Difference between revisions of "Pan for Gold"
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Catch gold fever by panning for your own gold. Take a number from the prospectors of yore and spend an afternoon by a stream, pan in hand. Panning can be rewarding, if done correctly. Follow these steps to learn how to pan for that glittering ore. | Catch gold fever by panning for your own gold. Take a number from the prospectors of yore and spend an afternoon by a stream, pan in hand. Panning can be rewarding, if done correctly. Follow these steps to learn how to pan for that glittering ore. | ||
| − | [[Category:Rock Gem Mineral and Fossil Collecting]] | + | [[Category: Rock Gem Mineral and Fossil Collecting]] |
== Steps == | == Steps == | ||
=== Washing Out Larger Rocks and Moss === | === Washing Out Larger Rocks and Moss === | ||
| − | #Fill your pan so it is ¾ full of gravel. Submerge it in the water so it is just under the surface of the water.<ref>http://www.keeneeng.com/pamphlets/goldPan.html</ref> | + | #Fill your pan so it is ¾ full of gravel. Submerge it in the water so it is just under the surface of the water.<ref name="rf1">http://www.keeneeng.com/pamphlets/goldPan.html</ref> |
#Shake the pan vigorously several times. Shake it back and forth and side to side. Make sure you do not shake so intensely that materials get washed out of the pan. | #Shake the pan vigorously several times. Shake it back and forth and side to side. Make sure you do not shake so intensely that materials get washed out of the pan. | ||
#Stop shaking the pan and begin using a gentle circular motion. The gravel should begin spinning in a circle inside the pan. Doing this will make most of the dirt and clay wash out of the pan or dissolve. Roll any roots or moss over the pan with your fingers--doing this will make certain that any potential gold-containing dirt gets caught by the pan. | #Stop shaking the pan and begin using a gentle circular motion. The gravel should begin spinning in a circle inside the pan. Doing this will make most of the dirt and clay wash out of the pan or dissolve. Roll any roots or moss over the pan with your fingers--doing this will make certain that any potential gold-containing dirt gets caught by the pan. | ||
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=== Washing Out Lighter Sand and Gravel === | === Washing Out Lighter Sand and Gravel === | ||
#Hold your pan just under the water, making sure that it is fully submerged. Tilt the pan slightly away from you so that it looks like you are trying to catch the current of the water. | #Hold your pan just under the water, making sure that it is fully submerged. Tilt the pan slightly away from you so that it looks like you are trying to catch the current of the water. | ||
| − | #Swirl the pan from side to side. Use a slight forward tossing motion as if you were on the verge of flipping a hotcake (but don’t actually flip the contents of the pan). Be cautious but use enough force to move the surface of the pan and the lighter gravel out over the edge of the pan.<ref | + | #Swirl the pan from side to side. Use a slight forward tossing motion as if you were on the verge of flipping a hotcake (but don’t actually flip the contents of the pan). Be cautious but use enough force to move the surface of the pan and the lighter gravel out over the edge of the pan.<ref name="rf1" /> |
#Level the pan flat. Shake it back and forth while it is still in the water. Leveling and shaking the pan will cause the gold to settle to the bottom of the pan and the lighter material to come to the top. | #Level the pan flat. Shake it back and forth while it is still in the water. Leveling and shaking the pan will cause the gold to settle to the bottom of the pan and the lighter material to come to the top. | ||
#Repeat this process several times. When you finish this part of the panning process, there should only be about two cups of heavier material left in your pan. There should not be anymore rocks or pebbles. The materials remaining in the pan are the heaviest. They consist of black sand, or ‘concentrates’, and, if you’re lucky, gold. | #Repeat this process several times. When you finish this part of the panning process, there should only be about two cups of heavier material left in your pan. There should not be anymore rocks or pebbles. The materials remaining in the pan are the heaviest. They consist of black sand, or ‘concentrates’, and, if you’re lucky, gold. | ||
=== Washing Out Black Sand === | === Washing Out Black Sand === | ||
#Raise the pan out of the water. Make sure there is about an inch of water left in the pan. The water is necessary because you will continue to sift the sand from the gold when the pan is taken out of the stream. | #Raise the pan out of the water. Make sure there is about an inch of water left in the pan. The water is necessary because you will continue to sift the sand from the gold when the pan is taken out of the stream. | ||
| − | #Tilt the pan towards you slightly. Swirl the water and materials slowly in a circle. Doing this allows you to check and see if there are any larger nuggets or pieces of gold that can be picked out by hand.<ref | + | #Tilt the pan towards you slightly. Swirl the water and materials slowly in a circle. Doing this allows you to check and see if there are any larger nuggets or pieces of gold that can be picked out by hand.<ref name="rf1" /> |
| − | #*If you do find nuggets, place them in the container that you will store your gold in. This could be a legitimate gold sample bottle purchased at a store, or a jar or pill bottle found at home.<ref>http://www.goldgold.com/gold-prospectinggold-panning-instructions.html</ref> | + | #*If you do find nuggets, place them in the container that you will store your gold in. This could be a legitimate gold sample bottle purchased at a store, or a jar or pill bottle found at home.<ref name="rf2">http://www.goldgold.com/gold-prospectinggold-panning-instructions.html</ref> |
#Submerge the pan in the water again. Repeat the steps of part three (alternating back and forth between swirling the pan and leveling and shaking it.) Make sure to be extremely careful when using this step--if you shake your pan too vigorously, you may lose some of your gold. | #Submerge the pan in the water again. Repeat the steps of part three (alternating back and forth between swirling the pan and leveling and shaking it.) Make sure to be extremely careful when using this step--if you shake your pan too vigorously, you may lose some of your gold. | ||
#Use a magnet if you have a plastic pan. Remove the pan from the stream, keeping as little water as possible in the pan. Place a magnet on the bottom side of the pan and slowly move it around the pan. Black sand is magnetic and will be attracted to the magnet. This process will quickly separate the black sand from the gold. | #Use a magnet if you have a plastic pan. Remove the pan from the stream, keeping as little water as possible in the pan. Place a magnet on the bottom side of the pan and slowly move it around the pan. Black sand is magnetic and will be attracted to the magnet. This process will quickly separate the black sand from the gold. | ||
| − | #*If you choose to use the magnet, you can either scoop the trapped black sand out, or use a gold snifter bottle. Snifter bottles have a sucking tube attached to the top (just like eye drop bottles, which you can use for a store bought snifter.) When you squeeze the bottle, a vacuum is created. When you release the bottle, it will suck up whatever its pointing at (in this case, gold and water.) Your gold will then safely be in the bottle.<ref | + | #*If you choose to use the magnet, you can either scoop the trapped black sand out, or use a gold snifter bottle. Snifter bottles have a sucking tube attached to the top (just like eye drop bottles, which you can use for a store bought snifter.) When you squeeze the bottle, a vacuum is created. When you release the bottle, it will suck up whatever its pointing at (in this case, gold and water.) Your gold will then safely be in the bottle.<ref name="rf2" /> |
#Pour the rest of the black sand and gold into a bottle. Once you have sifted as much black sand as possible from the gold, it is best to pour the combination into a bottle. The safest way to pour the pan’s contents into a bottle is to place a funnel on the mouth of the bottle. Pour the pan’s contents into the bottle. | #Pour the rest of the black sand and gold into a bottle. Once you have sifted as much black sand as possible from the gold, it is best to pour the combination into a bottle. The safest way to pour the pan’s contents into a bottle is to place a funnel on the mouth of the bottle. Pour the pan’s contents into the bottle. | ||
#Feel free to yell out ‘Eureka!’ '''once you have separated all the gold'''. You are now a genuine prospector. | #Feel free to yell out ‘Eureka!’ '''once you have separated all the gold'''. You are now a genuine prospector. | ||
