So you want to find some gold! But you have no idea where the gold is. Luckily you came to this website to find some good locations.
The first step in finding a good spot to prospect is to do some searching on the web (like this site). Do a search like “gold panning vermont” or “gold prospecting nevada”. You will probably see a link to the state or federal governments websites that deal with geology and mineral resources. They will often list some areas in that state that gold has been found. That’s a good starting point.
Another way to find a good spot to prospect is to contact a local prospecting or rock/mineral group. Try searching for “rock mineral club maine” for example. These groups often prospect and will have some good information about your area.
Once you have found a “good spot”, then you need to figure our exactly where to dig. There are many opinions on the best technique to finding the best area to start looking for gold. Typically gold will fall to the bottom of the river/stream/brook wherever the flow of water slows down or is interrupted by an obstacle…or the flow makes a turn.Gold will rest in the inside turns in where gravel bars form. But remember: Gold is very heavy and you will need to dig down until you get to a place where the gold can’t go any further. This can be hard packed dirt, large rocks, roots, and my favorite, clay. Sandy, loose soil is not a prime spot to find gold. Dig until it get’s hard!
The technique of looking at a flowing body of water and determining where the gold may be is called “Reading A Stream”
MORE TO COME…