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The picks
One pan, one classifier and three kits for a first season of panning.
1. SE 12-inch gold pan with dual riffles
A single black pan with dual riffles, to learn the motion.
2. SE 13.25-inch stackable classifier
A sieve with a stainless steel mesh that holds back the larger stones before the pan. Its width is given; the pans it fits are not.
3. Detector Warehouse gold pan kit, 12 pieces
Panning and sifting pans from 8 to 14 inches, plus a backpack, sold by a metal detecting dealer.
4. ASR Outdoor 14-inch pan kit
A larger pan for more material per pass, in a five-piece beginner kit with no screen named.
5. ASR Outdoor beginner panning kit
Seven pieces, including a 1/8-inch screen, finer than the SE mesh.
The frames show the facts each Amazon listing names, checked Oct. 17, 2026. We have no maker spec sheet on file for these products.
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How a gold pan separates material
A pan sorts by density. When you shake it underwater and tilt it, light sand and gravel wash over the lip. Heavy particles sink to the bottom and catch against the riffles.
A classifier goes first. It holds back stones larger than its mesh, so the pan only sees fine material. Two of the three kits here name a classifier or a sifting pan in their listing.
How a gold pan separates material
- Light sand and gravel wash out
- Heavy particles settle at the bottom
03
Panning and federal land rules
The BLM's mining rule, 43 CFR 3809.5, generally includes hand panning and non-motorized sluicing in casual use. Its conduct rule allows collecting reasonable amounts of rocks and mineral specimens for noncommercial purposes, outside developed recreation sites.
Old objects are another matter. In national forests, digging in or removing historic or archaeological resources is prohibited. On federal public lands and Indian lands, digging up an archaeological resource without a permit is prohibited.
| Land | Rule | Text |
|---|---|---|
| Bureau of Land Management public lands (mining rules) Definition | In the BLM mining rules, casual use means activities that ordinarily cause no or negligible disturbance. It generally includes hand panning, non-motorized sluicing and metal detectors used to sense the presence of minerals. | 43 CFR 3809.5 (opens in a new tab)Read Oct. 16, 2026 on ecfr.gov |
| Bureau of Land Management public lands Allowed with limits | Reasonable amounts of rocks, mineral specimens and semiprecious gemstones may be collected for noncommercial purposes. This does not apply on developed recreation sites and areas, or where a posted rule prohibits it. Explosive, motorized or mechanical devices may not be used to collect them, except metal detectors. | 43 CFR 8365.1-5(a)(3) and (b) (opens in a new tab)Read Oct. 16, 2026 on ecfr.gov |
| National Forest System lands Digging or removal prohibited | Digging in, disturbing or removing any prehistoric, historic or archaeological resource is prohibited. | 36 CFR 261.9(g) and (h) (opens in a new tab)Read Oct. 16, 2026 on ecfr.gov |
| Federal public lands and Indian lands Digging or removal prohibited | Excavating, removing, damaging or defacing an archaeological resource, or trying to, is prohibited without a permit or a listed exemption. A knowing violation is a federal crime. | 16 U.S.C. 470ee(a) and (d) (opens in a new tab)Read Oct. 16, 2026 on law.cornell.edu |
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Care in three steps
Rinse it after each trip
Wash out clay and black sand before they dry in the riffles. The next pan starts clean.
Check the mesh
Look over the classifier before you leave. A torn or bent mesh lets larger stones through to the pan, where they bury the fine material.
Carry the classifier on top
Nest the pans by size and carry the classifier on top, so nothing rests on its mesh.
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Questions
Answered from the texts and listings on this page, checked Oct. 17, 2026.
The BLM's mining rule, 43 CFR 3809.5, generally includes hand panning in casual use, which ordinarily causes no or negligible disturbance. The BLM can also close or restrict an area by order, so ask the field office that manages the land before you pan.
It screens the material first. The SE classifier listing names a 1/2-inch mesh, while the ASR Outdoor 7-piece kit names a finer 1/8-inch screen.
36 CFR 261.9(g) and (h) prohibit digging in or removing prehistoric, historic or archaeological resources. They do not mention panning, so ask the forest's district office.
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