No one knows for sure when gold was first discovered, however we do know that mankind has valued it since the beginning of civilization. In fact, it is the first element mentioned in the Bible (Genesis 2:10-12).

     Perhaps while gathering water, one of our ancient ancestors noticed an unusual stone shining amongst the gravel. Upon picking it up, he would have immediately noticed its tremendous density. Later he would have discovered how easily it was manipulated into various forms by pounding it with a stone. Wandering back into camp he might have shown others and they too, taken back by its aesthetic qualities, would have set off to the river in hopes of gathering more of this “ Gift from the Gods. ” Thus beginning man’s eternal infatuation with gold.

     It is true that in the early days there was plenty of gold to be had, but in reality very little was known about the geochemistry and deposition of this precious metal. At one point it was widely believed that gold nuggets actually formed in the creekbeds and rivers. However, as the gold rushes continued and expanded, most of the accessible placers were depleted. With their daily wages growing increasingly smaller, some of the miners began to question this theory. The discovery of quartz-gold specimens only hastened their pursuit of an alternate explanation.

     They had noticed that the larger, rougher nuggets were almost always found above the fine gold, which typically accumulated near the lower reaches of creeks and rivers. Putting two and two together, they slowly formulated a revolutionary new idea. They suggested that gold nuggets did not originate in the creekbeds, but rather formed high in the mountains and over time had been transported downward to the present-day waterways. Today this concept seems only too obvious, but back then it was a tremendous breakthrough.

     It appeared that gold and quartz were somehow related, as they were often found together. The quartz with its gold was occasionally found between layers of rock which frequently appeared as an outcrop from the mountain slopes. It seemed to be a simple matter of finding quartz outcrops (Ballantyne pp.22). However, these would-be hardrock miners quickly realized that very few quartz outcrops carry gold.

     These old-timers knew this was a different kind of prospecting than searching for placer gold. By trial and error, experience, and the exchange of information, they developed a method of prospecting for the source of placer gold. Hence, the art of loaming was born.

     I first learned of the loaming system while metal detecting the goldfields of Western Australia. In June of 1998 my father and I, along with Larry (a seasoned Australian detectorist), discovered a small patch which yielded several ounces of nuggets. After three days of careful gridding the patch was depleted, however on several occasions I noticed Larry gathering soil samples along the base of a low lying hill facing the patch. Each night he would take the samples over to a tub of water and pan them out. One evening while siting around the campfire I asked Larry about the bags. He replied that he was searching for the source of the patch gold, a process which he called loaming.

     After returning home to Arizona my interest in loaming continued to grow. I began searching for information and managed to find several publications, however my favorite was a small booklet titled How to Prospect for Hardrock Gold, by Verne H. Ballantyne. It is well written, easy to understand and retails for less than $10.00.

     Loaming is a method, which was originally used to track down the source of placer gold in hopes of finding a lode worthy of large scale mining. It is a hands-on technique, which relies heavily on the use of the gold pan and good old-fashioned hard work. However, I have discovered that it can be a very effective tool for narrowing down the location of a potential eluvial or hillside nugget patch, especially when used in conjunction with a modern metal detector.

     So what exactly is a nugget patch anyway? A patch is nothing more than an accumulation of gold nuggets in a relatively confined area. They are formed by a variety of mechanical processes, and can be found just about anywhere within a gold-bearing district. Patches are often situated on the inside bends above creeks, in open flats, on the mesas between creeks, and other times beneath a gold-bearing outcrop.

     The size of patch gold varies greatly. It can be small, medium, large or a mixture of the three. I have a friend who once discovered a patch and detected over 400 nuggets not much bigger than a match head! He said, “ The whole patch only produced a few ounces, but it was one of the most exciting and rewarding experiences I’ve ever had with my metal detector. ” It is true that most gold nuggets are small, nevertheless the possibility of finding a “ big gold ” patch does exist. In fact, I have seen patches in Australia which have yielded 50-60 ounces, and the smallest nugget tipped the scale at just over an ounce!

     Like size, the appearance of patch gold will also vary. This will depend upon how the gold originated and how far it has traveled from the source. If the patch formed directly beneath an outcrop, the nuggets will most likely be coarse and may be attached to some type of host rock, like quartz. If the patch was formed by the action of an ancient stream or river, the nuggets have probably been transported a fair distance, and are likely to be smooth and polished.

     So, when and where should a person loam? I recommend that you loam only once you have established that a particular gulch, gully, or wash carries gold. This gold can be in the form of nuggets, flakes or even dust. At this point size doesn’t matter, so long as we know that gold is present.

     The loaming technique can be applied virtually anywhere. However, as mentioned before, it is best suited for those areas which you already know contain gold. Maybe you have a favorite “ hot spot, ” that you enjoy drywashing, or perhaps you know of seasonal creek which is good for dredging, panning or highbanking. You may even be lucky enough to know of a spot that has yielded detectable nuggets. Any of these areas will work, as they all have potential to contain nugget patches.

     So, why would anyone go to all the trouble of loaming? The gold in the gully, creek or wash must have shed from somewhere nearby, couldn’t a person just start detecting the hillsides? Yes, but it would be like searching for a needle in a haystack. We must keep in mind that the most patches only take up a very small space, sometimes no bigger than 5 sq. feet. The hillsides and mountains on the other hand, are much more vast.

     For example, lets pretend for a moment that I have just discovered 2 ounces worth of tiny nuggets in a dry creekbed. I have cleaned the creek out pretty well with my metal detector, but have a feeling there might be a patch close by. I notice a few pieces of quartz float on the hillside to my left (an area covering about 80 acres), and immediately begin hunting. I don’t really have a clue where the gold shed from, but figure, “ Hey, this hillside is as good as any. ” So, how long would it take me to hunt all the ground?

     To give you an idea, here are some rough calculations dealing with the amount of ground the average detectorists covers. Under absolutely ideal conditions a person in good health, using an 8” coil, who carefully overlaps their sweeps can cover approximately 1 sq. foot per second. At this rate it would take me 12 hours to thoroughly search one acre! To cover 80 acres it would take a whopping 960 hours, or 40 days! As you can see, I could spend weeks or even months swinging a coil and still never run across a 5 sq. foot patch. Had I just taken the time to loam I might have saved myself from many hours of fruitless labor.

     As you can see, this type of haphazard hunting is definitely not the answer. In fact, these numbers are probably an under estimate, as I have not factored in any time for digging targets, water and bathroom breaks, reground balancing, etc. This is also assuming that the ground is perfectly flat with no obstructions, such as boulders, cactus, brush, etc. Rarely do we ever find gold-bearing ground here in the U.S. that is perfectly flat, let alone free of natural obstructions.

     Loaming takes practice, but is relatively easy once you get the hang of it. Before the loaming process is begun, you must first decide where to begin searching. Lets say you have chosen a narrow gully somewhere in western Arizona that has produced gold in the past. The gully, which is approximately 15 foot wide runs for about a half mile before dumping into a larger wash. There is very little overburden and it contains abundant black sands.

     Start off in the lower reaches of the gully, near the point of intersection with the wash. Then use a metal detector (preferably one designed exclusively for nugget hunting) to search any portions of the bedrock which are exposed. Rough, jagged bedrock with plenty of cracks; such as those composed of schist and slate; are better suited for trapping gold. Avoid spending too much time on those sections which have been worn smooth. They will invariably have a slick polished appearance and are not likely to catch and retain gold very well.

     If nuggets begin turning up, continue working your way up the gully until no more gold is found. Make a rough sketch of the gully, its tributaries and the surrounding hills. You can use a 7.5 minute topographic map in conjunction with your sketch, however many small waterways are not always represented on these maps. Be as detailed as possible, as your sketch will be crucial in helping you find the patch.

     After you have finished your field map you will need to plot the approximate locations of the nuggets, especially the last (or highest) piece. Jot down a brief description of the nuggets (i.e., appearance, size, weight, etc.) on a separate sheet of paper.

     Now comes the next step in our quest for the patch. Make your way back to where the last piece of gold was found - this is the most important clue we have so far. Now we will begin to take the first of many samples. With crevicing tool, shovel and canvas bags in hand, walk about 25 feet past the area where the last nugget was found and take a sample. If the bedrock is exposed, remove the gravel, soil, clay and other material contained within the cracks and place it in your bag. If the bedrock is not exposed, dig down as close to it as possible and gather your sample. I like to screen the material with an 1/4 inch classifier prior to filling the bag. The classifier will eliminate the larger overburden and allow more material to be collected. Continue taking samples (each about 25 feet apart) until you reach the uppermost portion, or headwaters of the gully.

     After taking a sample it is absolutely crucial that you label the bags, mark their location in the gully with a marker and plot them on your map. I cannot stress the importance of this step enough. After all, what good is a gold-bearing sample if you don’t know where it came from?

     Once the samples have been collected it is time to pan them out. The bags should be panned individually, watching for traces of fine gold. Log the results of each and every sample, regardless of the outcome. Then highlight on your map the location of the last sample which tested positive for gold.

For example:

Location: Yavapai County, AZ - dry gully

Description: material taken from exposed schist bedrock, 4 small colors found in pan.

Date: 5/17/2001

     Attention should be given to the appearance of this gold. What do these gold particles look like? Are they flat, smooth, rough; do they have any attached host rock? These questions can be answered by examining the colors under a microscope. Personally, I use a Panasonic FF-393E hand-held light scope. As a rule, the larger and more angular the gold, the closer you are to the source.

     You will now have to go back to the location of the last gully sample which produced color, it is here that we will begin collecting our hillside samples. At this point we must choose which side of the gully to begin searching, this should only be done after a thorough examination of each hillside has been made. Look for areas of different colored rock, traces of free-quartz float, rusty soil and black iron-rich stones. If one of the hillsides exhibits these potential gold indicators begin here. If neither do, just go with your instincts.

     Once a side has been chosen, go back to the gully and walk approximately 25 feet up the hill at a 90-degree angle and take a sample. Dig down 6-12 inches into the soil, fill your sample bag with this material and number it. Then pound a wooden stake or other marker next to the hole with the same number on it.

     From here more samples will have to be collected parallel to the gully. Repeat the same process as above, spacing them 25 feet apart. At least six samples should be taken on each side of the original hillside sample. Be sure that you label each of the bags and the location from which they came.

     The hillside samples are now ready to be panned. As before, watch for traces of color. Plot each of these sample locations on your map, highlight those which tested positive and make a note as to which bag produced the most gold. If none of the samples produced gold, it is safe to assume that the gold must have shed from the opposite hillside, and the process will have to repeated once again.

     Of the twelve samples, the one that showed the most colors should be considered the center line. Now return to the hill and move about 25 feet directly above this center, and take another series of samples, each parallel to the center. Label the bags, holes and once again pan them for color. Continue this process up the face of the hillside until no more gold is found.

     Now you are ready to begin hunting the hillside. If you have highlighted the location of the hillside samples on your map which tested positive for gold, you will hopefully see they have formed an inverted “V.” This is the “ spread ” or pattern that gold and most other materials will follow as they erode from a vein and scatter on the hillside below. Gold is seldom found without quartz, however because of its low density, quartz will have a tendency to travel further than gold. Therefore, quartz may or may not be found in a nugget patch.

     Commence detecting just above the last hillside sample which had color. Slowly work your way down, keeping an eye out for any old-timer diggings, rotten or stained quartz and shallow depressions caused by the flow of water. Keep the coil as low to the ground as possible, overlap your sweeps, and work in and around the brush. And lastly, lets cross our fingers and hope that you are only minutes away from finding a big nugget patch!

     Keep in mind that loaming is not a sure thing. While the technique has been proven over the centuries, there is no guarantee that it will always lead you to a patch. Many times there will be no patch, regardless of how much gold was found in the gully, creek, or wash. The formation of patches is controlled largely by a region’s geology, climate and topography. If the hillsides surrounding a creek are extremely steep, all the gold may have eroded downward into the creek, never forming a patch. On the other hand, if the area surrounding the creek is composed of gently sloping hills the larger gold may have become hung up or trapped on its downward journey, and never reached the creekbed below. It is in these areas that you have the best odds of locating a detectable nugget patch.

     Last year I loamed several gold-bearing gullies and creeks in central Arizona, which at one time, contained abundant nuggets. For days I tromped the brushy hillsides gathering soil samples here and there. While I never found the patch, I was able to gain some much needed experience. This year I tried it out once again, only this time I didn’t leave empty handed.

     On a chilly afternoon, after loaming for several days, my luck finally changed. While wandering across a creosote covered slope my detector let out a high pitched squeal. I didn’t pay the target much attention, as I had already dug about 35 pieces of trash earlier that morning. Once out of the ground, I was pleased to discover that it was actually a rough, quartz-studded nugget. And from what I could tell it had not traveled far. A few minutes later I picked up three more, which were equally rough. I continued searching back and forth, but alas the gold had vanished. Feeling a little disappointed I trudged my way up the slope until it eventually flattened out. What happened next is hard to describe.

     As I began sweeping my coil the detector went berserk, it was apparent that the ground was littered with buried targets! My first instinct was that the targets were nothing more than birdshot, but after digging the first signal I realized they were indeed gold nuggets. I couldn’t believe this was happening, it just seemed too good to be true. By nightfall I had accumulated a handful of the precious metal, the biggest of which was 1.2 ounces. Two days later I left with 7 ounces of gold in my pocket and a big smile on my face! Amazingly, all of the nuggets were found in a 30’ x 12’ (L x W) area. I would have never found this gold, had I not used the loaming system.

     The loaming system really does work, and with a little practice and dedication, it will work for you too. I wish you the very best of luck with all your prospecting.

Ballantyne, Verne H., 1981. How to Prospect for Hardrock Gold, Mountain Publications. Maine.

Cash, S.J., 1975. Loaming for Gold, Hesperian Press. Western Australia.

Petralia, Joseph F., 1982. Gold! Gold! A Beginners Handbook and Recreational Guide, Sierra Trading Post. California.