When you are having trouble finding gold, there is usually a reason why. Don’t give up hope because one day you will be rewarded. Its just a matter of time until you figure it out and start going to the right places. I suggest joining a club and talk to people. Spend some time getting to know the geology of your area. Read online forums. It can tempting spend a lot of money on tools and equipment and you’ll be in debt before you know it. Learn from others.

The following are some possible reasons why you may not be finding gold:

1. Not digging deep enough

2. Not seasoning your gold pan

3. Investing in heavy equipment too soon.

4. Failing to do enough sample panning

5. Not checking your tailing closely

6. Not being patient enough and panning too quickly

7. Not fully cleaning your equipment before moving to another area (causing samples to become tainted)

8. Not putting water in your pan before adding gravels.

9. Not in a gold bearing area

I strongly recommend reading the book entitled “Gold Mining in the 21st Century: The Complete Book of Modern Gold Mining Procedure” by Dave McCracken. This book explains so much and has helped us quickly learn what we needed to know. You can get it from Amazon.com

It also might be worth going to places where others have been because you may find gold where others missed it.

Any other suggestions are welcome.