Gold Pans 101: Take Gold Panning to the Next Level
The gold mining pan is by far the most useful piece of prospecting equipment you can acquire. Whether they are engaged in significant large-scale mining operations or simply do quick prospecting trips around their local region, every gold miner owns one.
But as with any piece of equipment you purchase, it’s crucial to make a well-informed choice. How then do you decide which gold pan to purchase? Let us give you a hand.
What to Look for When on the Hunt for a Gold Pan
Simply put, shop for a lightweight and sturdy gold pan for a prosperous treasure hunt adventure! There is no need to purchase anything pricey if you are just starting. Choose a traditional, round pan from a well-known manufacturer, and you should be fine.
Even though the majority of gold pans may work, that doesn’t imply they are all the same. There are many options to think about, and based on your needs, you might wish to choose a particular model. Therefore, below we will discuss the numerous factors to take into account while purchasing the right pan to suit your gold prospecting aspirations.
Size
When on the hunt for a gold pan, size is the first thing you should consider! The majority are made of plastic, making them lightweight, but keep in mind that they will eventually be loaded with heavy gold, sand, rocks, and water. This will significantly increase its weight; in which case the size does matter.
Large gold pans for sale range from 15 to 24 inches. It might be prudent to think about using a pan that is 16 inches or larger if you want to use it as your main source of processing material. This is because you can process more material at once the larger the pan. Although, the large size is good if you don’t intend to use a sluice box or any other sort of recovery technique besides panning, it is usually not the best option for a novice.
Standard pan sizes range from 14 to 16 inches. The volume, portability, and usage of the regular pans are all excellent. They satisfy the majority of panning requirements in the Goldilocks zone. It appears that 15′′ is the most typical size.
Small gold mining pans for sale measure 10 to 12 inches. They’re excellent for children and panning concentrates, or cons, to complete cleaning gold. They work well for panning gold as well.
The pan should be measured against your forearm as a general rule. The broadest portion ought to fit between your elbow and your hand’s palm. Get a smaller pan if the top lip extends past your fingers to lessen the physical stress that comes from hours of panning. This is particularly crucial when choosing a pan for children. There are some exceptions to this rule, as with any rule in life, but it’s a decent place to start for a novice.
Colour
Green is the most prevalent colour you will see in the media when people are panning for gold. However, these days, gold pans are available in many hues aside from the traditional green colour.
Green pans are excellent for gold panning because they make the gold and black sands in the pan visible. The major drawback is that because they blend in with most surroundings, they are easy to lose or forget when you’re getting ready to head to your next hotspot. Like gold snipers do with their snifter bottles, some prospectors wrap their green pans in vividly coloured tape to prevent loss.
Black sands will mix in with the pan and hide your shiny gold, making black gold pans difficult to utilize out in the field where they will reveal that shiny gold like a beacon. They work best for panning concentrates after the gold has been put through a sluice box or gold cube and the black sands have been removed.
When you’re prospecting on the go, blue-gold pans are a terrific idea. They will openly display both the dark sands and your bright objects. Moreover, blue gold pans stand out in outdoor settings where they might be overlooked and abandoned.
Hot pink and purple are the two “exotic” hues that are becoming more and more fashionable. These hues are not only interesting and enjoyable, but they also aid in highlighting the gold during panning. However, extremely vivid colours can strain your eyes after staring at them for hours, so they might not be the best option for a protracted prospecting trip.
Material
In terms of material, some prospectors swear by using a pan made of metal when gold panning. It feels more authentically from the past and is more resilient. However, there are some issues with metal pans that do not exist with plastic ones. For most prospectors, these variances can be a deal-breaker.
The first concern is that metal pans rust, which is a problem if you frequently submerge them in water and agitate the gold, sand, and rocks inside of them. And the fine gold is difficult to be seen on a rusted pan.
The fact that gold frequently associates with other heavy metals like iron is the second issue. If these metals are ferromagnetic, a magnet is the most straightforward technique to separate them from gold. However, you’ll additionally struggle if your pan is also magnetic.
Overall, we believe that finding a metal gold pan for sale and utilizing it is not particularly advantageous unless you want to experience what it was like to be a gold miner in the early 1900s.
Design
The conventional, rounded shape is the most common, although nowadays there are many alternative shapes available. We advise sticking with the standard round pan if you are new to gold panning. However, even these conventional pans come in a variety of designs. For instance, there is the so-called “drop centre pan” whose deeper bottoms make it simpler to keep the gold in place.
On the other hand, there are many other odd designs available for those who want to experiment. One such popular odd shape is the claw one.
The flat pan, on the other hand, is one variety of gold panning that many find to be particularly intriguing. It does necessitate a somewhat different method than a standard pan, but when used properly, it offers an excellent retention rate and speeds up the processing of streambed material. However, it might not be ideal for a novice as it is quite pricey.
