A Few Nuggets And Starting To Get Better At Detecting

[Jin]

Finally got back to this little patch but only managed 2gms yesterday. All up I think I did 6 days of detecting here. What a learning experience it was. The gold was scattered in so many directions. In the end, i started to look at the rocks at the bases of the trees to try and follow the flow of the gravels that was carrying the gold. I even started to randomly dig holes to make sure I was detecting ground that had the sort of gravels that id found most of the gold in.  I've hit this area with many different coils and settings but think its pretty well done now. I do know one guy that went over the area with a 7000 (2 days after I showed him my 40 grams of reef gold) but looking at fresh holes I don't think he got much.  I still managed to extract another 66 grams using the 4500 so still happy. Some of the gold hasn't been cleaned and some contain quart/ironstone but all up over 100gms from one little area. I also spent one day at Waanyarra but only managed one 0.44gm piece. On the way to Waanyarra i hit a kangaroo at 100km (60 miles an hour ) on the Calder Freeway. Only saw it at the last moment because it was still dark. Couldn't swerve as my 4wd would probably roll over. Damaged the bullbar a bit. R.I.P kangaroo.

[Andyy]

Jeez ... very nice finds.   I love how each piece of gold leaves more clues to help you find more.  At least for those that pay attention.

[jrbeatty]

Wonderful work Jin, and I think you have the hang of detecting all right!   

[Northeast]

Congrats Jin.  You are having an amazing run

[Jin]

Started overlaying some geo and old parish maps onto google earth yesterday. It's a bit disheartening when you're looking for particular things on a map and they always turn up on private property. Might have to approach a few farmers and see if a free days work on their farm beforehand will get me on for a detect. Then a percentage of the gold found split between farmer and my self.     

[jrbeatty]

We farmers aren't generally too hard to approach

Firstly, leave the dog at home, introduce yourself and chew the fat for awhile. Show them some gold and point out you're a hobbyist, not a mining company. Explain and demonstrate the detecting process, pointing out how little physical impact there is, and offer them a share of anything found. Many farmers don't want a percentage, but I always sling them something anyway. I've found 20% is a fair and acceptable figure, considering you're doing the hard yards. This figure can have a negotiated upper limit. You can suggest that if you find another "Hand of Faith" then it will be split evenly.

The hardest private land to get onto is that adjacent to historically rich areas. These landowners have usually been under continuous siege from trespassers who leave gaping holes, gates open, etc and therefore exclude everybody.

Another difficult group of landowners are "blockies" i.e. smallholders. I've rarely had much luck there. All hat and no cattle, but very defensive and possessive.

 

[Jin]

thankyou jrbeatty, very informative and helpful advice. 

[jrbeatty]

You're welcome Jin, and good luck.

One of the farmers whose property Reg and I prospected on ended up getting a detector himself. We thought he was showing rather a lot of interest in the process!

He was good at it and learned quickly. He picked up a 4 oz patch I'd somehow managed to zig zag through, neatly avoiding everything

A humbling experience for yours truly (and Wilson certainly won't let me forget) but his dear wife thanked us profusely for giving him renewed interest in life following debilitating heart surgery.

 

[Reg Wilson]

You are dead right Beatty.

The old cocky (farmer) asked James, " how do you blokes know just where to look?"

And guess what? 'Einstein' told him!!!!