Clark Fork River Flood Gold

[devilsrenegade]

Now that the river level is starting to drop, I have been panning some flood gold. This gold came from 10 gallons of classified material. It was panned with a Garrett Super sluice pan. The flakes are so thin they will float on water. Hope you enjoy, it was nice to be outside and getting some gold.

[Bash]

Sweet! 

I'm in Helena. Might have to check out the CF!

 

[devilsrenegade]

1 minute ago, Bash said:

Sweet! 

I'm in Helena Might have to check out the CF!

 

Thank you, I'm in Missoula. the gold comes from an inside bend behind an outcrop of bedrock at a popular swimming spot

[Skate]

That's awesome. Someday soon I'll be retiring to North Idaho and if I can spend a few hours every week panning for gold I'll be ecstatic.

[GB_Amateur]

6 hours ago, devilsrenegade said:

The flakes are so thin they will float on water.

Did you use surfactant (such as Jet-dry) to break the surface tension?  (I'm assuming it's safe to the local environment....)

Always good to see gold recovered as long as the planet is respected, whether with the fanciest detector or the simplest pan.  Thanks for sharing and I hope your next excursion is just as rewarding, if not more so.

[devilsrenegade]

3 minutes ago, GB_Amateur said:

Did you use surfactant (such as Jet-dry) to break the surface tension?  (I'm assuming it's safe to the local environment....)

Always good to see gold recovered as long as the planet is respected, whether with the fanciest detector or the simplest pan.  Thanks for sharing and I hope your next excursion is just as rewarding, if not more so.

nope, just panned it right in the river as the water is still running brown with silt.

[2Valen]

To break the surface tension of water I have always used a drop of Dawn dish soap, and the minor suds will help remove some of the dirt also.

Did you use a sluice before panning?

[devilsrenegade]

12 minutes ago, 2Valen said:

 

Did you use a sluice before panning?

I just classified down to quarter inch in a 5 gallon bucket then panned it out with my favorite pan the Garrett super sluice gold pan. When I got down to the cons it went into my Estwing finishing pan that's in the pic for final panning.

[johnedoe]

Nice.... 

Fine gold is about all I deal with. Make yourself a fine gold sluice and it will speed up that recovery time.... And you may find it improves your recovery... 

No way I sit and pan even 1 gallon of material when dealing with fine gold which is all I work with since I beach mine.

[devilsrenegade]

in montana you are required to file a notice of intent in order to use a stream sluice or rockerbox, but panning is acceptable as long as you don't cause any significant surface disturbance. I'm skimming off the top of an exposed gravel bar, digging with a hand trowel as that can not be classified as causing such disturbance. there is no way I'm packing material home to sluice it with my back injury. also, panning is enjoyable and relaxing for me. maybe next year I'll file a notice of intent.