Q&A for How to Pan for Gold

Research the type of rock that is found upstream. Rocks containing quartz have the potential to form gold. Hence, any streams located around an area containing quartz have the potential to hold gold.

It will collect below a large rock because the minerals to form it come from the ground.

Not usually. The price depends on many different things, such as purity. If you purify it, you might get close.

You can likely find a local jeweler or gold buyer who will buy it from you. You also may be able to sell it online. Make sure you do some research on prices before you take it to any potential buyers, and never take the first offer they make. Get as close as you can to the top dollar price before parting with it.

It looks like a bunch of compressed minerals. If you hit it with a hammer it shatters, while if you hit real gold with a hammer it just flattens.

You can tell pyrite from real gold because it forms little crystalline cubes. Gold will be found in oddly shaped lumps or little "flecks" in the pan.

On Amazon you can get 14 inch plastic pans for under 10 dollars. Just search "gold pan" and you will find some.

Gold is found in its native form; that is, the nuggets and flakes will be very pure golden color. After most of the dirt has been removed, shiny specks should be visible at the bottom of the pan. The gold will be the brightest yellow specks; other minerals will be slightly different-colored, and pyrite looks more like a grayish or faded yellow color.

Most large gold deposits have already been mined, so it is unusual to find larger pieces, but not unheard of.

It depends. If you know where the gold is on your first try, you'll find it, however that is uncommon, because gold is relatively uncommon. Even if you have a lot of knowledge about gold, it's still mostly about luck.

It's not easy. Most methods of purifying gold involve toxic cyanide or a corrosive, acidic chemical called aqua regia. If you ask me, it's not worth the trouble.

Probably not because panning takes a lot of practice. If you do though, then you are very lucky.

Depending on where you live in the US, you might find gold in the western states but if you live in the east you don't have much chance. And even if you live in the west, you probably still won't find any.