JOURNEY: Together with other erosion processes, the Drava and its tributaries have leached gold from rocks over millions of years and carried it with other rocks downstream, depositing it in alluvial sediments and carrying it again all the way to the areas of present-day Slovenia and Croatia and beyond.

SOURCE OF DRAV GOLD: The Drava River originates in South Tyrol, Italy. Gold deposits are mainly found along its route through Austria, in the mountainous region of the Hohe Tauern and Niedertauern. This is one of the areas of the Alps that, with its geological diversity and mountainous terrain, is also known for its gold-bearing rocks.

DRAVAGOLD. The panning of Drava gold was, from the time of the Celts onwards, intensive until the mid-19th century, but then it slowly dried up due to unprofitability. Today, for example, two panners have to work hard all day for about a gram of gold. Today, gold is not panned for its value in weight, but for its rarity, purity, heritage and symbolism.

In Slovenia, gold flakes up to 1 mm in diameter are found, with the largest up to 5 mm, so that between 5,000 and 10,000 flakes are needed to produce 1 g of Drava gold.

We can say that the Drava gold is also otherwise pure, as it has not yet encountered human will or actions.