Dry washing: panning technique for truly waterless desert country

In genuinely arid regions without reliable water for traditional panning or sluicing, dry washing uses air instead of water to separate material by density, typically with a hand operated or motorized device that uses a bellows or fan to blow air up through classified material while it vibrates across a series of riffles, letting the same density based sorting principle work without a drop of water. It is generally slower and less efficient at separating very fine gold compared to water based methods, but it makes prospecting genuinely possible in desert regions where water panning simply is not an option. As with any motorized prospecting equipment, check local regulations before using a powered dry washer.