Panning in MA

[scott3165]

Hello All First Time Posting in the Forum,

I live in Massachusetts and just starting panning for gold last summer in VT. I have done a lot of research and looking at TOPO graphs and trying to understand what I am looking at and for.

My question is: Is there a chance to find gold wherever I can find bedrock?

The problem I am running into in the streams I am panning is mica, alot of it. There are alot of huge chunks of quartz rocks which I'm hoping is another sign there might be gold in the streams.

I've been looking where people have already found gold close to me and most of it is 5+hours which makes it hard to go every weekend, especially when gas is climbing well over 3.50 a gallon. So I'm trying to do more research on how and if I can find gold closer to me where it has never been found. I go out and take samples and bring them back to my house to pan out when I have the chance but no luck so far. I just found some bedrock here in MA about 20 mins away and will be going to take some samples once the snow clears up some more.

Any tips would be great for my searching!

Scott

 

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[survival_hippie]

so i finally got some money saved up for some gold prospecting tools and equipment.what should i buy first haha.

 

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[scott3165]

I'm not sure your budget but I can tell you what I got first.

Several pans, 1/4" classifier, 30 mesh classifier, some 5 gallon buckets, sniffer bottle(to get the fine gold out of your pan). My next purchase was the blue bowl and that's when I started getting the gold.

I would classify my dirt from 1/4" to 30 mesh and then run it in the bowl.

Don't be dissapointed when you don't find anything, it happens quite a bit but you will if you keep at it. Just remember we don't live in where the gold rush happened but we do have gold in the North East, it just takes a little more patient to get to it. Dig Deep, can't stress it enough.

Good Luck!

 

[survival_hippie]

i got bout $15 $20 bucks to spend.since classifiers cost bout $20 a piece,i got a window screen and a cover for a fan that i probably use till i get more money.not to sure how big the holes are for the screen and fan cover but,it should work for now.im gana go on ebay and see if i can get a blue pan for cheap.


speaking of blue pans.i see thats theres blue pans and black pans,is 1 better then the other or is it just personal preference.

 

[scott3165]

If your talking about a pan and not a BLUE BOWL, then its preference, but I found the red to be the best color and black second.

 

[survival_hippie]

ohhh haha just figured out what a blue bowel is.see ya learn suttin new every day.i thought bowel/pan ment the same thing,guess not.

 

[volttick]

Can anyone tell me if this is an old river bed and a good spot to look for gold? I heard that the Blue Hills of Eastern MA is a good spot for gold. If this is true and this is an old river bed I think I would have a good chance at it.

You can view the area on Google Earth at these coords - N 42 12'36.20" W 71 06'54.83"

If it looks good and anyone wants to venture there with me let me know.

Thanks!

 

[scott3165]

I can't tell if it is, but good luck.

 

[survival_hippie]

it looks like it is but i dont see a source of water to make a river.it could of been man-made from the observatory.

 

[B H Prospector]

Hi Scott3165,

If you are using a blue bowl and only classifing to -30 mesh you are loosing gold. Classify down to -100 mesh. You will be amazed at what you are loosing. I have had a blue bowl for a few years now. I'm a pretty good panner but we all miss some. I start by stacking my classifiers with -100 on the bottom on top of a 5 gal bucket, then -50 on top of the -100, then -30, then -20, and end with 1/4 classifier on the top. Put the material in the top classifier and wash it with a garden hose. Go to the prospecting channel web site, there is a real good vid on how to use the blue bowl. I have my cons ready to work on over the winter.

Good luck
B H Prospector

 

[scott3165]

So do you also run the material in the 50 & 30 mesh thru the bowl?
I'll have to give it a try, thanks.

 

[B H Prospector]

Hi Scott,

Yes I run from -30 to -100. When running -30 run the water all the way to the top
keeping control of the water so it doesn't overflow. When running -50 drop the water level 1/4" . When running -100 drop water level another 1/4" or 1/2" overall from the top. Always start with -30 and finish with -100 or you will wash out all the smaller gold. I usually will clean up after each mesh run because I have too much cons to be able to run it all in one day. It usually takes me 3 or 4 days running it in the evenings. Good luck.

B H Prospector

 

[scott3165]

Thanks.

 

[menotomymaps]

Thanks.

Scott3165, just wondering if you've had any luck?

 

[scott3165]

Just more very fine pieces, but they add up. I got a Garrett AT Gold for X-MAS with the extra big coil (8.5" X 11") and the submersible headphones. I'm going to take it out this week to test out and can't wait for this spring/summer to really use it in the water.

Have you found anything yet?

Scott

 

[tigershark11]

Just browsing through this topic and I am getting excited to learn more about panning. I too live in Ma., northeast on the coast but I would love to give this a go. Any ideas where to go to get started with equipment and maybe books to do some reading? Thanks in advance.

 

[scott3165]

Glad to hear someone else wanting to get started. Prospecting is fun for you and the family, my wife and son come with me when they can and enjoy being outside and possibly finding some yellow stuff.
The Internet is a great resource, search for prospecting in your area, look for any clubs they might have. I use google earth to help locate rivers, streams and take a drive and look at them, see if there is any potential, look for any exposed bedrock. I notice whenever I am out driving I am looking at every stream, river and checking to see if maybe this would be a good spot.
Start out with getting a pan and learn how to use it, there are plenty of videos on youtube to help you with this. Put a BB in the pan and see if you can pan the material down to just the BB and fines. Keep practicing until you feel comfortable with it. Maybe get a sluice next, that way you can process more material in yours day effort and then pan out what the miners moss caught in your sluice.

Good Luck!

 

[tigershark11]

Thanks Scott3165, I'm going to give it a go. I was talking to someone today at work about it and was getting excited. I'm starting to do the research. Don't know if I'll wait for the warmer weather!

 

[survival_hippie]

im waitin for warmer weather.its to cold to stand out in the river and dig down 3 feet for gold.

 

[tigershark11]

Just saw the forcast. Maybe I too will wait....

 

[survival_hippie]

ya its ok tho cuz ital give me lots of time to do research and make a sluice box or a shake table or what ever there called.