New Minelab Pro Gold Panning Kit

[Steve Herschbach]

Well, Chris Ralph and I have had a bit of fun being involved in the development of a new gold panning kit just announced by Minelab. I lent my endorsement to the project because frankly, I think this is a very good panning kit. All people that pan gold a lot have their favorite features. I learned to pan gold with an old steel gold pan and I have personally always favored pans with a similarly large open bottom area to work with. I don't like pans with a small bottom area. And while some people really love drop center pans, I do not. The drop center catch area just gets in my way when I shift from regular panning to final cleaning using the side of the pan. These pans feature the clean transition from bottom to side that I prefer. I like the dual riffle system on the large pan, one for quick panning coarse gold, and one for separating the smaller gold. This kit has pan features that check off all the boxes for me, including the dark blue color, which is the same as the color of the SDC 2300 and GPZ 7000. You even have the little hole along the edge to hang the pans on a hook. It's the details that make the difference.

I also like the screen because up to now most all of them on the market are the same. They all do fine, but I want to see something different, and this sieve features two large grip handles so you can really grab and shake. The sieve will be popular with people who really use one a lot to screen out and fill five gallon buckets.

It even has a carry bag included for once you take everything out of the box.

The bottom line is it sounds like hype me being quoted saying this kit is vastly superior to any panning kit on the market, but you know what - that's my opinion so there you go. It is the one I would buy looking at all the other options, and that's a fact.

OK, the news release at http://www.minelab.com/usa/go-minelabbing/news?article=278075 says:

"The PRO-GOLD kit will be on display at the Minelab Wedderburn Detector Jamboree 2016, being held on March 12th-13th, and available for sale from our Australian dealers soon afterwards. PRO-GOLD will be available outside of Australia from April/May onwards. The two pans and classifier will also be sold separately"

Product information page at http://www.minelab.com/usa/accessories-1/pro-gold

You can download the Pro-Gold panning kit Getting Started Guide

And the pdf of the Full Color Brochure (jpg copies below)

What does it sell for you ask? I don't know yet! I assume I will know by tomorrow since I will be in Las Vegas for the GPAA Gold Show the next two days to participate in the introduction of the panning kit. Maybe I will see a couple of you there.

[fredmason]

Hey, Steve they cleaned you up for that pic...very nice! just teasing...

That appears to be a well planned product with some excellent design features.

May I assume the classifier is substantial and has had the dropping rock test? 

fred  

[Steve Herschbach]

Miners can break everything but yes, the pans and classifier are quite stout. I really think people will be pleased.

Personally I think Chris looks far more authentic than I....

[AU_Solitude]

I love the larger surface area at the bottom - as long as the price point isn't something ridiculous I'll have to buy this. I'm a sucker for blue.

[Steve Herschbach]

Well, the price part we got no say in - I do hope it is competitive. Parts/pieces will also be available separately for people that do not want or need the whole kit.

[snakejim]

It looks like a really nice kit. Guess I'll have to get one.

[LipCa]

I bet those nuggets in your pan were planted there!

It would be nice if they came out with a 12" pan?  The 15" is too heavy for my wrists and the 10" is too small for panning much.

A smaller mesh as an option would be good for areas that are known for small gold only.

Looks like a good setup, though.  

Can't have too many pans...... I'll probably end up with one.

[delnorter]

Yah, neat looking equipment Steve. I like the larger pan with the flat bottom and the screen. Like LipCa, I think a screen of smaller mesh would be great as well. The gold should show up well against the dark blue color.

Mike

[mn90403]

Let's see ... 2300/7000 colors = $69.95 for the kit without a bucket.

[rumblefish]

I use a 12" Estwing (black) pan in the field and a larger 15" Garrett (green) when I need to separate fine black sand from the really tiny gold dust back home. Never used a blue pan, but I expect the contrasting colour would work well. It helps a lot when your pan is under sunlight. Something about natural light and gold really makes even the tiniest fly shit gold zing out. The two banks of riffles are very useful, but I know some purists prefer pans with neither.

The kit looks good, but I would perhaps have left out the 10" pan and instead added some glass sample bottles, a small blue plastic box to keep them in and to view the gold against, some plastic micropipettes for sucking up the gold and a neodymium magnet to pull out the black sand from the fines. I personally never use a classifier - I do it with my hands as I shovel the gravel into the bucket - but I can see how it would be useful.

Be interested to know what the price is.