Hey there! I'm just starting out and the soil I'm working in is alluvial mud. It seems that it will stratify with minimum water and it also seems to be so light that it takes everything with it when I feather. I use Gold Hogs "rock and roll" method. Does anyone know how to keep the goods in the pan and get rid of the light mud with only a 14" gold pan? I can't afford a sluice or fine recovery system. Thank you for reading my dilema!.

Order some sodium silicate online - 2 tbs per 5 gallons of water - it will cause the mud to precipitate out, but also keep t from clumping up and carrying out the gold with it.
It is also sold as "Clay-Gone" at prospecting supply stores.

Thank you Caveman! I'm digging in my backyard practicing for the real world. I think I may have chosen the wrong soil type to begin with!

Just a note - Clay-Gone is far more expensive than sodium silicate from a chem supply store. Be reasonably carefull with it, and you should be just fine. A gallon goes a
looooooonnnnng way at 2 tbs per five gallons of water!

To be honest I was hoping more for a method then a chemical, Im beyond broke at the moment. So the fact I have half a snack sized baggy of concentrate from 2 gal of mud is promising! I really appreciate the the advice though! I'll remember it for the future!

Fenixsmom, if you get the chance, go down to Cleer creak and fill a small bucket from the bank and take it home, thats how I started learning to pan before I got my A52. WELL! don't get as ambitious as I did and fill 12-3 1/2 gal buckets ! it takes a long time to pan that much dirt, which is what led me to buying a sluice box.

I remember asking what was ethical to remove thinking how I could breeze through a bucket. I've learned with my gallon of mud! Thanks again buddy!

So whatever I've been doing seems to sorta be working. I have been able to pluck out 7 microflakes. I'm heading to CC today to dig around. Providing it isn't frozen solid!

Good luck!

Thank you! I was fooled by the fools gold. I found a sedimentary rock with a streak running through it. I pressed on it with my nail, it seemed to be really soft and malleable I quietly freaked out inside thinking I hit the mother lode. I got home and looked at it for the tenth time and realized it's kinda brassy. So I crushed it with a hammer and realized it wasn't a vein but a small pocket. For now ill set it aside until I can get some muriatic acid.

I am really disappointed in the condition of the river. People aren't respecting wheat ridges rules and I'm afraid they'll shut it down. Get down there while you still can. Enjoy the sluice "runs" people left snd tge MASSIVE HOLES people never filled in. SMH. Oh and they are undercutting the banks and digging on the south side of the river, which is a nono.

I seen some of your past posts about ethical removel of material from the creeks, well its really not about removel but about not having to take home so much, hence why so many work it down to only a cup or less of concentrait, but if your just wanting something to pan at home you can take what you deem needed for yourself.

It is very disappointing to see that people don't follow regulations and think thats its OK to dig where they want and not fill holes/clean up their messes.

Maybe I'm just being all butthurt, but I just don't want to lose a place so close to home.

This is where ethics come into play, when rules set up for public use they need to be followed, but there is always the bad apples in the bunch.

Ill make em into pie!!!

HMMM?? this brings up a idea that ive tried to do with a club here in Missouri. start up a project ,cleaning up the area involved, and make fliers and pass them out to the stores around that area. maybe club "T" shirts for good PR and go in and pickup trash/fill holes. someone WILL be happy to see this done! if not, you will feel good about what youve done! maybe even call a newspaper reporter to cover it for news coverage. but make a plan so everyone that goes knows what to do! even if only 1 person goes out to do this, itll be an improvement over whats happening right now! this will help keep from loseing your rights/access to these areas. Goodluck! if im in the area this summer if/when you would do this id GLADLY come and help!P.S. Take lots of pictures to send to the local paper if they dont show up! REMEMBER: it all starts with I!!!!!!

I've used Washing Soda (sodium carbonate) to break down the "slime" when using finely pulverized material on my shaker table. Perhaps this could help with your material as well, and it's cheap.

Thanks for the advice! :D