Prospecting New Areas On Magnetic Island

[Erik Oostra 373]

During the last few days I've been having a looksee in new areas on the island away from the old gold diggings.. The geology here is very similar to the areas surrounding the diggings with many quartz veins running through granite outcrops.. where the creek I'm following meets the ocean many igneous intrusions can be seen running through the granite shield that forms the island (which itself is also a massive intrusion).. No gold yet but plenty of snakes! I'm also making the most of the running creeks (they're dry in the dry season) to sluice and pan so I can work out which areas might have some of the yellow stuff.. Despite the existence of 8 old gold mines, so far the island hasn't produced any gold for me.. I was using an equinox before and have recently upped the ante and am now using a GPX 5000.. I'll keep you posted on how I go..  

This picture is of an igneous intrusion where the creek flows into the ocean..

[Gold Catcher 631]

Beautiful granite boulders. Gold if present can be small/fine due to the crushing forces of the granite. At least that has been my experience in granite rich areas. 

[Gold Catcher 631]

Or perhaps Rhyolite....

[Erik Oostra 373]

1 hour ago, Steve Herschbach said:

what do historical reports say about the gold

Both geological and historical reports show there is gold on the island.. the reports on the old gold diggings (active in the late 1880s to early 1900s) show that it was nearly always associated with white quartz.. where fine bands of gold run through large quartz veins.. I can't find any records talking about nuggets or alluvial placer gold.. at the moment I'm trying to find these quartz veins by sluicing and panning in creeks below the outcrops containing obvious igneous intrusions (to see if there are any little grains) or where I figure fault lines could be (at these spots I whip out a detector and usually search up gullies).. I've been to all the mine sites, some of which are bloody hard work to get into with thick bush and steep hills and plenty of snakes.. Nearly all sites have large pieces of white quartz scattered about..  

[Erik Oostra 373]

This is some of the quartz I'm finding along the creek.. the quartz gold is associated with is pure white.. I don't have any pictures of the quartz at the mine sites.. the second picture is at the easiest to get to gold digging on the island (Hawkings Point), right by the ocean.. there's no obvious igneous intrusions or white quartz at this site.. 

[Coinshooting 7]

Nice mate I'll follow this one, spent a long time in Townsville 😁

[Erik Oostra 373]

Here is a very old newspaper article from the late 1800s (I can't find the exact year anymore) describing gold on Magnetic Island.. I think it talks about a mine site that later became known as 'The Dot' (named after the wife of Townsville's first doctor).. It mentions brown quartz which is obviously different to the white quartz I keep finding at the gold diggings.. 

[geof_junk 1,683]

Erik how correct were the location in google earth I have not been detecting in QLD since I complied the QLD mines. Using the pan/sluice on checking the terrain that you have there on Magnetic Island. Best of luck with your endeavours may Midas be on your side.   

[Valens Legacy 716]

All I can say is good luck and please post some pictures of your finds.

We know that you are going to find some nice gold so don't let us down.

[Erik Oostra 373]

27 minutes ago, geof_junk said:

Erik how correct were the location in google earth

They were pretty much spot on for most of them.. In some sites I found evidence of past diggings (like an old pick) and in others white quartz scattered about (in some places it was stacked up).. Thanks again for those waypoints, they've been invaluable in searching for gold across Queensland..