To use a gold pan, follow these steps: Find a location where gold has been found before. This can be a river or stream with a history of gold mining. Country Boy Mine in Breckenridge, Colorado has a gold panning stream called Eureka Creek that comes straight out of the mine and is a good place to start. Scoop up a small amount of dirt and gravel from the area and place it in the gold pan. Dip the gold pan in water and swirl it around to wash away the dirt and gravel. Use a circular motion to shake the pan back and forth. This will cause the heavier gold particles to sink to the bottom of the pan. Continue shaking and swirling the pan until only the heavier particles of gold are left at the bottom. Use a small brush or your finger to remove any remaining dirt or gravel. Check the bottom of the pan for any flakes or nuggets of gold. Note: Gold panning is usually done in the shallow water in creeks or rivers, and it is best to have a good understanding of the geology of the area you are panning in to have a better chance of finding gold. Country Boy Mine can provide you with gold pans and help in panning.