Now what...

[Darshevo]

Today I took my sluicing results and spent some time with them. Since I am still quite new to it I dropped a couple small sinkers in to kind of help me keep track of what I was doing. I also took my cons out of the bucket and then panned them into a masonry type mixing trough I had laying around so I wouldn't have to worry about carelessly losing something.

After some time I got it down to where it was mostly black sand. There are some quite bright flecks mixed in with it (1/2 the size of a grain of salt). I separated out the sand with a magnet and most of the flecks went along with it (there were still a few in the pan) I took what was left in the pan and placed it in a vial then put the sands into another vial until I know what my best way to proceed is.

Having watched tons of youtube videos where the take is sizable chunks of gold (rice kernal or so) I think I could comfortably pan that out now (no troubles keeping my sinkers in place)

In the picture the shiny specs in the top part of the pan left of the sinkers are what I am hoping are gold. The gold colored stuff in the bottom is just sand I didn't get panned out as I was starting to lose black sand with it when I was working it.

 

[jog]

Very hard to tell in that pic, but gold flakes and specks won't shine. They will be a dull yellow and once you see them you will know! Looks like you have got the heavy stuff figured out. If your panning over another pan and you cant lose any try taking it down all the way, even the smallest specs will be at the bottom. May be hiding under the sand. Good luck!

 

[Astrobouncer]

When I use a magnet to take out the black sands, what I do is stir the mixture a bit in a taller cup or pitcher, until it gets a nice fast swirl going, then I drop the magnet in on the side while slowly lowering it . This way, it minimizes the amount of gold possibly pulled in by the black sand as it magnetizes. I also keep all the black sand to go through later, will run all that through my bigger miller table when I finish it and after I have heated and dropped the black sand in ice water to release trapped gold in the bsand.

 

[Goldwasher]

super magnet+dry black sand, hold it over your pan start lowering the magnet while you shake pan side to side as you get closer the magnetic sand will start to lift up to the magnet as long as you dont get to close all you will get on the magnet is black sand....keep doing this pretty soon you will have alot less black sand in your pan. use a supermagnet in a film canister its easy to clean that way.....keep all your black sand magnetic and not platinum is semi magnetic sometimes.send some in for an assay and see what your not seein'. dont..... ever put the magnet in or too close to the b.s. you can trap gold in it that way.

 

[TerryC]

I see you are using a pan with deep grooves. Yes, very good pan. I think it is a Garrett "Gravity Trap" or GPAA "The Grabber". Those deep grooves will hold even the flower gold. You'll see. Use 7 1/2 bird shot instead of the sinkers. Flatten some for a different type of "gold". PRACTICE! You'll find it HARD to throw them out of the pan. Now, go get some gold! TTC

 

[kuger]

You are not going to get it down far enough with those deep grooves.Turn the pan and use the "smooth',part,and go slow so you can see what is going out.....small gold will try,but just pull it(the pan) and start over,if the time is taken and the technique is used you can pan nearly ALL of the black sand out

 

[warsawdaddy]

In that picture you have way too much sand.You need to pan it on down further until you only have one or two table spoons left.Then with a very little water,swirl it a bit and then hold the pan flat in front of you and tap on the outside of the pan that is away from you and the sand should 'walk' away and leave any gold against the pan where you are tapping.

 

[kuger]

In that picture you have way too much sand.You need to pan it on down further until you only have one or two table spoons left.Then with a very little water,swirl it a bit and then hold the pan flat in front of you and tap on the outside of the pan that is away from you and the sand should 'walk' away and leave any gold against the pan where you are tapping.

Yep

 

[Goodyguy]

Pan that black sand on down from the smooth side into a safety pan. Don't be afraid to loose the teeny tiny gold specks into the safety pan.

Save the safety pan cons for a blue bowl or a spiral wheel to remove the teeny tiny specks of gold.
Or use mercury to gather up all the specks from the safety pan cons.

GG~

 

[Darshevo]

You guys are awesome! Thank you so much for the instruction. I am in the process of re-roofing my house (the reward for which will be a new detector ) As soon as I get done with the project at hand I am going to go back after my cons. I kept all the black sands separate, plus the really find regular sands so I will have a good base to start with. Once I am through it I will re-pan it and see how I did the first time around. I will also use some smaller lead this time for practice

This community rocks! Its so cool to have so many people come together to help a new comer get the info they need

-Lance

 

[jog]

You are not going to get it down far enough with those deep grooves.Turn the pan and use the "smooth',part,and go slow so you can see what is going out.....small gold will try,but just pull it(the pan) and start over,if the time is taken and the technique is used you can pan nearly ALL of the black sand out

What he said!