Pan for gold under the midnight sun. Finnish Lapland is Europe's most accessible recreational goldfield, with liberal access laws and pristine Arctic rivers.
Fine flour gold concentrated in glacial gravels. The Ivalojoki River is the most famous producer.
Remote taiga and tundra. Reindeer outnumber people. Come prepared for true wilderness camping.
No permit needed for hand panning on state land. Finland has Europe's friendliest prospecting laws.
Finland's most productive gold river. Flows through Lapland's wilderness with numerous accessible panning spots.
National park with active gold panning. Some claims operate commercially; recreational panning allowed in designated areas.
Gold village and museum. Hosts the World Gold Panning Championships every year — a pilgrimage for recreational panners.
Site of Agnico Eagle's Kittilä Mine — Europe's largest gold mine. Commercial operation, but demonstrates the region's gold potential.
Yes! Finland has very liberal prospecting laws. You can pan for gold on most state-owned land without a permit using hand tools. The Ivalojoki and Lemmenjoki rivers in Lapland are the most popular areas with established public access.
June to September is the only practical window. Snow melts in late May, rivers are accessible by mid-June, and winter returns in October. The midnight sun means you can pan 24 hours a day in midsummer!
Tankavaara is a small gold mining village that hosts the annual World Gold Panning Championships. It has a gold museum and offers recreational panning experiences for tourists — a great introduction to Lapland prospecting.
Finland produced about 9,000 kg (290,000 oz) of gold historically, mostly from Lapland. Modern exploration has identified significant deposits, and small-scale recreational mining continues to find placer gold in the rivers.
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Land access rights, safety conditions, and public fossicking zones change. You are solely responsible for verifying regulations with local authorities (DOC/Council/BLM) and assessing river safety before visiting. Paystreak.io accepts no liability for injury, fines, or trespassing. Never dig on private land without explicit permission.
✓ Information last verified: January 2026