Experts: 99% of rivers have no gold left to pan

In October 2025, the international spot price of gold repeatedly broke records, soaring to $4,350 per ounce at one point. Behind this gold rush lies a significant amount of legal risks that many prospectors are unaware of. Social media platforms have become a "gathering place" for gold seekers during this rush. Journalists found that on multiple social platforms, many people have formed gold prospecting groups where members share "spotting experiences" and gold panning techniques daily, and some even post "gold prospecting maps" marked with locations. However, not everyone in these groups is blindly following the trend. As a seasoned prospector, Li Ling has a profound understanding of the industry's current state. He candidly admits that 99% of rivers do not contain gold that can be mined, and even if there are gold mines within a 5-kilometer radius of a river, ordinary prospectors find it difficult to locate them. This is because professional teams have long been using suction dredging equipment for intensive mining, and some have even used excavators to dig through riverbeds countless times, leaving ordinary prospectors with little opportunity to share in the spoils