Of all the provinces in Canada, British Columbia is the only one where there are still innumerable placer gold creeks which can be worked by prospectors with occasional surprising results. There is something compelling about prospecting for gold.

The lure of panning for the royal metal and the companionship of a gold stream are a unique and memorable combination- one which has attracted and held countless numbers of individuals fascinated over the years.

The information in this work is not intended for the experienced placer miner but rather for laymen and novices who are interested in the fundamentals of placer mining and the techniques of panning, that simplest of all mining methods. The notes also cover the histories of many of the major placer gold creeks of BC.

Neville Langrell (Bill) Barlee (October 15, 1932 – June 14, 2012) was a Canadian politician who was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia as a New Democrat in 1988. He served as Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food from 1991 until 1993 and then as Minister of Small Business, Tourism and Culture from 1993 until 1996. Barlee was also well known for his popular TV show on the history of Canada West which he co-hosted with Mike Roberts. This award-winning television series Gold Trails and Ghost Towns, ran from 1986 to 1996 on five different networks nationwide. The show is still seen in reruns.

Bill Barlee's profile page