Today, it's still possible to find gold . In Navelgas, many families still maintain the tradition of panning the river sands for nuggets. Not so long ago, they would sell what they found to dentists to earn a little extra money.
After the economic exploitation of the past and its gradual decline, gold panning has become a hobby and a sport worldwide. It was the Finns who laid the foundation for this recreational transformation, realizing that after the mines closed, the best course of action was to focus on tourism promotion by organizing competitions. Gold panning enthusiasts are avid travelers who search the globe for those places where it's still possible to find nuggets. The sentimental and scientific value of gold is now the driving force behind a new craze that doesn't seek grand discoveries, but rather the most minute finds. For these 21st-century adventurers, finding gold, however small the amount, is fundamentally a source of immense satisfaction.
Navelgas is the ideal location in Spain for practicing this increasingly popular sport. Proof of this is that for the past decade, this small Asturian town has hosted the National Gold Batters Championship , in 2005 it hosted the European Championship , and in 2008 it became the venue for the World Championship for the first time.
The World Goldpanning Association decided at a ceremony held in Pilgrim's Rest, South Africa, that the town of Tineo will host this event. It is a unique event in Asturias. The competition begins in July . Some 400 gold panners, some of them traveling specifically from Canada, Australia, or South Africa, will take part in this competition, which will be watched live by more than 10.000 people.
When the game begins, each contestant receives a bucket full of sand in which the organizers have previously placed several gold flakes measuring between 0,5 and 1,2 millimeters. The participants have to find these flakes in the shortest time possible . Water and sand weigh less than gold, and the key is to eliminate what is worthless and sharpen their eyes to look for the golden glimmers.
Aside from the competition, Navelgas is also a good destination for free panning. There is still plenty of gold to be discovered in the Navelgas and Bárcena rivers (both tributaries of the Esva). If you're truly determined, you'll find it. The largest gold nugget found in Spain in the last century was discovered in the Navelgas River in July 2001. It was 24-karat gold and weighed 27,2 grams.
Such a find requires some knowledge of geology, selecting specific geological layers of greater richness or areas that have acted as traps within a riverbed. Once the sediment is extracted, it must be sieved, preferably underwater, to remove larger stones. By raising and lowering the pan on the water level, almost all the lighter sediment is removed, concentrating the heavier minerals (including gold) at the bottom of the pan.
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We can get to feel very lucky in this activity, it's just a matter of proposing it.
Photos provided by the Gold Museum.
Text: © Ramón Molleda for asturias.com
