One of the most difficult tasks associated with gold deposits is the sampling. Many gold projects have failed due to inaccurate assessment on potential value of the deposit than to any other reason. In order to perform the first estimation, the prospector must use appropriate prospecting tools. The main tools a prospector takes into the field are picks, drills, hammers, shovel and a gold pan. A prospector especially when climbing mountains, likes to be as light handed and unencumbered as possible. For his trip as a whole he should carry several different tools, but when he has arrived at a specific place he must takes basic tools such as a light prospecting pick, weighing no more than two kilos. This little pick is about 20 cm in length, with a handle about 35 cm long. The longer portion is sharpened into a pick, and the shorter ends in a square faced hammer. It is recommended a square sharp cornered face to the hammer in preference to the beveled face due to sharp edges and corners are better adapted for breaking rock than the rounded or beveled ends.
The prospecting pick or geological pick and hammer must be made of good steel with a good sized eye to admit a spongy handle of hickory or light steel. With these tools, the prospector goes to the field hunting for float or rusty outcrops of ledges. Loose pieces of rock are broken with the hammer end, softer rocks in place he explores with the pick. Picks and drills are the main tools that need sharpening and tempering. The kind of sharpening and nature or degree of tempering depend upon the kind of work or rock type , whether hard or soft, loose grained or fine grained, siliceous or clayey. Drills for example, would have to be differently sharpened and tempered for quartz deposits than for sandstone. Picks may be double pointed or single, or with a hammer head called poll. The main points of a pick are strong, cutting tips, stout eye and tight handle. A little prospecting pick is made of the best steel throughout, but in the heavier pick, the wearing parts are the tips. The picks are sharpened to form on an anvil and commonly drawn to a four sided pyramidal point, for hard rock and a slim taper for fissured rock, and a bluff taper to cut crisp ground and a chisel end for chipping the ground.
The drill is a bar which has one cutter edge and one hammered end. It is of round octagonal or hexagonal steel. Drills may be of several lengths, from 0.30 m to 1.50 m. for prospecting purposes two or three medium short drills 0.60m to 1.20m are usually enough. During the prospecting, it is common to use a short thick drill with a stout bull edge rather than a thin, tapering one, especially in hard rock. The rock drill consists of chisel edge, bit, stock and striking face. To allow the tool to free itself readily in the bore hole and to avoid introducing unnecessary weight onto the stock, the bit is made wider than the latter.
The key for recovering gold from gravel is the weight difference which allows gold to move downward during agitation. The simplest placer mining tool for this purpose is the pan. Shovel gravels into a screen positioned over the gold pan, shake the material on the screen and review the over-sized material for nuggets, then, toss. Agitation and patience are required to allow gold to settle to the bottom of the pan. Pick pebbles from the pan to get them out of the way. Look for heavy pieces with unusual color or shape. You might find a gold nugget or a gold-bearing piece of vein quartz. Hold the pan level with both hands and rotate the pan with swirling motions. As the pan is rotated, the heavier gold loosens from the sand, gravel and settles to the bottom. Tilt the pan downward to let the dirty water, sand and gravel wash over the edge of the pan. Continue this process until only can be observed gold and heavier minerals at the bottom of the pan. Carefully inspect the black sand for nuggets or small particles of gold.
Prospecting Pick