The image of the old-time gold prospector is a familiar one: long grey hair, wild beard, suspicious eyes, and incomprehensible mumbling. But times are changing. A new generation of amateur prospectors is heading for the hills, and a few are finding enough gold to pay their way.
Why Prospect?
The lure of gold is as old as recorded history. It is beautiful, scarce, and indestructible, and because of these things it is valuable. So the dream of heading into the hills and getting the stuff out of the ground has an obvious attraction.
When gold prices soar, as they do during every economic crisis, there is a clear incentive to go and find your own. But there is something that money cannot buy: the satisfaction of being the first person since the beginning of time to pick this particular shiny wonder out of the dust.
Add to that some beautiful natural locations, and the chance that you just might strike it rich, and the range of attractions is complete.
Where to Prospect
Canada has the fourth richest gold seams in the world. 90% comes from commercial mines, but that still leaves a lot in the ground for small scale and amateur searching, and every year more is washed down the rivers.
The Klondike Gold Rush brought an estimated 100,000 people to the Yukon, and there is still gold to be found in the west, but the main areas are now around the Canadian Shield.
The best prospecting country for amateurs is always remote. The further you can get from civilization the better, so equip yourself with a rugged vehicle (a Dodge Journey will get you, and all the equipment you could need, to just about anywhere) and set out into the wild.
How to Prospect
Panning for gold is the traditional approach. It is very hard work, and you may go through several thousand pans to find an ounce of gold. You can start with a pan and a shovel, but you will soon want more equipment. Panning is allowed in many areas, but you must check your specific location before starting.
A common method, known as Sniping, involves walking along a river bank looking for that tell-tale sparkle. Be careful, because it is easy to wander into a private area or one where a claim has been established, and then you would be breaking the law.
For the serious prospector, it pays to stake a claim to a stretch of water. This gives you exclusive rights to prospect in your area for as long as you maintain the claim.
The Rewards of Prospecting
If you are prospecting because you want to get rich quick, it is just like any other sort of gamble. But if you get your kicks out of spending time alone in beautiful places, with the lure of gold enough to keep you at your labors, then you will find the satisfaction you crave from prospecting, and with a bit of luck, enough returns to justify your efforts.
Photo Credit
Gold – Wikimedia creative commons
Panning for gold – Wikimedia creative commons
Guest Author Bio
Brandon Clark
Brandon Clark enjoys a wide range of hobbies; fly fishing, off-roading, and now gold prospecting! He writes about his interests, his articles being published on lifestyle and specialist hobby blogs.
Recent Guest Author Articles:
- Empowered to Advocate: How to Become the Voice for the Silent
- How to Build a Celebration-Ready Wine Cellar
- Wander, Discover, Reflect: My Most Surprising Finds in Las Vegas
- Creating Meaningful Connections: What Ecosystems and Families Teach Us About Belonging
- How Breathwork Creates a Pathway Through Trauma: Beyond Traditional Approaches
Please Share Your Thoughts - Leave A Comment!