Gold pan

Gold prospecting is the act of going equipped to find gold in rocks or in stream beds with a view to exploiting that discovery. Gold (ˈɡoʊld is a Chemical element with the symbol Au (from its Latin name aurum) and Atomic number 79 This usually means individual prospectors, as opposed to those trained and educated individuals working for mining companies. Up until the middle of the 20th century, gold prospecting was undertaken with a view to secure an area to be worked exclusively to acquire and sell the metal. In the latter part of the 20th and 21st centuries it is more commonly used to describe recreational gold hunting as pursued by individuals, especially in streams and usually on the basis of no given authority (although there are exceptions). Professionals employed by mining compaines also seek deposits of economic value, usually different types of deposits, and in different areas.

Company Prospecting

Professional prospecting involves assaying known gold provinces, often as a result of historic discoveries. Methods usually involve drilling to determine the extent of a deposit and the yield of gold per ton. Most gold mining today is achieved on a very large scale using openpits and the most advanced extraction methods, such as cyanide treatment to dissolve even the smallest particles. However, there are serious environmental concerns about such operations, so prospectors tend to search areas well away from habitation or environmentally sensitive areas of the world.

Individual Prospecting

Alaska Gold Nugget, Blue Ribbon Mine, Alaska

Alaska Gold Nuggets in goldpan, Blue Ribbon Mine, Alaska

Individual gold prospecting has been seen in many parts of the world including New Zealand (especially in Otago), Australia, South Africa, Wales (at Dolaucothi and in Gwynedd), in Canada and in the United States especially in western states but also elsewhere. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island History See also History of Otago The Otago Settlement sponsored by the Free Church of Scotland, materialised in March 1848 with the arrival of the first For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa The Dolaucothi Gold Mines ( also known as the Ogofau Gold Mine, are Roman surface and deep mines located in the valley of the River Cothi, History Gwynedd was an independent kingdom from the end of the Roman period until the 13th Century when it was conquered and subjugated by England Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The Department of Agriculture in the U. S. is now of the view that recreational gold panning and gold prospecting in the general national forest areas is permitted provided that no machinery or explosives are used, no waterways are diverted, and no permanent or semi-permanent structures are built. Placer mining (pronounced "plass-er" refers to the mining of alluvial deposits for Minerals This may be done by open-pit (also called open-cast A forest is an area with a high density of Trees There are many definitions of a forest based on various criteria There are public mining areas in many states, and prospecting may allow one to stake a Gold placer claim or other type of mining claim in certain areas. In the United States, a placer claim grants to the discoveror of valuable minerals contained in loose material such as sand or gravel the right to mine on public land

Old workings in a drywash in southern Arizona.

In the UK, gold prospecting can only take place with the explicit permission of the Riparian owner and, even with such permission any activities that cause or permit pollution of a watercourse, even with re-suspended silt, could result in a criminal prosecution by the Environment Agency. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located "Riparian" redirects here For the legal doctrine see " Riparian water rights. The Environment Agency (Asiantaeth yr Amgylchedd is a Non-Departmental Public Body of the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs and an Assembly

Australia does not prevent the private ownership of any minerals found in the land. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. At one time if individuals were to discover gold (or any other minerals) in their property, it would belong to the Crown, being the Australian Government and not to private entitlement. This article describes the federal government of Australia See Australian governments for other jurisdictions Today this is not so, and Individuals can search and retrieve minerals with the acquisition of a miners permit that can be bought from the relevant Mining Department. The largest nugget ever found was the Welcome Stranger of 2316 troy oz (72 kg). The "Welcome Stranger" was the name given to a large Gold nugget, measuring 61 cm by 31 cm discovered by John Deason and Richard Oates at Moliagul Victoria

Gold lode and placer gold in the United States and potential gold prospecting sites extends from near Montgomery, Alabama to Washington D.C.. In Geology a lode is the metalliferous Ore that fills a Fissure in a rock or a vein of ore deposited between layers of Placer mining (pronounced "plass-er" refers to the mining of alluvial deposits for Minerals This may be done by open-pit (also called open-cast Montgomery (məntˈgəmɜriː is the Capital, second most populous city and the 4th most populous metropolitan area in the Southern U Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia and Alabama have many gold mines and prospecting sites. North Carolina ( is a state located on the Atlantic Seaboard in the southeastern United States South Carolina ( is a state in the southern region ( Deep South) of the United States of America. The State of Georgia ( is a state in the United States and was one of the original Thirteen Colonies that revolted against British rule The Commonwealth of Virginia ( is an American state Alabama (formally the State of Alabama;) is a State located in the southern region of the United States of America. These states were the main source of gold for 45 years before the California gold discovery. California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. The largest true California gold nugget, known as the "Dogtown nugget," weighed 54 troy pounds (20 kg), and was found in Magalia, California. A gold nugget is a naturally occurring piece of native Gold. Watercourses often concentrate the nuggets and they are recovered by Placer mining, but they may also Troy weight is a system of units of Mass customarily used for Precious metals Black powder, and Gemstones Named after Troyes Magalia (originally Dogtown is a Census-designated place (CDP in Butte County, California, United States. A 195 pound troy (73 kg) mass of gold mixed with quartz was also found. Quartz (from German) is the most abundant Mineral in the Earth 's Continental crust (although Feldspar is more common in Alaska has many sites for the prospector, both public and private.

This 156 ounce (4,4 kg) nugget was found by an invidividual prospector in the Southern California Desert using a metal detector. This article is about the unit of mass For the unit of force see Pound-force.

See also

• Gold Prospectors Association of America
• Placer mining
• Gold rush
• Gold mining in Alaska
• Hushing

References

External links

• USGS article on gold prospecting