Gold panning is one of the most ancient methods for gold recovery. While it is an accessible activity for most people, it is natural to wonder why it is still such a popular method. Especially with all the technological advancements prospectors can benefit from today, it is curious that panning for gold is still so popular.
Gold panning works by leveraging the intrinsic property of gold of being much heavier (around six times more) than most elements in streambed materials. The panning movements cause heavier particles in the mix to fall – and remain trapped – on the pan’s bottom, where they can then be retrieved from.
The results you will be able to see from panning depend on your technique, skills, and knowledge about how to find Read on to learn how to find more “color” in your pan!
Table of Contents
What Is Gold Panning
Gold panning is among the oldest techniques used to retrieve gold by prospectors worldwide. The reasons for its popularity include the limited investment necessary to get started and the limited number of tools needed. This method has developed over the years to become more efficient, affordable, and accessible.
In the beginning, gold pans were often made of wood or metal – called “beteas” – and designed in a characteristic conical shape with smooth surfaces. Such gold pans had to be worn in before using them efficiently, and, usually, prospectors would accomplish this by leaving them upside down above hot coal. The heat would burn off the oils on the metal, increasing friction and the possibility of retaining gold particles.
While the panning technique has not changed much over the years, modern pans boast considerable benefits over the prototypes. Aside from being more lightweight and more efficient, they possess molded-in riffles that make it much harder to lose gold during the panning process.
Just as wood or metal pans, plastic gold pans need to be worn in. Typically this is done by washing the pan with a good soap and running around some sand by hand. This creates small scratches that will help keep the finest gold in the pan.
How Does Gold Panning Work
While the gold pans today are more efficient than older models, the basics of gold panning have remained the same. Gold panning, just like other prospecting strategies, leverage the fact that gold is about 6 to 8 times heavier than the other common elements found in the streambed.
Moreover, gold has a specific gravity of 19.3 – much higher than any volume of water, which has a specific gravity of 1.
Due to its increased weight, mass, and gravity, any gold particles in the mix will tend to drop to the pan’s bottom during the process.
The process basically includes:
- Shaking the pan to ensure that the gold falls to the bottom
- Submerging the pan underwater and lifting it up again. The water force will wash off the lighter particles in the mix, removing them from the batch of material you are processing.
As the prospector continues to perform the panning movements, less and less material remains in the pan.
During the last stages of the panning process, black sands start to be visible at the bottom of the pan. These are a concentration of the heaviest materials in the mix, which will be a combination of magnetic and non-magnetic elements. Among those, you will find:
- Magnetite
- Hematite
- Titanium
- Zircon
- Rhodolite
- Monazite
- Pyrites – also known as Fool’s Gold
- Tungsten materials
- Other materials found in a specific location with high specific gravity – might include gold, platinum, and silver.
The next step is to separate the gold from the black sand. This can be achieved in a number of ways, but the most common method is to use gentle swirling movements so that water sweeps over the material, and pulls some of the black sand particles with it. The gold will then mostly stay where it is, while the lighter black sands are moved by the water. This is depicted below:
Our article on how to separate gold from black sand goes through some of the best and most widely used methods among seasoned gold miners!
The Advantages of Gold Panning
Several benefits keep panning for gold among the best methods to retrieve the gold, even today. Here are the ones to consider.
- Gold panning is an affordable activity – compared to other gold-recovery systems, panning requires a limited initial investment.
- Everything you need to get started is a pan – the only necessary piece of equipment for this activity is a gold pan and storage tools.
- You can pan in many areas and sites – the public locations where it is possible to prospect without additional permits won’t allow prospectors to use larger equipment than a pan or sluice box. Other pieces of equipment may be used, but the prospector needs to acquire special permissions.
- It is an excellent way to learn more about prospecting – panning for gold allows you to understand the geology and history of a place better. This knowledge can be beneficial if you decide to invest in more expensive pieces of equipment.
- Perfect for sampling terrain – gold panning is appreciated just as much by expert prospectors. Indeed, this activity can be used to sample terrain to find out whether it is gold-bearing or not.
The Disadvantages of Gold Panning
While loved for its many advantages, gold panning has some disadvantages that might make it not the best strategy to cover your prospecting needs.
- Only limited quantities of material can be processed at a time – even expert prospectors will struggle to process large amounts of content through panning. Indeed, the panning process can be extremely time- and energy-consuming. If you are going to process large quantities of material, you might want to consider getting a sluice box.
- Results can depend on your expertise and skill level – While a gold pan is easy to operate, it is easy to lose some precious gold particles during the panning process if you don’t follow the process properly. Our guide to gold panning teaches you the exact steps you need to take.
- It is ideal for processing material near a water source or river – without a nearby stream or river, the panning process can become particularly challenging. In arid lands, prospectors often opt for other strategies or carry water along with them.
Conclusion
Panning for gold can guarantee you and your family with endless hours of recreational fun in the open. Everything you need for this activity is a gold pan and gold storage tool. While highly efficient, this method works because gold is much heavier than surrounding materials and tends to remain trapped among the riffles or at the bottom of the pan.
While you might not be able to process large quantities of material through this activity, it is among the most affordable and accessible prospecting methods.
