Gold Panning
Gold panning is one of the oldest and simplest methods of treasure hunting. Although usually associated with prospecting during the American gold rushes it's still in use today, both commercially and as a recreational hobby.
What Is Gold Pannning?
Gold panning is a simple way to sort particles of gold from soil and other mineral deposits. It's often used when there is a suspicion that gold is present in an area, for example after other gold deposits have been found nearby. Since the process involves water a river or stream is a popular location.
How To Pan
The principle of panning is simple and is based on the fact that gold is a relatively dense metal. A sample of the mineral or soil mix - for example from a river bank - is placed in a wide, shallow pan along with a little water. Obvious stones are discarded and lumps of clay or mud broken up. The pan is then shaken, causing the heavy gold (if present) to go to the bottom and the lighter sediment to rise to the top. This sediment is gradually allowed to spill over the side of the pan leaving only the bottom layer. This will then - if you're lucky - contain gold flecks or maybe even tiny nuggets.The process can be made easier by placing a filter over the pan before adding the soil mix. This can prevent larger stones and items getting into the pan in the first place. Clearly there is a trade off between discarding enough deposits to save time and discarding too much, possibly including some gold. You can buy filters with a variety of mesh sizes to suit your circumstances.
The amount of gold recovered directly by panning is likely to be small, however the process can serve as an indication of where greater deposits can be found. Obviously there's little point panning for gold in a region known to be geologically unsuitable for finding it! Many people today pan for gold not for the financial reward but simply for the satisfaction it brings.
Early prospectors used crude, home-made equipment. You can still do that, however the serious gold recovery hobbyist can buy tools and supplies such as pans and filters from specialist stores or online.