How to Pan For Gold in Michigan

Gold panners can pan for gold on Michigan land.

American gold prospecting began in the mid 1800s when a carpenter in California stumbled on a few gold nuggets. Within months, thousands of prospectors arrived in California to look for gold. Gold panners search for gold by swishing water in a pan over earth where they believe that gold exists. The water washes away the excess dirt and gravel, exposing the gold pieces. Some prospectors have had success panning for gold in Michigan.

Things You'll Need

• gold panning pan

Instructions

1. Obtain a gold panning pan. Sheet iron pans with low, sloping sides and a flat bottom constitute the best gold panning pans.

2. Identify the area where you will pan for gold. In Michigan, gold has been discovered in bedrock, in sediments and in gravel of streams. The area where you plan to pan for gold must have a nearby stream or shallow river which will allow you to do the panning. Gold tends to mass in crevices and cracks of streams as it settles where the stream's flow slows. It also works its way to the bottom of deposited sediments.

3. Access the Land and Mineral Ownership Map of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to ascertain land ownership rights in Michigan. Recreational gold prospectors have DNR permission to pan for gold on state land where the state owns both mineral and surface rights.

4. Contact the local Michigan Forest, Mineral and Fire Management supervisor where you want to pan for gold to receive more information about the area where you wish to prospect. Sometimes the Michigan DNR map indicates that an area belongs to the State of Michigan, but in fact, only part of that plot of land belongs to the state. The local Forest, Mineral and Fire Management supervisor will have additional information for each area.

5. Follow Michigan DNR regulations regarding gold panning. DNR regulations stipulate that panners may not dredge, excavate, dig or otherwise disturb the riverbank during recreational gold panning.

References

• Highway 49: Goldrush
• Michigan Gold: Panning and Prospecting
• Gold Fever Prospecting: Where to Find Gold in the United States
• Michigan Department of Natural Resources: Gold Panning
• Department of Natural Resources and Environment: Treasure Hunting

Resources

• You Tube: Panning for Gold
• Forest, Mineral and Fire Management Offices: Michiga
• Land and Mineral Ownership Land and Ownership Mineral Map: Michigan