Really just classify as much as you can, to include picking rocks out.

I have a bunch of classifiers, and for cons, I will go 1/4", 8 mesh, 20 mesh, 50 mesh and 100 mesh. That leaves five different sets to pan with a sixth larger one that I can run the metal detector over. That is a lot of work, but that will make the lighter sands go to one side of the pan more than others. You can get creative with a classifier and use a strainer or colander. All the stuff I find is less than 8 mesh and very few +20 mesh pieces.

Oils from the hand can make the gold float, but a drop of FINISH (C) JET DRY (C) you'd add in the dishwasher will prevent that. Honestly the gold that floats away from the oils in the hand is tiny and you're chasing less than a penny worth of gold. OK for a hobby and learning, but not practical if you hit a pay streak.

I also suggest becoming good at it prior to buying something to help. I'm not a fan of the blue bowl. Just seems like it does not move enough material and still needs to be classified. I like a Spiral wheel because it can process a scoop at a time, but I still classified and needed a bit of pay dirt to make it worth the effort. The gold cube is good. That will take concentrates and take it down to a cup or two of super concentrates. Even better is a reverse helix trommel, but those can be pricey. That produces a better super-concentrate that can be run across a miller board like the black magic. Other than a Super concentrate, a miller table does not move enough to make it worth it. A miller table only takes half teaspoon at a time is not a lot.

At least those are my opinions after having bought and used all the above except a blue bowl.

Greg,

The short answer is in Christopher's first line, essentially classify your a$$ off, then use a magnifying glass and tweezers
Everything Christopher says is very true
For me, anything that passes my 20mesh gets released back to grow up bigger for next time
I know, the little stuff adds up, I aint in it for the pay
I use a blue bowl as my last cut
If your real serious, look at a large Miller table (cup full at a time).
Only worth it if you have continuous pounds of cons to work, but you still have to classify to that point no matter

Bill

I have been told that you can take the black sand out with a rare earth magnet while your cons are in the pan under water. Supposedly you keep the magnet in the water above the cons and the black sand will jump to the magnet, leaving the gold behind along with materials that don't have iron in them. The panning is easier without the troublesome black sandsl

I have tried this method and it seems to work, but haven't tested to see if there was any flour gold in the black sand on the magnet.l

I've been prospecting for over 50 years. My background and experience has enabled me to modify and build some of my own equipment. I developed a 9" pan, strictly for cleanout, which removes at least 95% of black sand (99% after you master it), and catches flour gold. Hopefully I'll have it patented and on the market next year.

I absolutely agree with every thing said

Magnet and eye dropper work better for me than tweezers. infact a lot of times I will snuffer the good stuff out of the conc, then use a eye dropper the 2nd time around.

use a good amount of water and save your black sands so you can check them out later if you think you are pulling out gold and for the fine gold that will floats put a drop of dove disk shop in the pan so it will stop air attaching to the gold. I use a cow magnet in a cigar tube works good