Is it possible to pan white gold or platinum in a small river?

Question

i am going to a river and i need to know if i can pan anything else besides gold which i know is in the little river but am i able to pan any gems or white gold or platinum..

Answer 1

White Gold is defined as certain alloys with defined percentages of silver, copper, nickel, or palladium.  Per se, it does not occur in nature.  Perhaps you are thinking of electrum, a naturally occurring combination of gold and silver.  Gold sometimes is found with copper deposits   Platinum is sometimes found as a very small percentage in deposits of other metals.   All of them will pan out together, metal is more dense than stone or dirt.

Good luck!

Grandpa

Answer 2

Since platinum is basically a by product of nickel, and white gold is a alloy of gold and either nickel, or platinum, it is very unlikely.

Answer 3

When you pan for minerals, you slosh the less dense minerals out of the pan and leave the denser ones behind.  Most of the sediment in the river will be clay and quartz sand.  Both have a specific gravity of about 2.6.  All metals and many gem stones have higher specific gravity, so after you slosh out the clay and quartz, you will be left with those (if they are present).