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Welcome again to the site!
For those of you that visit on a regular basis thanks for the e-mail and support you have sent. I never expected the page to do so well. Alas, it has! At the time of this addition it has scored 9200 hits in less than a year!
This section of the site will have many pictures on it and will load much slower than he other half of the page. I apologize for this up front. However, with the pictures I can show you how I do my work. The pictures were taken with a Sony Mavica. If you don't have a digital cam or have thought about getting one. DO IT!! They are GREAT!!
I will start off with my equipment, this is not an expensive hobby for a beginner. You can get in with some new quality equipment around $200.00 or less. Depending on where you shop. It is not necessary for you to purchase a dredge starting out. As of this writing I do not own one. However I am using my sluice box to gather enough concentrates to extract enough gold to buy me one of my own. I will purchase a 2" - 3" dredge when I do get one. Some would say "nawww you need a 5" dredge so you can do more with it". For my style of prospecting a small "sample" dredge will do nicely. I mostly go to small streams to begin with. There is not enough water flow for a larger dredge. But will do nicely for the smaller ones.
If you are seeking information on panning go to the other section of the site. This is where I explain basic panning methods. It has some good information on how to use a simple gold pan.
If you are seeking information on how to use a sluice box, well then you have arrived at the right place! I will also tell how to extract gold from your black sands! So get comfortable and lets get started.
1. What do I need to get started in prospecting?
A. A gold pan, and a sluice box is what I would recommend. These pieces of equipment will allow you to see if you want to invest more later on. With out breaking the bank on a whim. Want to see the equipment I use??
2. Where do I find gold?
A. Depends on where you live. If you live in any of the states from Alabama up through Maryland there is a good chance you live within driving distance of some prospecting areas. California, Alaska, Colorado, and many other states produce gold in various amounts. Do some research on the internet and local historians to gather information. The area you live in may not produce gold. It may produce sapphires, and other valuable materials. The creeks in and around Alabama's gold belt produces, gold, silver, platinum, garnets, sapphires among other things…
3. How do I locate places to go prospecting?
A. In the gold producing areas there are a number of clubs that attract prospectors. The GPAA (Gold Prospectors Assn. Of America) is the largest such club in the nation. The GPAA has a starting kit that contains a gold pan as well as a book they produce. The book contains information on locations that members can prospect all across the nation. Most are free! You keep all the gold you find.
4. I don't know anything about this hobby, how long does it take to learn?
A. Just one or two outings with someone who knows a little about it, you are hooked from your first yellow glimmer on!
5. People don't really find gold do they?? I mean all the gold is gone, isn't it?
YES they find plenty!! NO it is not all gone! There will be plenty of gold to find long after you and I are gone!! New methods of searching and processing gold has opened some areas that were long thought to be gone. Now they are producing again!
And there are new areas no one thought to look that is opening up all the time!
6. Is it worth the effort?
With gold being around $250.00 or so an ounce, depending on the market at the time you try to sell. YES! Do the math, $10.00 worth of gas, $10.00 worth of snacks for a day. 6 hours out in the sunshine and fresh air. And come home with say $220.00 if I find just one ounce. I still come out ahead, if I don't find any, I still come out ahead!
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