Gear
Essential Equipment Recommendations
Rock Hammer / Geologist Hammer
Essential for breaking rocks to see fresh surfaces.
Hard rock mining, breaking geodes.
Classifier / Sifting Screen
Screens of various mesh sizes to separate dirt from rocks.
River mining, sluicing, searching loose soil.
Entrenching Tool / Folding Shovel
Compact shovel for moving dirt and gravel.
General digging.
Loupe / Magnifier
Small magnifying glass to inspect gems and minerals closely.
Identifying small crystals and inclusions.
Safety Glasses
Protects eyes from flying rock chips.
ALWAYS when using a hammer.
Gold Pan
Shallow pan for separating heavy minerals from gravel.
Placer mining, gold panning, gem recovery.
Sluice Box
Long box with riffles to catch heavy minerals.
River mining, processing large volumes of gravel.
Dredge
Underwater suction device for river mining.
Advanced river mining, deep gravel recovery.
Gold Pan
Shallow pan for separating heavy minerals from gravel.
Placer mining, gold panning, gem recovery.
Sluice Box
Long box with riffles to catch heavy minerals.
River mining, processing large volumes of gravel.
Dredge
Underwater suction device for river mining.
Advanced river mining, deep gravel recovery.
UV Light
Ultraviolet light for fluorescent minerals.
Identifying fluorescent minerals like fluorite.
Diamond Saw
Wet saw for cutting rocks and geodes.
Cutting geodes, slicing specimens.
Tweezers
Fine-point tweezers for picking small gems.
Handling small crystals and gems.
Knee Pads
Protective pads for kneeling while digging.
Comfort during extended digging sessions.
Bucket
Heavy-duty bucket for carrying material.
Transporting dirt, gravel, and finds.
Gloves
Work gloves for hand protection.
Protecting hands from sharp rocks.
Chisel Set
Various sized chisels for rock work.
Precise rock breaking and extraction.
Rock Pick
Heavy pick for breaking hard rock.
Hard rock mining, breaking tough material.
Crowbar
Lever for moving large rocks.
Moving boulders, prying rocks.
Magnifying Glass
Hand-held magnifier for field inspection.
Examining finds in the field.
Field Notebook
Waterproof notebook for recording finds.
Documenting locations and finds.
GPS Device
Global positioning system for navigation.
Finding remote locations, marking finds.
Pro Tip: Rent vs. Buy
Visiting a "fee dig" site? Call ahead. Many provide screens, buckets, and shovels with your admission, saving you from hauling heavy gear.