About us and goldprospecting
Frequently asked questionsAssociation Suisse des Chercheurs d'or
Assoziatione Svizzera dei Cercatori d'Oro
Swiss Goldprospectors' Association
http://www.goldwaschen.ch
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Recreational Goldprospecting
Where to find gold in Switzerland
How to learn goldpanning: The video of a recreational
goldprospector
What equipment is needed and where to get it
Where to get more insight into recreational goldprospecting: The book about gold in Switzerland
What are panning championships?
What are the legal requirements regarding goldpanning in Switzerland?
The Swiss Goldprospectors' Association is a non-profit
organization under Swiss law founded in 1989. It's goals are the
support and promotion of the gold prospecting hobby in Switzerland.
About 400 recreational gold prospectors are currently active as members in the Association in Switzerland.
The four main objectives of the Swiss Goldprospectors' Association are:
The Swiss Goldprospector's Association is a member of and is the Swiss representation in the World Goldpanning Association (WGA). The WGA is the official organisor of the annual World Goldpanning Championships.
Membership is open to anyone. As a member you will receive the latest edition of the Goldwäscherzytig quarterly by mail. To become a member fill in the following form:
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If you want to contact us for any request or information other than membership application please use the contact form.
The board of the SGV consists of 5 members. They are available to answer your questions:
Our official
logo was designed by Rolf Amrein (Fahnen Amrein) for the flag of the Swiss
Goldprospectors' Association. It is protected under the copyright law. Our
association does not sell goods, however, nice souvenirs have been produced
with our permission and can be bought at the following localities:
Available at Goldwasch-Tour&Shop,
CH-Willisau (LU):
Available at Marlise Lüdi, CH-Lauperswil (BE):
Available at the Helvetischen Goldmuseum, CH-Burgdorf (BE):
Placer gold is found almost everywhere in Switzerland, although in very small quantities. The traditional goldpanning areas are the Napf Area in Central Switzerland; the Rivers Reuss, Aar, and Rhine; as well as the area around Geneva (River Rhône) where gold prospecting has been known since the Middle Ages. These days gold prospectors search the rivers for placer gold (see Gold occurrences in Switzerland: An Overview). Today nobody can make a living prospecting for Swiss gold anymore. The last professional gold prospectors we know about worked at the end of the 19th century near Umiken on the Aar-River and Wolhusen on the Emme-River. While gold kept it's purchasing power during the centuries, the cost of living has steadily risen and the gold prospecting profession is no longer profitable.
Today goldprospecting remains a relaxing hobby for patient, nature-loving people not caught up by material desires but rather a spiritual gold fever.
You learn goldpanning the most effective way by watching and being taught by an expert. You can also follow a written description (i.e., in our book Gold in der Schweiz), study our video on Youtube or as Realplayer-stream but nothing is better than a live demonstration. Gold panning courses and lessons are provided by:
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A goldpan and a shovel are enough to start. You can buy or rent goldprospecting equipment at the above mentioned course providers.
On our Web-Link-Page you can find information about international resellers.
The only existing book about goldprospecting in Switzerland is in German:
Goldpanning Championships are special happenings. Gold prospectors, who tend to be quiet people who like to be away from civilization and explore remote creeks, attend the Championships because they are a chance to make new contacts and renew existing friendships.
Mining law in Switzerland is cantonal or municipal law. Goldpanning is tolerated by most of our cantons and municipalities. There are a few exeptions, however (see below). The positive image of goldpanning in Switzerland is the reason for this tolerance. Since 1993, the Swiss Goldprospectors' Association has advised prospectors to avoid using motorized suction dredges and has recommended working manually (goldpans, shovels, and sluices). This equipment is adequate to recover gold from the small gold occurences in Switzerland and allows everyone to fully relax in the quiet of nature. The Swiss Goldprospectors' Association calls upon compliance with its Code of Conduct (text in German).
The exeptions:
Please be aware that the Swiss Goldprospectors' Association
does not warrant for these informations mentioned below because the
cantons/municipalities normally do not inform us about changes. So the
informations could be outdated or incomplete.
| Location | Requirements | Information |
| Canton Ticino (entire canton) | A fee is charged for goldpanning (Decreto legislativo
disciplinate la ricerca e la raccolta di rocce, minerali e fossili 15.3.
1995):
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To apply for a pass (please send photo of yourself and use
form on Museo cantonale website):
Museo cantonale di storia naturale |
| Canton Grison, Municipality of Disentis | Goldpanning is only permitted from May 1st to October 15th. Only hand methods (goldpan, shovel, sluice up to 1.2m in length) are permitted. Guided tours are subjected to a fee. | Information and text of the law (of May 2000) available at Gemeindeverwaltung Disentis (admin@disentis.ch) |
| Canton Grison, Municipality of Medel/Lucmagn | Goldpanning is forbidden on Sundays. Otherwise, restrictions are similar to those of Disentis. | Information and text of the law (of 15 Dec. 2000) available at Gemeindeverwaltung Medel/Lucmagn |
| Canton Grison, Municipality of Sumvitg | Goldpanning is only permitted from May 1st to October 15th. Only hand methods (pan, shovel, sluice up to 2m in length) are permitted. Guided tours are subject to a fee. | Text of the law (of January 1st, 2001): http://www.sumvitg.ch/dienste/pdf/935_000.pdf |
| Canton Grison, Municipality of Obersaxen | Goldpanning needs a permit, is possible only between May 1st and Sept. 15th. and only with hand methods. Special permits for guided tours. | Text of the law (of June 18th, 2004): http://www.gemeinde-obersaxen.ch/ (Rubrik Gemeinde/Verwaltung/Gesetze) |
| Canton Geneva (entire canton) | Goldpanning with hand methods only. Permit for groups
required.
River Allondon: Forbidden downstream of bridge near Russin, generally forbidden in the entire river from Oct. 1st to the 3rd saturday in May. |
Require permit for groups from:
Domaine nature et paysage (DNP), Rue des Battoirs 7, 1201 Genève |
| Canton Neuchâtel (entire canton) | Since January 1st, 2008 the canton of Neuchâtel has banned goldpanning from all its creeks and rivers | Text of the applicable law (Art. 6, p. 3) and information of the state council (p. 2). |
Searching for gold outside of the rivers (which is not gold panning but hard rock searching of lode gold occurrences) is regulated like rock and gem collecting (rock hounding). Many Swiss cantons or municipalities put restrictions into force . You find the details on the Website of the Schweizerischen Vereinigung der Strahler, Mineralien- und Fossiliensammler SVSMF, section Reglemente/Patente+Verbote.
| Home/News | About us and goldprospecting |
Gold in Switzerland |
Goldwäscherzytig bulletin |
Swiss Goldpanning Championships |
International Goldpanning Championships |
Gold Links on the Web |
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Copyright © 1997-2010 Schweizerische Goldwäschervereinigung
Last updated 24-Jan-2010