Panning in MA

scott3165

scott3165

Jr. Member
Mar 7, 2011
39
4
Massachusetts
Detector(s) used
Garrett AT Gold
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
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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bristp said:
Hello everyone. I am also new to this and live in southeastern MA near RI. Does anyone know about spots in RI? Are there any prospecting clubs in my area? Any other prospectors in my area that want to give it a go?
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I just joined the Nutmeg Prospectors, they are in Danville CT, just over the boarder from RI on Rt 6, they meet the 4th Saturday of the month, just over an hour for me to get there, I live right near Foxoro Stadium. Where are you located?

Was up the Wild AM, near the Kanc last week for an overnight found some fine gold, about 10 small pieces, first time trying out my sluice. Stayed at Twin Rivers Campground and you can work their claims.



here is my sluice and the set up to concentrate/clean up

 

Panning in Massachusetts

Hi to All
New to Forum and took up the hobby earlier this year, live in the Marlboro Ma area and enjoy getting out and panning. But so far, no color. Started local, not expecting to
find anything, small stream in Hudson with a waterfall, lots of garnets and such. Then started going out to the Conn. River valley and the Charlemont area with a friend,
found some nice streams and also have made some trips to Couch/Shattuck/Keets Brook as well as some streams in Warwick.

Found the Bedrock maps of the Connecticut River Valley of Ma. helpful in identifying where to expect to find gold in the streams in that area, correlating with Delos Tooles
Yankee Placer Gold book.

So I will persevere, but winter is setting in and the pans and homemade sluice will have to be put to rest.
I do have some questions, anyone seriously pan in the E. Mass area, I have read of Gold along Rt 128?

Also, Couch Brook, have made 2 trips out there, the first time did not find anything but went back Veterans Day Weekend and the area that Seemingly is where
the Bedrock that produces has Been Posted No Trespassing. Any insight into this for thos of you in the area who may work that stream?

Thanks
 

I live in Harvard ma and just heard an interesting story about an old silver mine in Townsend. Might be worth someone seeing if they can dig up more info.
 

siroswald said:
Hey Guys,
A new GPAA chapter just formed in Western Mass. It is in Greenfield. Started by Tim English.
Meetings are the 3rd sunday of the month at 3:30. We meet at the Masonic lodge on Munson Rd.
All are welcome. We are a newly formed group that likes to detect and prospect.

We have a small group going out on Labor day. We are headed up to Couch Brook. anyone interested- post here. or e-mail me. [email protected]

I posted this in another thread, but I thought I might get more views posting here too.

Big MIke
Click to expand...

Hi Big Mike. Just wondering if those meetings are still going on in Greenfield. I would like to learn more about panning and could stop over one of those Sundays. Thanks!
 

Does anyone do any productive prospecting/panning in Eastern Ma?, say anything east of Worcester. I have read about the Douglas Area and other possible
places but not much detail.
Thanks in Advance
 

Sure is.... We took the winter off and had our first meeting of the year in March.

Same time same place.

Mike
 

Looking on making a trip out to the Greenfield/Bernardston/Warwick Area this weekend, can anyone give an indication as to how the streams and rivers are running after all this rain?
Thanks in Advance
 

I had also read about gold on 128. I'm still a noob, but I have scouted around the Blue Hills a little bit. Athough I've only started looking there this summer, the "rivers" I've scouted around the Hills have very little flow, are very muddy and overgrown and I didn't find much of any decent gravel deposits. Since the "rivers" didn't seem a good option, I've settled on scraping out cracks of exposed bedrock that I've found. I haven't found any gold yet. Although I haven't gone through all of the cons, I'm still a noob and am only using a pan to search. I did find some fractured bedrock though, and it appeared to have a ton of quartz in it.
 

GoldDoozah said:
I had also read about gold on 128. I'm still a noob, but I have scouted around the Blue Hills a little bit. Athough I've only started looking there this summer, the "rivers" I've scouted around the Hills have very little flow, are very muddy and overgrown and I didn't find much of any decent gravel deposits. Since the "rivers" didn't seem a good option, I've settled on scraping out cracks of exposed bedrock that I've found. I haven't found any gold yet. Although I haven't gone through all of the cons, I'm still a noob and am only using a pan to search. I did find some fractured bedrock though, and it appeared to have a ton of quartz in it.
Click to expand...

If you not already done so, check out this link. particularly the .pdf by Peter Gleba
The OMSG - Geology Resources and Geologic Maps and Data for Massachusetts
 

Thanks for the link, that is good info. Might be time to invest in a rock crusher.
 

Hey Gold finger, I believe Westfield River runs thru Becket . I was gonna give it a shot myself. I live in Westfield so its not too far from here . Got 4 Buckets of dirt sitting here from various locations in the Westfield River . Just build my own sleuce and blue bowl . so far found a lot of Mica. no gold.
 

I have heard of some fine being found in Lead Mine Brook located near the Sturbridge area. Never found any there myself.
 

WesternMassGold said:
Hey Gold finger, I believe Westfield River runs thru Becket . I was gonna give it a shot myself. I live in Westfield so its not too far from here . Got 4 Buckets of dirt sitting here from various locations in the Westfield River . Just build my own sleuce and blue bowl . so far found a lot of Mica. no gold.
Click to expand...
Ok westernmassgold keep me posted
 

Well its January, a bit cold for panning ,but I have taken some buckets out of the westfield river to sleuce out at home .If Mica was worth anything I would be a millionaire by now.lol.But I did find some interesting rocks that are milky white ,some yellow and all are kind of see thru. some are even clear as glass. I was wondering if anybody knows about gemstones and what type of crystal it could be .Maybe if I posted a picture of my rocks somebody would be able to identify them .
 

Post them on the rock and gemstones category on this site they will be able to give you a good idea
 

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