Placer concentrates are frequently composed largely of black sand. The black sand is chiefly magnetite but may include small amounts of ilmenite and chromite. In the Cariboo, sluice-box concentrates contain very little black sand, being composed mostly of cube iron (pyrite) and, on some creeks, abundant galena. Brown and red garnets are found in placer concentrates from the Quesnel and Tulameen Rivers.
Platinum is associated with gold in some British Columbia placers, and in some localities has been equal too or greater than the amount of gold. Platinum has been recovered in some quantity from the Tulameen River area. It also occurs with placer gold on Pine, Thibert, McConnell, Rainbow, Tranquille, Rock, and Government Creeks. Small amounts of platinum are recovered with the gold from placers along the Quesnel, Fraser, Cottonwood, Peace, and Coquihalla Rivers; it occurs also on the North Thompson River at the mouth of the Clearwater River. Small amounts of platinum have been recovered from the beach placers on Graham Island. No platinum is known to occur from the placer creeks in the vicinity of Barkerville.
Zircon and scheelite are found in placer concentrates. Scheelite is not uncommon in grains up to bean size in placer creeks around Barkerville. Prospectors have discovered in panning that an occurrence of scheelite will throw a train of small particles for considerable distances.
Wolframite and cassiterite have been recovered from placers on Boulder Creek in the Atlin region. Arquerite (a natural silver amalgam) occurs in the gold placers on Vital, Tom, Harrison, Silver, and other creeks in the Omineca; it is also reported from the mouth on Tahltan River.
Cinnabar in appreciable amounts has been recovered by placer-miners on the Quesnel River near Quesnel Forks. The greatest amount appears to have been obtained near the mouth of Four Mile Creek.
A somewhat uncommon mineral, awaruite (a nickel-iron alloy), has been recovered from Bridge River, Fraser River near Lillooet, and Wheaton (Boulder) Creek.
Nuggets of native copper are recovered in some placer concentrates. Pieces weighing as much as 15 pounds have been found on Squaw and Thibert Creeks.
A nugget of native silver was recovered from a creek tributary to the Kehlechoa River in 1945. Other heavy minerals, such as barite, hematite, or epidote, form part of the placer concentrates from various creeks.
No native mercury is known from British Columbia placers, although gold in part covered with quicksilver has been recovered from old workings where the mercury was spilled by miners.
Shot, coins, nails, solder, and a variety of other metal objects are recovered when reworking old ground or sniping around old diggings. No recovery of gem stones from British Columbia placers has been recorded officially.
