Detecting the Flats beside workings

[Goldfield Joe]

Hi all, I would be interested to have your thoughts on detecting the flats beside old workings. I have noticed that where there is a run of shallow diggings following the old watercourse or in a shallow gully that there are sometimes large flats on each side where the ground is shallow as well. Often if I test dig, it's not far down I hit gravel. Are these places worth dectecting with a large coil I wonder? Or were they left alone for good reason? Obviously the gold was concentrated to the old watercourse and was richest there.

Has anyone had luck with finding pieces on a flatter area beside the original workings? Damn I should have taken a photo. Perhaps if I can edit this post later I will upload an image to show what I mean...

 

[grubstake]

Hi all, I would be interested to have your thoughts on detecting the flats beside old workings. I have noticed that where there is a run of shallow diggings following the old watercourse or in a shallow gully that there are sometimes large flats on each side where the ground is shallow as well. Often if I test dig, it's not far down I hit gravel. Are these places worth dectecting with a large coil I wonder? Or were they left alone for good reason? Obviously the gold was concentrated to the old watercourse and was richest there.

Has anyone had luck with finding pieces on a flatter area beside the original workings? Damn I should have taken a photo. Perhaps if I can edit this post later I will upload an image to show what I mean...

In my personal experience, such areas are well worth detecting in the Golden Triangle, particularly if there are indications of surfacing anywhere along the fringes of shallow gully workings. It appears that not all the gold made it into the worked gullies, especially as these go upstream and become more shallow towards whatever was the source.

The oldtimers put most of their effort into what was payable ground for them and the scattered nuggets that can be a jackpot for a patient metal detectorist, simply weren't worth the cost and effort of digging all the barren ground between them.

Others here will know the Kingower area better than my 40 year-old recollection, but wasn't the Hand of Faith found in just such a location?

 

[Mr Tee]

Swing slow and get the disc real low. Have to be patient.
As Grubstake said, definitely worth a go.

 

[Goldfield Joe]

Thanks fellas, I was talking to the blokes in at Coiltek today and they know the area I mean and have found gold there. They said they know gold has been found on the flats so I will definitely put a bit of time in and see if I can get some. Looks like it's time to dust off the NF 16" and whack it on!