Gold - Pan, Sluice Etc

[Java230]

Anyone do this? I have a creek on my property, and my sister in law bought a pan and swears she found a flake... The idea of a little 5' sluice is in my head. Not expecting to find much $ but was just wondering fi anyone had ever done this type thing?

 

[JNHEscher]

Haven't myself, but have a friend in southern Colorado that does regularly. He's got a good chunk strung on a necklace.

 

[Norm]

Yes, start with a pan (~$10), watch some video's. You can get a small plastic sluice pretty cheep, it should work fine. I have a folding sluice and a high banker. You need some good water flow to run a sluice.

 

[baldduck1974]

Watch the newest episodes of Freddy Dodges mine rescue, they worked on a couple that where drie sluice

 

[ThePanzerFuhrer]

I would just get some pans and hit the hotspots of the creek to see if there is any in there before you go hog wild on buying shit.

The secret to know if it’s really gold in the pan is to pass a shadow over the suspect piece. If it stays the same color that’s a good shot it could be gold, if the gold color goes away then it’s just pyrite.

Finding pyrite is a decent sign there may be gold in the area. Pyrite has iron in it, all the heavy metals like to hang out together.

Just remember the guys who got rich were the ones selling the equipment not the gold miners themselves . This is still true to this day

 

[axjwhlr]

Everything begins and ends with a pan. No need for a sluice until you confirm you have gold.

 

[Java230]

Sounds like I should try panning a bit before anything then!

 

[Fuzzydog]

A few years ago I leased a claim from the BC Gov on the Fraser River in central BC. It was fun, but I still have my desk job. Probably the most important thing I learned is that you have more success by digging. Dig in the creek, and dig where you think the creek used to flow. Gold is the heaviest thing in the creek and has been settling for centuries. Dig a hole and pan that stuff.
Also, don't be gentle on your panning. If there is gold in that pan it is going to be very hard for it to climb the sides of the pan and fall out. Be aggressive to get all the crap out fast and you will process more material.
Oh and last thing - hunched down in a creek panning sucks. If there is gold there get a little sluice box asap. I had a metal shop bend me up some alum into a trough, I put adjustable legs on it and lined it with black floor runner material that had grooves. Worked really well.

 

[Java230]

A few years ago I leased a claim from the BC Gov on the Fraser River in central BC. It was fun, but I still have my desk job. Probably the most important thing I learned is that you have more success by digging. Dig in the creek, and dig where you think the creek used to flow. Gold is the heaviest thing in the creek and has been settling for centuries. Dig a hole and pan that stuff.
Also, don't be gentle on your panning. If there is gold in that pan it is going to be very hard for it to climb the sides of the pan and fall out. Be aggressive to get all the crap out fast and you will process more material.
Oh and last thing - hunched down in a creek panning sucks. If there is gold there get a little sluice box asap. I had a metal shop bend me up some alum into a trough, I put adjustable legs on it and lined it with black floor runner material that had grooves. Worked really well.

Exactly why I was thinking sluice. $70 on Amazon lol