Questions from an absolute newbie.

[HoosierDude]

First off, what a great community this is. I've been browsing for the past several hours and I know I'll learn a lot from here!

Alright, I've never panned for gold before. I've never operated a metal detector. I don't even know where to begin. All I know is that I want to learn a fun new outdoor hobby that aligns with my self-sufficient mindset and learn skills that will be useful for the rest of my life.

Ok, with that said, I've got a lot of questions!


1.) Can gold be located everywhere? Are there places where gold could never be found?
2.) I live in southern Indiana, right on the Ohio River. Near me are hills, valleys, lots of creeks and streams. Without knowing my exact location, is this sort of landscape/area ideal for panning and gold hunting?
3.) What would be decent things to acquire to get started? (I plan on getting all the items I need here and there until Spring time, then I'll start panning once it warms up)
4.) Any good books, or even better, good online videos to kind of school me in what I'd do? I mean, I understand the concept of panning from just watching videos of people doing it, but they don't share any detailed information. Most I have seen are geared towards those who already know about panning.
5.) A dumb question, sure, but (haha) what exactly do you do with the gold once you find it? Do most people just hoard it, send it off to get it melted down? Do 'cash for gold' type places buy gold that isn't already jewelry? Confused from how I could turn something I found in the dirt into beer money for Saturday nights.


I've got more questions, but I won't hit you with them all at once.

Thanks!

 

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[Aurabbit79er]

Ok I'm still awake. Welcome to TNet

 

[Aurabbit79er]

First off, what a great community this is. I've been browsing for the past several hours and I know I'll learn a lot from here!

Alright, I've never panned for gold before. I've never operated a metal detector. I don't even know where to begin. All I know is that I want to learn a fun new outdoor hobby that aligns with my self-sufficient mindset and learn skills that will be useful for the rest of my life.

Ok, with that said, I've got a lot of questions!


1.) Can gold be located everywhere? Are there places where gold could never be found?
2.) I live in southern Indiana, right on the Ohio River. Near me are hills, valleys, lots of creeks and streams. Without knowing my exact location, is this sort of landscape/area ideal for panning and gold hunting?
3.) What would be decent things to acquire to get started? (I plan on getting all the items I need here and there until Spring time, then I'll start panning once it warms up)
4.) Any good books, or even better, good online videos to kind of school me in what I'd do? I mean, I understand the concept of panning from just watching videos of people doing it, but they don't share any detailed information. Most I have seen are geared towards those who already know about panning.
5.) A dumb question, sure, but (haha) what exactly do you do with the gold once you find it? Do most people just hoard it, send it off to get it melted down? Do 'cash for gold' type places buy gold that isn't already jewelry? Confused from how I could turn something I found in the dirt into beer money for Saturday nights.


I've got more questions, but I won't hit you with them all at once.

Thanks!

Well to start off, and before anyone tells ya different. I'll tell ya how and why I started.
In Yosemite national Park. In a drug store camping supply isle I saw some plastic gold pans on the bottom shelf.
$3 each. I said Hey I'm in Gold country. So I bought 2. I knew gold was heavy. When I got back to camp I went swimming in the Merced River. I dove down 7' with a bucket
and scoped up river bottom in the deepest part I could find. No wet suit and the water was maybe high 40s. my wife thought I had gone over the edge. Maybe.
My Kids were excited. I got back to shore. They said I had turned a light blue. I panned as best I could, and nothing. But by god I was hooked like a fish.
When I got back I was watching the Outdoor Channel There was a Gold Show on.
This guy Named the Buzzard said If I joined the GPAA (The Gold Prospectors Association of America) I would get a gold pan, a gold cliams mining guide for all 50 states, a hat an instruction video on how to pan and find gold, and monthly news letter for $67.50 in 1995. It is still only $67.50 a year. Still the best way for a Newbi to get started.
Plus You found TNet.
You live in a Glacier Gold zone. There is gold in Indana.
If you trade gold for stuff there is no tax. If you sell your gold Uncle Sam get a cut.
Lots of books and YouTube on gold mining.
Lots of smart people here at TNet.

 

[Aurabbit79er]

Don't sell the farm to buy all the latest gadgets til you've tried your hand, and panning is the first thing to get right with.
I joined GPAA. That is worth joining to get your feet wet.
Lots of mining supply companies out there.
If you get serious and you are handy with tools you can build your own gear.
You won't have to reinvent the wheel, Lots of plans and Ideas out there.
I've been chasing the yellow metal for 22 years now.
I'm 57 miles from my favorite spots.
Last 2 years My job keep me out of the gold fields, but I'm laid off so I'm back out there.
here is my You Tube.

 

[Terry Soloman]

1.) Can gold be located everywhere? Are there places where gold could never be found?

No, pannable gold cannot be found everywhere. Yes, on 90-percent of the planet's land mass.

2.) I live in southern Indiana, right on the Ohio River. Near me are hills, valleys, lots of creeks and streams. Without knowing my exact location, is this sort of landscape/area ideal for panning and gold hunting?

No, in fact it's terrible, just like New York. The only gold in both states, was pushed there by glaciers in the Ice Age. You will never pan enough to pay for your gas and equipment. Your average gold panning trip will yield $0.50 -$2.00 in gold flakes - IF you are very good.

3.) What would be decent things to acquire to get started? (I plan on getting all the items I need here and there until Spring time, then I'll start panning once it warms up)

A local club membership, and a Deluxe Panning Kit by Garrett.

4.) Any good books, or even better, good online videos to kind of school me in what I'd do? I mean, I understand the concept of panning from just watching videos of people doing it, but they don't share any detailed information. Most I have seen are geared towards those who already know about panning.

Book: “Fists Full of Gold” – By Chris Ralph - Cover Price $29.95 ISBN: 978-0-9842692-0-4 Goldstone Publishing; 362-pages

Video's: Jump to the 1:30-minute mark

5.) A dumb question, sure, but (haha) what exactly do you do with the gold once you find it? Do most people just hoard it, send it off to get it melted down? Do 'cash for gold' type places buy gold that isn't already jewelry? Confused from how I could turn something I found in the dirt into beer money for Saturday nights.

Once you have some grams, you can sell them on ebay, or through your club. You can barter it for beer, cars, whatever.

I am not trying to discourage you. I just want you to know the facts before you start spending a lot of money. If you want to become a millionaire gold prospector, the fastest way is to start with $2-million..

 

[wild eyed willey]

from another new bee, I can tell you this. Panning is basic if you can remember one thing. You just have to have faith that the gold will be at the bottom of the gold pan.
I know this because I decided to teach my friends grand daughter how to pan so I went online and purchased some gold it ranged in size from pickers to very fine flake. I went down to the stream and got her a bucket of gravel and salted it with the gold I had purchased ( after counting the pieces). She was ten years old and really not careful, but despite her awkward and messy handling of the gold pan, she was able to recover every single spec of the gold I had purchased for her. If she could recover the gold, you will too. As long as you stratify your material, you just have to have faith that the gold will get to the bottom and just sit there. As for me, I have not found enough gold yet to even consider what to do with it, for now I just keep it in a bottle and look at it often. Yea, I got the fever!!!!

As for equipment, I use a gold pan, a quarter inch classifier ( Jobe) I just built my own hand dredge and sluice box, however I don't recommend doing this. It is a lot of work with many problems that you won't find until you test. do yourself a favor and purchase those things.. They are built by people with the know how, machines and resources to produce a quality product. I built my own because I had too, but as soon as I have the available resources, I'm buying good tools. Take it from me, always buy the best tools you can possibly afford and you will never be let down by performance.

As for gold, do your research, do your research, and do your research. Find out if gold has ever been found in or near your location.. If you can, always start your search where you know gold has been found before. For more instruction on sluicing, send me a PM. and I'll fill you in on what I know.

Most important rule in my book--- Have fun!!!! Don't do it for the money, just have fun.. May your pan be overflowing with the yeller stuff.

 

[Fullpan]

Sadly, HoosierDude, I agree with all the above responses, especially Terry S. If you do it for fun and exercise, you'll be much happier. But the upside is, you will
be the only one in town to carry around a vial of natural gold that you found yourself! And it will be something to hand down to the next generation that is
truly unique. As for your last comment, although I quit drinking in 93', that "dirt money" bought me and friends lots of Sat. nights in calif.

 

[wild eyed willey]

Just checking in to see how things are going.. Have you been out looking yet?

 

[Gold Maven]

Soloman is right, Midwestern states with glacial gravel have gold, put seldom in paying quantities.

So, you have to work a little harder, and think where does heavy glacial material collect?

The answer for me is sand and gravel plants. They can run thousands of tons of material per day, and water is used in the cleaning and separating, so the heavies have a chance to settle out.

All you have to do is figure out where they are, and its like searching through thousands of tons of material.

Here is some Ohio gold sniped from a gravel pit, just over one tenth Oz. troy.

Gravel plants are dangerous places, with machinery that can chew you up and spit out little pieces, so always get permission before searching. Good Luck.

 

[russau]

also! goto www.midwestprospector.com this is Chuck Lassiters website. he is the northern Indiana GPAA club prez. Indiana has 3 GPAA clubs. the northern/central and lucky for you the southern club. Chuck has written a book (and a very good one) about glacial gold in the midwest. i bought it years ago and it is good. just the ticket for a person just as yourself! i highly recommend it for you! join the southern club.you dont have to join the GPAA to belong, but i imagine you will down the road! good luck!

 

[mellowyellow]

Soloman is right, Midwestern states with glacial gravel have gold, put seldom in paying quantities.

So, you have to work a little harder, and think where does heavy glacial material collect?

The answer for me is sand and gravel plants. They can run thousands of tons of material per day, and water is used in the cleaning and separating, so the heavies have a chance to settle out.

All you have to do is figure out where they are, and its like searching through thousands of tons of material.<img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=710642"/>

Here is some Ohio gold sniped from a gravel pit, just over one tenth Oz. troy.

Gravel plants are dangerous places, with machinery that can chew you up and spit out little pieces, so always get permission before searching. Good Luck.

So you go through places like concrete plants? Trying to figure out where a sand and gravel plant is near me. Hmmm interesting... And they just let you on their property? There's a place by me but I think it's a concrete plant, but they have very very large pile if gravel and sand

 

[PYRATE]

While it is nice, you truly don't need a bunch of gear - gold is easily panned with just about anything which looks like a pan. (like anything else, you will have far more success with something designed for the job - I'd suggest the Garrett $30-$40 kit that comes with a pan, snuffer & vials if you don't already have some of these things)

My favorite classifier is a $3 colander from an Asian market and you can make a very proficient sluice in 5 minutes for only $4.99 + tax while sitting in the parking lot of Lowes.

As an example, just yesterday I crawled down into a creek for a short while with a small shovel, a bucket & an oil drain pan as I had nothing else with me. My goal was nothing more than grabbing 5 gallons of choice gravel to take home, but after filling the bucket I decided to do a little sampling of some various spots using the oil pan - this is the result:



Proof you need no fancy gear, though it would be really nice if I had a real pan and a snuffer bottle with me. (There is no telling how much gold lies in the gravel surrounding my spare tire)

 

[kevin1]

1.) Can gold be located everywhere? Are there places where gold could never be found?
There ae microscopic bits of gold on every square foot of soil you've ever stepped on, but good luck concentrating them into paying quantities. Flowing water does that for you anyway, stick to streams.

2.) I live in southern Indiana, right on the Ohio River. Near me are hills, valleys, lots of creeks and streams. Without knowing my exact location, is this sort of landscape/area ideal for panning and gold hunting?
I also live in SI near the Mighty Muddy, haven't found gold in any stream that I've tried to date. The only ones near us that have a decent chance are Fourteen Mile Ceek, and Silver Creek, most of the gold bearing streams are found in the central part of our state just below the glacial moraine fields.

3.) What would be decent things to acquire to get started? (I plan on getting all the items I need here and there until Spring time, then I'll start panning once it warms up)
Get a pan and a long handled #2 shovel(round point), those are the basic tools of any prospector. Later, get yourself a hand dredge and a sluice designed for fine gold recovery(drop riffle).

4.) Any good books, or even better, good online videos to kind of school me in what I'd do? I mean, I understand the concept of panning from just watching videos of people doing it, but they don't share any detailed information. Most I have seen are geared towards those who already know about panning.
Google a guy named Randy Leaf, he has tons of great info about gold prospecting. He also has many vids on Youtube.

5.) A dumb question, sure, but (haha) what exactly do you do with the gold once you find it? Do most people just hoard it, send it off to get it melted down? Do 'cash for gold' type places buy gold that isn't already jewelry? Confused from how I could turn something I found in the dirt into beer money for Saturday nights.
Steer clear of "cash for gold" places, they will all rip you off. You can Google the names and addresses of legitimate refineries, but they will want a minimum sample in the 6-10 ounce range. A goldsmith might buy your gold dust don't expect spot price though. Selling it on Ebay is your best bet, be sure to factor in for your labor and time recovering it.

 

[Produce Guy]

Check out www.iowagold.com