where to find course gold near libby mt

by Prof. Katarina Raynor I 4 min read

The Libby Creek Recreational Gold Panning Area is located 10 miles up the Libby Creek Road. The turnoff to Libby Creek Road is approximately thirteen miles south of Libby, MT on Highway 2. The Gold Panning Area is a great place to recreationally pan for gold.

Where can you pan for gold in Montana?

Gold panning on Montana's Rivers will still produce gold nuggets and fine gold.
...
Below are 7 Montana Rivers that are worth checking out.
  • Missouri River. ...
  • Big Hole River. ...
  • Boulder River. ...
  • Blackfoot River. ...
  • Yaak River. ...
  • Clark Fork River. ...
  • Bitterroot River.
Mar 27, 2017

Is it legal to gold pan in Montana?

Public site for gold panning

The Libby Creek Recreational Gold Panning Area is located 23 miles south of Libby, Montana, within the Kootenai National Forest. The public is allowed to pan for gold within this area and any gold you happen to find is yours to keep.

Where in the Lake District can you find gold?

The Lake District

Mungrisdale, Dunmail Raise and Blencathra Mountain are reputed to be good spots and traces have also been found in Troutbeck and Sedbergh.

Where do you find gold in a stream?

Gold is found where water flow is altered by obstacles such as boulders and logs or by watercourse contours, such as bends in river. Gold can also be found where two rivers or streams come together. It is what's called a "confluence zone." Gold will tend to build up as a pay streak in these areas.

Where is the most gold found in Montana?

Most gold in Montana has been found in the western part of the state near the border of Idaho. This part is filled with difficult terrain of rugged mountains along the Continental Divide; almost all the remaining parts of the state are flat land areas.

Can you sluice for gold in Montana?

There is bound to be a lot of gold left in Montana. Some pretty big nuggets have been found, so metal detecting would be a worthwhile approach. You can sluice, pan or dredge with success if you find the right spot, and as mentioned, a lot of the public land is open to you.Oct 13, 2017

Can you pan for gold in the Forest of Dean?

The Forest of Dean: In 1906 there were reports of gold being found near a nature reserve. Apparently there is still gold in the ground to be found. You must have the landowner's permission and avoid sites with an environmental designation.Nov 11, 2018

Where can I pan for gold in the Forest of Dean?

Bailey Level

The mine was closed in 1908, as they could not extract economically, because of the small amount of gold present. According to the AddItNow mining forum downstream of The Bailey Level is an excellent area for panning.

Where is gold found in rivers UK?

Gold can be found in all four countries of the UK.
  • England –Lake District, the Pennines, the Forest of Dean and Cornwall . ...
  • Scotland – In Scotland, gold can be found in the Lowther Hills around Wanlockhead and in Leadhills.

Does black sand indicate gold?

Black sands (mostly iron) can be and usually is an indicator of gold, but not always. Rule of thumb is you will generally find black sand with gold, but not always gold with black sand. However if you are finding gold and getting black sands with it, it would be worthwhile to try some and see what happens.Mar 22, 2017

Where is gold in small creeks?

Mapping Gold in Creeks
  • Check where the shallow parts of the creek are. ...
  • Search in between crevices and cracks of bedrock. ...
  • ​Search along river bends or around objects like boulders that obstruct river flow. ...
  • See if the river leads to an intersection or confluence. ...
  • Check if the creek or river leads to a waterfall.

Is there gold in every river?

Gold exists in extremely diluted concentrations in both freshwater and seawater, and is thus technically present in all rivers.Apr 25, 2017

Where to pan for gold in Montana?

Libby Creek Gold Panning. There are plenty of “touristy” places in Montana where you can pay money to pan for gold in a trough. But if you want to actually go out to a creek… dig and pan the gravel and find some gold then Libby Creek is the place to go! On Forest Service land in Northwestern Montana, there is a public gold panning area.

Did there ever be a gold rush in Helena?

There was never a huge gold rush here (as compared to bigger strikes near Helena or Bannack ), but during the 1860s there were several hundred miners working the gravels on Libby Creek. Over the course of 10 years, most of these miners had left. Some renewed interest happened again at in the 1880s, primarily in the area ...

Is there a pit toilet in the gold panning area?

The gold panning area is primarily undeveloped with limited services. There is a pit toilet available in the main parking area. Aside from that, you will need to go prepared.

Rocks and Minerals Found in Montana

One of the biggest reasons rockhounds flock to Montana is the wide variety of rocks and minerals that can be found here. Most collectors are primarily interested in Montana Moss Agates, amethyst, and, of course, the sapphires that can be found in some privately operated mines.

Rockhounding Sites in Montana

Through quite a bit of research and cross-referencing of available literature, I have compiled this list of some prospective locations in Montana which I would recommend to people looking to do some rockhounding. These are mostly comprised of old mining prospects, washes, streams, and historically known rock and mineral collecting sites.

Where to Find Geodes in Montana

Everyone enjoys the prospect of finding their very own geodes out in the wild, and it’s easy to see why. Cracking them open reminds me of opening a Kinder-Egg with a surprise toy inside. You never know what type of crystals or patterns you’re going to find inside and it makes them incredibly exciting.

Where to Find Agates in Montana

I love finding agates because you never know what sort of beautiful patterns and colors they might contain. They are some of the most popular rocks to tumble, and it’s easy to see why with their intricate banding and unique designs.

Where to Find Crystals and Gemstones in Montana

There is nothing quite like uncovering a quartz crystal with a perfect termination or finding a beautiful agate that has been waiting in a river bank for you to come along and take it home. Gemstones are some of the most enjoyable specimens that rockhounds can find, but it’s not always easy to know where to look.

Montana Rockhounding Laws & Regulations

One of the most common questions rockhounds have is whether or not they are allowed to collect at a certain location. It is the responsibility of each rockhound to obtain permission from a landowner to search and/or collect on a piece of property.

Sources & Further Reading

The locations and information contained in this article are primarily derived from academic papers, online resources, and other outside sources. If you would like to read some of the source material for yourself I have listed them below.

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