Drought silver lining: exposed Lampang riverbed opens gold rush

LAMPANG, Feb 2 – Near-drought conditions in this northern province have revealed a ‘silver living’ amid the cloud of bad news, as exposed riverbeds are now yielding alluvial gold deposits collected over time from the erosion of nearby hills.

Villagers here are rushing to converge on the Wang River to pan for gold, a speculative activity which could earn them as much as Bt10,000 (over US$300) per day. A gold assayist here said the metal retrieved is 98 per cent pure.

Most of the amateur gold prospectors – local farmers but probably some city dwellers as well -- are taking home smaller takes, but the gold rush is seen by some as the silver lining giving unexpected benefit to areas which not long ago were ravaged by flooding, and are now experiencing problems associated with the shortage of water.

Following a survey of the gold bearing sediments to which villagers from Wang Nuea district have flocked to pan for gold, Adul Jaitabutr, a geologist for Lampang's Mineral Resources Region 1 Office said the gold was naturally occurring coming from a hill which lies between Wang Kaew and Tung Hua subdistricts in Lampang’s Wang Nuea district and Ban Tom subdistrict in the provincial seat of adjacent Phayao province.

He said that geologically the gold found came from a hydrothermal vein formed by the crystallisation of minerals from predominantly hot water solutions and quartz vein.

The local residents use basic local equipment to ‘pan’ for gold in the middle of the river which is now running dry for several kilometres. The heavier gold sinks to the bottom of the pan, while bits of lighter rock and topsoil are carried away by water in the panning process.

The government geologist said the retrieved gold was 98 per cent pure which could generate them at least Bt700-10,000 per day. Average annual income in the province is some Bt50,000 (about $1,600) so the prospect of realising more than their annual earnings in a few days is attractive to local farmers and forest dwellers. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-02-02

If there is money to be made just watch the big boys muscle in there!

If there is money to be made just watch the big boys muscle in there!

Pity it wasn't Diamonds as theres a Cabinet Minister i'm sure could sort it.

Amazing Thailand !

When I started a thread on gold being discovered in our local irrigation-channels, as an April-Fools joke a few years ago, I never expected the story to come true like this !

Now I expect they really will strike oil, in the grounds of Mae-Jo University, as well !

This seriously raises the level for this year's spoof-thread !

'Fools gold' before April 1st?

This is big news and far outweighs the devastation of the floods. Thailand is now taking its rightful position as the "gold hub."

Cool story. Good for those people finding the gold.

Pleeeeeaaaaase - don't encourage them they'll be fighting over a yellow plastic nugget hardened in the sun!

(Edit sp)

Edited February 2, 201214 yr by CHANGOVER

Also a way to get the rivers dredged for free.

GPS coordinates greatly appreciated. Waiting with bated breath, car fueled and camping equipment loaded, along with numerous cases of 'Chang'. Large boxes of brightly coloured beads included in the inventory as bartering tools for mineral rights.

Finding gold without a proper license is finable by up to 3.5 times the average gold find in your local province. Be sure to wear a helmet while searching for gold, that could lead to even larger fines.

quick quick, send soms man in brown to control the "situation".... so people can take home at least 1/3 of what they find and the rest is for the usual bribes

Good luck to all of them, hope they spend the money wisely and not drinking and killing each other or in drunk driving traffic accidents...

And silly me thought all the gold was in China Town.........and Soi Cowboy

The Government is missing a trick here, many Scottish streams can be panned for gold, tourists have to purchase a licence to have a go at panning.

The Government is missing a trick here, many Scottish streams can be panned for gold, tourists have to purchase a licence to have a go at panning.

You should know by now, that this government is not that smart. What will probably happen, if in fact there is adequate gold found there, the land will be confiscated by the govt.

If there is money to be made just watch the big boys muscle in there!

How's this for a more posative attitude ?

Right on !!!

Go for it locals !

Typically the most profitable businesses in a gold "rush" are brothels and saloons. In this case the talent from Issan won't have to move so far.

Pleeeeeaaaaase - don't encourage them they'll be fighting over a yellow plastic nugget hardened in the sun!

(Edit sp)

from McDonalds!