When gold prospecting, many gold-seekers wish to find gold nuggets or large flakes. While that is possible, the majority of gold retrieved from placer gold deposits come in the form of fine gold. And while the gold content itself is usually just as valuable, extracting it could be more challenging.
To retrieve fine gold you need a recovery tool with fine riffles or some type of fine matting. A normal gold pan will do if handled in a gentle manner, but a finishing pan with small riffles will make retrieving the gold much easier. To retrieve the really fine gold and increase retention rates, quite many prospectors use a Blue Bowl Concentrator or Gold Cube.
Let’s find out how to retrieve fine gold in the best way and without having to plan for significant expenses.
Table of Contents
What Is Fine Gold?
Gold in placer deposits is most commonly found in the form of fine gold. There might be large quantities of this metal in small particles, but retrieving it is more challenging than identifying a gold nugget or flake.
Gold is generally considered fine when it comes in the form of small particles that you are not likely to be able to pick up with your fingers. In some cases, magnifying tweezers are also not particularly efficient.
Several characteristics of gold – such as size, weight, and fineness – are measured using different scales. That is why you might be familiar with karats and troy ounces. However, when it comes down to measuring its size, prospectors tend to use a scale called “mesh.”
“Mesh,” in prospecting, refers to the number of openings in a mesh screen of the size of 1 squared inch (2.5cm). The fewer openings will be on the screen, the larger each opening is – and vice-versa. Therefore a gold nugget that can fit through a 10-20 mesh will fit through larger openings and be categorized as a nugget.
In comparison, fine gold, as well as gold flour and dust, can fit through small openings, such as the ones of a 40-mesh screen. These can be as small as 0.4mm (0.01in).
The tiny size of such particles makes their recovery much more challenging than what you would experience while prospecting for nuggets.
Where Is Fine Gold Found?
Fine gold is often found in placer gold deposits. Prospectors typically track these deposits along streams, rivers, or creeks. Therefore, in most cases, fine gold will be retrieved through a method that leverages the force of water to separate the heavy gold from the other streambed elements.
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Tip: My guide to reading a river for gold deals with this topic and shows you where to look for gold in rivers and creeks.
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Oppositely, the use of metal detectors to recover fine gold is not recommendable, as most detectors will have a very hard time detecting so small pieces of gold.
Below you will find some of the best fine gold prospecting methods for recovering fine gold
Retrieving Fine Gold With a Gold Pan
Since you are likely to prospect for fine gold near a river or stream, you could opt to use your gold pan to retrieve fine gold. This method is the least expensive one, but to get the really fine gold it might require you to have refined panning skills.
Indeed, it is easy to lose precious particles while panning if you are not careful. However, with some good guidance, you will be up and running quickly, even as a complete beginner. Just follow the steps below.
1. Pan the Streambed Material
Start the process by following the panning process you are used to. This will cause the fine heavy particles of gold to drop toward the bottom of the pan, while lighter materials such as clay will flow off naturally. If you are completely new to gold panning, then I recommend reading my complete guide to panning for gold.
For this step, it is essential to break down any lump in the streambed material. Indeed, fine gold is lighter than flakes or nuggets. Unless it is separated from the surrounding elements, you will risk losing it.
2. Store the Concentrates
Many prospectors will pan the concentrates down until only the heavier black sands stay in the pan. If you wish to avoid the risk of losing any fine gold in the process, you could opt to use a suction bottle to store it away.
This strategy is also perfect for those prospectors who are equipped with tools for fine gold recovery at home. Moreover, it allows you to continue panning and then spend time on retrieving fine gold later once you have collected enough concentrate.
3. Pick the Right Finishing Pan
Ideally, you have a larger pan for the first steps of the process and a smaller finishing pan to separate the gold from the black sand. Finishing pans usually boast smaller, finer riffles that help you capture any gold particles in the mix.
If you wish to use a magnet to separate the black sand concentrate further, such a gold pan mustn’t be made of metal. Instead, opt for a plastic one.
Tip: Complete the Process in a Controlled Environment
Store away all of your black sand concentrates in a suction bottle and bring it home. Here you can continue panning by using a finishing pan in a controlled environment. You can create this by using a large bucket in which to pan. That way you can go through the concentrate several times, in case some gold got out while panning.
Retrieving Fine Gold With a Sluice Box
Sluice boxes are ideal if you wish to process much larger quantities of streambed material. However, when it comes down to retrieving fine gold, you should ensure that your sluice box boasts riffles, preferably of varying sizes and, ideally, a prospector mat.
It is also recommendable to classify the materials through a screen before feeding it to the sluice box. Some prospectors will even go as far as dividing their material into several classes of different sizes and run them one by one. The more equally sized the streambed material, the better the retention rate.
You also want to make sure to set up your sluice box with the right angle and water flow, to maximize fine gold recovery. Too fast of a flow will inevitably cause some of the finer gold to get flushed out of the sluice.
Also, avoid letting the water flow through the device for long periods of time without feeding streambed material to it. In this case, the water will cause such particles to escape the riffles.
My article on how to set up a sluice box deals with these topics in much more detail.
Pick the Right Sluice Box
When picking the right sluice box, you should ensure it boasts expanded riffles along the bottom edge. These are more efficient in recovering fine gold compared to Hungarian or right-angle riffles. Expanded metal riffles are shown in the image below:
Your sluice box should have a prospector mat along its bottom edge, under the expanded metal riffle (as shown in the image above). This feature ensures that it can capture even the smallest particles in the mix.
Transfer the Concentrates to a Safe Container
After you have processed all the streambed material through the box, you should empty all the residues into a container. Also, make sure that both the mat and the riffles are washed in a bucket and not into the stream.
Repeat the Process With a Micro Sluice Box
Bring the concentrates home and process them through the use of a micro sluice box. These are small devices that boast riffles and mats perfect for the recovery of fine gold.
Other Methods to Retrieve Fine Gold
If you wish to bring your prospecting activity to the next level, consider investing in a more professional piece of equipment. The two below are the best ones on the market, but they might require a more significant investment.
Blue Bowl Concentrator
This kit leverages the force of water and gravity to separate eventual fine gold particles from other elements in the concentrates. The water entering the bowl swirls around until it enters through the elevated hole in the middle. On its way it takes the lighter materials with it, leaving the gold behind.
Pre-screening your concentrates with a 30 or 50 mesh is recommendable before using this device. You only want to run really fine concentrates!
Gold Cube
If you are looking for a gold recovery device that can help you speed up your prospecting operation and retrieve gold from more substantial quantities of streambed material, the Gold Cube can process up to 1 yard of content in 2 hours. The water flow that runs through the device is controlled to preserve any particles of gold.
When it comes to capturing that really fine gold, the gold cube is probably the most efficient piece of equipment you can get your hands on. However, it does come at a higher price tag than the blue bowl.
Both these tools are covered in much more detail in my guide to separating gold from black sand
Important Tip: Use Jet Dry or Dishwashing Soap
The surface tension of the water will sometimes act to lift up tiny gold particles so that they escape your recovery device together with the lighter materials. To prevent this, you can just break the surface tension by adding some jet dry or dishwashing soap to the water. This is a small yet useful tip that will help you recover more of the fine gold.
Conclusion
Prospecting for fine gold presents prospectors with challenges that they would not experience when seeking nuggets. However, fine gold is the most common type of metal particles found in placer deposits.
You can retrieve fine gold through the use of a finishing pan or sluice box. Alternatively, you could decide to invest in a more professional piece of equipment.