New Zealand Gold Prospecting & Metal Detecting Forums Archive

In no particular order ...

1. Pan
2. Strong bucket ... I take 2 ... just in case one breaks or splits
3. Shovel ... I prefer short handled, but depends on how far you're carrying it
4. Hand trowel (shovel, not concreting leveller)
5. Scrapper or hand rake style thing (same size as the hand trowel)
6. Gloves
7. Small plastic container or bottle to put your gold in
8. Waders if you don't want to get wet ... Gumboots if only going in the shallows
9. Sturdy backpack to hold all of the above
10. Knowledge !! Read & ask
11. Patience ... unless extremely lucky, you won't get rich very quick, if at all

12. The understanding that once you find gold in your pan, you will forever be a sufferer of "Gold Fever".

Hi Jenks,
I'm in agreement with Juggie but have some things that I would add...

A couple of pans are essential for any gold miner/fossicker. It doesn't matter where you are or what type of ground you are on, you will need to prove the dirt you are digging and running a couple of shovels of dirt through a pan is still the best way to do that.

A good river sluice is a very handy addition and allows you to process more paydirt at a faster rate than with a pan once you have found some color.

I have a couple of white plastic paint pails that I take with me, one for washing my sluice matting in, the other I place a garden sieve on top and classify the pay ( I don't like large stones and gravel bouncing around in my sluice) then use a plastic scoop to feed the dirt in the pail through the sluice. Some people like to shovel straight into the sluice as classifying dirt slows down the operation. It depends on what your sluice can handle and the type of material you're running.

A good strong long handled shovel for me is an essential tool, not only for shoveling dirt/gravels but is good for levering bigger river rocks/stones out of the way.

Once you have collected some gold a small digital pocket scale is handy and will give you an idea of how successful you have been.

Good luck with the hobby.

I was going to add Insect Repellent - but taking the wife as a sacrifice also works.

Not actually a tool but did anyone mention food & drink, even the old chip sandwiches are good enough to keep you going.

Edited by user Thursday, 25 July 2013 6:52:35 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

oh and beer, and perhaps a G & T for at the end of the day :)

Thanks Cleggie,
I was thinking a sluice, but I didn't want to go too mad with it at first. Interesting no one has said metal detector ?

The Estwing rock pick would have to be one of my most used tools, held off for a while on getting one because of the price, but they are worth every cent. If you can pick one up second hand, that's even better.
22 oz model is the go

Obviously you all have more understanding wives than me. After a first disastrous outing when she got eaten by sandflies and sun burned for five hours, I haven't managed to get her back on the rivers. Any relationship advice much appreciated.

Just beware of the Murchison locals ... they swarm in the millions & appear to have 10 rows of teeth that work like the Alien movie ... each row is smaller, but extends out further.

My last visit there, they had also evolved into search & destroy versions !!

Based on previous feasts (I mean visits), I arrived prepared ...

I was wearing chest waders, long sleeve shirt, elbow length gloves, a protective net over my head tucked into my shirt (put it on before the shirt & do all of the buttons up) & a sun hat. Then sprayed entire upper body with repellant !!

The cunning Bstards found they could bite through the netting where it sat on my ears & even found a way of biting through my shirt where it rested on my shoulders.

In conclusion ... they still won the battle.

On a side note ... got good gold, but dang did I itch.

.

Edited by user Friday, 26 July 2013 2:15:44 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

A Happy wife a happy life so they say.

Enthesis on Juggie's number 9 a good quality pack. Is a must especially when you end up sliding down the side of a hill partly on your rear end partly on your pack.
Maybe should be number one as I tore through my last pack and good bye tools and drink.

Edited by user Friday, 26 July 2013 6:21:37 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

Hi Jenks,

Just thought id add my 2 cents worth, depending on how keen you are i have found wet suit booties with rubber soles a great asset as they save your hiking boots getting wet and water damaged, you can go in deep and not worry about water going over the top like gumboots and the weight is minimum compared to cumbersome waders or gumboots.

I think everyones setups are built for their personal preference, situation, eagerness and maybe a bit of personality comes into it.

When picking gear try consider three things:

1. Its weight
You want to keep it as light as practical- i prefer a durable plastic pan over steel due to the weight and its ability to flex and fit into my pack.

2. Its durability
Nothing worse than building an important tool or buying cheap and having it break on you when you need it most.

3. Its suitability/usefulness
Can you find a single tool that replaces three or do you really need it at all...... I have a builders nail puller brought from Bunnings i think, it has a small hammer head, leverage arm with claw and small spike that can be used as a wedge- very handy for soft schist bedrock

The more tools you have (especially if your wife is helping out) the easier it is to forget something so could pay to wrap some visible tape around to make them easier to see- i have left my sniffer bottle on the river bank once, went back first time but couldnt find it, was so gutted that i went back a second time and luckily spotted it.

You will find that your gear will become more and more refined as your experience grows

Hope this helps and good luck out there!