Maybe you have noticed - gold prices are surging. And you're thinking that maybe it might be really fun to get into the action yourself and try it on for size.. Where to start, and what basic tools and supplies do you need?
If you're like me, you do some simple research first. Maybe go online or look for some books for beginners. There are tons of good information out there. Do a little study and your mind gets clearer about the whole thing of being a gold panner.
How about gold mining equipment, the basic stuff?
Well, it goes without saying that you are going to need some kind of gold pan. Choosing the right one may be challenging, because there are so many kinds available. So let me give you some pointers (being an old hand myself)
Avoid the all metal pans. Yes, they work fine, but are trickier to master for someone just learning how to pan. Luckily, there are many brands of lightweight gold pans made of space age plastic. These are tough customers with built-in riffles, often green or blue or black so the gold specks show up well. They come in many sizes, but you might want to start with just a medium size pan, 10 to 13 inches in diameter. After you get a lot of practice, you can go up to a bigger pan if you want.
You need something to dig the sand and gravel with. A small shovel with a short handle will work. Some like the little GI shovels. And a study metal or plastic scoop, like a garden trowel size, comes in real handy in many situations.
Your gold panning supply list should also include a classifier. This is a screening tool you can place on top of your five gallon bucket. Shovel gravel into into it, and the smaller stuff passes through. Throw away the remaining gravel - you don't need to pan it provided you have done a quick check for nuggets!
A study bucket is indispensable. A five gallon plastic bucket works well, and is also handy for carrying your small tools.
How about a snuffer bottle? For sure! These are very cheap, and are the niftiest little tool ever invented for sucking up the gold flakes and specks in your pan.
If you plan to be cleaning out cracks in exposed bedrock, some more tools come into the picture. Various thin crevicing tools are available, as well as rock picks and gold pry bars to open the cracks for easier access to hidden gold.
When you pan for gold, you will end up with concentrates. These are composed mostly of black iron sands, and maybe small garnets and other heavy materials. Sometimes the best way to maximize the fruitful time on the gold stream is to just save your concentrates and pan out the gold in them when you get home. Your can fill a plastic tub and doing your final cleanup there with your pan and snuffer bottle Spend your time on the stream getting lots of gold bearing concentrates.
One nice thing about gathering your basic gold panning supplies is that you are not going to spend a fortune. The basics I have outlined are easy to find in stores if you live in gold country, and online elsewhere and for convenience.
