Gold Associated Pipe Clay.

[dubbles]

Hello all,
I have a question about pipe clay. I know you can find gold in it, but my question is do pipe clay mullock heaps mean its shallow ground, or can the clay go a lot deeper? Also does the gold stop at the pipe clay or can it work its way down over time?

 

[grubstake]

Hopefully this helps you:
https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=451949#p451949

In my experience, pipe clay is typically associated with deeper alluvial diggings and is seldom found in shallow ground.

 

[Goldtarget]

I can only answer anecdotally but in terms of depth once youve gotten the upper layers theres no point going further.

Close to my block they were excavating a dam in an old lead. Plenty of fines to pickers in the first few inches (from the red iron stained through to orange to white) but nothing in the side walls or piles as it went deeper.

Pipeclay is a pretty good gutter trap whether its ancient marine, or younger alluvial, but if in doubt have a dig. In my local once they hit the white stuff the mullocks height stopped. My guess is because the gold did too.

 

[Detrack]

Pipe clay is a common indicators of shallow leads and some good sample ground can be found around Ararat , next time your out that way look in at Parkers Lead on the west side of the range back in the day with the 2100 and 8" coil we would pick up heaps in the pipe clay digging.
Gold found is nicely polished. :skull: