Other Prospector Tools

Magnets
One thing that is very useful for separating magnetic or iron particles such as black sand from gold is a good magnet. A magnet will help to speed up the process and in some cases it is a basic necessity. There are really good ones that can be obtained and the size you will need to acquire will depend on the type of use you are going to give to it. the magnets for the waxed paper method do not need to be as strong as the ones that are to be used for the plastic gold pan. Make sure to get a good quality magnet, not a cheaper one because they will not last long at all. Almost all the magnets have a bar of steel that fits right between the poles. This should be kept on the magnet when it is not being used, as it will help to conserve it a lot longer. Also keep in mind that sudden shocks will reduce its life span so make sure to be careful about not dropping it and pack it so that it does not bounce around when it is being carried or transported.

Snifters
Snifters are items that are used to suck little concentrations of gold or black sand out from places that are hard to get to in between rocks. There are some suppliers that have these devices however you can also use a syringe that can be found in a local drug store if nothing else. There are different types of syringes that can be used such as small ones and bigger ones.

Crevicers
Crevicers are tools that can be used to get down into the narrow cracks in rocks and they serve to pick up teensy amounts of gold or black sand that has concentrated in these cracks. There are different types of models you can buy but as far as what you need or want will depend entirely up to you. There are people that use all kinds of things to get the job done so let your mind run free as far as this is concerned. If you prefer to get a little fancier you can obtain a kit that contains them as well.

Compasses
In order for a prospecting trip to work well a good compass is a must. It is actually very important you acquire a good compass before going out. Compasses have saved people’s lives. It is very likely you have heard of the stories of people that have wondered off and gotten lost and who were never heard of again and these stories are definitely true. Pick out a major landmark and write down the direction of this landmark from your campsite. Make sure to observe what direction the main road can be found. When picking out a compass go for good quality and not the cheap ones. This is especially important because when in mineralized areas the low quality compasses will simply not work. A good compass will have a dampener in order for it to reduce vibrations and should give readings to around ten minutes. A compass is one of the most delicate yet important items and needs to be kept in a place that will not suffer abuse.

Altimeter
While it is true that altimeters are more of a luxury, they do help a great deal in finding a stream from a topographical map. You will be able to find a lot of good quality very accurate pocket altimeters however they can be quite pricey. If you are going on a prospecting trip it is not necessary to purchase the more expensive ones, a modestly priced one will do just fine at getting the job done.

Clinometer
Clinometers are tools or devices that are used for measuring angles. It is not common for weekend prospectors to use these due to the fact that most of his work is n placering and prospecting. When mining is done clinometers are used to determine the dip of a vein. There are a lot of compasses that have this feature and a moderately accurate device that carpenters use to measure angles to forty five degrees and it can be purchased in a store for just a few dollars. This would probably be more than enough for the average person since he or she would only be making measurements on older mines or hills in order to take care of his own curiosity and extreme and exact accuracy is not what is required necessary in this type of case.

Driller Hammer
When prospecting for lode you know there going to have to be some sort of rock drilling involved. A good portable hammer for this job is around the size of a maul. Rock hounds usually call these a rock cracking hammer. When looking for one of these it is important you go for something that is not too heavy but that is rather comfortable to use. After around an hour of drilling it will be pretty evident as to why there are so many different weights in these hammers. If the hammer is too light the drilling will take a much longer time or will not get you anywhere, whereas if it is too heavy it will be very difficult to work with and you’ll just end up with a very sore arm.

Rock Hammer
The best hammer for the weekend prospector is the rock hammer that is used by rock hounders. Rock hammers can be bought in any rock shop and can be used for a lot of different things. Rock hammers are also useful as picks or rock crushers. They are able to dig out soft rock and can be used to break up rock with good cleavage. Remember that you should never use it as a chisel though.