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Large Nuggets - Closer Or Further Away From A Reef


Jin

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Ok, this is going to give away my lack of real-life gold hunting experience.

I've heard two different responses to this question so I'm left a little confused and hoping someone can clear this up. 

My question is:  In most cases would the larger pieces of gold travel less and be closer to the source and the smaller pieces travel further away? (this is what I would think would happen)

On the few occasions if found patches I've found the larger bits were closer to the shedding reef but have sometimes experienced the complete opposite with some of my bigger finds a lot further down the slope. (maybe two different sheddings? ... they say that a reef at one time may have been a lot higher, so gold shed at different intervals may be in different spots)

For those that have found patches what has been your observations?

Cheers Jin 

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Hi Jin:

45 minutes ago, Jin said:

My question is:  In most cases would the larger pieces of gold travel less and be closer to the source and the smaller pieces travel further away? (this is what I would think would happen)

The answer to your question is "Yes, but - - - " :smile:

Gold is heavy and therefore is reluctant to move far horizontally from where it was eroded from its host rock - however, erosion over geological time is multi dimensional.

50 minutes ago, Jin said:

they say that a reef at one time may have been a lot higher, so gold shed at different intervals may be in different spots)

That, in a nutshell, is the complication. The gold we detect may well have shed from sources which no longer exist.

- - - all adds to the joys and challenges of prospecting though!

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I have found the larger pieces of gold (not patches), meaning over a 1/4 ounce (not that I have found that many) in the most unusual places that can't be logically or technically explained.  People just tell me "Gold is where you find it".  Sometimes you just have to leave it at that.  GaryC/Oregon Coast

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          I have found 10 gm or more above the current shed, but most of the fly sh!t tends to move quickly from the source. The only rule that tends to help me is a distinct  change in gradient away from the shed, tends to hold the large bit longer. Large specimen tend to be close to similar size quartz unless they contain more than 10 Oz of gold.

          It a lottery becauses as mention by other. The factors that can affect the location -How long since it was shed,are there more recent sheds.The slope of ground and the soil erosion is not even. I have found 4 to 6 Oz bits on high spots sun baking in relative flat ground with island of soil just 6 inches higher than most of the ground. I have found when you get more than 100 yards from the source the spots where the number of hits drop off for a while a reasonable bit turns up.

            The answer to your question the larger bit is where you find them

          

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Great question Jin. And nice to see you drop by, haven't seen you here for a bit. Maybe you've been lurking :wink:

And you too JR and geof - haven't seen any other posts for awhile.  

Interested to hear others answers too. Keep 'em coming. 

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"Either from land upheaval/tilting after the gold had shed & so reversing what the ground is showing today."

That's something else I've always thought about. I probably need to know more about the period of gold deposits (300 - 400 million years ago - Victoria) and see if there were periods of upheaval afterward which could have changed the way the ground rises/falls.

....A quick search says that the break up of the Gondwana was around 184 million years ago. I'm not sure if that was part of the mountain-building process that formed the mountains we see here in Australia today. But if it was then this may be after gold has formed/shed.

So reading your comments Kiwijw I would take it that a reef may have shed gold down a slope and then sometime later the ground may have been upheaved, buckled, or faulted causing the ground to look completely different.

Cheers Rick

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29 minutes ago, oldmancoyote1 said:

If you are not familiar with the pocket hunter's techniques for following a trace to the source, you should do a web search for pocket gold.

Great idea, There are also some good books and forum posts around on Loaming, technique which is usually undertaken with a shovel and pan but can also apply to detecting with coarser gold finds and following the trends to the source. also helps to get a layout of the field you are working.

https://www.reedsprospecting.com.au/shop/detail/loaming-for-gold-in-the-21st-century-by-bob-fagan/

https://www.reedsprospecting.com.au/shop/detail/loaming-for-gold/

Please note: I have no affiliation with this seller  and have not purchased from them before, by all reports a reputable seller however please do your own research if planning on purchasing anything from online stores.

hope that helps

 

 

 

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OK from my experience on eluvial deposits in FNQ AU, always with few exceptions the larger pieces are further down the slopes. From my observations, this may be contrary to accepted wisdom, but I think what happens is the quartz with gold eroded off the reef in rolls down the slope eroding off the smaller pieces on the way until only the larger piece is left and there it sits, because its SG has been considerably increased by losing the lighter quartz, to be covered by lighter materials, is why on the slopes the deeper areas lower down the slope are the most productive for the larger pieces wheras higher up in the shallow/bony areas the smaller pieces are found.

The majority of the area I prospect has very little alluvial (placer) gold, it just has not travelled to the creeks thus be aware the old idiom tis where tis is the best guide by far.

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Just got back from 2 days detecting at one of my old patches. Wanted to try out my new earbuds and see if the flogged to death ground had anything left.

This was the spot that originally questioned whether larger gold is found higher or lower on a slope. I was able to find 3 more bits ranging from 0.07gms - 0.40gms all towards the top of the slope. So far the gold has ranged from 0.07 higher up and around 2gms midway down and 5gms towards the bottom of the slope. I did find a 16gm bit about 50m away but it wasn't in line where all the other gold was found.

The gold found here is from a reef but the smaller bit was more worn than any of the other bits. Normally digging down just under the surface you get into a quartz wash but higher up where these bits were found the gold is sitting in clay. Leading me to believe the ground may have changed its shape after the gold was deposited.

On another patch nearby I was also able to find a 4.25gm bit id missed before. After being restricted to light duties because of a bulged disc for the last 2 months it was great to be back detecting. 

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