PERSHING PLACERS
If you see a picture of a "Nevada Nugget," it likely came from here. The dry washes and alluvial fans of Pershing County (especially Rye Patch) are world-famous for their detectable gold.
The "Chequerboard" of Claims
Because Pershing County is so famous, it is heavily claimed. In areas like Rye Patch, expansive tracts of land are held by prospecting clubs (like GPAA) or private individuals.
Do Not Guess. Use a GPS app with an active claim overlay (like Land Matters or onX). Mining on someone's claim in Nevada is a serious offense.
Rye Patch
The Chevron claims are well known. The ground here is hot (mineralized), so a Pulse Induction (PI) machine like a Minelab GPX is highly recommended over a VLF.
Majuba Mtns
West of the reservoir. A classic dry washing area. Look for benches on the hillsides where ancient streams once flowed.
Patch Hunting
Gold here is "patchy." You can walk 5 miles and hear nothing, then find 10 nuggets in a 20-foot circle. Grid your ground carefully once you find the first piece.
Field Tips: The Clay Interface
In the dry washes, dig down until you hit the red/orange clay layer. This clay acts like a natural sluice box, trapping gold during the rare desert floods. Sweep your coil over the piles of dirt you dig out—sometimes the nuggets are inside the clay clods.
What Your Gold Is Worth
Rough spot-price estimate of your find. Real payout depends on purity, weight, and who you sell to — but this gives you a ballpark before you head home.
This is a rough calculator — purity, refinery fees, and market spread all affect what you actually get. Check current spot prices before selling.
Gold Knowledge Resources
Optional gold-culture references for readers curious about bars, coins, purity and storage language after prospecting. These are third-party resources, not financial advice.
BullionVault
Third-party resource for learning how vaulted physical gold services describe storage, fees and custody.
Retailer reference. No commission tracking is confirmed.BullionStar
Useful for comparing bars, coins, premiums and purity language after learning field testing basics.
Affiliate link. Paystreak may earn a commission; check the provider’s terms.APMEX
Browse mainstream bullion product formats and premiums as gold-culture background, not prospecting advice.
Retailer reference. No commission tracking is confirmed.JM Bullion
Reference catalogue for seeing common retail names, weights and purity markings used on coins and bars.
Retailer reference. No commission tracking is confirmed.The Digger's Code
- Backfill all holes before you leave.
- Pack out all your trash.
- Respect fence lines and gates.
Legal Disclaimer
Land access rights, safety conditions, and public fossicking zones change. You are solely responsible for verifying regulations with local authorities (DOC/Council/BLM) and assessing river safety before visiting. Paystreak.io accepts no liability for injury, fines, or trespassing. Never dig on private land without explicit permission.
✓ Information last verified: January 2026