Prospecting Equipment

What Type of Equipment Do I Need for Gold Prospecting?

Prospecting for gold does call for the right tools and accessories, which will not only make your prospecting easier, but may also improve your productivity. If you are a new prospector, the following list of prospecting gear will help you get started:

• • Rubber boots – You’re going to encounter plenty of water when you’re prospecting. Rubber boots are an essential. Knee-high to hip-high, depending on where you prospect, will work best.
• • Gold pan – This is the most important piece of equipment for gold prospecting. Choose one that is 12”-14” to get started.
• • Classifying sieve – These will help speed up the efficiency of your panning.
• • Hand pick – You will use this tool to break apart rock to get at cracks and crevices that may be gold-bearing.
• • Rock hammer – Another tool that will help you get further into rocky areas that may contain gold.
• • Hand shovel – A small hand shovel is a must for scooping gravel into your gold pan.
• • Magnifying glass or loupe – A magnifying glass or jeweler’s loupe will make examining gold specimens that you find.
• • Small vials – You have to have something to put your gold finds in. Small vials or bottles work great.
• • Tweezers – Some gold nuggets aren’t more than flake. Having tweezers on hand will make it much easier to pick out and add to your gold vial.
• • Backpack – You have to have a good backpack that will accommodate all of your prospecting gear.

As you become more skilled at gold prospecting, you may want to consider the following:

• • Sluice – A sluice (even a small one) will help you process much more material than you can with a gold pan alone.
• • Dredge – A dredge is a piece of equipment that uses a water pump to suck up water and gravel and then inject the material into a sluice.
• • Dry washer – A dry washer is like a dredge, but it uses air, rather than water, to capture gold. This type of equipment is often used in desert areas where there is little water.

Where Can I Prospect for Gold Legally?

There is a lot of land in the United States where prospecting isn’t allowed. Land that is privately owned by corporations, trusts, institutions, and individuals can be prospected if you obtain explicit permission from the land owner. County-level governments in most states will allow you to get information about land ownership and boundary information, so that you can obtain permission.

Can I Actually Make Money Prospecting?

There is no doubt that gold prospecting is becoming more and more popular – especially with recent reality shows that highlight gold prospecting on television. But, does anyone ever really make any money by prospecting? The simple answer is, yes! There is gold to be found, and gold prices have continued to increase over time, so making money is a possibility. Just how much depends on many factors including the research you do to find potential prospecting sites, how much time you invest, what type of equipment you use, and where you are prospecting.

With Kellyco prospecting equipment you will get the best results possible for the areas you prospect. Let us help you put a gold prospecting kit together, so you can get started.