Gold Mining Tips

Coastal prospecting offers real gold — from black sand beaches to tidal creeks — but saltwater is brutal on equipment. In this episode of Gold Mining Tips, Andrew breaks down which gear actually survives the salt, sand, and constant moisture of the coast, and what you should avoid. You'll learn why plastic pans and classifiers are essential, how to choose sluice materials that resist corrosion, an...

Long before metal detectors and highbankers, prospectors found gold with simple tools and sharp eyes. In this episode of Gold Mining Tips, Andrew goes back to the roots of the craft, teaching the traditional field methods every prospector should know. You'll learn the classic panning technique step by step, how to use trenching to reach gold that's buried deep, and the systematic sampling methods...

Gold prospecting is one of the best family activities there is — outdoors, active, educational, and genuinely exciting. In this episode of Gold Mining Tips, Andrew, shares how to introduce kids and family to the thrill of the hunt. You'll learn what makes a gold spot truly family-friendly — safety, easy access, reliable gold, and comfort — and discover some excellent family locations around the wo...

Gold prospecting may look like a solo sport, but the prospectors who progress fastest are almost always connected to a community. In this episode of Gold Mining Tips, Andrew explains why joining a prospecting club is the single fastest way for a beginner to flatten the learning curve. You'll discover what clubs actually offer — access to claims, collective knowledge, mentorship, and motivation — a...

Dreaming of a gold prospecting adventure abroad? In this episode of Gold Mining Tips, Andrew takes you on a global tour of the best countries for beginner gold prospectors. You'll learn what makes a country truly beginner-friendly — clear rules, accessible ground, proven gold history, recoverable gold, and a welcoming community. Andrew spotlights the top destinations, including Australia's Golden...

Before you dig, know the law. In this episode of Gold Mining Tips, Andrew walks through the legal basics every prospector needs — claims, permits, public access, and the rules that govern where you can and can't prospect. You'll learn the core principles that apply worldwide, from the separation of land and mineral rights to the difference between recreational and commercial activity. Andrew break...

Your smartphone is one of the most powerful prospecting tools you own — if you know which apps to load. In this episode of Gold Mining Tips, Andrew reveals the best free apps and digital tools for finding gold locations. From Google Earth and Avenza Maps for offline navigation to claim-checking systems like BLM LR2000 and Australia's GeoVic, you'll learn how to research ground from home and naviga...

Every gold nugget in your pan started deep underground. In this episode of Gold Mining Tips, Andrew takes you on a journey into the Earth to explore how gold ore deposits form. You'll learn about hydrothermal veins, epithermal systems, porphyry and intrusion-related deposits, sedimentary paleoplacers like the Witwatersrand, and the microscopic Carlin-type deposits of Nevada. For more information a...

Think you need a fortune in gear to start finding gold? Think again. In this episode of Gold Mining Tips, Andrew shows you how to build a complete, effective gold prospecting kit for less than the cost of a weekend's groceries. You'll learn the absolute essentials that cost under $50, the smart upgrades that give you the best return, and a full $300 kit that handles almost any recreational prospec...

In this episode, you'll learn about the best ways to legally recover gold from old mine tailings. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

The old-timers left behind more than abandoned mine shafts — they left detailed maps that point to gold. In this episode of Gold Mining Tips, Andrew reveals how to research old mining maps and use them to find ground that modern prospectors overlook. You'll learn where to find historical maps and records, how to read their symbols and annotations, and how to overlay them on modern satellite imager...

Ready to move more material and reach gold that stream sluices can't touch? In this episode of Gold Mining Tips, Andrew introduces you to the highbanker — a sluice box with a pump that lets you work the high benches, old channels, and dry ground near water sources. You'll learn what a highbanker is, how it works, and the key components: hopper, grizzly, sluice, pump, and frame. Key Topics Covered:...

Gold prospecting isn't a lottery — it's a discipline. In this episode of Gold Mining Tips, Andrew pulls together the essential skills from previous episodes into a complete, step-by-step workflow for working any creek. You'll learn a four-stage system — Observe, Sample, Concentrate, and Recover — that takes you from your first walk along the bank to a vial of gold. Key Topics Covered: Why a system...

Some of the richest gold in any creek is hiding in plain sight — packed into the cracks and crevices of exposed bedrock. In this episode of Gold Mining Tips, Andreww teaches the simple art of sniping: finding, cleaning, and processing bedrock crevices for coarse, beautiful gold. You'll learn why crevices act as natural gold traps, the small kit of inexpensive tools you need, and the step‑by‑step m...

In this episode, you'll learn how to tune your metal detector to recover more gold. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

In this episode, you'll learn about the basics of panning to help you find your first piece of gold. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Some of the most productive gold ground isn't in creeks or hillsides — it's in the piles of rock the old‑timers threw away. In this episode of Gold Mining Tips, Andrew reveals how to prospect old mine dumps, mullock heaps, and tailings piles for the gold that earlier miners missed. You'll learn why the old‑timers left so much gold behind, how to read a dump for signs of mineralisation, and which t...

The most underrated tool in your prospecting kit isn't a detector or a sluice — it's a notebook. In this episode of Gold Mining Tips, Andrew explains why keeping a field notebook is the secret weapon of serious prospectors. You'll learn what to record on every trip, how to organise your notes for quick reference, and how to use your accumulated data to spot patterns and find more gold. Key Topics...

Same metal, very different game. In this episode of Gold Mining Tips, Andrew explores how climate shapes gold prospecting — from the clear, cold streams of temperate regions to the deep, weathered soils of the tropics. You’ll learn how weathering, water, and vegetation affect where gold sits, what form it takes, and which tools and techniques work best in each environment. Key Topics Covered: Why...

Gold exploration never stands still. In this episode of Gold Mining Tips, Andrew rounds up the most significant confirmed gold discoveries of 2025 and 2026 — beyond the headline‑grabbing Hunan and Egypt finds. From the Pilbara’s intrusive‑hosted Hemi deposit in Australia to deep high‑grade extensions in Canada’s Abitibi belt, from West Africa’s ever‑productive Birimian greenstone belts to the unde...

Every prospector dreams of a big, heavy, heart‑stopping gold nugget — but finding one isn’t just luck. In this episode of Gold Mining Tips, Andrew breaks down the discipline of targeting large nuggets. You’ll learn the geology that creates big gold, why shallow ground near the source is key, and how pulse induction detectors, large coils, and slow, methodical swinging give you an edge. Key Topics...

America is still one of the greatest gold-producing nations on Earth — and its gold regions are as diverse as the landscape itself. In this episode of Gold Mining Tips, Andrew takes you on a tour of the four biggest gold regions in the United States: Nevada, the invisible-gold giant producing over 75% of the nation’s annual yield; Alaska, with its public panning beaches and rugged placer gold; Cal...

Where does gold actually come from — and how does it end up in your pan? In this episode of Gold Mining Tips, Andrew takes you on the journey of gold, from its birth in the stars to the creeks and washes where prospectors find it. You’ll learn how hydrothermal veins form deep underground, how weathering frees gold from rock, and how water sorts and concentrates it into paystreaks. Key Topics Cover...

Gold prospecting is an adventure — but it can quickly turn dangerous if you're not prepared. In this essential episode of Gold Mining Tips, Andrew covers the safety habits every beginner prospector needs to develop before heading into the field. From fast water, flash floods, and hypothermia to heat stroke, wildlife, unstable ground, and the deadly lure of abandoned mine shafts, Andrew walks throu...

Where should a beginner actually go to find gold? In this episode of Gold Mining Tips, Andrew answers that question with a global tour of the best beginner‑friendly gold areas across North America, Australia, Africa, and Europe. You'll learn what makes an area truly beginner‑friendly — legal access, proven gold history, recoverable gold type, and local support — and get specific regional spotlight...