O. K., I found this site about a week ago, and have spent too much time, according to my wife, reading a bunch of good information. I plan on doing some gold panning this summer. I fly fish, but my kids have limited interest in that. So, I need another mountain river activity to keep them going with me.

After spending the week reading here, I am ready to run out and buy thousands of dollars worth of equipment. I really want a dredger, sluice, high banker, maybe a couple of gold wheels.....You get the idea, I am hooked, and haven't even been out in the field yet.

I have a lot of questions, but I'll just start with one of two.

Is there a good resource for terms/vocabulary? i.e. cons.
How about a picture reference for the gems and minerals?

We'll start there. I and my two older girls, 11 and almsot 4 are excited to get out there and dig in the dirt. They already love rocks.

Thank you,
Ken

Hi Ken and welcome to CP!
You can find gold and other goodies in Colorado without expensive equipment. I started out gold prospecting with a good ole shovel, classifying screen, hand sluice (Keene A52), and pan. For rockhounding or fossil hunting, you barely need anything but one good eye. I own more elaborate equipment now but there are days when the simple basic tools have outperformed my dredge or other equipment easily. Location can have far more to do with success than equipment. So... you are definitely smart for hanging out here and doing some homework.
How to determine the potential, legality, and access of prospecting areas is equally paramount to your success and this is a great place to "dig-in" for regional information, regulation clarification, and sometimes permit information for certain areas. CP is also where I started and I continue to learn here.

You asked: "Is there a good resource for terms/vocabulary? i.e. cons."
'Cons' is slang for "concentrate" or "concentrates".... which is concentrated material. I wouldn't worry about it, we still (jokingly) argue on the correct pronunciation of 'placer'.
I'm not sure that there is a solid reference for mining terminology or slang but here's a fun read: Redneck Mineral Definitions

You also asked: "How about a picture reference for the gems and minerals? "
This is the most elaborate online mineral picture archive database that I am aware of... and it ROCKS : Mindat

Stick around and don't be afraid to ask the basics. We're here to help and all had to start somewhere. Like you, I'm also a lifetime fly fisherman and have a great appreciation for our state's outdoor resources. Prospecting is an excellent extension for outdoor freaks like me. I only wish I'd have indulged in this mining pursuit earlier in life! Oh well.. I think I have another good 15yrs left in me. I think you'll find that there are some very knowledgeable good folk who hang out here and glad to help.

Is it spring yet??

Thanks swizz, I have especially enjoyed a lot of what you and astromble have written. There seems to be a lot of smart and experienced people on this board. I have a tendency to research anything I do before I actually do it. My imagination, then, tends to run away. I think I will start with just a gold pan and shovel, with a home made classifier or two. Although, I may end up with a sluice before the month is out.

I started fly fishing at 12 with my next door neighbor. He must have been a rock hound. He left me all his rock stuff, which I have discovered from this sight is called lapidary equipment. It has the saw, grinders, polishing wheels and a big tumbling table. There are 5-6 tumbler containers on a roller system. I always wondered what I was going to do with all that stuff.

So does placer mean the stuff that has already been mined, and left behind?

I will be the guy with the big mustache and daughters having fun in the streams by the end of the month.

Ken,
Nice score on the lap equipment. I am just barely getting into that process and learning myself.
I was going to attempt to explain placer but hit wiki and it is explained pretty well there: Placer Deposit

My wife and kids hooked me up for my birthday last week. I got a prospecting kit wit some pans, a classifier, rock hammer, and some other neat little toys. Now all I need is some dirt to play in.

The first question is where are you?
Leonard

Sorry, Northern front range. I work in Ft. Collins, but live Southeast of there. I spend most of my time in Red feather lakes, and North Park. I'll probably start exploring the the Clear creek area some when I can get a better handle on where I can go, and where I need to stay away from. This sight has been very good for that. I had never even considered that there might be areas on public land that would be claimed.

I am glad I learned about it here rather than out there.

I sent you a PM.
Leonard

Hi Ken welcome to the forum
Thanks for the kind compliments on the site and happy birthday last week, sounds like you had a great day.
Make yourself right at home around the website, you'll find some details on the Clear creek area in the free panning and sluicing areas thread.
If you decide to really get into the prospecting/mining in the future you might want to check out the Colorado Prospector club membership too. We have done some research on some great areas to prospect on that have no claims including info to reverify anytime. There are plenty of places to dig and try out that new gear.
We'd all be honored to have you and your families participation in the club, Swizz and Leonard are both Colorado Prospector club members too.

I forgot to mention that you can go to Geology.com and use their dictionary. Its a very helpful tool.

Geology and Earth Science Terms and Definitions