TRAVEL NEWSProspecting for gold finds new fans amid pandemic, uncertain economyUSA TODAYGold prospecting is finding new fans as Americans look for socially distanced hobbies that get them outdoors. A prospector looks for gold in a shallow riverbed in Magpie Gulch in northern Montana.Tyler DuncanTwo amateur prospectors dig for pay dirt in a mineral-rich area. Most prospectors use a combination of internet research and first-person advice from other prospectors to identify mineral-rich areas. Generally speaking, layered dirt next to small river or stream is evidence or possible gold.Tyler DuncanNext, gravel is screened and classified to remove the larger rocks.Tyler DuncanAnthony, a seasoned prospector, describes the importance of identifying gold particulates in the soil. Once a prospector has accurately identified gold, it means that they are in the right layer of dirt and now they need to dig horizontally rather than vertically.Tyler DuncanLisa LeDoux shovels dirt into the sluice where the heavy gold will be separated from other organic materials.Tyler DuncanDustin LeDoux inspects the materials in his sluice, a long, narrow box that traps gold in the “riffles” of the rubber mat as running water passes through it. The riffles harness the power of the water to separate the dirt and rocks from the gold. Since gold is heavy, it will stay in the bottom of the sluice, trapped in the rubber mat until the mat is removed.Tyler DuncanThe author tries her hand at shoveling paydirt into a sluice. It might take several buckets of dirt to extract even a few small grains of gold.Tyler DuncanLedoux empties the sluice into a bucket where he will classify the gold from other organic materials such as iron.Tyler DuncanTyler Duncan agitates the contents of his pan to help any gold settle.Zoe Zorka/Special For USA TODAYGrains of gold are separated into a pan.Tyler DuncanDustin recovers the fine gold particles using a snuffer bottle. A snuffer bottle is an inexpensive tool used to suck the gold out of the pan. It allows the heavy gold to be trapped in the bottom of the bottle.Tyler DuncanGold is weighed in grains at its smallest unit of measurement. It takes 480 grains to make up one ounce of gold.Courtesy Of Dustin LeDouxFor the most dedicated prospectors, the winter months offer a more isolated experience. If many traditional winter travel destinations shut down during the pandemic, this winter might bring more prospectors out in the snow.Dustin LeDouxA dynamite holding facility was abandoned outside Marysville, Mont., in the remote northern part of the state. In the 1880s and 1890s, Marysville was a bustling mining town of 3,000 residents, the center of gold mining in Montana. Today, it is largely abandoned but still lures adventurous tourists and history buffs.Tyler DuncanThe gold rush may be over, but God is still prevalent in the all but abandoned ghost town of Marysville, Montana.Tyler DuncanFeatured Weekly Ad