The Gold pan is still an essential tool

Gday all,
The humble Gold Pan is maybe one of the most important pieces of equipment in Sluicers arsenal.
Not only do they give you an idea of good ground to sluice, but are essential to make sure you havent dug through the gold layer.
It is VERY important to stop shoveling every so often and test pan the hole you are removing the wash from for your sluice.
The gold may be limited to the surface layers of gravel,especially in rivers or large creeks. An occasional test pan will ensure your not shoveling barren dirt.
I forgot this important rule a few weeks ago after getting some good colour in the first few pans. At the end of shovelling for 3 hrs,I tested the bottom of the hole and got NO GOLD AT ALL!
It is easy to forget the basics when you detect mostly and havent sluiced for alot of years.

Thanks Gus, a timely reminder.
cheers, :)