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name: gold-washing locale: wenyan source_locale: en source_commit: 82c77053 fence_basis_commit: 82c77053 translator: "Julius Brussee homage — caveman" translation_date: "2026-04-24" description: > Alluvial gold recovery using panning, sluicing, and classification. Covers site reading (geological indicators, stream dynamics, pay streak location), panning technique, sluice box operation, and responsible extraction practices. Use when prospecting in an area with known or suspected alluvial gold deposits, sampling a stream to test for gold presence, maximizing recovery during recreational panning, or assessing a site's gold potential before investing more effort. license: MIT allowed-tools: Read metadata: author: Philipp Thoss version: "1.0" domain: prospecting complexity: intermediate language: natural tags: prospecting, gold, panning, sluicing, alluvial, placer, geology

淘金

以盤、溜槽、分級自溪澤獲沖積金。

用時

• 於已知或疑有沖積金礦之地勘探
• 取樣溪河以測金之存
• 休閒淘金而欲最大回收
• 投更多力前察一地之金潛

入

• 必要：金盤（14-16 吋，有槽）
• 必要：通於溪、河或沖積床
• 可選：分級篩（1/4 吋網）
• 可選：溜槽箱（大量處理）
• 可選：吸瓶或鑷（細金回收）
• 可選：帶水小瓶（儲金）
• 可選：鏟與桶收料

法

第一步：讀場

金重（比重 19.3）且聚有跡。掘前先讀水地。

Where Gold Concentrates:

INSIDE BENDS:
Water slows on inside curves of a stream. Heavy materials
(including gold) drop out of suspension here. Sample the
gravel bar on the inside of bends.

BEHIND OBSTRUCTIONS:
Large rocks, fallen trees, and bedrock ledges create
low-pressure zones behind them. Gold settles in these
"shadow" areas.

BEDROCK CRACKS:
Gold works its way into cracks and crevices in bedrock.
Cleaning out bedrock cracks (crevicing) can be very productive.

PAYSTREAKS:
The heaviest concentration follows a line (paystreak) along
the inside of the bend, continuing from one inside bend to the
next. Experienced prospectors trace this line.

WHERE TO SAMPLE:
+--------------------+------------------------------------------+
| Feature            | Sample Location                          |
+--------------------+------------------------------------------+
| Inside bend        | 1-2 feet above waterline in gravel bar   |
| Behind boulder     | Downstream side, in the calm pocket      |
| Bedrock exposure   | In cracks and depressions                |
| Stream confluence  | Where tributary meets main stream        |
| Old flood channels | Elevated terraces above current stream   |
+--------------------+------------------------------------------+

Geological Indicators:
- Black sand (magnetite/hematite): gold's travel companion.
  Where black sand concentrates, check for gold.
- Quartz veins in surrounding rock: gold often forms in
  quartz veins; erosion releases it into streams
- Iron staining (rust-colored rock): indicates oxidation zone,
  which can host gold deposits

得： 依溪動與地質跡已識兩三有望取樣處。

敗則： 若無明跡，系統多處取樣——每異特徵（內彎、障後、隨礫石灘）取一盤。一色（金片）即證溪帶金。

第二步：分級與收料

備原料以待盤。

Collection Protocol:
1. Fill a bucket from your chosen sample location
2. Dig to bedrock if possible — gold concentrates on or near bedrock
3. If bedrock is deep, sample the bottom 6-12 inches of gravel
   (gold migrates downward through gravel over time)

Classification:
1. Place a 1/4 inch classifier over your gold pan or bucket
2. Shovel material onto the classifier
3. Shake and wash through — fine material drops into the pan,
   large rocks and gravel remain on top
4. Inspect oversized material briefly (nuggets can be caught
   by the classifier) then discard
5. Classified material is now ready for panning

得： 一盤或一桶分級料（1/4 吋以下之礫與砂），自地質有望處取。

敗則： 若不能達基岩，取可達者。淺樣含金較少，然仍可測——洪水可沉金於各深。

第三步：盤料

金盤以重力與水分金於輕料。

Panning Technique:

INITIAL WASH:
1. Submerge the pan in water (stream, bucket, or tub)
2. Break up any clay or cemented material with your fingers
3. Remove large stones by hand (inspect each for attached gold)

STRATIFICATION:
4. Shake the pan vigorously side to side (NOT circular) while
   submerged — this settles heavy material to the bottom
5. Tilt the pan slightly and allow lighter material to wash off
   the front lip
6. Shake, tilt, wash. Shake, tilt, wash. Repeat.

FINE PANNING:
7. As material reduces, you should see black sand concentrating
8. Reduce water flow — gentle swirling now, not vigorous shaking
9. Tilt the pan at a shallow angle and let a thin sheet of water
   wash across the concentrate
10. Gold (bright yellow, stays at the bottom) separates from
    black sand (dark, slightly lighter)

RECOVERY:
11. Use a snuffer bottle to suck up individual flakes/pieces
12. Or carefully pour off water and collect the concentrate
13. Transfer gold to a vial with water for storage

Common Errors:
- Circular motion washes gold OVER the riffles and out of the pan.
  Use side-to-side shaking for stratification.
- Too aggressive: panning too fast loses fine gold. Be patient.
- Not enough initial shaking: gold must sink to the bottom before
  you start washing off material.

得： 所有重料（金、黑砂、石榴石）聚於盤底。金見為鮮黃片、扁粒、或稀有小塊。

敗則： 仔細盤後無金見，地或無金——或金太細不可見（麵粉金）。以手鏡察。若仍無，移他處取樣。

第四步：以溜槽箱規模化（可選）

為處理大量料。

Sluice Box Operation:
1. Set the sluice in running water at a slight angle (about
   1 inch of drop per foot of length)
2. Water should flow smoothly over the riffles — enough to move
   sand but not enough to flush the riffles clean
3. Feed classified material into the top of the sluice gradually
4. Let the sluice work — gold is trapped behind the riffles,
   lighter material washes through
5. Clean the sluice every 20-30 minutes:
   - Remove the sluice from the water carefully
   - Wash the riffle mat into a bucket or gold pan
   - Pan the concentrate to recover gold

Sluice Calibration:
- Too much water: gold bounces over riffles and is lost
- Too little water: material builds up and buries the gold
- Test with a lead split shot: drop it in the top of the sluice.
  If it is caught by the riffles, gold will be too.

得： 較大量處理，金聚於槽毯，以末盤回收。

敗則： 若溜槽不截測料（鉛粒），調角或水流。溜槽應截重於石英砂之所有料。

驗

• 取樣前已讀地質跡
• 料自地質有望處收
• 料盤前已分級
• 盤用左右搖動以分層
• 黑砂集已仔細察細金
• 所回收之金安全儲於水於密瓶
• 場無顯著環境擾

陷

• 盤過速：急失細金。正盤需五至十分鐘。速為回收之敵
• 忽黑砂：若見重黑砂聚，金或存——雖無放大鏡不可見
• 黃鐵礦混金：黃鐵礦（愚人金）輕，針壓則碎，色黃偏銅非奶黃。真金有延展性不氧化
• 隨取樣：金聚有跡。取直段中部遠不如取內彎
• 環境損害：敬水道。勿於溪岸掘大坑，勿用汞（多地違法且劇毒），填回測坑
• 忽法規：多地需勘金許可，休閒淘金亦然。始前察地方法規

參

• mineral-identification — 識岩石與礦物類助讀指金區之地質跡
• assess-holistic-health — 淘金久行之身察
• forage-plants — 勘探時之野外備草