Gold & Black Sand Concentrates: How to Process & Refine Them

Introduction

Black sand concentrates are where much of your fine gold ends up. They are heavy, magnetic, and can hide gold flakes that are easy to miss if you rush cleanup. Proper processing turns a dark, heavy bucket into visible gold.

This guide walks through a practical cleanup workflow using tools most Oregon prospectors already own.

Key Points

Reduce volume before you refine

Start by classifying concentrates and removing oversized gravel. The more consistent the grain size, the easier it is to separate gold from black sands.

Use a pan or small clean-up sluice to remove the lightest material first. This reduces the total volume you must finish carefully.

Use magnetics intelligently

Magnetic black sands can overwhelm your final pan. Use a magnet to pull off magnetic sands in stages, not all at once. Gold can cling to magnetics, so remove a portion, then pan again.

Cover the magnet with a plastic bag so you can peel off sands cleanly without losing fine gold.

Slow water and gentle motion recover fines

Fine gold floats if you move too fast. Use shallow water, small circular motions, and short wash strokes to keep gold settled. Finish with a smooth pan or a finishing spiral to highlight small flakes.

Watch the edge of the pan for rolling gold. If you see it skating, slow down and reduce the water flow.

Consider secondary tools for tiny gold

For very fine gold, a finishing sluice, vanner, or blue bowl can improve recovery. These tools create steady laminar flow that separates gold from remaining black sands.

Always test tailings with a pan to verify the tool is tuned correctly.

Tips

• Dry your concentrates if the clay is sticky, then re-pan once dry.
• Use a snuffer bottle to remove gold without disturbing the pan.
• Keep your concentrates in a sealed container to avoid loss in transport.
• Pan over a tub or bowl so you can reprocess any spilled material.
• Document which cleanup method worked best for each location.

Conclusion

Processing black sand concentrates is where many prospectors leave gold behind. By reducing volume, using magnetics carefully, and slowing your final cleanup, you can recover more fine gold from the same material. Consistency and patience pay off at the cleanup pan.