In the Hukawng Valley of western Kachin State, dense gold dust and nuggets come to rest in the bottom of the pan as movement separates them from sand and pebbles. Simple bamboo sluices (tilted boards) lined with fibers from banana leaves trap and separate gold from rocks and sand.
Small scale miners who use these methods often handle mercury with their bare hands. A 2002 Wildlife Conservation Society survey counted 245 manual sluice and gold panning operations along the Irrawaddy River between Myitkyina and Bhamo (approx. 170 km).