Here is my current setup to refine concentrates by hand. I do not have $ for a gold cube, wheel, etc. It is a 3 step process with the small black bucket labeled 'Jackpot'.
This is my first setup, if anybody has a more efficient method I would love to hear about it.
Full Version: Hand Panning Concentrate Refining Process
Colorado Prospector - Gem and mineral prospecting and mining forums > Prospecting, Mineral Collecting and Treasure Hunting Forums > Prospectors and Rockhounding Field Work
Throw in some classifiers, blue bowl and small black trash can (20g round, Rubbermaid variety) and yours looks a lot like mine.
I'm wondering how your 3 steps go? I see tweezers and a vial, but I don't see a snuffer bottle; do you use one? Classifiers?
My process, which is similar to others: I take sluice cons from the field, screen out anything bigger than 8 mesh (those get panned since they're too big for the bowl), and concentrate down further with a cube. From there I classify into 4 levels: +30, +50, +100 and -100. When I was panning, I'd pan spoonfuls of material at a time, and typically 2-3 times per spoon, collecting the gold in a snuffer each time. Now, I use the bowl, and have adopted Crusty's approach of processing larger quantities at a time. I'm probably losing some color this way, but I figure I'll collect most of that during future reprocessing.
Initially I was used a magnet to coarsely remove mag sands, but found I was catching a bunch of gold and stopped. Now I only use a magnet during final cleanup.
I only got the blue bowl fairly recently, and used to pan in a bin like yours. That thing broke, so now I pan in the black trash can. It's filled with water, and I keep the lid on it in the backyard when not in use. I collect all my previously-worked cons there to re-process later. I'll do that before winter to give me more material to play with while it's cold. The water in the can stays nice and warm, which is great to keep the surface tension down. I also added a splash of simple green disinfectant which further cuts surface tension and keeps things from growing in there.
I'm wondering how your 3 steps go? I see tweezers and a vial, but I don't see a snuffer bottle; do you use one? Classifiers?
My process, which is similar to others: I take sluice cons from the field, screen out anything bigger than 8 mesh (those get panned since they're too big for the bowl), and concentrate down further with a cube. From there I classify into 4 levels: +30, +50, +100 and -100. When I was panning, I'd pan spoonfuls of material at a time, and typically 2-3 times per spoon, collecting the gold in a snuffer each time. Now, I use the bowl, and have adopted Crusty's approach of processing larger quantities at a time. I'm probably losing some color this way, but I figure I'll collect most of that during future reprocessing.
Initially I was used a magnet to coarsely remove mag sands, but found I was catching a bunch of gold and stopped. Now I only use a magnet during final cleanup.
I only got the blue bowl fairly recently, and used to pan in a bin like yours. That thing broke, so now I pan in the black trash can. It's filled with water, and I keep the lid on it in the backyard when not in use. I collect all my previously-worked cons there to re-process later. I'll do that before winter to give me more material to play with while it's cold. The water in the can stays nice and warm, which is great to keep the surface tension down. I also added a splash of simple green disinfectant which further cuts surface tension and keeps things from growing in there.
I typically classify 8, 50 and 100. I pan each classified material down to about a teaspoon of gold and black sand and then process it on a miller table from ebay that was 100 bucks. Works well enough for me. I'm considering just storing up concentrates and then processing them all at once on a cold winter day.
QUOTE (relicsncoins @ Aug 17 2016, 05:48 PM) 
I typically classify 8, 50 and 100. I pan each classified material down to about a teaspoon of gold and black sand and then process it on a miller table from ebay that was 100 bucks. Works well enough for me. I'm considering just storing up concentrates and then processing them all at once on a cold winter day.
So you classify your material after you sluice it? I had always classified first before sluicing thus all the concentrates are already fine. Am I losing color this way?
QUOTE (EMac @ Aug 17 2016, 05:42 PM)
Throw in some classifiers, blue bowl and small black trash can (20g round, Rubbermaid variety) and yours looks a lot like mine.
I'm wondering how your 3 steps go? I see tweezers and a vial, but I don't see a snuffer bottle; do you use one? Classifiers?
My process, which is similar to others: I take sluice cons from the field, screen out anything bigger than 8 mesh (those get panned since they're too big for the bowl), and concentrate down further with a cube. From there I classify into 4 levels: +30, +50, +100 and -100. When I was panning, I'd pan spoonfuls of material at a time, and typically 2-3 times per spoon, collecting the gold in a snuffer each time. Now, I use the bowl, and have adopted Crusty's approach of processing larger quantities at a time. I'm probably losing some color this way, but I figure I'll collect most of that during future reprocessing.
Initially I was used a magnet to coarsely remove mag sands, but found I was catching a bunch of gold and stopped. Now I only use a magnet during final cleanup.
I only got the blue bowl fairly recently, and used to pan in a bin like yours. That thing broke, so now I pan in the black trash can. It's filled with water, and I keep the lid on it in the backyard when not in use. I collect all my previously-worked cons there to re-process later. I'll do that before winter to give me more material to play with while it's cold. The water in the can stays nice and warm, which is great to keep the surface tension down. I also added a splash of simple green disinfectant which further cuts surface tension and keeps things from growing in there.
I'm wondering how your 3 steps go? I see tweezers and a vial, but I don't see a snuffer bottle; do you use one? Classifiers?
My process, which is similar to others: I take sluice cons from the field, screen out anything bigger than 8 mesh (those get panned since they're too big for the bowl), and concentrate down further with a cube. From there I classify into 4 levels: +30, +50, +100 and -100. When I was panning, I'd pan spoonfuls of material at a time, and typically 2-3 times per spoon, collecting the gold in a snuffer each time. Now, I use the bowl, and have adopted Crusty's approach of processing larger quantities at a time. I'm probably losing some color this way, but I figure I'll collect most of that during future reprocessing.
Initially I was used a magnet to coarsely remove mag sands, but found I was catching a bunch of gold and stopped. Now I only use a magnet during final cleanup.
I only got the blue bowl fairly recently, and used to pan in a bin like yours. That thing broke, so now I pan in the black trash can. It's filled with water, and I keep the lid on it in the backyard when not in use. I collect all my previously-worked cons there to re-process later. I'll do that before winter to give me more material to play with while it's cold. The water in the can stays nice and warm, which is great to keep the surface tension down. I also added a splash of simple green disinfectant which further cuts surface tension and keeps things from growing in there.
I do use one classifier, I don't know what mesh it is though. I had always classified the material first before sluicing it. Also, I do have a sniffer bottle but I am waiting to get a decent amount accumulated before I suck it up. Also I was trying to pan down a ton at a time, I believe I am losing a lot of color. Good thing it's all recycled back :)
I think I am just going to take your idea and get as much concentrate as I can and just pan it over the winter.
QUOTE (RockAntix @ Aug 19 2016, 08:55 PM)
So you classify your material after you sluice it? I had always classified first before sluicing thus all the concentrates are already fine. Am I losing color this way?
Like sized material is easier to process, both in the sluice and in concentrates. Definitely key when blue bowling.
I've always tapped my gold out by hand, a tablespoon at a time. It's pretty slow and tedious but you get faster and better the more you practice. There's always super fine gold trapped but that's OK to store until a later time.
I borrowed a friend's gold magic gold spiral and that things a joke. Don't waste your money. It misses more gold than it catches.
I tried a buddies Miller table at cache creek recently and I think that's the machine for me.
I borrowed a friend's gold magic gold spiral and that things a joke. Don't waste your money. It misses more gold than it catches.
I tried a buddies Miller table at cache creek recently and I think that's the machine for me.
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