GOLD CONCENTRATES

[joe dirt_1]

Does anyone here sell concentrates in smaller quantities that has small pickers ?
I purchased concentrates from Alaska and it has gold so fine I can't recover it.
I'm interested in learning to use my gold pan, but this fine stuff gets old real fast.
I'm looking for a pound or so of concentrates to play with. If you can help me out,
please pm me with your price shipped to Illinois. Thanks !

Roger

 

[steve herschbach]

I am confused. You say you are interested in learning how to pan. Panning the small stuff is where you get judged on how good you are. Anyone can pan pickers, in fact you really do not have to pan them at all. Just pick them out!

I do panning bags for $100 plus $10 shipping & handling and can make sure they have easy to pan gold in them, but if you really do want to learn to pan gold keep working on the small stuff.

 

[joe dirt_1]

Steve, thanks for your reply. I'm not wanting to be judged on how well I pan, I'm a novice with a desire to learn how to pan.
Maybe you being a pro at this game could recover the tiny specks of gold that eludes me. Thanks to a forum member, I'm going
to get some concentrates to try my luck with. Maybe with practice I can learn to recover the tiny stuff, but I'm tired of messing with it right now.
How much concentrate does your $100 bags contain? Thanks.......

Roger

 

[steve herschbach]

I am sorry if I came across as judgmental in any way as that was not my intent. I was simply repeating what I tell anyone I teach to pan gold - pay attention to the small stuff and the big stuff will take care of itself.

I do not bag concentrates. Concentrates, if indeed that is what they are, are made up of heavy minerals captured along with the gold and are exceptionally difficult to pan. I salt approximately 4 pounds of relatively clean panning gravel with approximately 1.2 grams of gold mined in Alaska by myself or my friends and bag it up in 11" x 6" canvas ore sample bags. They sell for $100 a bag.

[attachment 265859 stevedirt.jpg]

 

[Hobbyist]

I purchased concentrates from Alaska and it has gold so fine I can't recover it.
I'm interested in learning to use my gold pan, but this fine stuff gets old real fast.

Hi Roger,

A good squeeze of dishwashing detergent in your water will help alot in getting the lighter/floating fines to the bottom of your pan. I don't know what kind of pan you're using; maybe it has to be "seasoned" a bit before use? Google "seasoning a gold pan" and I'm sure you'll come up with tips on how to do it for your particular model.

IMO, a great part of the fun in this hobby is the finding of color-bearing material. It's a challenge! Researching the geology of your target area, learning to read rocks and rivers and learning how to handle sluices and pans are all most satisfying (especially when you get results from your hard work). But don't get me wrong, buying bags of earth with known quantities of gold in them is a great way to start learning too.

Steve is right. Take care of the little specks of color and before you know it, you'll be filling up a brag bottle! I'll venture to say that most of the visible gold around us exists as very tiny flecks, so that's what we gotta learn how to handle. Enjoy your panning!

 

[joe dirt_1]

Hobbyist, I have a garrett gold pan and I did rough it up with a scotch brite pad before trying to use it.
I live in Illinois so I don't have any place to prospect for gold in my immediate area.

I did use jet dry in my water to break the surface tension but the microscopic gold in the concentrates I have
have gave me fits trying to recover it. I will keep trying to recover it but for now I want something I can actually pick
out of my pan Your picture gives me hope that I will be able to recover the fine gold with more experience, thanks !


Steve, not a problem as I know you were trying to be helpful. Thanks again for your reply.

Roger

 

[fredm]

If you simply want the practice, you can use lead shot of various sizes...from quail shot to buckshot...or split shot of various sizes. Count your pieces that are mixed into your pan-of-dirt and pan away. This is a great method to learn on...at little cost; but, not as exciting as seeing the gold in the pan.
fred

 

[Joe Z]

I smash pieces of lead real thin with a hammer then cut it into very small tweezer pickin sizes and practice with that.......... works really well but that fine gold is really the ultimate challenge.
Joe