18 min read
How-To A complete guide to gold mining techniques from recreational panning to commercial extraction. Which method fits your situation, budget, and goals.
gold prospecting
17 min read
How-To Learn how to identify gold ore in rocks, quartz veins, and creek beds using simple field tests. Gold vs pyrite, lookalike minerals, and more.
17 min read
How-To Finding gold in rivers starts with reading the water, not digging randomly. Where gold settles in creeks, how to read bends, and when to go.
12 min read
Locations Find abandoned gold mines near me — I mapped thousands of historic mines across the US using USGS data. Here's how to explore them safely.
10 min read
Locations Yes, there's still gold in California — geologists estimate 80-90% was never recovered. Here's exactly where to find it and what to expect.
14 min read
How-To Placer gold is loose gold deposited in streams and rivers by water. Learn how it forms, the different types, where it collects, and how to find it.
23 min read
How-To Learn how to pan for gold with this step-by-step guide covering technique, equipment, where to find gold, laws by state, and how much beginners actually find.