Gold Panning In British Columbia

Where To Look

Always remember that gold is extremely heavy. Nineteen times heavier than water.Gold panning is possible due to this fact. Here are some places to look. Even in great gold producing locations, there are places that gold is more likely to be found. Try working the gravels that are:

- On inside bends of creeks and rivers
- Cracks in bedrock
- On top of bedrock
- Where the flow of water decreases
- Beneath water falls
- In deep pools
- At the tail of eddies
- Behind large rocks
- Behind large boulders
- Gold follows the shortest route between bends
- Places where a creek or river flatten out after a steep grade
- In front of large boulders
- In front of large rocks

How Do I Use A Gold Pan?

Now that you have located some pay dirt, the fun begins. Find a spot in the creek or river where the water slows, anywhere between six and twelve inches deep. A place where you can sit or kneel comfortably.

1. Classifying Of Materials

Using your classifier, shovel a fair amount of material inside. Next shake the classifier just above the pan, allowing the smaller material to fall through inside the pan. Fill the pan about half to three quarters full.

2. Stratify And Allow The Gold To Settle

Place the pan under the water . Deep enough, so that it is just under the surface. Now give the pan a shake from side to side, back and forth. There is no need to be gentle at this point. As long as there isn't any material spilling over. You will start to see the lighter materials come to the surface, meanwhile the heavier materials will settle into the bottom. This process is called stratification.

3. Washing Of Lighter Materials

Start by holding the pan just under the water. Now tilt the pan slightly away from you. Now begin using a slight forward tossing motion. Be careful, but use enough force to move the surface and lighter materials out over the edge of the pan. Once the top layer of material is washed away, stop and level out the pan again.

4. Stratify and Wash

Repeat steps two and three over and over again. The less material in the pan, then it will start to collect in the bottom of the "V" Repeatedly work the pan,until there is a small pocket of heavy material left in the "V". Most of this material will be Black Sand and Gold.

5. Final Washing

Now raise the pan out of the water completely, leaving about and inch of water or less in the pan. Tilt the pan slightly towards you. Again using a tossing motion with the water, wash the top layer of the "V" .The lighter materials will wash down into the near side of the pan. Wash out the lighter stuff, stratify into the "V" and repeat. Eventually you will wash all the material and the gold will start to appear.

6. Collection Of Gold

The moment we have all been waiting for . We have found a few flakes and some fine gold. Use your sniffer bottle to vacuum up the gold. Pick out larger pieces by hand.