[PIC] 5-Gallon bucket of concentrate. How do I separate the gold?

servenomore

Newbie
Dec 29, 2013
2
0
Houston, Tx
Detector(s) used
None yet. just getting started and still researching what tools will suit me.
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
I'm a gpaa member, but I'm a total greenhorn. I took the family gold prospecting on a claim in Colorado last week. Dug up some gravel, classified it on site with 1/4", 1/12", and 1/30" classifiers. Then we loaded up a 5-gallon bucket of concentrate and brought it back home to Texas to pan. It contains a lot of flakes and fine gold, but I can't separate it from the sand.

I've looked on youtube for videos of equipment to buy that'll help and I've looked thru all the ads in the gpaa magazine, but I'm not sure what to buy or if there's a process I'm missing.

Anyway, I thought I'd post a picture here to see if anyone could take a look at what we've got and offer a suggestion to hep us gather the gold.

The photo may not show the sparkle very well, but thanks in advance for any help!
 

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KevinInColorado

Gold Member
Jan 9, 2012
7,037
11,369
Summit County, Colorado
Detector(s) used
Grizzly Goldtrap Explorer & Motherlode, Gold Cube with trommel or Banker on top, Angus Mackirk Expedition, Gold-n-Sand Xtream Hand pump
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Put a couple tablespoons worth in a pan at a time and do all the stuff you see in the GPAA instructional panningvideo. That material is JUST PERFECT to learn to pan! Pan into a wash tub so you can scoop up the material and do it again until you get your panning skills honed. You do not need more gear, just some practice. Be patient with yourself and you'll get better. Learning to pan is soooo key to this stuff.

PS glad you got to visit Colorado. We have a lot of gold gettin' spots here. Feel free to ask for suggestions the next time you're headed this way.
 

goldenmojo

Bronze Member
Dec 9, 2013
1,865
4,753
N. California
Detector(s) used
Bazooka Prospector-Sniper-Supermini Thanks Todd & Chris, Goldhog Multisluice Thanks Doc, My Land Matters Thanks Claydiggins, 6 Senses
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Get a tub of water and pan the light stuff off. As soon as you get rid of all the light stuff you will have black sand and gold left in your pan. Remove the gold with a snuffer bottle. If you are having trouble with panning look on you tube for how to pan. It is the first step you must learn to get gold.
 

gunflintguy

Jr. Member
Oct 4, 2013
41
31
Northern Mn
Detector(s) used
Gold Bug Pro, Blue Bowl
Sluices: 36" Bazooka Gold Trap Sniper, Angus McKirk Recon
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I started about 6 months ago, so I am still learning. Follow Kevin and goldenmojo's comments. Learn to pan. Once I figured how to pan, things got easier. Goldhog's you tube panning video's at Gold Hog - YouTube really helped me out. He has a lot of great video's, well produced and informative. He's also a forum sponsor. He's got 4 really good panning video's, 3 posted to his page a year ago and one posted 9 months ago. Check those out.

Ask questions as you go along, the people here are great and always willing to help and welcome to TNET
 

MadJack_ME

Full Member
Apr 11, 2013
138
227
Maine, mostly
Detector(s) used
Original Gold Bug, Dahlke Dredges, LeTrap Sluice for clean-up
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Did you run any of this through a sluice? Most dirt will have 'sparlkes', but any gold should be a butter-color and remain so in the sun AND shade.
Panning is the key, the time to learn is now. As said above, pan into a wash tub or tote full of water. And collect any gold in a snuffer bottle.
 

dredgeman

Sr. Member
Feb 14, 2013
340
249
Primary Interest:
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If the sparkles stay with the sand it might be called pyrite. Fools gold etc. Any real gold should be below the material after a vigorous shaking of the pan.

Learn to pan and have a great time
 

OP
OP
S

servenomore

Newbie
Dec 29, 2013
2
0
Houston, Tx
Detector(s) used
None yet. just getting started and still researching what tools will suit me.
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Thanks for all the advice. I'll definitely watch the videos suggested and work on my panning. I'll post a picture of my results asap. Either way, we had a great time on the river! Everything about the experience was enjoyable! :)
 

GoldpannerDave

Bronze Member
Apr 17, 2014
1,076
1,279
Colorado Springs, CO
Detector(s) used
Bazooka 48" Miner and 30" Sniper, Le Trap, Wolf Trap, A52, 2" dredge, Miller tables, Blue Bowl, wheel, Falcon MD20, old White's detector
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Yes, learn to pan. Also a Miller table will help separate the black sands from the fine gold much faster than panning. There are some very good links on here about Miller tables, how to build, how to use, etc.
 

Portadrillmini

Jr. Member
May 8, 2013
50
32
Blairsville, Ga 30512
Detector(s) used
MineLab Eureka Gold - 15" RockCrusher- PORTADRILLMINI Gold Driller Auger sampler Unit -Gold Lab Clean Gold Concentrator-5" Dredge-Keen A52 Sluice- BlueBowl Cons clean-up - Microwave Gold Kiln
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
classify , roast , then pan cons. put cons under a microscope , smelt cons , save , melt into dore button 400mesh.jpg IMG_0811.JPG GOLD BEADS.JPG G728.JPG
 

B H Prospector

Hero Member
Feb 2, 2010
856
838
Black Hills, South Dakota
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Hey guys you forgot to tell servenomore the secret ingredient for panning. A few drops of jet dry in the panning tub water. Don't want his gold floatin' away do we? Oh an d welcome to the forum sevrenomore.

Good Luck!

BH Prospector
 

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