to slow circular movement. The first will break down and separate the elements, while the second will allow you to get rid of worthless streambed material.
Step 10 – Swirl With Water to Uncover the Concentrates
Keep repeating the steps above until the light material has been removed, and everything left on the pan is black sand and potential gold. Black sand is composed of denser substances than the surrounding elements and will represent the ultimate concentrate you can get from the panning process.
Indeed, expert gold prospectors will be able to continue panning the black sand until everything left on the pan is gold. However, this step can involve several risk factors, such as losing the gold you have been working to find.
Once you only have black sand in the pan, you can pour a little water on the concentrate and start swirling to reveal any “color” or particles of gold, among the black sand.
Step 11 – Remove the Black Sand With a Magnet
There are several ways to separate the black sand concentrate from the gold. One of the most used among larger-scale prospectors is to pour all the concentrates into a container and examine it again once there is enough to use a micro sluice.
Alternatively, you can use a magnet to separate the two substances. Since the black sand is composed of materials such as iron, it will be attracted by the magnet. The gold, on the other end, will remain on the bottom of the pan.
Step 12 – Pick Up Gold Particles With Tweezers
Once you have eliminated as much black sand as possible, you can use a suction bottle to transfer the gold particles into a vial. You can also pick up larger flakes through tweezers.
Conclusion
Panning for gold can be an exciting activity that can also turn out to be very profitable, especially as you refine your panning skills. However, this activity can require the right equipment, patience, and willingness to practice.
The process is based on the fact that gold is more substantial than surrounding substances, so it will quickly fall to the bottom edge of the pan. As the prospector creates steady movements and the water washes away the lighter material, you will find a black sand concentrate at the bottom of the pan that is likely to contain gold!