Placer gold deposits are found in a variety of locations around the world, not just in the United States.  Placer gold refers to gold that has been eroded from its original source (often a gold-bearing vein or ore deposit) and subsequently deposited by natural forces, such as water, into sedimentary deposits.  The gold is typically found in or near waterways, such as rivers, streams, creeks, and alluvial fans.

Placer gold prospecting is the process of extracting gold from these sedimentary deposits. Prospectors and miners use various tools and techniques, such as pans, sluice boxes, dredges, and metal detectors, to recover placer gold from riverbeds and streambeds. It is a common method of gold mining, especially in regions where significant gold deposits have been weathered and eroded into placer deposits.