Before the average person began investing in property, the stock market or crypto, the most popular way to transform your wealth in Western Australia was by panning for gold.
Back in the day, a lucky few people found their fortune through gold prospecting, though thousands more made little in the way of a return. However, just like the national lottery, panning for gold has always held a mystical appeal for some.
Moreover, with the commodity recently recording its highest price ever, and there being a general cost of living crisis in Australia, the practice of gold panning has enjoyed a spike in popularity in recent times. This has led to an increasing number of people giving it a go.
If you are interested in joining them, there are a few decent places you can do so in Western Australia. So, please keep on reading to the end to find out where they are, as well as the history of gold panning in the state and what exactly it involves.
You never know, this post could be the first step in your journey to striking it rich!
What is Gold Panning?
Gold panning is a traditional method used to separate particles that comprises greater gravity, such as gold, from gravels or soils. It involves using a pan and water and is based on the simple principle that gold is seven times heavier than other rocks.
What makes it a popular practice is that it does not require any machinery, so it was typically used by individuals who wanted to scavenge for gold, diamonds and other minerals of significant value.
The typical pan used for this practice is a circular, light yet robust metal dish with a flat underneath and sloping sides that jut out at a 45 degree angle. Its inner surface has to be completely smooth and free from rust and grease.
When panning for gold from streams, the pan is first filled halfway with soil, rocks and gravel from places, such as downstream of boulders or on the inner side of bends in the stream, where the current is slower.
The pan is then immersed in the water, and the mixture is thoroughly stirred and wetted. During this process, lumps of clay are broken up, and large stones are picked out. The pan, while still submerged under water, is manoeuvred via a gyratory and shaking motion. This allows the heavy particles to settle and brings the lighter material to the surface.
At regular intervals, the pans are tilted, to enable the lighter surface material to be washed away. This process is done until the only bits that remain are chunky ‘black sands’ (such as pyrite, magnetite, and ilmenite) and gold. The matter is then dried and the gold taken out, often via a magnet which removes more of the black sand.
Generally speaking, panning can be arduous and backbreaking work. However, experienced practitioners tend not to lose much in the way of gold.
WA Gold Rush History
The local indigenous population of Western Australia had been aware of the existence of gold in the area for thousands of years. But it wasn’t until the Europeans arrived in the latter part of the 19th century that operations for regular gold extraction were put in place.
Western Australia’s gold rush began in the late 1880s after the discovery of gold by Charles Hall, a noted prospector, among others who found alluvial gold in 1885, within the eastern Kimberly region.
News of gold being discovered spread like wildfire, and soon gold prospectors arrived in their droves eager to eke out their fortune.
Initially, they set up lonely clusters of rough bough sheds and tents, but as more discoveries were made, gold rush towns were established in the dusty and remote landscapes of the Goldfields, Kalgoorlie and the Murchison regions.
Pretty soon they were all booming, with grand hotels lining the main streets, along with churches, schools, bakers, butchers and plenty of bars. This coincided with the completion of the Golden Pipeline, which gave the arid region a constant supply of fresh water.
Over the next decade, the Western Australian goldfields became the site of some of the country’s most significant gold discoveries. The Strzelecki River, near what is now Kalgoorlie, was one of the first sites to be discovered in 1892. Five years later, gold was also found at Norseman and Coolgardie.
The gold rush in terms of panning was relatively short-lived, as prospectors discovered they could source the commodity in high concentrations of solid rock thanks to underground mining. Indeed, this discovery caused panning in many townships to virtually cease overnight. At other places, many of the original townships remain. Although the populations are not as big as they once were, they still retain the spirit of the gold rush era through museums and characterful buildings.
Rules of fossicking and gold panning
Unfortunately you can’t just go fossicking or gold panning wherever you want to in Western Australia. Rather, to do these activities in Australia’s Golden Outback, you need to obtain a Miner’s Right for each participant in your party.
This grants you permission to prospect on:
1. Unoccupied crown land not covered by a mining tenement.
2. Mining tenement with permission from the tenement holder.
3. Pastoral lease not covered by a mining tenement (after notifying the pastoralist).
4. Granted exploration licence after obtaining a three-month section 20A permit.
Additionally, these activities are forbidden on Aboriginal land, at townsites or in nature reserves, national parks, heritage sites, or places like cemeteries. Moreover, you’ll need permission (best to get it in writing) to enter private property, for instance, farmland.
To find out more about gold prospecting in Western Australia, it is worth checking out the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety website, or phoning them on (08) 9222 3333.
The Best Places to Go Gold Prospecting in Western Australia
Back in 2021, WA produced over 207 tonnes of gold which was valued at around $16.5 billion. While the surface gold deposits that are easily accessible have been largely depleted, there is still plenty of gold to be found in the region.
When it comes to finding gold, Western Australia is a prime spot due to its diverse geological landscapes and features. Indeed, many people continue to prospect for gold, either on a commercial or hobby level, and new gold-bearing locations are regularly discovered in areas which have never been prospected before.
If this is something you would like to do, here are some of the best places to start your search:
Within the state’s Goldfields region, one of the most a renowned destination for those wanting to prospect for gold is the Kalgoorlie-Boulder area. The area used to have plenty of alluvial gold deposits, and there are now several long-since abandoned mines for you to explore.
However, resist the temptation to go down old mine shafts – it’s far too dangerous!
Not long ago, some large gold nuggets, weighing many tens of ounces, were found just to the south of Kalgoorlie by a prospector using a relatively modern metal detector.
If you’re looking for a challenge, head to the Pilbara region in North West Western Australia. This remote area is known for its rugged terrain and difficult-to-reach locations. But it’s also home to some of the richest gold deposits in the state.
Alternatively, if you fancy heading somewhere a bit off the beaten track, try the Kimberley region. This remote area is made up of several isolated communities and is home to some of Australia’s most unique wildlife.
Generally speaking, the best time to look for gold in Western Australia is between Autumn and Spring, more specifically between March to November. During the Summer it is just too hot with temperatures regularly topping 45 degrees Celsius!
Types of Gold Deposits you might find in WA
If you plan to prospect for gold in Western Australia, you should be aware that it is generally found in two different types of deposits.
Free gold
Also known as elluvial or alluvial gold), this type of gold is found loose in the soil profile and can vary in size from small flour gold to large nuggets weighing more than a few kilograms.
Alluvial gold deposits are formed when gold is concentrated together due to the actions of flowing water, such as creeks or in rivers. Many of these alluvial deposits are the result of ancient river
systems that have disappeared over time.
Alluvial gold occurs when gold breaks away from its source and moves downhill, often not far at all from its original source.
Hardrock Gold
This type of gold has formed gradually over billions of years and is usually found in veins of hard quartz.
These veins are the result of molten magma moving around in the depths of the earth at depths of 10 km or more. Due to erosion that has taken place over this time frame, these ancient structures are now a lot closer to the surface of the earth. So, they are much more accessible to modern-day miners.
Typically, most beginner gold prospectors try to source alluvial and elluvial. However, as their skills improve, they may try their hand at hard rock gold prospecting.
Equipment That is Needed for Gold Prospecting in Western Australia.
To prospect for gold in Western Australia, the apparatus you use is up to you. It could be as simple as a gold pan or as complicated and expensive as you want it to be, depending on your budget.
That said, every prospector should have a gold pan, a miner’s pick, geological maps or phone apps showing mineral occurrences, and a decent GPS.
When you can afford it, you can procure a metal detector that is pulse induction (don’t get the VHF metal detectors as they are not as effective on the high mineralised soils found in Western Australia), which will help you search a wider area and therefore, in theory, find more gold.
Before you begin the process of prospecting for gold, it is important to learn about the area where you will be doing it. For this reason, it is a good idea to research the types of soils and rocks that are common in the area, as this information will help you identify potential gold-bearing areas you can explore.
Final Thought
Gold prospecting has been a fixture in Western Australia for over 130 years and every week, there seems to be stories of amateur gold prospectors finding significant deposits of gold – some of which are large enough to be life-changing.
If you wish that could be you, then you’ll need to be in it to win it. So, to get started, why not obtain a Miner’s Right from the WA Mines Department and begin your gold prospecting adventure in Western Australia?