Batpan test

The Batpan with grizzly screen arrived today! It was thoroughly washed with dishwashing liquid twice to rid it of any oils/ mold release agents.
The surface is textured (reminded me of elephant hide), so I omitted the usual practice of "seasoning" with sandpaper.

Test materials: a pinch of the finest flour gold from my sluice with a handful of almost-equally fine sand. The sand had gone thru a magnetic separator, so there is virtually no black sand in it, but I am sure the 2 magnetic pads at the bottom of the Batpan would easily snag any black sands. I chose these materials because their minute particulate size (and almost similar sizes) would present a tough challenge. Some of the gold particles will float in water bereft of detergent.

Test medium: plain old tapwater with a goodly dash of detergent.

Panning method: as per Batpan instructional video on youtube:

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Result: Great success! Even though it was my first time using this pan, it is a no-brainer. Very easy to handle with a fast learning curve. It seems to have captured more fines than the Turbopan, and was fast. Please note that in the last 2 photos, I had poured out the water so as to minimize reflection from my camera's flash, causing some of the gold particles to be sloshed about. Under normal usage, the gold will be safely at the vertex of the pan, and easily sucked out with a snuffer bottle.

Conclusion: It's a good fast pan, and is definitely a keeper. As the bottom of the pan comes to a pyramidal point, it can't be set down just anywhere. It's not hard to have a bucket handy to put it in, or a few rocks positioned to keep the pan upright, or even just digging up 2 handfuls of earth beside you and shoving the pan into the hole. I recommend it.

Where to buy:

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. The inventor of the Batpan, Pastor Southerland uses proceeds from sales of the pan to aid people in Eastern Rwanda in terms of sanitation, water purification and other aspects which improves their quality of life. Not only will you be getting a great prospecting tool, you'll also be helping these people out!



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http://www.thunting.com/smf/index.php/topic,46909.msg257428.html#msg257428

You're most welcome GD! This version of the Batpan is the latest model. It does not have the ribbed strip as in the video. Instead, it has a deeper drop-riffle near the edge, and I feel it is a definite improvement. I can really work fast with this pan, and aside from having a quick dinner, I have been busy re-panning some material...the ultrafines showing up is most gratifying! It's also very relaxing...almost therapeutically so, especially at the "rocking" stage of panning. Rock the pan, see a bit of color....rock some more, see more color...and I smile.   May you find much noble metal in your buckets of gravel!

Posted on: May 02, 2013, 08:17:56 AM

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		Quote:			Posted by GoldDigger1950
	I'll get you for this, you evil man!

You'll find me in my hollowed-out volcano lair....ahaha...MUAHAHAHAHAA!

Posted on: May 02, 2013, 08:23:01 AM

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Just to give you an idea of how small some visible-to-the-naked-eye gold particles can be, here's a pic of it next to a ruler graduated in millimeters. Use slower rocking motions with less water and the Batpan is also your finishing pan. Thank goodness I'm a pack rat and didn't throw away previously panned material. This is a definite bonus! Think I'm gonna go to sleep tonight with a silly grin on my face.

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http://www.thunting.com/smf/index.php/topic,46909.msg257453.html#msg257453

Man, OH Man!   I like that Idea!

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http://www.thunting.com/smf/index.php/topic,46909.msg257463.html#msg257463

Looks so cool!  I haven't done any prospecting or panning for years, but I'm really tempted to buy a Batpan now!  If I do, I'll have to plan a panning trip just like GD!  He is right...  you are an evil man!  Look Out!  You may have two looking for you in your volcanic lair!

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http://www.thunting.com/smf/index.php/topic,46909.msg257475.html#msg257475

ArfieBoy

OK now you guys have me sitting on the edge of my seat. I did not watch the clip because internet is slow again but could one of you nice guys tell me what they cost? the very first place that gold was found in SA was in a river called the Klip River and it so happens that this river is only a few Km from me (I use to fish there)   

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http://www.thunting.com/smf/index.php/topic,46909.msg257509.html#msg257509

Xavier