Panning
Panning is a method to acquire native copper ore nuggets from sand and gravel . This can be useful early in the game, as it offers a slow, but safe alternative to scavenging the surface for stray nuggets, and can also yield other helpful resources. On average, 34 blocks of sand/gravel and 22 minutes are needed for the 40 starting copper nuggets.
Requirements
Players may pan gravel , sand or bony soil blocks. Gravel and sand can be found on the surface, while bony soil is found around or under ruins. Each block can be panned eight times. Bony soil uses a different drop table, meaning that panning bony soil may give players items that they cannot get from panning gravel or soil. Panning bony soil may drop early candles .
- Note: Even though Muddy Gravel has the word "gravel" in its name, it cannot be panned.
The primary tool used in panning is the wooden pan. This is created by crafting one log (any wood except kapok) with a knife in the crafting grid.
Process
In order to pan a block, players must perform the following steps:
- Place the pan in the hotbar and equip it in the active hand.
- Place the block to be panned (the "target block") nearby.
- Fill the pan while aiming the crosshairs at the target block.
- Stand in water.
- Wash the pan while standing in water and wait until the pan is empty.
Any items recovered from the process will transfer to the player's hotbar or inventory. Items that do not fit in the player's inventory will drop to the ground at the player's feet, despawning after 10 minutes.
During the entire panning process, players can remain standing in water. The target blocks can just be placed on the land or in the water nearby.
Panning depletes hunger .
Panning a whole block (in its 8 stages) takes around 40 seconds, this means a player can pan a stack in around 45 minutes, or around 90 blocks an hour. Opening the inventory and using the cursor to right click on the block and then right click on the water is faster and requires less attention. Panning can be semi-automated using mods or scripts.
Notable Items
From panning sand/gravel, you can commonly receive loose stones (corresponding to the local rock layer), flint , and copper ore nuggets . Rarely, rusty gears , metal scraps (which can be used to create scrap weapon kits ), metal parts , decorative clothing , temporal gears , and tuning cylinders .
From panning bony soil, you can commonly receive bones , flax fibers , and flint and copper arrowheads . Rarely, rusty gears , candles (which can be used to create lanterns ), gemstones , lore books , decorative clothing , temporal gears , and tuning cylinders .
Books, or decorative clothing can be sold to traders for more rusty gears.
Panning drops
These drops are listed in order of probability, with the most common drops at the top and the rarest drops at the bottom.
Gravel or sand
Drop | Rate | Blocks on average | Amount in 64 |
---|---|---|---|
None | 1 in 1.61 | 1 | 318 |
Loose stone (layer specific) | 1 in 5 | 1 | 102 |
Nugget, native copper | 1 in 6.67 | 1 | 77 |
Flint | 1 in 9.09 | 1 | 56 |
Blue clay | 1 in 33.33 | 4 | 15.36 |
Quartz chunk | 1 in 33.33 | 4 | 15.36 |
Clear quartz | 1 in 40 | 5 | 12.8 |
Nugget, sphalerite | 1 in 50 | 6 | 10.24 |
Flint arrowhead | 1 in 50 | 6 | 10.24 |
Copper arrowhead | 1 in 100 | 13 | 5.12 |
Flint spear head | 1 in 100 | 13 | 5.12 |
Rusty gear | 1 in 166.67 | 21 | 3.07 |
Copper spear head | 1 in 250 | 31 | 2.05 |
Nugget, native gold | 1 in 250 | 31 | 2.05 |
Rough lapis lazuli | 1 in 500 | 63 | 1,02 |
Metal parts | 1 in 500 | 63 | 1,02 |
Metal scraps | 1 in 500 | 63 | 1,02 |
Bony ribcage | 1 in 1000 | 125 | less than 1 |
Bronze armlet | 1 in 1250 | 172 (2,5 stacks) | less than 1 |
Temporal gear | 1 in 2000 | 250 (4 stacks) | less than 1 |
Nugget, cassiterite | 1 in 5000 | 625 (10 stacks) | less than 1 |
Tuning cylinder (Cultured Tavern) | 1 in 5000 | 625 (10 stacks) | less than 1 |
Tuning cylinder (Quirky Tavern) | 1 in 5000 | 625 (10 stacks) | less than 1 |
Golden necklace | 1 in 10000 | 1250 (20 stacks) | less than 1 |
Bronze gem necklace | 1 in 10000 | 1250 (20 stacks) | less than 1 |
Silver chain | 1 in 10000 | 1250 (20 stacks) | less than 1 |
Silver diadem | 1 in 10000 | 1250 (20 stacks) | less than 1 |
Gold coronet | 1 in 10000 | 1250 (20 stacks) | less than 1 |
Bony soil
Drop | Rate | Blocks on average | Amount in 64 |
---|---|---|---|
None | 1 in 1.15 | 1 | 445 |
Bone | 1 in 3.33 | 1 | 154 |
Flax fibers | 1 in 6.67 | 1 | 77 |
Flint arrowhead | 1 in 10 | 1 | 51 |
Copper arrowhead | 1 in 20 | 3 | 25,6 |
Rusty gear | 1 in 40 | 5 | 12,8 |
Bony ribcage | 1 in 50 | 6 | 10,24 |
Candle | 1 in 66.67 | 8 | 7,68 |
Rough emerald | 1 in 100 | 13 | 5,12 |
Rough peridot | 1 in 100 | 13 | 5,12 |
Nugget, native gold | 1 in 100 | 13 | 5,12 |
Nugget, native silver | 1 in 100 | 13 | 5,12 |
Copper spear head | 1 in 100 | 13 | 5,12 |
Rough diamond | 1 in 142.86 | 18 | 3,58 |
Lore book (Tobias) | 1 in 285.71 | 36 | 1,79 |
Lore book (Research) | 1 in 285.71 | 36 | 1,79 |
Lore book (Diaries) | 1 in 285.71 | 36 | 1,79 |
Lore book (Jonas) | 1 in 285.71 | 36 | 1,79 |
Lamellae (Copper) | 1 in 500 | 63 | 1,02 |
Metal Chain (Copper) | 1 in 500 | 63 | 1,02 |
Bronze armlet | 1 in 625 | 78 | less than 1 |
Temporal gear | 1 in 1000 | 125 | less than 1 |
Tuning cylinder (Cultured Tavern) | 1 in 1666.67 | 208 (3,25 stacks) | less than 1 |
Tuning cylinder (Quirky Tavern) | 1 in 1666.67 | 208 (3,25 stacks) | less than 1 |
Golden necklace | 1 in 2500 | 313 (5 stacks) | less than 1 |
Bronze gem necklace | 1 in 2500 | 313 (5 stacks) | less than 1 |
Silver chain | 1 in 2500 | 313 (5 stacks) | less than 1 |
Silver diadem | 1 in 2500 | 313 (5 stacks) | less than 1 |
Gold coronet | 1 in 2500 | 313 (5 stacks) | less than 1 |
Video Tutorials
This panning tutorial was made for version 1.13, but is still relevant for version 1.18.

Ores, metals and minerals | |
---|---|
Guides | Ore Deposits • Metals |
Metals | Copper • Iron • Meteoric iron • Gold • Silver • Lead • Tin • Zinc • Bismuth • Titanium (Ilmenite) • Nickel |
Alloys | Bronze (Tin bronze, bismuth bronze, black bronze) • Steel • Brass • Solder (Lead solder, Silver solder) • Molybdochalkos • Cupronickel • Electrum |
Minerals | Alum • Borax • Cinnabar • Coal • Halite (Salt) • Lapis lazuli • Quartz • Saltpeter • Sulfur • Sylvite (Potash) |
Tools | Pickaxe • Hammer • Prospecting Pick • Crucible • Forge • Ore blasting bomb • Quern • Anvil • Bloomery • Helve hammer • Pulverizer |
Other | Gemstones |
Related mechanics | Panning • Mining • Clay forming • Casting • Smithing • Steel making |
Wiki Navigation | |
---|---|
Vintage Story | Guides • Frequently Asked Questions • Soundtrack • Versions • Controls |
Game systems | Crafting • Knapping • Clay forming • Smithing • Cooking • Temperature • Hunger • Mining • Temporal stability • Mechanical power • Trading • Farming • Animal husbandry |
World | World generation • Biomes • Weather • Temporal storms |
Items | Tools • Weapons • Armor • Clothing • Bags • Materials • Food |
Blocks | Terrain • Plants • Decorative • Lighting • Functional • Ore |
Entities | Hostile entities • Animals • NPCs • Players |
Miscellaneous | List of client commands • List of server commands • Creative Starter Guide • Bot System • WorldEdit • Cinematic Camera • Adjustable FPS Video Recording • ServerBlockTicking • Adding Mods • Troubleshooting Mods |