Beginners equipment advice folks

[Bofh]

Hi, I've been totally wrapped up in the latests show's on TV and have certainly got the bug. Sadly the UK is rather short on Gold bearing rivers, you guys at least have a fighting chance state side.

Anyhow, I've decided to give it a go this year with a friend and my girlfriend. I have family that live close to an ancient mine, I've never even panned before and so I could do with a little advice regarding equipment for beginners.

My intention is to use a small venturi vac in some of the rivers close to the old mine subject to permission being granted (I hope). Then after screening down a little I hope to pan by hand. I'd love to have a little sluice setup but carrying too much equipment could be a problem for us, we only intend to spend a few day's out there at a time as it's a long way from where I live normally.

So for someone starting out what would you guys advise regarding small portable equipment?

 

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[Hoser John]

Forget vac. Just a 1/4" screen that fits on your pan,screwdriver to work cracks and crevices on bedrock only,a sucker bottle,tweezers,handtrowel,rock pik and a 5 gallon bucket and your good to go. Forget the gas/electric engines as your in England and NOT the US as your out to have fun and NOT draw attention to yourself.John

 

[Bofh]

Thanks John, sound advice I think. Whilst we are out to have fun as opposed to making a living, I'm not intending to be breaking any law's either, the place I'm heading for is sort of remote but you can't get away with anything naughty as people will always spot you down there at it lol

I'll be seeking permissions from the land owners, and having a go for fun. I'll keep the dream of retiring on my finds where it belongs, in my dreams :-)

But from what I've seen of the simple Venturi style 12v vac's it does look to be a decent cheep idea to play with in my back yard, see if I can get it right.

 

[mattfink]

how about a gold-n-sand hand dredge? I've been eyeing this myself but I would suggest getting at least a garrett panning kit that comes with 3 pans a classifier a snuffer bottle and a book and video and there is california sluice that makes 2 sizes one of which fits into a backpack( I have one and I paid $25) its plastic and lightweight, that works great for slower moving water.

 

[LP13]

If you are going to places already overworked, then chances are you are going to find only fine gold that others missed. A lot of people are looking for those big gold nuggets and so they gear up for nugget hunting with big power sluices and dredges with pumps that can drain a river! If you are going to go to an area that is already overworked (which is what I gather from your post), I suggest gearing up for the fine gold that others have missed, in places that other people wouldn't think to find gold. Like overburden and sandier locations. You aren't going to find big nuggets there most likely but you may find a lot of fine gold. Fine gold adds up and is just as valuable as a nugget. Is it better to go home with nothing or a few grams of fine gold? I suggest something like the Gold Cube or the sluice I build. Gold cube is a compact, self contained recirculating system, and although I personally have never used one, I know people who have. The information I have is that you want to get the 4th section (4 stack). Don't scrimp and get just 3 especially if you are working fine gold. But that's just what I have heard from an expert who has used it. Or you could try my sluice. It is designed from the ground up to capture fine gold and works extremely well. In side by side comparisons with a standard sluice, it captures significantly more fine gold, but production is just now beginning and the supply is very limited. A person who is using my sluice for the first time this year said he never saw so much fine gold before from his operation. He has been professionally mining for over 18 years and spends his winters in Arizona and summers in Colorado. Depending on your budget, it is a bit more pricey than a standard riffle sluice at $395 for a 2 foot sluice (3 foot overall, 2 foot of gold collecting bed) and $495 for a 3 foot sluice (4 foot overall length, 3 feet of collection bed). Lastly, I really don't think you are going to be doing this to earn a living, but more a hobby and fun way to enjoy the outdoors. So no matter what you end up choosing, keep your eye on the real reason you are doing it. The relaxation and enjoyment of being outdoors! No matter how much gold you get you will be richer at the end of a day if you do that... Well that's my 2cents worth. Happy gold hunting.

 

[mattfink]

a gold cube is more for concenrates I think he's looking for portable lightweight stuff he can backpack to his spot . 395 to 495 for a sluice seems awfully expensive.

 

[KevinInColorado]

Actually Matt, a gold cube works great in the field...although packing it deep into the bush might be a challenge, I agree. Bring a friend to help carry it, you will need two people to feed the GC anyway!

Mine it and recycle it!

 

[mattfink]

check out these sluices thats what we use for fine glacial gold here in WisconsinCALIFORNIA SLUICE BOX - SLUICE BOXES

 

[LP13]

mattfink, the 'gold collection bed' of the sluice I build is machined from solid plates of aluminum on a CNC milling machine. Each 1 foot length of my sluice takes 1/2 hour of machining time to produce the stepped spiral pockets. It's not an all sheet metal sluice that uses cheaper materials. It's a sluice made entirely in the USA with quality and performance in mind. It has proven so far to collect more gold than other sluices with the same material being processed through it. Recover just a 'little bit" of gold each time you go out and before you know it you have a few grams more than you would have otherwise ... that then makes up for the cost of the sluice or it's difference in cost. How much time do you spend with your sluice processing the concentrates? I process what comes out of my sluice in under 10 minutes because the quantity of garbage material is greatly reduced in comparison with your typical sluice and I lose less in the end because I don't have to pan as much. How much is your time worth? I know a lot of people that spend MORE time cleaning up their concentrates than they do processing the dirt. But you are right about it not being ideal for backpacking. I think it's a good idea to have something that is very portable for prospecting new locations or backpacking. I will work on a model that will fit that niche

 

[mattfink]

sounds pretty hightech and probably good if you have a claim

 

[Bofh]

Thanks for the help guys, to be honest I have it in my mind to build a Venturi vac, a 12v pump version that I can take out in hand. I also have a three man Ocean kayak that I might take out on the rivers for a spot of paddling and spotting. I'd quite like to hit the river for the day and stop off in those places that would be hard to access from the banks, hopefully I might find a little something.

The rivers I'm looking to search are in what we call a National Trust area, rather than privately owned, they are also very well known Trout fishing rivers and so there's likely to be a problem panning there, I'll find out hopefully in a few days. Fingers crossed I'll be able to get the permissions I need, then I'll start planning what small equipment I can take on the yak or on foot. A sluice would just be a little too much for this, although If I did find something then a sluice would be right at the top of my list for a return visit!

 

[LP13]

Good luck to you. Get back to us and let us know how you do .

 

[Davidail]

Don't know how much flow you have but the best item you can take is the Super Mini Bazooka Sluice, I purchased mine just a few weeks ago, and used it for the first time I just finished up a 5 day trip in North Ga, in a small creek. I was totally amazed at the amount of material you can run through this little tool. Its compact Light weight and it classify s as well. Very simple to clean out, Took us less then 30 Seconds on Clean outs. Best thing also is there's no taken it apart or putting it back together and it easy attachs to a back pack. I was very amazed at the Gold this tool collected also, From 200 mesh and up. My Sn and I hiked over a mile each way each day with all our gear, which included a 10" Garrett Green Gold Pan 1/16 Classifier 2. Ea. 2 1/2 Gallon Plastic Buckets ( I use to carry 5 gallon buckets but the smaller ones work great for long hikes) US Military Folding Shovel, A small pick hand tool, Snuffer Bottle, Small Rock hammer and Chisel and Large 600mm Syringe and 3' 1/4 tubing for the Syringe which works great in Bedrock Cracks. Full Size spade Shovel. I carried all of the above on my back pack, My son took Dual Fuel Coleman Mini Burner Stove, Cookware canned foods Our Water bottle which have the built in filters. tea pot for making Hot water and plenty of Hot Chocolate mix. along with some snacks.
Don't forget Thermal Sucba Gloves I used 5mm in the Spring and fall and 10mm in the winter, Thermal Chest Waders and I ended up purchasing some Knee Pads on Day 3 when I realized I was tearing the knees on my Chest waders on all the bed rock and in the creek bed. The weather is very key as well, We endured temps of 18 degrees in the morning on Day 1,2 and 3 Light snow and Highs of 38 to 39 Today it rained all day and temps where in the 40's Nothing Beats the US Military Gortex clothing either. Its Light weight and Keeps you nice and dry and warm.

 

[Hoser John]

THE MAN IS IN THE UK WHERE 90% OF ALL YOU SUGGEST IS BANNED-HE'S OUT FOR SOME COLOR AND FUN AND NOT JAIL-John