Panning

At the outset of the Gold Rush, most prospectors used the panning method to find gold. It’s one of the easiest and cheapest ways to find and extract gold. Prospectors simply scooped material from a placer deposit — basically a collection of valuable minerals that mostly resembles sand or dirt — into a pan, added water, and gently shook it around. Any gold would sink to the bottom of the pan.
The above photo, circa 1855, shows Chinese workers panning for gold.