{{Short description|Outdoor recreation}} [[Image:Stringer156 nugget.jpg|thumb|This {{convert|156|ozt|kg|adj=on}} gold nugget, known as the Mojave Nugget, was found by an individual prospector in the Southern California desert using a metal detector.]]

'''Recreational gold mining''' and prospecting has become a popular outdoor activity in several countries, including New Zealand (particularly in Otago), Australia, South Africa, Wales (at Dolaucothi and in Gwynedd), Canada and the United States especially. Recreational mining is typically small-scale placer mining but has been challenged for environmental reasons. The disruption of historic gold placer deposits poses risks of reintroducing pollutants from past mining activities, such as mercury remaining in mine deposits and tailings.

==Australia== Australia does not prevent the private ownership of any minerals found in the land. At one time if individuals were to discover gold (or any other minerals) in their property, it would belong to the Crown, being the Australian Government and not to private entitlement. Today this is not so, and individuals can search and retrieve minerals with the acquisition of a miners permit that can be bought from the relevant Mining Department.

Today, recreational gold mining can be carried out in several areas such as Warrego<ref>{{cite web|title=Declared Fossicking Areas in the Northern Territory|url=http://www.nt.gov.au/d/fossicking/index.cfm?pg=2-1|accessdate=26 August 2014}}</ref> near the town of Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory, Clermont<ref>{{cite web|title=Central gold district|url=http://www.qld.gov.au/recreation/activities/fossicking/central-gold/|accessdate=26 August 2014}}</ref> in Queensland and Echunga Goldfield<ref>{{cite web|title=Fossicking in South Australia|url=http://www.minerals.dmitre.sa.gov.au/licensing_and_regulation/fossicking|accessdate=26 August 2014|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140826113241/http://www.minerals.dmitre.sa.gov.au/licensing_and_regulation/fossicking|archivedate=26 August 2014}}</ref> in Southern Australia. Each state has its own set of rules and regulations.

The largest nugget ever found was the Welcome Stranger of 2316 troy oz (74&nbsp;kg).

==Japan== Within Japan recreational gold fossicking can be carried out in Hokkaido, Yamanashi and Michinoku.<ref>{{cite web|title=Golden Times|url=http://www.goldpanning.eu/storage/1210950225_sb_gt2007a.pdf|accessdate=27 August 2014}}</ref> Within Hokkaido, placer gold can be found in the Usotan River, the Peichian River, the Yūbari River, and the Rekifune River.<ref>{{cite web|title=Panning for Gold in Japan|url=https://dantoudai.wordpress.com/gold-prospecting-in-japan/|accessdate=16 January 2021}}</ref> The traditional gold pan used in Japan is a rectangular concave shaped pan called the Yuri-ita (揺り板).<ref>{{cite web|title=How to use a Yuri-ita (ゆり板を使う)|url=http://www.geocities.jp/omorigold/A4_1.htm|accessdate=27 August 2014}}</ref>

==Indonesia== With permission granted from the Indonesian Department of Tourism and the local village chiefs, fossicking for gold can be carried out in several regions that are accessible to international tourists. However, fossicking equipment is restricted to gold pans, shovels, and metal detectors. The use of sluices, dredges, or other machinery is forbidden.<ref>{{cite web|title=Gold Prospecting and Treasure|url=http://www.goldntreasureexplorer.com/p/recreational-panning-reserves-indonesia.html#.U_6Ra9bHh-g|accessdate=28 August 2014}}</ref>

==New Zealand== Seventeen areas in the South Island have been declared to be gold fossicking areas, allowing miners to fossick for gold without a permit. These areas are located in Nelson-Marlborough and the West Coast, Central Otago and South Otago. Alluvial gold can be found in low concentrations in all the fossicking areas.<ref>{{cite web|title=Gold Fossicking in New Zealand|url=http://www.nzpam.govt.nz/cms/minerals/gold-fossicking#nelson_marlborough_west_coast|accessdate=26 August 2014}}</ref>

==United Kingdom== Gold has been mined commercially in Wales (see ''Welsh gold'') and Scotland. In the UK, gold prospecting can only take place with the explicit permission of the riparian owner, and any activities that cause or permit pollution of a watercourse, even re-suspended silt, could result in a criminal prosecution by the Environment Agency. There are locations where gold panning is a popular activity.<ref>[http://www.helmsdale.org/gold-panning.html Helmsdale (Scotland): ''Gold panning''], retrieved 21 January 2009.</ref>

==United States== thumb|Weekend gold hunters, Gilpin County, Colorado. Although gold deposits are popularly associated with the western US, gold has widespread occurrence across the country.

In the eastern US, a zone of lode and placer gold deposits extends in the Piedmont region from Alabama to Maryland.<ref>J.T. Pardee and others (1948) ''Gold deposits of the southern Piedmont'', US Geological Survey, Professional Paper 213.</ref> North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia and Alabama have many former gold mines and current prospecting sites. These states were the main source of US gold before the California gold discovery (see ''Gold mining in the United States''). Recreational gold miners have also had success in the northeastern US.<ref>C. J. Stevens, [https://books.google.com/books?id=L-l9NgAACAAJ ''The Next Bend in the River: Gold Mining in Maine''].</ref>

Small amounts of gold have been found in streams draining glacial deposits in the Midwest.

Gold prospecting and mining activities allowed on public lands vary with the agency and the location. Gold pans and shovels are commonly allowed, but sluice boxes and suction dredges may be prohibited in some areas.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20090109030020/http://allatoona.sam.usace.army.mil/Allatoona%20recreation/Gold%20panningpolicy.pdf US Army Corps of Engineers: ''Gold panning policy, Altoona Lake'' (Georgia)], retrieved 20 January 2009.</ref><ref>[http://www.fs.fed.us/conf/rec/gold_panning.htm Chattahoochie-Oconee National Forests (Georgia): ''Gold panning''], retrieved 20 January 2009.</ref> There are public mining areas in many states, and prospecting may allow one to stake a gold placer claim or other type of mining claim in certain areas. Some public lands have been set aside for recreational gold panning.<ref>[http://www.admmr.state.az.us/Rec_Ed/goldpanning.html Arizona Department of Mines and Mineral Resources: ''Gold panning''], retrieved 20 January 2009.</ref><ref>[http://www.fs.fed.us/r1/kootenai/recreation/activitiesx/panning.shtml Kootenai National Forest (Idaho and Montana): ''Gold panning''], retrieved 20 January 2009.</ref> Some private land owners also give permission for small-scale gold mining.<ref>[http://www.bostonmineralclub.org/docs/maine-locales/swift.pdf Boston Mineral Club: ''Swift River gold panning area'' (Maine)], PDF file, retrieved 20 January 2009.</ref>

The largest true California gold nugget, known as the "Dogtown Nugget", weighed 54 troy pounds (20&nbsp;kg), and was found in Magalia, California. A 195-pound troy (73&nbsp;kg) mass of gold mixed with quartz was also found. Alaska has many sites for the prospector, both public and private.

== See also == * Gold prospecting * Gold Prospectors Association of America * Placer mining * Recreational gold mining in Alaska * Gold in California

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * [http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=e66ca401d5f38b48c89a&page=&viewtype=&category= TeacherTube: ''Panning for gold''], Instructional video, retrieved 20 January 2009. * [http://www.worldgoldpanningassociation.org/ World Goldpanning Association], retrieved 9 January 2009

;Australia * [https://web.archive.org/web/20090309174307/http://www.clickforaustralia.com/NT_fossicking.htm ClickForAustralia.com: ''Fossicking and gold panning in the '''Northern Territory'''''], retrieved 7 January 2009.

;New Zealand * [https://web.archive.org/web/20090225042821/http://www.findgoldnz.com/fossick.html Find Gold In New Zealand: "Where to Find Gold in New Zealand"], retrieved 7 January 2009 * [https://web.archive.org/web/20110807220452/http://www.nzpam.govt.nz/cms/minerals/gold-fossicking/gold-fossicking-recreational-gold-panning?searchterm=alluvial Ministry of Economic Development, NZ Petroleum & Minerals: "Gold fossicking (recreational gold panning)"], retrieved 9 January 2009 * [http://www.paydirt.co.nz/public-gold-fossicking-areas-map.aspx PayDirt.co.nz: ''Map of public gold fossicking areas in New Zealand''], retrieved 23 April 2009 {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090420104752/http://www.paydirt.co.nz/public-gold-fossicking-areas-map.aspx |date=20 April 2009 }}

;Switzerland * [https://web.archive.org/web/20081220125734/http://www.goldwaschen.ch/egold.htm Swiss Goldprospector's Association: ''Recreational Goldprospecting in Switzerland''], retrieved 7 January 2009

;United States * [https://web.archive.org/web/20081023015334/http://www.blm.gov/mt/st/en/info/browse/gold_panning.print.html US Bureau of Land Management: "Recreational gold prospecting on public land"]. * [https://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/prospect2/prospectgip.html US Geological Survey: "Prospecting for gold in the United States"], Harold Kirkemo, retrieved 20 January 2009. * [http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/face/Article.jsp?id=h-1666 ''Encyclopedia of Alabama'': "Gold production in Alabama"], retrieved 3 January 2009. * [https://digitalalabama.com/gold-in-alabama/gold-in-alabama/13756 Digital Alabama: "Gold in Alabama"], Terry W. Platt, May 28, 2020. * [https://web.archive.org/web/20150922220828/https://www.isgs.illinois.edu/outreach/geology-resources/gold-its-occurrence-illinois Illinois Geological Survey: "Gold: its occurrence in Illinois"], retrieved 3 January 2009. * [https://web.archive.org/web/20090111025818/http://igs.indiana.edu/geology/questions/searchFaqsDetail.cfm?FAQ_Number=7&Hits=9 Indiana Geological Survey Questions and Answers: "Where can gold be found in Indiana?"], John Hill, October 7, 1998, retrieved 3 January 2009. * [https://web.archive.org/web/20060929122759/http://www.igsb.uiowa.edu/gsbpubs/pdf/EM-16.pdf Iowa Geological Survey: "Gold in Iowa", by Raymond R. Anderson], PDF, January 1999, retrieved 9 January 2009. * [https://web.archive.org/web/20090215224957/http://www.maine.gov/doc/nrimc/mgs/explore/minerals/facts/goldfact.htm Maine Geological Survey: "Gold in Maine"], October 6, 2005, retrieved 9 January 2009. * [https://web.archive.org/web/20090116215528/http://www.geology.enr.state.nc.us/Gold%20brochure/Gold%20Brochure%2012222000.htm North Carolina Geological Survey: "Gold in North Carolina"], December 27, 2000, retrieved 3 January 2009. * [https://web.archive.org/web/20090129174656/http://www.wdfw.wa.gov/hab/goldfish/goldfish.htm Washington (state) Department of Fish and Wildlife: "Mineral prospecting"], retrieved 3 January 2009.

Category:Gold mining