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Gold panning a great hobby for all
Gold panning
is a physical outdoor activity that can be enjoyed by everyone.
It is not difficult and it’s inexpensive.
For the small cost of a gold pan one can start prospecting
for alluvial gold. Panning is one of the very basic methods
employed to test for the presence of minerals in river bed
sands and gravels.
Gold panning action
The
gold panning action separates minerals and gold by
gravity. Gold is about 19 times heavier than water (specific
gravity) and will therefore sink to the bottom of a gold
pan very quickly if agitated. The panning action with water
will displace lighter materials (light coloured sands) to
the top of the pan where it is washed off. The heavier material
that is left behind (darker sands) is commonly referred
to as the concentrate or black sands. The black sands are
often ilmenite, magnetite, tin, garnet and hopefully gold.
The trick is to be able to separate and remove the gold
from the unwanted gravel material quickly.
Panning is
an art and a craft that can be learned easily with lots
of practice. It is generally best done with water. There
are many good books available to teach yourself like Gold
Panning for Novices or Gold Fever.
Gold pans, how they
are made
Gold pans come in many shapes, sizes and colours. Pressed
steel pans are the old timers favourite. They are strong
and heavy but tend to rust out if not treated correctly.
The oldtimers used to blacken their dishes in a camp fire
by placing it in a bed of coals. This process removes any
oil or grease from the gold pan and gives it a blueish colour.
The more popular modern pan is made of light plastics with
superior gold catching riffles, in black or dark green colour
to show up the gold better. Many interesting shapes like
the grizzly gold pan
or the
trinity bowl, are possible.
Gold pans
for competitions are generally designed specifically for
that task to comply with certain regulations and are not
necessarily suited for everyday panning and sampling.
Where to pan
for gold
In North Queensland there are many
creeks and river systems that carry gold. With a little
research in the local library or the help of a friendly
prospector, it is possible to find just the right area to
get started with the gold panning.
The benefits
of this family and environmentally friendly activity are
many. So get going, all you need is a
fossicking licence, a gold pan and a few inexpensive
hand tools.
Panning
for gold is the simplest and most inexpensive method
of looking for gold.
Sieves
The most common sieves used for fossicking are made of an
aluminium round frame with a galvanized mesh. This affords
economy and lightness. They are available in a variety of
diameters. The most popular mesh sizes are still being quoted
in the old imperial measurements. Aperture sizes (size of
the opening) are available in 1/32, 1/16, 1/8, 3/16, ¼,
5/16, 3/8 and ½”. Sieves are made to be stackable so that
you can sort into more than one size simultaneously. Receiving
trays and lids are also available. These are not certified
test sieves. Sizes can vary slightly.
Sieves have
many uses in fossicking and mining. It is easier to extract
gold and gemstones from similar sized particle sizes.
Separation by gravity with the help of water is accomplished
easier with sorting sieves where the material is graded
into different sizes.
Traditional Gold Cradle or
Rocker
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