Very first time gold panning and found GOLD

[shawn32671]

Well I tried out gold panning for the very first time yesterday and found some decent gold and a couple small "pickers" even. As you can see, the pieces are a little under 1/16 in size in the first vial but way under 1/16 in the second one but I did find two small "pickers" between 1/16 and 1/8 inch in size (one in each vial). North central Iowa.

 

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[shawn32671]

Since it is my first go at panning, I saved all of the concentrates and plan to pan through that several more times in hopes of finding a little more. I'm also saving all the heavies to run on a Miller table I plan to build from tutorials online so I can hopefully recover even the very fine gold. My technique is very poor so far but hey, I'm trying my best and at least have some results.
Being that Iowa gold is placer gold and mostly flour to tiny pieces like I found, I don't think I did too bad especially when I was told it was a waste of time to try local areas. I don't know, what do you folks think? Should I continue trying? I'm not very concerned with finding much or making money as much as I am at just getting out there and having fun and hoping to meet others near by interested as well.
Thanks for looking.

 

[KevinInColorado]

Since it is my first go at panning, I saved all of the concentrates and plan to pan through that several more times in hopes of finding a little more. I'm also saving all the heavies to run on a Miller table I plan to build from tutorials online so I can hopefully recover even the very fine gold. My technique is very poor so far but hey, I'm trying my best and at least have some results.
Being that Iowa gold is placer gold and mostly flour to tiny pieces like I found, I don't think I did too bad especially when I was told it was a waste of time to try local areas. I don't know, what do you folks think? Should I continue trying? I'm not very concerned with finding much or making money as much as I am at just getting out there and having fun and hoping to meet others near by interested as well.
Thanks for looking.

You did great by any measure, good job!

Btw, way to prove the naysayers wrong, I love finding gold where others doubt or deny! Now get back out there!

Ps smart to save your leftover heavy cons for when you are more experienced at panning. Screen that material down to the really fine stuff (such as what will go thru a 50 or even 100 mesh sieve) and pan that fine stuff to get more gold now.

 

[okla. prospector]

Looks good, I would keep going! You have proven them wrong lol

 

[Fullpan]

It would be difficult to authenticate the sources, but I think someone should start a collection of gold from all the "no gold here" states. Its been an eye-opening experience for me!! Congrats on the start of a very unique collection from Iowa.

 

[KevinInColorado]

It would be difficult to authenticate the sources, but I think someone should start a collection of gold from all the "no gold here" states. Its been an eye-opening experience for me!! Congrats on the start of a very unique collection from Iowa.

Great idea! My most productive sites are not mentioned in the literature here in CO. The lit is always a great place to start but don't stop there!!!

 

[Goodyguy]

Keep telling them there is no gold in Iowa, all the while collecting it for yourself. You would be surprised at how word of mouth can create a mini gold rush even in Iowa.

Too late, my prospecting Club is headed there now with trommels, dredges, and high bankers.
GG~

 

[B H Prospector]

Way to go! Keep your spot to yourself. You have no way to protect it like we do out west with claims. Even then we have claim jumpers but the law is on our side with a legit claim. Get after it and keep quiet.

Good Luck!

BH Prospector

 

[shawn32671]

Thanks for the input guys, this is a great forum...Gold in Iowa?, absurd!, now forget you heard there's gold here....GGG

 

[shawn32671]

Below is my total take thus far...same amount of gold in both pics but showing what it looks like in the pan and the vial...I still have to go through the cons again then go through the main material a few more times to try to recover what I'm sure I've missed...My snuffer bottle (not shown) is about halfway full of flour gold and black sand and hoping to figure out a good way to seperate the sands from the flour gold but I'm sure off to a good start for a place "that has no gold". what's kind of funny is in doing research I found an article about my town saying a gold venture was taken up here in the late 1800's to early 1900's but it said there was insufient amounts to make it a profitable venture so the idea was abandoned, stating that someone may on a good day be able to pan roughly 50 cents a day, well what's that in todays standards? 5-10 bucks? anyway I'm not in it to make cash but to experience the thrill of finding color.

Oh and the gold shown below is minus half of the bottle contents from the bottom pic in my original post up above...I gave some to a very good friend and now he's hooked as well...It's funny, you show the gold and the jaws drop and apologies come in for my being called foolish to even try this.

 

[KevinInColorado]

Fabulous!

Fifty cents worth back then would be 1/40 of an ounce or 1/64 of an ounce since gold was $20 and then $32 per ounce.. Today an ounce is worth $1244 so 1244/40 or 1244/64 is current value they were getting. That's a range of $20-30 a day. You'd make more working in a fast food restaurant but finding gold is a LOT more fun!

 

[GrizzlyGremlin]

Dude! Great haul! U are going to be one scary prospector when you get some streamtime under your belt! It took me my first whole season for that much!

 

[B H Prospector]

Excellant!! You are on your way ! Like I said Keep quiet!

 

[goldenIrishman]

Well considering your location that's a heck of a good haul. Now that you've proven them wrong you need to do a couple of things. First as has been said already...Keep quiet about where you found it. Second do more research into the geographic history of the area so you can adjust your digging efforts and find even more and better gold. You'd be surprised at how much a little research into an areas past can increase your production.

 

[hannahgodfrey]

Good job!! I’d say keep at it, who knows you hit a jackpot someday…..

 

[Aufisher]

Nice start to a good collection!

 

[shawn32671]

thanks for the support

 

[H-2 CHARLIE]

there may be huge nuggets just under the ground .... use a ML Gpx -5000

 

[roadrunner]

You need an Md, and be quiet about your findings.
If your finding that size,there maybe,and most likely is bigger down a little deeper.
I would not be telling anybody, and watch your back side.

 

[shawn32671]

I don't know about there being much bigger since Iowa is supposed to have just placer gold but you never know for sure I suppose. And definately going to be keeping my mouth shut about where.