Placer mining and fine gold recovery - your must have tools?

Terry Soloman

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May 28, 2010
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Pan, sluice, weed.:occasion14:
 

mendoAu

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Apr 23, 2014
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SW Oregon
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Now dang it...all this time I thought this was gold, guess I'll just toss it back in the creek...

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I don't use a shovel so here's my top four: 5inch dredge, wetsuit, inhaler, and a camo tarp // didn't used to have to use a camo tarp so a bit of sippin' gin (now number five instead of four) helps when it comes to panning down to that fine gold (that does not appear in creeks,HA!) and the number one thing that you "don't have to carry/bring" is the mindset that there's gold where you're sucking...
 

mytimetoshine

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Jun 23, 2013
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El Dorado County
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GRIZZLY GOLD TRAP - ANGUS MACKIRK EXPLORER- BLUE BOWL - GOLD CUBE, MINELAB PRO 25 PINPOINTER-
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Fine gold is finicky. It all depends on conditions and material. I find the best "practical" method of most fine gold deposits in my area is a pan and 1/4 classifier. Classify then run it down to 80/20 black/blonde sand and dump into a catch to later proccess with Gold Cube and blue blowl.
 

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N-Lionberger

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Dec 1, 2013
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Arcata, California
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I cant pan to save my life after a few drinks! My #1 is my pan, #2 is my pick #3 is a container to place my concentrates.
 

Hamfist

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Aug 1, 2014
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Drywasher, detector, #8 classifier.


What’s a creek?!
 

Johnnybravo300

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Jan 3, 2016
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South of Gunnison, Gold Basin
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A 14 pound San Angelo bar breaks up my creek bed better than anything does. It makes shoveling much more productive and easier. It's a struggle to move much material without it.
 

arizau

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May 2, 2014
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Beach High Banker, Sweep Jig, Whippet Dry Washer, Lobo ST, 1/2 width 2 tray Gold Cube, numerous pans, rocker box, and home made fluid bed and stream sluices.
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Toss up question!

What are your 3 must have tools when you head out to the creek (not including a shovel and bucket, lol)? What are your top 3 tools when recovering fine gold??????????

When "recovering" AKA panning concentrates I first classify them to batches of like sized material before panning. I have a couple of sets and the mesh sizes range from about 20 down to 150 mesh. When gold is panned with like size material it is relatively easy to pan (isolate) since it is usually 3 or more times as heavy as non gold particles.
 

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Lamy Lineman

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Sep 27, 2014
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New Mexico
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Pan, sluice, sucker bottle
 

RTD-Tech

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Feb 3, 2018
49
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Western Massachusetts
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Turkey baster, screw driver and table spoon. Lol, I get all of my gold from crevicing. Usually bring my little brother also, He's a good pack mule.

Somehow, I always forget the weed though...
 

Capt Nemo

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Apr 11, 2015
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Oshkosh, WI
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Flow Pan, washdown tray, squirt bottle, 1/2" classifier, hand scoop, 2 gal cons bucket w lid.
 

OP
OP
J

jdlev

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Nov 21, 2016
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Now dang it...all this time I thought this was gold, guess I'll just toss it back in the creek...

View attachment 1645845

I don't use a shovel so here's my top four: 5inch dredge, wetsuit, inhaler, and a camo tarp // didn't used to have to use a camo tarp so a bit of sippin' gin (now number five instead of four) helps when it comes to panning down to that fine gold (that does not appear in creeks,HA!) and the number one thing that you "don't have to carry/bring" is the mindset that there's gold where you're sucking...

emoticon_drool1315581912.gif
 

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