2 Nephi 11-31 Mining for gold

Searching for Hidden Treasure

When I was a child we used to go as a family home evening activity to pan for gold near Fox, just outside Fairbanks, Alaska, where I was born and raised. In 2009, the largest gold mining operation in Alaska was the Fort Knox Mine near Fairbanks.  In 1999 the ore grade was .95 grams per ton. At 31.1 grams per troy ounce, they must process nearly 33 tons of material to produce an ounce of gold. Anyone can pan for gold. It just takes a little time and equipment. For example, here is a list of supplies you will need:

• Gold pan; 14" size is best. 
• Shovel to loosen gravel from creek bottom. 
• Grizzly pan with 1/2-inch holes in bottom to help separate coarse gravel, speeding up the panning process 
• Magnifying lens (10X power min) to identify minerals. 
• Sluice box, approximately 3 feet long; 
• Tweezers for picking up gold; a dry finger will also work. 
• Small magnet for separating out magnetic black sands. 
• Small glass vials to hold gold. 
• Rubber gloves to protect hands from cold water. 
• Rubber boots to keep feet dry while wading in creeks.

Sound like a lot of work for even a few flecks of gold?  Understand Isaiah is not unlike panning for gold.

 “Many of Isaiah’s writings seem difficult to understand because they refer to a wide range of past and future events described in symbolic language. However, we can come to understand them as we make a consistent, prayerful effort to read and study them.” (Book of Mormon Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual, (1999), 37)