Welcome to BC Placer
This website is about placer mining in BC - finding and mining gold
that has been deposited by moving water. It is not about "hard rock"
mining in solid rock.
Placer mining can be as simple as using a shovel and a
gold pan in a
creek.
On a placer claim,
hand-mining a deposit of any size usually involves a
sluice box or highbanker,
and a
water pump.
A machine-digging
operation generally uses a backhoe or larger excavator and a more
sophisticated "wash plant" for separating the gold from the pay dirt.
See the
Mining Equipment
page for more information.
Of course, there are
laws and regulations
that govern all of this.
If you are just beginning to learn about placer mining and/or hand panning
in BC, these are some good starting points - some may not apply to you. ...
- You have to know the
Basic Rules,
which includes where you can pan for gold.
- If you want to get into placer mining in BC,
including hand panning, you pretty much have to
learn how to use the BC government's mapping system
to see where you can work -
MTO - Mineral Titles Online
- To use a sluice box or any mining equipment
in BC other than a hand shovel and gold pan, you have to work on a
Placer Claim.
To get a claim, you need a
FMC - Free Miner Certificate
- Do not build a
cabin
and do not use an existing cabin on your claim in any way,
or you will have to remove it at your expense or lose your claim.
- For some general information about
opportunities and where to go, see...
Placer Mining Opportunities
Information But No Guarantee
This website has been made available to help people. The owner does
not claim to be an expert and all information is provided
"as is" with no guarantee that it is correct or fit
for any particular purpose.
Use the information from this website At Your Own Risk.
A Great Time For Placer Mining in BC
The Price of Gold
'nuf said.
Water Pumps and Deposits Above Creek Level
Low cost gasoline powered water pumps make it possible to mine
deposits well above creek level - something that was very
difficult to do in the gold rushes or in the 1930s. These deposits
can be the best potential opportunities for the individual hand-miner.
Abandoned Channels
Modern water pumps make it a simple matter to mine an abandoned channel
that is above and away from the current channel, which can be the
best potential opportunity for machine-digging operations.
Hydraulic Excavators
Excavators of any size can be bought or leased. They can also be
rented - with or without an operator. And of course BC has no
shortage of guys with a backhoe.
The BC Government Wants You To Mine Gold
The laws, fees and inspectors in BC are generally very friendly towards
individuals and small operations.
The
Ministry
knows that you and your buddy, working a placer claim, aren't likely
to add a lot of wealth to the province... but you never know - you
might discover a large, rich deposit that does, and
makes you and your buddy rich, as well.
Notices
Copyright 2011 to 2024 by Brian Marshall
Copyright 2024 by The Omineca Mining Association
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USE AT YOUR OWN RISK.