How do I know if its gold or something else?

[Snteevveetns]

How do I know if it's gold or something else?

It's gold colored, in the bottom of the pan after nearly everything else is out.... How do I know if what is left is gold or something else?
Thank in advance, S

 

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[Gold Maven]

Radio Shack sells a 30x pocket microscope for about 10 bucks, it makes those small pieces of gold look like big nuggets.

It makes it much easier for a beginner. Good Luck.

 

[Jeff95531]

Placer gold should be shiny on BOTH sides and not break with a press of a fingernail. What part of the country are we talking about?

 

[Lanny in AB]

If you pan in certain areas, sometimes all you'll have left in your pan is iron pyrite as well if you're panning in an area where there's a heavy concentration.

If you can post a picture using a macro feature, it may help. Jeff has given you some good advice, and so has Gold Maven.

All the best,

Lanny

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/metal-detecting-gold/69-bedrock-gold-mysteries.html

 

[Hoser John]

A magnet is the answer as gold is not. Then a knife is all ya need-ifn' it cracks,crumbles or goes crunch ya got leaverite. Gold is malable and that knife will dent or even cut in half -John

 

[Snteevveetns]

I'm in central CA. Thank you all for your responses!

 

[golden sluice]

Gold glows even in shadow, fools gold shines in the sun. Gold under a hammer flattens, fools gold shatters and flakes. Gold in vinegar gets brighter, fools gold stinks, its is strange but, you usually know gold when you see it. Blacksand is removed, and gold is left behind saying, here I am, you found me.


Git the gold.

 

[ALewis]

You'll know it's Gold if you just can't stop stare'in at it !

I said the exact same thing the 1st time I went out pannin. Kept thinking, "Will I even be able to recognize any gold if I find some? "

All I can say is Golden Sluice is correct, you will know when it's gold. After a little bit of time & experience it'll just jump out at you.....

 

[goldenmojo]

 

[bottlecap]

Radio Shack sells a 30x pocket microscope for about 10 bucks, it makes those small pieces of gold look like big nuggets.

It makes it much easier for a beginner. Good Luck.

This is a pretty horrible new guy question but what exactly are you looking for when magnified?

 

[goldenmojo]

]

This is a pretty horrible new guy question but what exactly are you looking for when magnified?

 

[bottlecap]

Ok cool. So are you able to separate the black sand and other fine materials from the gold by panning more or do you have to use a dropper and suction the gold out? Sorry I am obviously not up on my gold terminology.

 

[goldenmojo]

Bottlecap Welcome to TNET and the feverish chase of the golden metal. I too am fairly new having been at it almost 6 months. The first thing you need to do is learn how to pan. It takes about a hour of good practice and the you will refine your skill and your style. Everyone does it just a little differently but the basics are all the same and everyone does the basics. The quickest way to learn is to go on youtube and look up basic gold panning techniques. There are many vids on the subject and you should watch as many as you need. Next get a pan or a pan starter kit. I like Garrett pans. Scratch the inside with a scrub pad to rough it up real good and wash out the oil.

Now get some sand and a few BBs or fishing weights (small) and practice panning with the BBs and weights until you get good at panning and the weights are left in the bottom of the pan. Then you are ready to go panning. If you have any questions just ask them here as there are no dumb questions and we all had to start at the beginning. By the way no matter how many years you have at this game, and there are many on this forum that have a lifetime of experience you will never know it all.

Good Luck and Much Gold To You
Goldenmojo

 

[H&F909ORO]

Remember gold is 19x heavier than water, so if you get a big nugget it should not move. Small pieces move if you throw the water at it, but if your careful it should be a little harder to move than the black sand.

 

[goldenmojo]

Bottle cap To answer your question a little better here is what I do. When I have a majority of the light material (blonde colored) out there is left in the pan Gold, Black Sand and some blonde material. I usually use a snuffer bottle and snuff up the biggest gold I can see that is riding in the small groove where the bottom of the pan meets the side. I next pan out all the blond I can see leaving just black sand and gold. To get the gold to the groove I use swirling, tapping and any other movement that will get the gold there. I snuff that out. You have to watch carefully in the black sand because the gold likes to hide there. I usually snuff a pan 2-5 times as needed. Then if I am saving the black sand for further processing put it in a container. I like to be outdoors so I spend time snuffing it up. Some people just put the panned super cons in a container and take them home without snuffing, Your Call.

GM

 

[bottlecap]

Bottlecap Welcome to TNET and the feverish chase of the golden metal. I too am fairly new having been at it almost 6 months. The first thing you need to do is learn how to pan. It takes about a hour of good practice and the you will refine your skill and your style. Everyone does it just a little differently but the basics are all the same and everyone does the basics. The quickest way to learn is to go on youtube and look up basic gold panning techniques. There are many vids on the subject and you should watch as many as you need. Next get a pan or a pan starter kit. I like Garrett pans. Scratch the inside with a scrub pad to rough it up real good and wash out the oil.

Now get some sand and a few BBs or fishing weights (small) and practice panning with the BBs and weights until you get good at panning and the weights are left in the bottom of the pan. Then you are ready to go panning. If you have any questions just ask them here as there are no dumb questions and we all had to start at the beginning. By the way no matter how many years you have at this game, and there are many on this forum that have a lifetime of experience you will never know it all.

Good Luck and Much Gold To You
Goldenmojo

Great advice. Looks like you can get a Garrett starter kit for around 35 bucks, looks like it comes with several different pans and a snuffer bottle, looks like a good deal. I will definitely get that ordered and while I'm at it I'll order some gold dirt from ebay to get a feel for it. This is pretty exciting stuff.

 

[Bluefrontside]

 

[Jeff95531]

Welcome SNT & BC. I've been prospecting a little over a year. When I researched pans, I got this set for $50 and now it's $43. I've used it all and VERY happy with it. Garrett Deluxe Gold Panning Kit For Sale - Kellyco Metal Detectors
Gold luck and Happy Hunting!

 

[goldenmojo]

I would pass on store bought pay dirt. Practice with sand and fish weights. Find an area that has gold and get to it. After a short time you will findyourself sample panning the most unlikely places and finding some color.

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