plastic pans

hi
i am new to prospecting (did a few hours in the NT 12 months ago) i have noticed most plastic pans have a differing amount of ripples. does this truely make a diffence?

Yes it does. A lot in fact. The Garrett 14" & Super sluice are in my opinion the best. Deep riffles to catch more black sand & gold. Next in line will be the turbo pan.
All are designed to maximise your results. There are some other options out there but those 3 will be the pick of the bunch.

An other tick for the Garrett pans
I got the 14" one just because it's big enough to handle good volume but still compact enough.

The 15" Super sluice is next on my list - they got real nice deeeep grooves & a big bottom :8 .
A pan with a big bottom are the go for when doing the clean up.

Any plastic prospecting gear - give it a good wash with some soapy water to get rid of any oils left on the surface from manufacturing.
Also, scuff up any new pan with some sandpaper to roughen them up a bit to help catch the fines better.

Ohh yeah, grab yourself a metal pan aswel...

Good for final clean up & you can bung them on some heat to dry your gold quickly. The rust on the pan will help catch the gold too.

If you're cashed up, get a Martin Marks "Qanta" gold pan. @ $130 their not cheap but if you sell your gold on ebay - 2grams should cover the cost of the pan.

I've seen one used & it was incredibly quick...

Got my 15" Garrett Super Sluice on the weekend.
Very nice to use. Will practice @ home with some lead shot to see it's/my limits on speed & recovery.

I'm yet to give the gold rush pro pan & turbopan a try out.

Hey Agman, did you pan out the stuff you got from Bendigo last weekend?

Yah Thanks Aussiedetecting got my Turbopans today & the Garrett Deluxe set, I'm like a kid with a new toy.
Next on the list is a highbanker, but it'll have to wait a few weeks. Then down to the rviver with kids to get us some gold.
Thanks Brad for speedy delivery

Into it mate. The kids will love it.

dave14110 said:

Yah Thanks Aussiedetecting got my Turbopans today & the Garrett Deluxe set, I'm like a kid with a new toy.
Next on the list is a highbanker, but it'll have to wait a few weeks. Then down to the rviver with kids to get us some gold.
Thanks Brad for speedy delivery

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Which river do you go to? I've been thinking about getting some pans and taking the family out, and I can't afford a detector for each of them.

Aussie Detecting said:

Hey Agman, did you pan out the stuff you got from Bendigo last weekend?

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I did Brad - not one speck.

Not stressed tho. Had a great time exploring the forest tho.

Came across a long row of mines following a quartz reef about as wide as a handspan.
There be some deep mine shafts about hey - don't go walking there at night...

I found a mine that ran for about 1km. The termites had a field day & it was all collapsing. Interesting to see though.

Cam only just got Pans but intend to go to cresswick in Feb. other than that anywhere I can that has Gold. I am limited cause I need to be able to park resonable close, Gippsland looks good though. more for kids than me.

I'm going to head down to Maldon & try sandy creek. I hear there's a bit of gold in there 8o

dave14110 said:

Cam only just got Pans but intend to go to cresswick in Feb. other than that anywhere I can that has Gold. I am limited cause I need to be able to park resonable close, Gippsland looks good though. more for kids than me.

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I've been thinking about trying Walhalla with a pan.

Most of the rivers around Walhalla are on the prohibited list for prospecting.

It sucks - they place thrives & rely's on the history of gold in the area.

But the current prospectors are turned away because council/greenies want to preserve history, the creeks & water quality.

On the other hand, there are still several large companies doing commercial mining there - but that's okay because they pay the government wads of cash & taxes.

Little places like Walhalla would do better if people were allowed to pan the creeks & rivers there - the shops, accommodation, pub etc. wouldn't complain about the extra business generated.

Dave & Cam's
It pays to google local rivers, creeks & towns.
Try "Alluvial gold Gembrook" or the likes.

Here's some of what I found from the area just near Pakenham...

After reading that, I would have a scratch around your local

June 1872: Prospecting claim registered at Berwick.14
December 1872: Auriferous ground discovered in Haunted Gully, 4 miles south-east of
Berwick.15
March 1873: At Haunted Gully, Berwick, several claims paying well.16
June 1873: Discovery of payable auriferous ground called Sailors Gully, west of
Haunted Gully.17
September 1873: At Pakenham (Cardinia Creek), near Berwick, two new gullies auriferous
gullies foundWelcome and Burkes. Walkers, Mayfields, and Barnes
gullies opened soon after. 18
December 1873: Alluvial tunnelling claim at Haunted Gully, Berwick.19
March 1881: Small rush to Turners Creek, a small branch of Sassafras Creek near
Emerald.20
September 1883: At Gembrook, a company erected pumping and winding engine and sank
200-ft shaft.21
June 1884: Deep Lead Co., Gembrook, has driven 800ft under the basalt.22
September 1884: Sons of Freedom Co., Gembrook, commenced tunnel to strike new reef.23
December 1884: Creightons Freehold claim, Gembrook, suspended operations.24
March 1885: Machinery removed from Gembrook Deep Lead. Sons of Freedom Co.
tunnel, Gembrook, driven 565 ft.25
June 1886: Sons of Freedom Co., Gembrook, have erected a horse puddling
machine.26
September 1886: Sons of Freedom Co., Gembrook, suspended operations.27
June 1891: Number of claims taken up at Gembrook, following discovery of gold.28

Well thats a bummer. Was looking forward to a trip there. I thought you could pan there based on what I had read. Was also looking at getting the Garret deluxe kit, maybe I will win one

Thanks Ag Man. My golf club has cardinia creek running through it (montuna) There are cherry trees dotted around the course as well.

Great info, thankyou.
PS I know your avator from another forum, but not as Ag Man. Same person?

Funny you should say that about walhalla. The shop use to sell Gold pan & hire them to tourists & advice them to go straight over the RD to yep you Guessed it the restricted stingers creek.
Don't know weather this is still done as haven't been there for a few years.
I couldn't agree more prospectors would help the town.
It remind me of people in Golden Triangle that critisize the prospector but without us they would have no jobs, be broke & the town they live in would proble be a ghost Town. Us prospectors spend lots of money in these town & not just on prospecting gear, but food, drinks, accommadation, camping supplies, fuel, etc.
I don't like people that critisize a group in general for one or two peoples mistakes or lack of consideration.

Cams said:

...PS I know your avator from another forum, but not as Ag Man. Same person?

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Uhm, Been Ag for a while now... Redsix202?