淘金

使用淘金、溜槽和分级技术从溪流沉积物中回收冲积金。

适用场景

• 在已知或疑似冲积金矿床地区探矿
• 采样溪流或河流以测试含金量
• 休闲淘金并希望最大化回收率
• 在投入更多精力之前评估场地的含金潜力

输入

• 必需：淘金盘（14-16 英寸，带挡板）
• 必需：可以进入溪流、河流或冲积矿床
• 可选：分级筛（1/4 英寸网孔）
• 可选：溜槽箱（用于处理更大量的材料）
• 可选：吸管瓶或镊子（用于回收细金）
• 可选：装水的小瓶（用于储存回收的金子）
• 可选：铲子和水桶用于材料收集

步骤

第 1 步：解读场地

金的比重很大（19.3），会以可预测的方式集中。在挖掘之前先解读水文和地质。

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

预期结果： 根据溪流动态和地质指标确定了 2-3 个有希望的采样地点。

失败处理： 如果没有明显的指标可见，系统地在多个位置采样——从每个不同特征（内弯、障碍物后方、随机砂砾滩）取一盘。即使一个色点（金片）也能确认溪流含金。

第 2 步：分级和收集材料

准备用于淘洗的原始材料。

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

预期结果： 一盘或一桶分级后的材料（小于 1/4 英寸的砂砾），来源于地质上有希望的位置。

失败处理： 如果无法到达基岩，采样可获取的材料。浅层样本含金可能性较低，但仍值得测试——洪水事件可以在不同深度沉积金子。

第 3 步：淘洗材料

淘金盘利用重力和水将金子从较轻的材料中分离出来。

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.

预期结果： 所有重质材料（金、黑砂、石榴石）集中在淘金盘底部。金子以明亮的黄色薄片、扁平颗粒或（罕见的）小金块形式可见。

失败处理： 如果仔细淘洗后没有金子可见，该位置可能不含金——或者金子可能太细而无法看到（面粉金）。用放大镜检查。如果仍然没有，移至不同的采样地点。

第 4 步：使用溜槽箱扩大规模（可选）

用于处理更大量的材料。

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.

预期结果： 更大量的处理，金子集中在挡板垫中，通过最终淘洗回收。

失败处理： 如果溜槽未能捕获测试材料（铅丸），调整角度或水流。溜槽应该能捕获所有比石英砂重的物质。

验证清单

• 在采样前已解读场地的地质指标
• 从地质上有希望的位置收集了材料
• 在淘洗前对材料进行了分级
• 淘洗使用了左右摇晃进行分层
• 已仔细检查黑砂精矿中的细金
• 回收的金子已安全储存在密封小瓶的水中
• 离开场地时未造成重大环境干扰

常见问题

• 淘洗太快：急躁会丢失细金。一盘正确的淘洗需要 5-10 分钟。速度是回收率的敌人
• 忽视黑砂：如果看到重质黑砂集中，金子很可能存在——即使细到没有放大镜看不到
• 将黄铁矿与金混淆：黄铁矿（愚人金）更轻，用针压会碎裂，呈黄铜色而非奶油黄色。真金是可锻的且不会变色
• 随机采样位置：金以可预测的方式集中。在直线段中间采样远不如在弯道内侧采样有效
• 环境破坏：尊重水道。不要在溪岸挖大坑，不要使用汞（在大多数管辖区违法且剧毒），填回任何测试坑
• 忽视法规：大多数管辖区要求探矿许可证，即使是休闲淘金。开始前检查当地法规

相关技能

• mineral-identification — 了解岩石和矿物类型有助于解读指向含金区域的地质指标