Equipment
There are many ways to find gold and recover it. We encourage our members to learn and teach others the techniques of gold prospecting. This page describes some of the equipment and techniques you will need when you start digging in gold bearing country. What is presented here, on this page, is only basic information. To get more information head to the Internet, or talk to a knowledgeable prospector (see our Contact Us page).
Shovels, Scoops and Buckets
Some of the basic equipment that you will need is at least one shovel, at least one scoop, and buckets. The shovel should have a long straight-handle (to minimize bending over), be rugged but light-weight (makes big difference when you swing that shovel all day), and preferably have a rounded point (it digs better). Scoops are used to, well, scoop small amounts of dirt. The best scoops to use for gold prospecting are plastic scoops. Even a plastic garden trowel works well. A plastic scoop and a metal detector always go together. Buckets are very useful for many reason: they hold things, like equipment, water and dirt. Plastic buckets are lighter than metal buckets, but they won't last as long. Some classifiers (mentioned below), which filter dirt, fit nicely on the top of 5-gallon buckets. 5-gallon buckets can be bought at any big box story. Below are some photos of typical shovels, scoops and buckets.
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Classifiers
A important part of extracting gold from dirt and rocks is the process called classifying. To classify, means to filter dirt. Each step in classifying increases the concentration of gold in your dirt, resulting in better "cons." Classifying can be done many ways. The image below shows a set of three classifiers, each of which can fit over a standard 5-gallon bucket that you can purchase at any big box store. These classifiers are uniquely defined by the spacing in the screen that you see in the bottom of each classifier. From top to bottom, these are #2, #4 and #30 classifiers, in other words, the grid in the top classifier has a screen spacing of 1/2-inches, next one down has a screen spacing of 1/4-inches, and the bottom one has a screen spacing of 1/30-inches. You can buy classifiers with other screen spacings, but a #2 and #4 will serve you well when starting out.
Trommels
A Trommel is a special type of classifier, but its job is the same -- increase the concentration of gold in your dirt, resulting in better cons. Trommels come in many sizes, configurations, used with water or without water, and are operated by many methods, but they all are made with a classifying screen that is bent into a cylinder, attached to a cylindrical structure, and the whole assembly is rotated.
A Trommel is a special type of classifier, but its job is the same -- increase the concentration of gold in your dirt, resulting in better cons. Trommels come in many sizes, configurations, used with water or without water, and are operated by many methods, but they all are made with a classifying screen that is bent into a cylinder, attached to a cylindrical structure, and the whole assembly is rotated.
Gold Pans
Panning is the most common technique for separating gold from the rocks and dirt, and it is a high-recommended skill that every gold prospector should learn and use. While it is not necessary to run your dirt and rocks through a classifier, it is advisable, because it is easier to separate the gold from the dirt and rocks if they are all about the same size. Gold wins, as the saying goes. Even though you can pan the dirt dry, or dry pan as it is called, panning using water is much preferred because the recovery rate of getting the gold is much better. When you get good at panning, you can take your dirt from the ground and do all the processing down to just gold. If you are panning to just increase your cons, then see the section called Processing Cons.
Gold pans themselves come in many shapes, sizes and colors. Plastic pans have many advantages over metal, like lighter-weight, non-magnetic, won't rust, and come in many colors. Removing black sand with a magnet is not possible with a metal pan. Blue shows the gold better, black hides the black sand, green is a nice compromise. Below are some of the pans you'll see on the market today.
Banjo pan Batea pan flat pan Garrett Super Sluice Gold Claw
Gold Pans
Panning is the most common technique for separating gold from the rocks and dirt, and it is a high-recommended skill that every gold prospector should learn and use. While it is not necessary to run your dirt and rocks through a classifier, it is advisable, because it is easier to separate the gold from the dirt and rocks if they are all about the same size. Gold wins, as the saying goes. Even though you can pan the dirt dry, or dry pan as it is called, panning using water is much preferred because the recovery rate of getting the gold is much better. When you get good at panning, you can take your dirt from the ground and do all the processing down to just gold. If you are panning to just increase your cons, then see the section called Processing Cons.
Gold pans themselves come in many shapes, sizes and colors. Plastic pans have many advantages over metal, like lighter-weight, non-magnetic, won't rust, and come in many colors. Removing black sand with a magnet is not possible with a metal pan. Blue shows the gold better, black hides the black sand, green is a nice compromise. Below are some of the pans you'll see on the market today.
Banjo pan Batea pan flat pan Garrett Super Sluice Gold Claw
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In New Mexico you will find black sand with your gold. Black sand is magnetic, gold is not, so use a magnet to remove the black sand, and this will increase the concentration of your cons. You can use any magnet, build your own that retracts, or buy one of many on the market.
Snuffer Bottle
This simple but extremely effective device is used while panning for gold with water. A snuffer bottle is used to extract the gold out of a pan.
Here is a snuffer bottle, in a homemade (optional) lanyard, in a small gold pan.
Dry Washers
Dry washers are mechanical devices that have been used for many years. They can only be used in very dry environments, like we have in New Mexico. Dry washers of old are very similar to dry washers used today, the only difference being the use of modern materials and drive mechanisms. Dry washers are used to increase the concentration of gold in your dirt. Even after running dirt through a dry washer, the concentrated dirt, or cons, still need to be processed further. See the section called Processing Cons.
Dry washers are mechanical devices that have been used for many years. They can only be used in very dry environments, like we have in New Mexico. Dry washers of old are very similar to dry washers used today, the only difference being the use of modern materials and drive mechanisms. Dry washers are used to increase the concentration of gold in your dirt. Even after running dirt through a dry washer, the concentrated dirt, or cons, still need to be processed further. See the section called Processing Cons.
Mike Ault with his Keene 151 Dry Washer. This dry washer will keep 3 young men busy!
Sluices
If water is available a sluice is a great way to separate gold from dirt and rocks. The photo below shows a river sluice. Sluices come in many sizes, shapes and matting, but they all use water. Like classifiers, trommels, pans, and dry washers, sluices are used to increase the concentration of gold in your dirt. Even after running dirt through a sluice, the concentrated dirt, or cons, will still need to be processed further. See the next section called Processing Cons.
If water is available a sluice is a great way to separate gold from dirt and rocks. The photo below shows a river sluice. Sluices come in many sizes, shapes and matting, but they all use water. Like classifiers, trommels, pans, and dry washers, sluices are used to increase the concentration of gold in your dirt. Even after running dirt through a sluice, the concentrated dirt, or cons, will still need to be processed further. See the next section called Processing Cons.
Processing Cons
Processing cons can be done by many techniques. Again, it's a process of increasing the concentration of gold in your dirt, but this time the goal is to get down to just having gold. The more common techniques are panning, DIY processing sluices, Gold Cube, Blue Bowls, spirals, Miller tables, shaker tables, and gold tubes, to mention a few.
Panning is the most common technique for processing cons, and it is a skill that every gold prospector should learn and use.
Processing Cons
Processing cons can be done by many techniques. Again, it's a process of increasing the concentration of gold in your dirt, but this time the goal is to get down to just having gold. The more common techniques are panning, DIY processing sluices, Gold Cube, Blue Bowls, spirals, Miller tables, shaker tables, and gold tubes, to mention a few.
Panning is the most common technique for processing cons, and it is a skill that every gold prospector should learn and use.
Metal Detectors
A Metal Detector is the relatively new high-tech way to find gold. It certainly does not replace the "old" techniques, it is just a new tool to prospect for gold. It is important to note that gold is best found with a metal detector that is designed specifically to find gold. A treasure hunting metal detector will find a large gold object, like a coin, ring, bracelet or the rare big gold nugget, but it probably will not be able to detect the more numerous small nuggets of gold.
Below are a few of many popular metal detectors. These devices are relatively expensive, so do your research, talk to metal detector owners, before you buy.
Fisher Garrett Minelab Nokta Makro
Gold Bug 2 AT Gold Gold Monster 1000
A Metal Detector is the relatively new high-tech way to find gold. It certainly does not replace the "old" techniques, it is just a new tool to prospect for gold. It is important to note that gold is best found with a metal detector that is designed specifically to find gold. A treasure hunting metal detector will find a large gold object, like a coin, ring, bracelet or the rare big gold nugget, but it probably will not be able to detect the more numerous small nuggets of gold.
Below are a few of many popular metal detectors. These devices are relatively expensive, so do your research, talk to metal detector owners, before you buy.
Fisher Garrett Minelab Nokta Makro
Gold Bug 2 AT Gold Gold Monster 1000
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Containers for your gold
When you do get down to just gold, it is common practice to show off your gold in a small bottle, or if you are real lucky and get a big nugget, a display tin is a nice option. Below are some photos of gold in containers.
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Gold Prospectors Association of New Mexico
GPANM HOTLINE: 505-898-5508
Our mailing address:
GPANM
P.O. Box 25472
Albuquerque, NM 87125-0472
GPANM
P.O. Box 25472
Albuquerque, NM 87125-0472
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