new to gold panning in ny

vision quest

Full Member
Jul 8, 2007
125
2
RENSSELAER, NY
Detector(s) used
Whites XLT
Excalibur II
Minelab SDC 2300
Dont know about sluice boxes but saw a show about the Herkimer Diamonds. Was it worth it ? Did you find any diamonds ? Was thinking about checking it out looks like it would be fun. Thanks....
 

SgtM8411

Greenie
Jan 16, 2007
16
1
Johnstown NY
Detector(s) used
Whites XLT, minelab explorer SE, minelab excalibur, Tesoro Cortes, Teknetics T2 SE, Whites Surfmaster PI, Tesoro Tiger Shark
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
the gold in NY is called "alluvial" gold or "flour"gold because it is so fine. The only way to recover it would be chemically using mercury or a similar proccess. Vermont has a few streams where you can pan for small gold but i dont think you will have much luck in NY. I too have a sluice box and a few pans and never had any luck here. If you google it, you can find some info on gold panning locations in VT. Its only a few hour drive. Gool luck
 

submerged

Jr. Member
May 20, 2005
75
5
Fishkill N.Y.
I cant believe some of the replies given here. First there is gold in NY and you can get it with a pan or a sluice even a dredge especially in up state NY. The gold is placer gold and mostly it was brought here from canada and above when the glaciers passed over the area and deposited the gold, it is in a layer that is called glacial till meaning the glacier that passed over the state tilled and ground up everything under it depositing and exposing gold. There are nuggets and they are small ones and you can pick them up with your fingers. The small gold is small flour to fine grain gold and it is easy to get. I have found gold in Dutchess county recently so there is gold here you have to get to the bedrock and definatly the cracks hold gold. Start reading and asking questions on these sites everyone is great here and will help you.

Good luck au hunting
Ed

http://www.au-prospecting.com/gold/portal.php

http://nysgoldsite.com/
 

SgtM8411

Greenie
Jan 16, 2007
16
1
Johnstown NY
Detector(s) used
Whites XLT, minelab explorer SE, minelab excalibur, Tesoro Cortes, Teknetics T2 SE, Whites Surfmaster PI, Tesoro Tiger Shark
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting

lisa mckern

Newbie
Oct 2, 2012
2
1
Albany NY
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
I have the original files (in pdf format) from the NYS Secretary of State registering all gold and silver mine claims in NY starting in 1791. If interested , The files consist of names and locations and year file. The files have not been transcribed yet, that will be another project for another time. The locations listed cover most counties in NY and might give some good information on where to prospect for gold in NY.
 

Last edited by a moderator:

cletus2000

Newbie
Oct 5, 2012
1
0
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Interested

I have the original files (in pdf format) from the NYS Secretary of State registering all gold and silver mine claims in NY starting in 1791. If interested , The files consist of names and locations and year file. The files have not been transcribed yet, that will be another project for another time. The locations listed cover most counties in NY and might give some good information on where to prospect for gold in NY.

I am in upstate NY and just starting out with gold panning. Im currently overseas in Afghanistan but will be home in a couple months. I am very interested in the pdf's :) and also any other information that you have or may want to share would be greatly appreciated! PM me if you would like! Thank You
 

Terry Soloman

Gold Member
May 28, 2010
19,421
30,104
White Plains, New York
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
Nokta Makro Legend// Pulsedive// Minelab GPZ 7000// Vanquish 540// Minelab Pro Find 35// Dune Kraken Sandscoop// Grave Digger Tools Tombstone shovel & Sidekick digger// Bunk's Hermit Pick
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Just starting on this kick after doing the herkimer daimonds. Any suggestions for going with a sluice box or just panning for the afternoon.
There has to be some gold here, right?

Hello from White Plains, New York. There is some small glacial gold in northern New York, but not enough to pay for a sluice box. There is no natural gold in New York, the geology is all wrong. Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Vermont, not in New York.
 

JimmeyC

Full Member
Oct 15, 2012
238
122
N. Tonawanda, Amherst, NY
Detector(s) used
Fisher Gold Bug, Garrett Ultra GTA 1000, Minelab E-Trac
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Hi all, Just had to chime in, being from NY and a part time gold miner also. NY has a very little known law from WAY back stating that any gold found in NY belongs to the state of NY! I'd love to hold a press conference and present a "flake" to the governer!!! LOL "I believe this belongs to you"! I do not believe it is enforced but the others are right. Any gold here in NY was carried by glaciers. And gold is always found at the bottom. Find the bedrock!!!
 

vtgoldprospector

Jr. Member
Jun 27, 2012
74
7
Eastern Long Island
Detector(s) used
Google Earth, my hands and a pan!
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
As a fellow New Yorker I personally feel that prospecting here is a waste of time, unless you have time to waste then it's fine. However gold is just about everywhere so you never know! I confirm that law and feel that it should be sh*% canned along with many other far outdated laws that are from another time. Maybe they are sitting on it in case a large find is made so they can claim it like a greedy little kid. Fat chance of that ever happening...
 

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Top