Panning for beginners

Panning is not a hard skill to accomplish. If you are a beginner, just remember gold is heavy and will settle. With the pan slightly submerged, shake the pan gently but briskly, from side to side until the larger gravel appears on top. Rake the top off, submerge and shake again. By now your gold will have settled to the bottom, again rake the top layer with your fingers. Continue until only fine sediment is visible then swill the pan gently to wash the sediments or small gravel away. If any gold is present it will become visible. This is an ideal method for beginners, a little more time consuming but the chances of loosing your gold is reduced. After you will begin to experiment and eventually develop a method that suits your skill level. Remember though - you won't find any gold if none is present so don't be disheartened if you don't find any colour in your pan. If there is gold in the stream you will eventually find some trace and your panning skills will improve dramatically after you locate your first trace.

I suppose that's the basics! If there's any solid mud or clay, with your gold pan full of water you must brake it up with your fingers until your satisfied the clods have gone and the water is becoming clearer! "That's your first job". The wrest, well everyone has their own style!

Cheers Chris.

could not agree more, great comment, that's why I love these forums

Now comes the different methods!----- The side ways swish swash and fingering your pan method? Or the circular motion to gravitate and dump 70% waste with every dump = 2 minutes and your left with 2 teaspoon's full of heavy's + 1 minute to reveal your gold! "No Gold was ever lost, or harmed using this method".

Good post Allan thanks.

I was bought a pan for christmas and live in Diamond Creek Victoria I am on holiday and was wondering if someone can point me in the right direction to start my hobbie off. I ride my bike all over the area,St Andrews,Warrandyte,Yarra Glen ect. I pass many creeks and hope to stop off and give it a go. I was also bought my Miners Right so I think my misses is trying to tell me something!! Your site is such a breath of fresh air with so many wise people giving of their knowledge.If anyone can suggest a place to start that would be most appreciated.

Keegs. your already in the right location! Diamond Creek through to Yarrambat? Plenty of new estates on the go with heaps of earth work being pushed around exposing who know's what? Grab some samples from some likely spots and pan back at home. You never know, you might be saying "I'll buy that block thank you" The first thing on the go will be a really deep cellar?

Hi Allan,

I to live in DC and have done a little panning up around St Andrews.
Try Howards Rd, it runs off the main Elthan St Andrews Rd, go right to the end of it, there is a small creek at the bottom of it. Gum boots are a must, walk up the creek scooping out the mud that is caught in the reefs that cross the creek, a small trowel will help removing the bits in the cracks. Remember gold is heavy so it will fall into the lowest points so dig down to the bottom of the bed rock ( reefs )

There are some spots near the old stamper site in Smiths Gully, nice creek too, be prepared to get a bit wet

Good luck and keep in touch

Peter
Mariner3800

I will be giving howards road and Smiths Gully a go as soon as the water levels have dropped abit after the storm.Thanks for your help.

Keegs