How to Sift for Gold

Hold the sieve under the water, making sure it is well submerged. Move it away from you slightly as if you were trying to catch the current.

Make it move from side to side. Make a slight forward movement as if you were about to pop an omelette (but don't complete the action with the sieve!).Be careful not to use too much force to move the surface of the sieve, or the lighter debris will come out.^[2]

Return the sieve to the normal position every now and then. Shake it back and forth while it is in the water.By leveling and shaking, the gold will settle to the bottom of the sieve and the lighter material will surface.

Repeat this process several times. When you finish this part, you should end up with about two cups of heavy material in the sieve.There should be no more pebbles or pebbles.The remaining materials are the heavy ones that have sunk to the bottom.They are usually dark sand or “concentrates” and, if you are lucky, gold.

Raise the sieve all the way up. Make sure there is some water left, a couple of centimeters for example.The water is necessary because you will continue to separate the sand from the gold even if you lift the sieve from the current.

Bend the sieve slightly towards you. Make the water and the material inside move slowly, in a circle.By doing this, you will be able to check and see if there are any large nuggets that can be picked by hand.^[3]

• If you find them, place them in a separate container.It can be a special bottle bought in a store, or a jar that you brought from home.^[4]

Immerse the sieve again. Repeat the steps from part three (alternating back and forth with leveling and shaking).Be sure to be very careful when you get to this point:if you shake the sieve too vigorously, you may lose the gold.

Use a magnet if you have a plastic sieve. Remove it from the water, keeping some inside as suggested above.Place the magnet on one side and slowly let it move through the sieve.Black sand is magnetic and will be attracted.This process will quickly separate the sand from the gold.

• If you choose the magnet, you can either collect the sand to throw it away or use a special bottle with a spout.These bottles have a tube at the top (like eye drops, which you can use instead).When you squeeze it, you create a vacuum.Once you release it, it will suck up whatever the nozzle is pointed at (in this case, gold and water).Your gold will remain safe in the bottle.^[5]

Pour the rest of the sand and gold into the bottle. Once you've sifted everything you had, best to pour everything into the container.The safest way to do this is to place a funnel over the mouth of the bottle.

You can also shout “Hurray!” once you finally separate the gold from the rest of the debris.Now you are finally a self-respecting gold digger.

Go to a river or stream where you know there may be gold. Whether it's a place passed down in the family, one you've heard legends about, or just the result of a moment's inspiration...There's usually some truth behind gold-related family stories.Even if you think that a place already searched has no more gold, know that this is not the case.Rivers and streams have small flakes or nuggets that are carried with the current from upstream deposits.Every winter, storms bring out more gold, which could be yours.

Choose a location on a bank. The water must be at least 15 cm deep.If it's lower it could be muddy or full of leaves and other debris that would prevent you from seeing what's in your sifter properly when it's submerged.

Choose a place with little current. The water should move fast enough to carry away the silt and debris you discard, but slow enough that it doesn't impede your movement when the sieve is submerged.

Also choose one that comes with large rocks or a fallen tree. It's optional of course, but the boulder will give you a place to sit and lean on to lighten the day (your legs and back will thank you).

Find the sieve that's right for you. The standard ones are made of metal or plastic.Plastic sieves are better for beginners, as they are rust-proof, lighter than metal sieves, black (which allows you to see the gold better) and may have ripples in which the gold will easily get stuck.

• If you use a steel sieve like those of the past, check that there is no trace of grease on the surface (if you use a new one, you don't have to worry about it).Remove the grease by holding the sieve over a camping stove with a pair of tongs and fireproof gloves.Heat it until it turns red, then immerse it in water.This process removes the grease film and leaves the sieve a dark blue color, making it easier to see the gold.