Gold was first discovered in Washington in 1853, as placer deposits in the Yakima Valley. Production from the state never exceeded 50,000 troy ounces per year until the mid-1930s, when large hard rock deposits were developed near the Chelan Lake and Wenatchee deposits in Chelan County, and the Republic deposit in Ferry County. Washington is a great state with plenty of opportunity for gold prospecting. Overall production has been much less than most of the other western states, but several million ounces of gold have still been found here. Recreational miners armed with pans, sluice boxes, and suction dredges will be right at home in Washington, with fine placers found throughout the state. With a few exceptions, most gold here is quite fine, and distributed throughout the creeks and rivers. Metal detecting is generally less productive than other places, since gold is smaller sized and difficult to detect.