Fee For Gold Panning in NC

[FISHEYE]

Thnx mac.

 

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[Curious The George]

Thnx mac.

You are welcome. I might add that some of the National Forest lands allow gold panning. I would check the NFS web site to find out if you must request permission from the Forest Ranger headquarters. I don't think you do. One of the National Forests that has potential to find gold in some of the creeks is the Uwharrie National Forest in the middle of the state. South of Greensboro and Northeast of the Charlotte area. Check out this web site and do a little research:

http://usparks.about.com/gi/dynamic.../www.ncnatural.com/NCUSFS/Uwharrie/index.html

 

[Curious The George]

I found this for you:

http://www.cs.unca.edu/nfsnc/recreation/uwharrie/goldpanning_and_rockhounding_opp.htm

 

[SkyPirate]

Hi, I went out to Uwharrie National Forest a few years ago. I just picked a trail and headed in until I found a stream and started panning the black sand. I found a few flakes of gold but gave up too soon because it was so humid. You are allowed to pan in the park. Check out the website for information.

 

[PanninDan]

Here's a great place to go to pan, and it will only cost you about $5 for the whole day:
http://www.huntforgold.com/thermalcity2.htm
My family and I had a blast there. It closed for the season though.
Good luck,
MM

I'd be leary of the tourist traps that aren't in the USGS database. NC has over 250 gold mines in the database, tho most have been abandoned and filled during road projects. None have been classified as major import.

MT Creek down the road from the Cotton Patch mine has never yeilded gold of any value, everyone tries there and goes back to the Cotton Patch.

Cotton Patch charges $12 per person to pan ore they dug and classified, this includes six 2-gal buckets of material to pan in their panning sheds. They also sell 5 gal buckets to take home for $20 per (your bucket) or $25 (their buckets). Visit the Store and purchase a .5g guarnantee bag of ore which includes a 12" pan for $30 (bag is about 10-20#).

The so-called "Lucky Strike" mine appears to be a tourist trap as it is not on the USGS mine lists and no mining information has ever been recorded.

The McCullough mine (renamed Northern State mine) is now state owned near Jamestown & High Point, they charge flat rate $6 a pan to use at their sluice setup. Not much gold found by tourists, but they have a nice mine tour and precious gems have been panned.

Serious gold prospectors and panners join the gold organizations for an annual fee to get discounts at perpetual digs and events held at the local mines.

The NC Gold list suggests prospecting sites for panning placer in rivers and streams below the active mines, most of the gold rates from .2 to 1 in the east, and prime as you move west. (The most valuable gold content increases as you travel west towards the Blue Ridge foothills).

You can add a Google Earth USGS overlay which will pop all of the recorded mines into your area of interest, save them in your favorites to check out as you travel! This is handy when you adjust altitude and viewing angle to fly over the areas of mountains an streams to prospect the areas.

Hope this helps,

PD

 

[douglas nc]

I haven't visited Mt Creek , but it's next door to Cotton Patch mine. Folks at Cotton Patch said the folks at Mt.Creek damed the creek causeing Cotton Patch to lose most of it's water down stream. We had fun at Cotton Patch honing our panning skills.Most of the gold we found(small flakes) was silver in color( needing to be heated to remove the mercury). At least that's what I was told,and not to breathe the fumes as i did this.They charged us around $16.00 to share five two gal. buckets of ore.It would cost less for the five buckets if panned by yourself, but we would both have to buy five buckets each and that was just too much ore to work in one sitting. So we just shared.It a good Place to go and hone you'r panning skills and find alittle color, but don't expect to get rich. We'll go back though because it's fun and affordable,and the owners/operators are nice folks..

 

[UK Mining Engineer]

I know that this is a really old thread. However I'm just getting into prospecting. Ive done quite a bit of basic panning on vacations in the Dahlonega, GA (sorry if i spelled that wrong). Im planning a prospecting trip with my family and wondered if anybody still went to these pay to play places in North Carolina? Do they still produce gold or are you better off doing other streams?

 

[Buckshotnc]

I know that this is a really old thread. However I'm just getting into prospecting. Ive done quite a bit of basic panning on vacations in the Dahlonega, GA (sorry if i spelled that wrong). Im planning a prospecting trip with my family and wondered if anybody still went to these pay to play places in North Carolina? Do they still produce gold or are you better off doing other streams?

In the Marion, Rutherfordton area there is the Lucky Strike Gold Mine, Thermal City Gold Mine and people dredge, pan, high bank, sluice, etc. and yes they find gold. You can buy buckets of gold material as well.

 

[UK Mining Engineer]

Ok, I was looking into the lucky strike and vein mountain gold camp. Id prefer to to pay for salted buckets, Ive been there and done that and I'm ready for the next step up. Would you recommend one location in particular?

 

[charlotte49er]

JUNE Outing
June 27, June 28 & June 29th.

GPAA members from all 3 North Carolina chapters to meet at
Thermal City Gold Mine
and Campgrounds
5240 US 221 Hwy. N.
Union Mills, NC 28167
828.286.3016

North Carolina GPAA Chapters:
GPAA Aberdeen
GPAA Greensboro
GPAA Kannapolis (formerly Matthews chapter)
Members from all three North Carolina Chapters are invited to attend a Joint Meeting @ 6:00 PM Saturday, June 28th. to discuss the future of GPAA in North Carolina and other
Mid-Atlantic states.

New Members are WELCOME !

Other state GPAA chapters and members are also invited to
attend the weekend event and the business meeting on
Saturday evening.


PLEASE REGISTER:
Upon your arrival, please register your "STATE" Chapter
and your name as representative of your chapter.
Other members, friends and guest who are attending
should SIGN-IN.

Questions & Concerns
Contact: Glenn Coleman (704) 299-2808
Kannapolis, NC

 

[wakeforestgold]

for me i have gone before to reed mine i found 3 tiny gold pieces.
well there are a lot of mines there.
thanks