There is nothing better than ending your holiday at the beach by finding some fine gold hiding among the grains! However, it all sounds easier than it is. While prospectors will be able to find gold in sand, you will need specific knowledge and the right equipment.
To find gold in sand, you should start by understanding the difference between beach deposits and ancient beaches. Then, you should learn how to identify black sand, pick the right detector for your needs, set up the detector properly, pinpoint the deposit, and recover the gold.
Finding gold in the sand is the dream of every prospector who lives by the beach. If you are not sure how panning for gold in the sand can work for you, read on.
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How to Find Gold in Sand
To understand why we can find gold in sand, we need to look at the place’s geology.
Indeed, the gold derived from particles of gold have separated from the lode in the past. Over the years, these particles have traveled and deposited on the beaches. However, this is not always the case.
Prospectors will need to be aware of the challenges of this task when attempting to recover gold nuggets or, more likely, fine gold. Firstly panning the sand might be the best idea, especially if you are dealing with heavy black sand. Secondly, the particles might be so minuscule that you will struggle to recover them properly.
Starting from the difference between beach deposits and ancient beaches, we are going to have a look at everything prospectors will need to know to get your prospecting activity started.
Beach Deposits vs. Ancient Beaches
The reason behind gold particles on our beaches depends on the type of beach you are trying to prospect for gold. It is essential to know that different kinds of sands might require different setups and equipment.
Beach Deposits
Beach deposits[1] are among the most common types of gold particles you will find on a beach, but the particles come from very far away. Indeed, the lodes (rock containing valuable materials such as gold)are often located in mountainous locations, including mountains and hills.
Through millions of years of erosion, the particles of gold have separated from the lode. Natural forces have them pouches towards eluvial deposits (gold away from the lode, but not in streams yet).
From the alluvial deposit, other natural forces might have caused the gold particles to reach a stream finally. From there, the particles have traveled downhill, towards the delta of the river – and the sea. Experts have estimated that the main part of gold on Earth has already reached the ocean, in which it remains hidden just to give you an idea of how often this process happens.
It is true that gold is much heavier than other particles. However, in this case, the grains are so small and light that they stay in a state of suspension within the salty ocean water. Most of these particles are still floating in the water, as we have not been able to find a way of recovering ultra-fine gold without impacting on the environment. Moreover, the cost of such an operation would still outweigh the profit seen from the recovered gold.
Due to the natural movements of tides, storms, and waves, large proportions of this gold ends on the beaches where we can recover it.
However, prospectors should keep in mind that not all beaches will boast gold pieces large enough to be picked up or noticed. Moreover, if you are going to prospect on a beach, this should ideally be close enough to a gold-bearing river or stream. Seeing this is essential to increase your chances of recovering gold.
In certain locations, such as Alaska and North California, some beaches present incredibly high quantities of gold and other miners, often washed up by the tide.
Ancient Beaches
If you have noticed stream-like material scattered around some of the trips to the beach – even away from the water – you might have just found an ancient ocean floor[2]. As the ocean has been subjected to changes over the years, some parts could have retired inward. While doing so, it might have left some beach sections uncovered, but, sometimes, covered in gold.
Major operations to attempt to recover the gold on the ocean bed were planned during the 1900s. These were successful in part, especially because recovering gold on the bottom of the ocean is out of range for many small-scale prospectors.
However, if you have noticed a nearby stream, you could head to check whether the ocean floor has left some valuable deposits behind. In this case, you can proceed normally with just a pan and, preferably, a sluice box.
Black Sands
Now that you understand the gold deposits that can be found on the beaches, we should look into black sands. When you are searching for golden deposits along a beach, it could be a good idea to follow the black sand deposits[3].
Black sand or “concentrated” is an agglomeration of the heaviest materials in a sample. For example, if you have gone panning before, you might have noticed that you have black sand remaining at the bottom of the pan after the panning process.
This black sand is likely to contain gold, yet properly separating the two materials can be challenging. Indeed, many prospectors prefer to use a magnet or suction bottle to lift the magnetic black sand away from the valuable gold particles.
While black sand is undoubtedly a sign that there might be gold nearby, you should avoid rushing over with your metal detector. Indeed, being magnetic, this type of sand will create serious interferences with your detector.
In turn, this can cause prospectors to miss out on an important gold target that was underneath.
Detectors
Picking the right metal/mineral detector[4] for your needs is one of the most important choices to make when deciding to find gold in the sand. Indeed, many of these pieces of equipment are multi-purpose models that will not react well when the coil runs over black sand. However, metal detectors are also the best tools to analyze the sand or particles in beaches.
BFO vs. VLF
Firstly, to pick the right metal detector for your needs, you will need to learn the difference between BFOs (Beat Frequency Oscillator) and VLFs (Very-Low Frequency)[5]. The first one represents a simple, often more affordable option that is better for standard mineral prospecting activities.
With such models, you will be able to set the detector only on a “mineral” or “metal” mode to communicate what to search for. However, the trouble is that these detectors are not as efficient in cutting out interference.
Instead, the VLF models[6] boast a series of different circuits that allow them to see through the interferences caused by certain metals and minerals. Therefore, if set up properly, they can easily reveal where you can expect the gold to be.
However, in the case of these detectors, you will be able to change volume, ground balance, and sensitivity. While these are excellent choices to have, the prospector will have to learn how to adapt them to its needs.
Gold Target
Gold targets[7] are generally among the most difficult targets to identify through a detector. Indeed, even in the case of gold-specialized detectors, this metal does not sound properly. While it might seem only a little inconvenient at first, this characteristic of gold can cause many proprietors to miss it by mistake.
Moreover, while the gold sounds weaker, you will be able to hear several other noises through your headphones. As these become louder or too many, you will not be able to focus on the gold targets.
Depth Capability
Your detector’s depth capabilities are also an important factor to consider when purchasing a tool to find gold in the sand. Indeed, you will have to remember that gold is much heavier than surrounding materials, and, in wet terrains, it will slowly sink to the bottom.
Therefore, you should opt for a detector with valid depth capabilities and be a good companion on your prospecting trips. However, prospectors should notice that increased price does not mean better deep capabilities. Ask the seller or an expert if you are not sure about the depth capability of your detector.
Accessories
While buying a detector is undoubtedly the first step to take, do not forget to include in your prospecting kit, the materials that will make the job easier. You need to have a pair of headphones[8].
These often come together with the metal detector, through which they are connected with a Bluetooth connection. However, if your detector did not include headphones, you should ensure to invest in them. Indeed, this accessory is paramount to your prospecting outings.
Most of your trips will be to natural areas and beaches, which can be particularly noisy, especially in summer. Therefore, a pair of headphones will send the auditory system created by the detector directly into your ears. Ideally, your headphones should be noise-canceling.
Aside from the headphones, you will need a bag to store any potential valuable material, and a shovel to dig up the gold from the sandy ground.
Tuning the Detector
Now that you have decided on your favorite models, you need to learn how to tune it [9] properly for your outings.
Firstly, start by checking the volume. The auditory signal should go above the hearing range. This step is essential, especially if you are passing the coil on black sand. In case you are not sure how to set up the volume of your detector, follow the manufacturer’s instructions of the detector.
Secondly, it is just as important to set up the sensitivity properly. While it is tempting to set the sensitivity high, this will only worsen the situation. Indeed, your detector will start to sound on anything, which will create confusion in the headphones, causing you to miss any potential gold deposit.
Lastly, you will need to adjust the ground balance so that the “hum” sound produced by the detector stays at the same level and intensity. The challenge with setting up the ground balance is that you will need to adapt it depending on the kind of ground you are searching, even within the same prospecting operations.
Sweeping and Pinpoint the Deposit
Sweeping your metal detector might be fun, but for gold, you will have to do it slowly and with control. It takes quite some patience of patience to scan a ground for gold, but the sound this material produced is so weak that you will have to be ready to stop immediately. Or, you might never be able to find your nugget again!
Moreover, you should remember that the metal detectors’ action radius diminished de deeper the sign gets. Therefore, opt to sweep multiple times in a similar location and overlap your sweeping. That is especially true if you are prospecting on the beach that is crowded and rich in black sand.
Now, if you have run your detector on a sounding deposit and are convinced that there is gold underneath, there is nothing more you have to do than pinpointing the target[10]. This step is essential because, if you were to attempt to pick up the gold and missed, the gold particles would sink even further into the ground.
To start pinpointing with your detector, sweep it back and first and side to side over the location. This continuous but steady movement will give you an idea of when it exits the radius and what it stays within it. Continue the slow sweeping until you can identify the exact location of the gold.
Now, standing just off the location in which you have found gold, lift the prospects slightly upwards. The coil should still face the ground where the gold is. By doing so, you are restricting the achievable radius of the coil underneath the ground, which offers a more precise idea of the gold’s location.
Now you are ready to extract the gold.
Recover Gold
Recovering the gold that you had identified is not always the easiest of processes. Of course, if a nugget is in question, you might just be able to pick it up. However, if you have identified gold flakes or particles, you will have to shovel the material into a bucket.
Once you have collected the material that you would like to analyze, prospectors continue the process with other fine gold recovery tools, such as sluice boxes that boast a pump.
This little feature allows the boxes to control the water velocity that runs through the body of the device. By doing so, you can be sure that all the golden particles will remain trapped in the carpet, while the lighter material will exit the box.
You can follow these processes as soon as you have some concentration. Alternatively, you can opt to process them all together at the end of a week of prospecting. In any case, if you are dealing with particles too small to be picked up with tweezers, you will need to invest in a sluice box for fine gold.
Alternatively, some prospectors use a pan to reduce the concentrates to just the gold. However, this method is not suggestible if you are not an expert in the field. Indeed, with the panning method, there is a risk of losing precious particles in the panning process.
Evaluate Alternatives
Above, you had the chance to check out the most straightforward way of searching for gold in sandy locations such as ancient ocean floors and beach deposits. However, if purchasing a metal detector is not a viable option, you could consider using a dredge.
However, in this case, you should keep in mind that a substantial investment is required to get started with your prospecting operations. Additionally, the dredge itself can be as pricey as a detector.
Moreover, it is important for prospectors to keep in mind that not all mining and prospecting locations access the use of dredges. Indeed most natural areas, recreational parks, and the prospecting site will limit the equipment to a pan, shovel, and sometimes, a sluice box.
Moreover, as we have mentioned, the whole process can only be performed using a gold pan. However, you will need to benefit from refined skills to ensure that particles become lost in the clearing of the black sand.
Conclusion
Attempting to recover gold in the sand is an activity that can offer you the most enjoyment of all, and if you know where to look, some extra profits. However, finding gold in the sand is a little trickier than just panning for gold in the local river.
The ideal equipment for this task is a gold-specialized VFL metal detector that has excellent depth capabilities. However, this will only work if you know how to set it up and tune it to cut off the interference created by the black sand.