/biz/ - Business & Finance

>>27227904
>>>27227212 (You)
>how do you get into gold prospecting? I've always wanted to try it and am in the american west. Even if I was only able to pan an ounce over a year or so i think it would still be worth it to me just for the experience

I'm in Sydney, Australia but I have friends in the US and Canada who pan or detect for gold. I turned down a role on the Gold Rush Australia series a few years ago because I'm not interested in digging on the heat of Western Australia. All goldfields give up fine gold that can be panned but not all give up larger nuggets. In Australia, the minerals in the ground where gold occurs make it very hard for the metal detectors to find the gold. The amount of iron etc in the soil masks the gold. But in North America the gold has washed away from the mineral rich soils and is much easier to detect (if you're in a nugget-rich area). But panning gold is a sure way to accumulate it without buying expensive metal detectors. A decent gold pan, shovel, a brush, a flat head screwdriver, a sieve and a map is all you need to start with. If you buy a metal detector, try to buy from a store rather then online due to counterfeits that don't work.

You should use Google to see if any of the nearby districts are known for gold. Otherwise, join a local Prospecting Club or contact the nearest supplier of Minelab or Garrett metal detectors. They'll be able to offer you advice. If the gold nearby is on

You can also make a lot of money hunting relics (which includes modern jewellery found with an affordable metal detector). Beaches, rivers and parks are great places to hunt for them. I once found $8K worth of thick gold chains, bracelets and charms at the base of an old boat wharf at an inland waterway.