Course for understanding geology and finding gold bearing areas?

[justoverthehill]

Hi Everyone

I was at Reeds in midland the other day and was told they do a course that helps you find locations by understanding the geology and read geo maps properly so you can put yourself within 20m of gold bearing ground. Has anyone attended this course and what are there thoughts on it?

 

[Jaros]

Have a read thru this.

https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=2042

 

[Goldtalk Leonora]

keep in mind I run training courses.......

thing is...most of WA is goldbearing to some degree or other. Putting yourself in the right areas is important
but getting to know Tengraph or Geoview WA will take care of that for you. It's a bit like metal detectors...you don't really need to do a training course...just read the bloody
instruction manual!

What is important in my opinion....is knowing how to choose the right areas and then how to actually work them.

Alway's remember...prospectors find gold...geologists then tell you why it's there.Learn how to prospect.

 

[justoverthehill]

Thank you for the info Jaros and Goldtalk

With Tengraph and Geoview I know how to do most of the basic stuff like look for old mines tenements and some of the geology for the gold areas but I still have a lot more to learn like how to understand the reports for certain areas.

 

[Goldtalk Leonora]

if you can already use tengraph then your half way there!

I wouldn/t worry too much about WAMEX reports when your starting out.....I would recommend you use tengraph to work out where gold has prob been and then play the 'what if' game of where could it still be hiding.

So....dead tenements on tengraph will give you the best clues of where it's been.....it sounds like you know how to do that already.

Remember that people are not good explorers anymore and rarely stray far from their patches (generalisation of course)....so take their old tenements and by working out the topography you work away from the area into areas where the gold 'may' have gone.

Thats the basics of what I teach....a lot more to it of course but nothing really complicated. Things like geo maps are fine but your about 15 years too late mate. There are some programes at you can buy that 'rate' your chances in a given area....what a rip off. Like I said...start in the right areas and then know HOW to work those areas methodically is going to be the key to success.There is always going to be an element of dumb arse luck as well....but you cant control that.

For what it's worth...asking the question of 'how can I do better'....is the smartest question you can ask in this game. None of us have time left on planet Earth to swing a detector everywhere...so we need to make choices and work the ground the right way. Does it take the fun out of the hobby?...your call...but I know I have more fun when I bring home gold than when I don't!.

Hope thats of some help to you.

Just wanted to add....I would still recommend doing any training course out there. I've had people with 20years plus experience doing our course and they have always picked something up. Sometimes, all you need is to pick up one little point and it's enough to make the penny drop.

 

[justoverthehill]

Thanks Goldtalk

Where do you teach your course?

After having a look on the weekend but having no luck due to not enough time you quickly realise just how much ground there is to cover! I really enjoy walking around swinging the coil looking for a bit of gold.
To me its relaxing and I've managed to find interesting things while I'm out there like old old graves and old mine shafts that don't show up on Tengraph. Next time I'm out I will put what your telling me to work and walk out around the areas and look for spots where it may have gone.

I have always wondered how people search the area like do they walk around until they find a bit then grid or start gridding from the get go?

I have seen sites on google like that while trying to find out info for gold geology and think do people actually fall for these???

 

[Guest]

G'day

Prospecting for gold is like anything else its a learning process that will develop over time, in other words you need to start at the start and get on the ground experience first and then delve further into the areas of geology and more in depth research as you go along, the first step is to find out about areas that have produced alluvial gold that you are able to detect, and then spend time in these areas so that you learn to better recognize the types of ground that have been worked and you will get to see what others have been doing like dry blowing and scraping and such, these are all indicators of detectable ground as they would not have expended the effort unless they were getting gold, there are books like gold and ghosts that show most of the known areas, I know most of these places and have been to many over the years and they have all been well flogged but it will get you into the zone and help to give you better insight as to what is likely to be a productive area, there is no substitute for time on the ground.

It can be a complicated process to understand why gold is in certain places because very often gold can be a long way away from its original source and productive ground can visually give very little insight in to why the gold is there, some places that will have all the right looks but will not produce anything, and as I have mentioned before the best gold I have found was in areas that you would walk through to get to somewhere else as it looked very plain and uninteresting, I think sometimes the problem can be that we are taught to expect a certain look to the ground like the saying "salt and pepper" but this does not always apply and because we have that in our heads we will actively look in those sorts of places and ignore the plain looking spots that might actually hold the best gold.

The quickest way to get on to gold is to do the leg work, there is no get rich quick method, just get yourself into the areas that have produced gold in the past and you have the best chance of getting onto something and also help to develop your knowledge base.

cheers

stayyerAU

 

[justoverthehill]

That is very true StayyerAU! I was told years ago to search the salt and pepper areas and I would find gold.

When I went out last weekend I hit a fair few salt and pepper spots and it was only on the last day I found a area where other detectors have been with there chaining. But where they had chained was away from the salt and pepper and in the plain looking small ironstone rocks with no quartz at all!

That was the other idea I had also about the gold and ghost book but wasn't sure if it was good anymore since the areas would have been flogged or under active leases

 

[PeterInSa]

Re (other detectors have been with there chaining)

In the past we have found gold in chained areas, in one place it had been chained with chain lines 40cm apart then at right angles then at 45deg in both directions, it must have been a very very good patch when first found.

If well away from our camp I sometimes set a large rock 50m away then detect towards the rock scuffing the ground every 3m with the heel of my boot, get to the rock move it over 1m or so then detect towards the other rock 50m away ( previously offset 1m). The heel marks are good for a few days then the wind camouflages my patch. Can be visited again with a more modern detector years later with possibly none the wiser.

 

[Nightjar]

One method used from the early days until now. Wandering until a piece of gold is found then hook on the chain and circle from the find. If a set run direction is established with extra finds then revert to parallel chaining in that direction.

 

[justoverthehill]

Re (other detectors have been with there chaining)

In the past we have found gold in chained areas, in one place it had been chained with chain lines 40cm apart then at right angles then at 45deg in both directions, it must have been a very very good patch when first found.

If well away from our camp I sometimes set a large rock 50m away then detect towards the rock scuffing the ground every 3m with the heel of my boot, get to the rock move it over 1m or so then detect towards the other rock 50m away ( previously offset 1m). The heel marks are good for a few days then the wind camouflages my patch. Can be visited again with a more modern detector years later with possibly none the wiser.

Hahaha that's actually a good way to hide your gridded area! I noticed the chain marks I found did look old but they were still noticeable and I could see the bare spots where they obviously dug like 10-15 holes so must have been a pretty good spot!

 

[justoverthehill]

One method used from the early days until now. Wandering until a piece of gold is found then hook on the chain and circle from the find. If a set run direction is established with extra finds then revert to parallel chaining in that direction.

Doing that would probably be the best way to find a virgin patch hey?

 

[PeterInSa]

Re (That was the other idea I had also about the gold and ghost book but wasn't sure if it was good anymore since the areas would have been flogged or under active leases)

I think the G an G Books are still worth while especially for a newbie maybe most of the locations are now mine sites but to me its out from the these areas of "patches/patches1" original finds that are worth investigating. Also some of the places he traveled/detected are still off the beaten track and I think are worth investigating.

 

[The geezer]

Well gold is were you find it,read the ground and keep learning and after a time you will start to get some success. Its a kind of apprenticeship that a lot of people love and its a great challenge.

 

[Bush Turkey]

Did the course. Basically tells you to look for gold deposits and drill holes and line them up and pending ground and go for it.
I felt like a bit of a number there in the door and out ching ching ! Some of the staff were nice tho.

 

[justoverthehill]

Did the course. Basically tells you to look for gold deposits and drill holes and line them up and pending ground and go for it.
I felt like a bit of a number there in the door and out ching ching ! Some of the staff were nice tho.

Hey Bushchook how long did the course run for?

 

[Bush Turkey]

About 4 hours by memory

 

[Goldtalk Leonora]

Thanks Goldtalk

Where do you teach your course?

After having a look on the weekend but having no luck due to not enough time you quickly realise just how much ground there is to cover! I really enjoy walking around swinging the coil looking for a bit of gold.
To me its relaxing and I've managed to find interesting things while I'm out there like old old graves and old mine shafts that don't show up on Tengraph. Next time I'm out I will put what your telling me to work and walk out around the areas and look for spots where it may have gone.

I have always wondered how people search the area like do they walk around until they find a bit then grid or start gridding from the get go?

I have seen sites on google like that while trying to find out info for gold geology and think do people actually fall for these???

I think it's a fair comment to say that virtually all prospectors take a very random approach to their patch hunting. At times, Lisa and I do as well....but usually only on a day off when we go out for a casual swing by ourselves or with friends. Just going out for a wander around the bush is fraught with problems. Lisa and I have a system we use that is very methodical, very thorough and very boring.....but I assure you it works. Walking around randomly (or bushchooking as I like to call it) will also pay dividends to an extent but will slow you down in the long run. Keep in mind that we find gold for a living and so for us it's a job....coming home with the odd gram is not really an option.

 

[justoverthehill]

Hey Goldtalk Leonora I wouldn't mind if it was very thorough and very boring especially if its bringing in a few ounces!! Pretty sure I found your YouTube channel as well! Got some pretty good vids on it and wish they went for longer!

Bushchook I sent you a email cause I cant message you yet not sure if you have got it or not.

 

[Goldtalk Leonora]

JOTH...I guess thats the point.....we do things 'our way' because it works for us. We have been out in the bush more than most and we are not there for the sunsets.
However, most people here are out there for the sunsets and so it may come down to the simple equation of 'what makes the trip fun'?...being 'work like' may take the fun out for many. It's good asking people how they do things.....learn what you can...then you will find a system that works well for you.

As for the vids....yea....we have a youtube channel.....I know the quality is rubbish...but I don't really care. Lisa and I have never sought to be 'known' and we have no interest in trying to make money from videos! We just wanted to show some of our work we do and that everyone with a miners right can do if they wish. We generally dont show vids of detecting as there are any number of those already up there and we rarely show gold as we dont have that kind of ego.