淘金

以盤、溜、分選回收沖積金。

用

• 於已知或疑有沖積金之地探勘
• 取溪試金
• 休閒淘金欲得最大回收
• 試地金潛力，再投力

入

• 必：金盤（14-16 寸，有紋）
• 必：溪、河或沖積地
• 可：分選篩（1/4 寸目）
• 可：溜箱（大量處理）
• 可：吸瓶或鑷（細金回收）
• 可：瓶與水（存金）
• 可：鏟桶（取料）

行

一：讀地

金重（比重 19.3），沉積可預。察水與地形再掘。

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：依溪動與地質指標辨 2-3 有望之取樣點。

敗：無明顯指標→系統取多點——各特徵一盤（內彎、障後、隨礫壩）。即一片金屑亦證溪含金。

二：分選取料

備原料供淘。

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：盤或桶之分選料（礫沙小於 1/4 寸），取自地質有望之點。

敗：不能及基岩→取可及者。淺樣含金較少然仍值試——洪積可置金於諸深。

三：淘料

金盤用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：諸重料（金、黑沙、石榴石）沉於盤底。金為亮黃屑、扁粒、或罕小塊可見。

敗：細淘後不見金→地或無金，或金過細（粉金）。以手鏡察。仍無→易他點。

四：以溜箱擴模（可選）

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：量大處理，金集於紋墊，末淘回收。

敗：溜不捕鉛粒→調角或水流。溜應捕一切比石英沙重者。

驗

• 取樣前已讀地質指標
• 料取自地質有望之點
• 淘前已分選
• 分層用側搖（非圓轉）
• 黑沙集中已徹察細金
• 所得金存於水中封瓶
• 地留無大環境擾

忌

• 淘過速：急則失細金。一盤須 5-10 分。速乃回收之敵
• 忽黑沙：見黑沙集→金或在，即過細目不可見
• 誤黃鐵為金：黃鐵（愚人金）輕，針壓破，色黃銅而非奶油。真金可延不鏽
• 隨機取樣：金沉積可預。取直段中遠不如取彎內
• 環境損：敬水道。勿掘溪岸大洞，勿用汞（多地違法且劇毒），填試洞
• 忽法規：多地區取金需證，即休閒淘亦然。始前察本地法
• 過粗分選：1/4 寸篩略過大塊，然粗塊金或漏。察篩上餘物
• 濕料誤判：濕礦石常現金色光，乾後方見其實。存乾樣驗
• 過信單次：一盤不足定論。同點取多次以確定

參

• mineral-identification