When on the hunt for mineral riches in America, New Jersey probably isn’t the first state you might think of. But don’t write it off just yet, because the Garden State may surprise you! While it’s certainly not the richest state in the country, there are a few places where you can find gold and other valuable minerals.
When the past Ice Ages came and went, receding glaciers brought mineral deposits from what is now Canada down across most of the northern states. These huge masses of ice pushed material south, and some of that included gold and other valuable minerals. These are known as glacial gold deposits, and they are present in New Jersey.
The gold here is a relatively small amounts compared to other states. It is thought that most of the placer gold found in New Jersey came from Canada’s Abitibi Gold Belt through the receding glaciers. This phenomenon has led to glacial gold discoveries in various rivers and gravels predominantly in the northern part of New Jersey.
Where to Try Gold Panning
Anecdotal data from artisanal miners note gold discoveries in the counties of Salem, Bulington and Cape May. However, prospectors should note that glacial gold is usually found in the form of fine dust and flakes and will take a lot of expertise and persistence to track down. You are not going to find big chunky gold nuggets… expect very fine gold.
You will want to get a good quality gold pan and practice, practice, practice! Work on a proper panning technique and remember to look for those tiny specks of gold underneath the black sands at the bottom of your pan.
Since there were never any commercial grade placer deposits found in New Jersey, there has been very little documented research that tells you where to go. You will need to simply try different areas and see what you can find.
If you are successful in finding a few “colors” with your pan, you may find it worthwhile to upgrade to a sluice box to recover more gold for your efforts.
Also Read: Metal vs. Plastic Gold Pans
And: Classifying Gold-Bearing Material
Small Sources of Hard Rock Gold
Sussex County is perhaps the best area to go with your gear and one of the few areas where an actual gold-bearing mine exists. Franklin, one of the boroughs of Sussex County, was one of the first places where gold was discovered in the entire state.
Rocks in Sussex County that are known to contain both iron and gold. In the western area of Sussex County, near High Point, a Schwangunk conglomerate composed of quartz pebbles has also been reported to contain some amounts of gold.
The northern part of New Jersey is also home to other minerals which have been mined on a commercial scale, namely iron, copper and zinc. Franklin and Sterling Hill are noted for their rich quantities of zinc. Gold discoveries have been known to occur in trace amounts with these other minerals. Unlike the glacial deposits that are found in creeks and rivers, this gold is actually found in the rocks and sourced right here in New Jersey.
New Jersey Gold
Prospectors may wish to head north and search in these more mineralized zones, but it should be emphasized that the limited exploration means that trial-and-error will be necessary. Do a lot of sample panning, move around a lot and try different areas.
If you aren’t finding any gold don’t get discouraged. The next creek over the hill might have decent gold that you just haven’t found yet. Sampling multiple locations is even more important in places with limited quantities of gold. If you put in the time and effort you can definitely find gold here.
Next: Gold Prospecting in New York