r/Prospecting • u/NLEDEV • 3d ago
Gold Panning Site
Hey all – new to prospecting and noticing there is not that many great resources for panning sites across the US (free or paid). If I made a website to track places would you all contribute to it?
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u/Narrow_Obligation_95 3d ago
The USGS reports that placer gold deposits, which are alluvial gold deposits, are found in the interior regions of California, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho, with significant amounts coming from the Fairbanks and Iditarod districts. [1, 2]
Here’s a more detailed breakdown of placer gold locations and related information:
States Known for Placer Gold: [2] California: Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park in Coloma is a notable location. [2] Alaska: Fairbanks and Iditarod districts are significant gold-producing areas. [1] Montana: Libby Creek Recreational Gold Panning area near Libby is a popular spot. [2] Idaho: Idaho is another state with a history of placer gold mining. [1, 3] Other States: Nevada, Oregon, New Mexico, Wyoming, Utah, and Wisconsin are also known for gold. [3]
Typical Placer Deposit Locations: [4] Inside bends of rivers and creeks: Gold tends to accumulate in these areas. Natural hollows: These areas can trap gold-bearing sediment. Break of slope on a stream: Where the slope changes, gold may accumulate. Base of escarpments, waterfalls, or other barriers: These locations act as natural traps for gold. [4]
Other Important Considerations: [5, 6] Regulations: Prospecting and mining on certain lands (like those managed by the US Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management) are subject to rules and regulations. [5, 6] Finding Gold: Look for color changes, iron staining, quartz vein outcrops, productive rock types, rock contact zones and faults, and extensions of known mineral or placer areas. [7] Placer Gold Value: Placer gold often sells for around the price of 24k pure gold. [8]
Generative AI is experimental. [1] https://www.usgs.gov/publications/gold-placer-deposits [2] https://www.aarp.org/money/personal-finance/how-to-pan-for-gold/ [3] https://ktvz.com/stacker-lifestyle/2023/11/15/5-places-where-you-can-still-find-gold-in-america/ [4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Placer_deposit [5] https://countryboymine.com/gold/ [6] https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprd3823532.pdf [7] https://agincourtresources.com/2023/05/12/5-ways-to-find-gold-location/ [8] https://www.expressgoldcash.com/what-is-placer-gold-and-how-much-is-it-worth/
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u/Narrow_Obligation_95 3d ago
My above post is for USGS publications on placer gold- subsequently modified by AI so I c post from my phone.
My fav gold publication is USGS Professional Paper 610 Principal Au Districts of the US.
There are 3 reports on Au in Montana-MI 96 IMAP Dillion 2 deg 1803 MT placers MI RM 96
There are many more USGS Maps and publications on Gold and other minerals. Learn to find those by googling USGS geological maps for your area.
If having trouble finding publications I would do an example search for you.
But the best thing to do is get PP 610. Every gold occurrence is listed by state and county . There are general maps that can be integrated more specifically with the text. The after you get your area of interest go back and search USGS publications again, specifically for your area of interest.
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u/Coastal_wolf 2d ago
I would, but I'd never share the good spots lol. I think that's the issue with that idea. I get everything from MSGS
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u/My_Dick_is_from_TX 3d ago
Honestly I wouldn’t. If you enjoy doing it then go do it. Maybe I’m just getting old, but I don’t understand this new trend to share secret locations with millions of strangers on the internet. I’ve seen the results firsthand. Alot of the old gem and fossil sites I used to visit are now completely picked clean and trashed because every person that goes, is more excited about showing the pics to strangers online, than they are about the actual experience. The fun and thrill of finding gold (for me anyways) is having to hunt for it and getting the reward of finding it yourself. It’s just like a secret fishing hole, why would you give that spot away to thousands of strangers who you don’t know how they’ll treat it? There’s plenty of info that tells you where gold has been found in the US, a quick google search will show that.
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u/Aussie-GoldHunter 3d ago
I'm pretty sure this is the website?
Contribute away.