Norvic

That`ll certainly help convince those who are on the fence.

Yeah I tried a USB Supereyes microscope, but I think it might perform better in totally dark just using its variable in built light, sort of overexposure of raised gold and underexposure of that on the lodes surface, at best setting. Must try again, if successful will post. Certainly helps John, give it another go.

Yeah RB7 from Bounty Hunter early 80`s, Gerry, it got the first gold there, but they were big pieces, it was many years later when I revisited with the Whites GM2 that I really scored, lots of small pieces. The RB7 was par with the Whites 6000, IMO, but would get a lot of arguments when I suggested that back then. 6000D and Deepseeker were kings in OZ. I was happy with the RB7 then the RG10, still have the RB10 and perhaps of interest, it was modified by Bounty Hunter of OZ with the forerunner of auto ground balance that would have been around 85. Often wondered who did that way back then, perhaps someone who later got Minelab going in that direction. Bounty Hunter disappeared in OZ not long after

DDancer, your query got me off my rear end and I found some info on mine, was not a complete report but certainly of interest and answers your question. quote "Although only 30cm wide at its widest point, the lode consists of calcite, fluorspar and kaolin and mineralised with arsenopyrite , produced over 2500 OZs of gold between 1931-35, from less than 100 tonnes of ore". That explains why the mullock was rich although the size of one specimen from the mullock was near cricket ball in size and shot through with gold, the miners must have been in a hurry. I had this report amongst a lot of other mining reports I have collected over the years, just had forgotten about having it. Excuse - Another senior moment but I did have an inkling I would find info amongst my "rats nest". Always had the intention of filing them away in a filing cabinet, maybe now I will. Been interesting but sorting through those old reports.

Spencer@wy, no definitely have not got it figured out, just had a business that paid the bills and did not need all my time, detectors came along and loved nothing better then spending all my spare time out there. Fortunately I was there at right time in a magic part of OZ and the Goddess of Gold came across on occasions. A great era we live in, detectors, 4WDs etc. An old OZ TV add said it all, was for a dish washing liquid, showed a housewife with her hands in the foamy solution, with the comment "you know your soaking in it". That's the fortune of our era, we can soak in it.

Very fine grained even almost no grain, shears off in flat thin flakes, with a slight gloss. I`m fairly geology impaired, marble is mined in close vicinity to mine today, also fluorspar back a bit. I`ll put my money on sedimentary slightly metamorphised, limestone almost marble. Imagine granitoid is not immediately soluble in acid, think this is maybe, will try a flake in acid. But must look further for a geological report of mine.

Prices on that web site are sure good. Some of the ironstone covered nuggets have a smooth coating on them and are a well waterworn nugget, suggesting they have been coated long after shedding from the reef. Unfortunately have smelted down the few I`ve found thus cannot post photos, but will endeavour to do so in the future. Never checked if a magnet would attract them so am curious, but have heard of modern alluvial plants that use magnets on their tables to remove such. Wonder how many are gold in disguise?

The books author brings in comparisons of world wide geology to explain mineral formation, St Helens as an example, I think AjR you`ll find it a great ref book. Imagine Amazon would have it, think I got it from Fishpond came from UK. 2nd hand and well read but all there. Spencer@wy if you break into the stone there is more inside, I`d imagine the original miner found many lb size lumps as he broke open the reef. Only a very small mine, probably 30ft deep 5ft diameter. Must have been a real jewellery shop, haven`t found any geologist reports on it, just passing references. Think the gold was deposited in a hot water solution, the area has a few hot springs that are slightly radioactive, good to ease the aches but as yet haven`t glowed in the dark. . Long gone Uncle of mine reckoned you could put steel cans in the springs and over years would convert the steel to copper, dunno about that.

"A Journey Through Stone" by Ian Plimer, whilst about the area I live in, is a top read about the formation of mineral deposits through hundreds of millions of years. Written by a geologist who has the ability to write of such a complex subject in a easy to read and understand manner. It is out of print but obtainable snd/ hand on the net. He starts the journey off, 500 million years ago, writes of the 7 volcanoes that erupted here some 250million years ago, they "spewed" out an estimated 2000 cubic miles of material and how since than further movements of the earth through continental drift and other forces, formed the mineral deposits we see today. A book I find rereading over and over by a very controversial character, his more recent books are about the conflicting evidence that his lifetime study of geology goes against the evidence of todays AGW. His writings just makes you think way outside the square, I recommend "A Journey Through Stone" might not get you more gold but I believe it will have questioning a lot of conventional thinking and have you looking in new places, thus increasing your chances.

A little story from this area. Originally mined in 1933, the miner got quiet excited about the amount of gold he got out of this mine(only shallow but rich) from folklore he flew over Cooktown at that time and threw out 10 shilling notes. 10 shillings can be equated to $1 OZ, of course in those days it would have bought many beers today for $1 you`d get a sip. I detected a fair quantity of gold from the tailings and a number of pieces in creek below. Is a small isolated mine that I must visit area with GPZ as always felt there would be undiscovered reefs in area. Did the tailings and area originally with RB7 and got a few larger pieces, sure got a pleasant surprise when I revisited with a GM2. The GM2 got the piece in photo, further uniqueness of this small area is there is no quartz which is probably why it was found 50 years plus after original rush.

Area is about 3/8 inch square. The gold from this area went 78% Au 22% Ag. Base material is limestone almost marble. No quartz in location of find. This is a small specie I kept for its uniqueness. As I have not got specialist macro gear this is best I could do, but you can see it is as if the gold replaced organic material, sort of a mineral fossil.

I know where you are Klunker, I bolt for a few days either fishing or prospecting get bugger all and tell the Missus had a lovely time with the Mistress. Just laughs and asks why I bother coming back home. Not good for the ego.

One way of doing it is instead of KMZ go for KML Ozi has no problem with that. As I understand it (may be totally wrong) KMZ is compressed whereas KML is not. When your in Google Earth look for the menu that specifies file format, default is KMZ. You`ll find the option of KML there. The other file formats I`m sorry I`m not familiar with.

See what you mean, that`s nifty. OZI is becoming very refined with each enhancement. One other thing I love about it, through all its progress over the years the base is still there no need to learn how to use new software from the beginning, just learn the new update features that apply to you.

Tit bit about Marble Bar, it competes with Coober Pedy both claim they are the hottest towns in OZ. Got to know the fellow at Marble Bar Service station, was telling him about escape and he said I was lucky also as had we been caught on that road would have been hit with a $1000 per wheel fine. He was a real character, sold groceries and all general store stuff, I mentioned to him I`d kill for a Weekend Australian Newspaper to keep up with the news. Next visit he had one for me, couple of weeks old but much appreciated. When I settled for fuel and that I mentioned he`d forgotten to tally in the Weekend Australian, he said very straight faced, no I haven`t and gave me a written list of all those he wanted killed, mainly politicians. Characters you gotta love em.

Whats up Klunker!!!!! Getting old, too much comfort, something in the water, dunno all was a great adventure and when you think of it that is what makes gold prospecting the magic journey for us. Plus as you recollect these memories you think more on the crazy things, I know one thing the Missus has had enough, can`t entice her out there anymore. She`s lost her sense of humour or is she the sane one? Nah we`re not fools, just big kids. No Gerry super magnet doesn`t attach to stone, just tried it. But it certainly looks like it should.

My stuff up Paul, but Steves kindly come up with a solution.

Tis a hard one that, I always asked that anyone I took out didn`t go back to spots shown without me, but unfortunately that never works. Certainly for safety reasons would be good to have company out there. But some "city folks" put comforts first, recall over in WA was travelling with a couple from Geelong, filling up with water from a bore tank and his missus had a peak in the tank, had a fresh dead parrot floating on surface.(probably dozens sunk) That was it the poor fellow had to drive back to civilisation procure a trailer and fill up with bottled water. But now down the years a bit they are still travelling around and "adjusted" and boil their drinking water. Good company around the camp fire, and they laugh about that experience now.

Yeah, it would not surprise me if Des has contacted Minelab re. my email to him about not being able to use tracks and waypoints from the GPZ on Ozi without going online. Hopefully they can work out a solution that will satisfy all, especially us users. Would be real neat if OZI was on GPZ screen, not likely on current one as probably hasn`t the memory, but Des worked a legal way to do such with Magellan mapping GPS`s, just a simple utility. I am not very fond of proprietary stuff, believe it is self defeating as it stifles tech advances in long term. IBM showed that with allowing PC compatibles way back. But it works for Apple, big time. Haven`t as yet put update on field notebook or smart phone, just have on home PC which I have not got a GPS on, use it just for manipulating and downloading maps etc. It has always opened on last map, think you can specify this in setup. One of those gonnadoos gottadoos.

Yeah, have done some crazy things in 4WD, as it seems a lot of us have, but that one was a very lucky escape. No one knew we were there Sat phone would have got washed away with troppie. To add a bit more as I condensed original story a wee bit. After crossing river, a few miles on ended up on a new wide bitumen road following a new ore railway track, had signs up it was a private road, Trespassers would be prosecuted etc etc. BHP or Rio Tinto from memory, fortunately after travelling on it for a few miles moving map software showed original track cutting off it, so we got off back on track. Originally named the nugget The Turtle. But as it looks the same from either side, have renamed it Mc Nugget, cause it looks like a miniature burger. Its one I doubt I could ever put in the dolly pot, got a few others I must post for their uniqueness. Small one in particular but must get a camera with macro abilities for that.

Dale, Yes 3.95;6d, couple of weeks ago downloaded, always check through his update menu.. Haven`t searched out its new features but just love OZI, its function, its writers continuing capacity to take on board suggestions and implement them plus of course his endeavour to give us updates free.(this day and age is rare) I think his approach has rewarded him with world-wide use, judging by the dedicated forums international members.

Western Australia about 20 years ago, the Wife, dogs and I were prospecting Australia in our self contained Toyota Troop Carrier, stopped at Pardoo a Roadhouse to the East of Pt Hedland overnight. On checking Moving Map software noticed a track that would lead us to Marble Bar and cut off a fair few miles. So we took it, good track easy going. We got to a concrete causeway across the De Grey River about 100 yards wide. Walked half way on it, around 12” inches of water and as the section walked was on an outside bend thus the fastest moving considered the Troppie would handle it no drama. So put in 4WD low range as precaution(very fortunately), we got to within 20 yards of otherside and causeway started to dip, depth of water increased to about 1 yard plus, no choice but to continue. Troppie started to wash off causeway but fortunately front wheels got traction and dragged us out. I can tell you we left bum prints in the seats. Extremely lucky escape, no further dramas till we got almost to main highway there we had to move the road closed flooded road barricade to get to the highway. There was no such sign back at other end. Stayed at Marble Bar for about 4 weeks, did very well and have kept this unusual piece as a memento of my foolishness. I should have checked with local police. Of interest perhaps, the year later Pardoo Roadhouse was wiped out by a cyclone, the people there protected themselves by camping in their cold room.

Paul, by my def, that certainly is moving map software. I have steered away from proprietary software, rather go for generic software like Oziexplorer which allows you to scan maps and source digital maps from anywhere providing they are in a format OZI handles, which will handle most formats except proprietary ones. This allows use on PC, Android devices, Mobile PC and Magellan Mapping GPS`s and probably soon Iphones and IPads. But NatGeo US certainly have given you folks a fairly large mapping resource. Is great to see as such expands our detecting horizons. For me as important as the detector but not without hiccups, I have an experience where my faith in Moving Map Software nearly led to a tragedy. I`ll post this experience and a photo of an unusual gold find that experience led me to, once I`ve got it together.

Peteren, Lots of info on OZI site as Dale suggests. I have included a link below for QLD Mines map download. Understand you are in SA, believe SA mines have similar. These downloads are brilliant, will download with georeferencing for OZI. You add layers as you wish, zoom in to get area of interest, but it is very time consuming to get the hang of,(being a Govt site is not very user friendly) but very comprehensive mapping and a top resource. Plus they are a free download. I use this mainly with 1;50000 topos I`ve scanned, digital form maps are the way to go for this old codger, been doing it for 20 years plus, with a massive data accumulation of tracks and waypoints used in partnership of OZI on PC and OZI android app on smart phone, plus also use a Magellan Handheld Mapping GPS that you can download maps to from OZI.(again check out OZI website in particular Utilities) Hope this is of help. https://minesonlinemaps.business.qld.gov.au/

Eat your heart out Crocodile Dundee, here comes Bear Carl, love it, the world should have more characters.