Ok, this thread is not some sort of scam attempt and I will be the first to admit I have never even been able to cover my diesel expenses chasing gold. I do it because I love it and gets me out exploring, camping and learning history. But if money was your motivation and you had little to invest what kind of prospecting would be most profitable ? Gold, Opal, Tin, Silver, Coins, Rings, Golf balls, Bottles, Crystals, Diamonds etc etc etc ?
Make money prospecting
- Thread starter Goldfreak
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Help Support Prospecting Australia:
1) Golf balls ??
2) Coins
3) Everything else
Seems pretty accurate to me
2) Coins
3) Everything else
Seems pretty accurate to me
Hahaha, thought I would throw golf balls in the mix, saw a show once where they had little turf wars over various ponds. Golf ball mafia :lol:Northeast said:1) Golf balls ??
2) Coins
3) Everything else
Seems pretty accurate to me
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I think the beach guys do quite well, doesn't seem fun though.
if your a reef miner and happen to find a shoot of gold then you're doing very well
The beach boys probably have a better chance than the gold diggers, but you've only got to get lucky on the gold once.
Golf ball hunting was a good pocket money getter when I was a kid, these days the roughs are almost cut as short as the greens and kids would rather do gaming.
Checking out around old ruins can be rewarding if you don't mind picking through heaps of trash.
Parks, same same.
Golf ball hunting was a good pocket money getter when I was a kid, these days the roughs are almost cut as short as the greens and kids would rather do gaming.
Checking out around old ruins can be rewarding if you don't mind picking through heaps of trash.
Parks, same same.
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:lol: How to make $100,000 from Prospecting
Start with $200,000 :lol: :lol:
Start with $200,000 :lol: :lol:
Yeah that was always my idea how to make a small fortune from prospecting and that was to start with a much larger fortune......
Moneybox
Philip & Sandra Box
I think it depends on your location. We'd prefer to look for gold but the closest is 1,000 km up the road and nearly 2,000 km to where we prefer to look. We also look for bottles. This time we found a rare one but we still don't know the value. Mrs M displayed it on the treasure hunting site but the administrator removed it saying that she would be inundated with inquiries and offers to purchase. That's what she was hoping for
Some rare bottles can bring thousands of dollars so could eclipse a good nugget that of course is just as rare
If you're prospecting for money you're likely to come home disappointed
If there's such a thing as a rare rock then we have one.
This almost spherical rock will cut like the one on the right. Granite impregnated with hornblende. But once again it may not be worth much in $ value but fun to find, cut and polish.
Some rare bottles can bring thousands of dollars so could eclipse a good nugget that of course is just as rare
If you're prospecting for money you're likely to come home disappointed
If there's such a thing as a rare rock then we have one.
This almost spherical rock will cut like the one on the right. Granite impregnated with hornblende. But once again it may not be worth much in $ value but fun to find, cut and polish.
Beach hunting a few years ago was OK...
Many years of depositors....
Now every many and his dog and unless you hit the right spot at the right time... Say no more.
I can no longer find enough in an hr or 2 to even pay for a coffee
But I do have a permission that pays me $1k a year for 10 cleanups.
Cover costs etc = No
Exercise and get out of the house = Cheaper and more fun than any Gym
Many years of depositors....
Now every many and his dog and unless you hit the right spot at the right time... Say no more.
I can no longer find enough in an hr or 2 to even pay for a coffee
But I do have a permission that pays me $1k a year for 10 cleanups.
Cover costs etc = No
Exercise and get out of the house = Cheaper and more fun than any Gym
That is one unusual Rock there Moneybox... a very nice find... :Y:
LW....
LW....
Jim Rocher over at Bedrock Dreams had some thoughts last year on the more general question of whether it is possible to make a living at small scale prospecting or mining.
"Which brings me to my next point concerning the premise of whether or not you can make a living as a small-scale gold miner here in the Lower 48. What does making a living mean to you, first of all? Does it mean you have no fixed address, no dependents, no bills to pay and simply cruise around to various claims or gold areas mining as you go and sleeping in the bed of your pick up each night? Does it mean you eat cold beans out of cans and minimize your gas expenditures so that you're overhead is also minimized? Does it mean (as an individual) you can work marginal gold ground using a dry washer, sluice box, or highbanker and pull on average a gram or two a day...in season, by the way. Yep, seasons can interfere. The weather is not always gonna cooperate when you need to get the gold. Ma Nature operates on her own terms, not based on yours or your immediate needs, financial or otherwise. You see what I'm getting at here? Sure, you might make a living at small-scale gold mining here in the Lower 48 if you go at it in a similar fashion with little or no overhead, but most of us (probably you as well) have dependents and families and bills and mortgages to pay. So what does making a living at gold mining mean to you? Making two thousand, three thousand, five thousand dollars or more a month by mining worked-out areas or borderline claims with your family on pins and needles never knowing exactly HOW much you'll earn through your small-scale mining activities? If you think you can predict the outcome here and say to yourself I can pay for health insurance for the family, make sure my kids have school clothes and the latest I-Phones, and my wife is happy with her home and new furniture then I'll say this...you ARE delusional. Plain and simple. You are allowing your dreams to impact reality as it is and in the final analysis you're heading for a very rude awakening."
"Listen, I know only too well I really piss people off on this topic because I tend to rain on their grandiose parades by telling them the truth as I KNOW IT based on 36 years of real experience. It's nigh impossible to make a living as a small-scale gold miner here in the Lower 48 these days. Hell, even when virgin ground was still plentiful here and new gold discoveries were waiting around the next bend small-scale mining was a tough proposition. And this was in an era where rules and regulations governing mining activities were essentially non-existent. Interestingly enough, the majority of the e-mails and comments I get regarding this topic come mostly from those with little real field experience as small-scale gold miners and even less overall knowledge. Greenhorns and newbies, many of them. As the Good Lord is my witness, those operating from this premise are the very first to seize on the "making a living" thing and the last to let go of it. You could say they don't know any better and while that's true, the reality of the matter is that most folks don't like being told the truth. They believe what they want to believe, no matter how unrealistic or nonsensical that idea is. Dreams die hard."
http://www.bedrockdreams.com/2016/03/can-i-make-living-gold-mining-revised.html
That said, there are a few professional and semi professional prospectors in Australia, and I've met a few. But it is a very small proportion of the prospecting population, that's for sure!
"Which brings me to my next point concerning the premise of whether or not you can make a living as a small-scale gold miner here in the Lower 48. What does making a living mean to you, first of all? Does it mean you have no fixed address, no dependents, no bills to pay and simply cruise around to various claims or gold areas mining as you go and sleeping in the bed of your pick up each night? Does it mean you eat cold beans out of cans and minimize your gas expenditures so that you're overhead is also minimized? Does it mean (as an individual) you can work marginal gold ground using a dry washer, sluice box, or highbanker and pull on average a gram or two a day...in season, by the way. Yep, seasons can interfere. The weather is not always gonna cooperate when you need to get the gold. Ma Nature operates on her own terms, not based on yours or your immediate needs, financial or otherwise. You see what I'm getting at here? Sure, you might make a living at small-scale gold mining here in the Lower 48 if you go at it in a similar fashion with little or no overhead, but most of us (probably you as well) have dependents and families and bills and mortgages to pay. So what does making a living at gold mining mean to you? Making two thousand, three thousand, five thousand dollars or more a month by mining worked-out areas or borderline claims with your family on pins and needles never knowing exactly HOW much you'll earn through your small-scale mining activities? If you think you can predict the outcome here and say to yourself I can pay for health insurance for the family, make sure my kids have school clothes and the latest I-Phones, and my wife is happy with her home and new furniture then I'll say this...you ARE delusional. Plain and simple. You are allowing your dreams to impact reality as it is and in the final analysis you're heading for a very rude awakening."
"Listen, I know only too well I really piss people off on this topic because I tend to rain on their grandiose parades by telling them the truth as I KNOW IT based on 36 years of real experience. It's nigh impossible to make a living as a small-scale gold miner here in the Lower 48 these days. Hell, even when virgin ground was still plentiful here and new gold discoveries were waiting around the next bend small-scale mining was a tough proposition. And this was in an era where rules and regulations governing mining activities were essentially non-existent. Interestingly enough, the majority of the e-mails and comments I get regarding this topic come mostly from those with little real field experience as small-scale gold miners and even less overall knowledge. Greenhorns and newbies, many of them. As the Good Lord is my witness, those operating from this premise are the very first to seize on the "making a living" thing and the last to let go of it. You could say they don't know any better and while that's true, the reality of the matter is that most folks don't like being told the truth. They believe what they want to believe, no matter how unrealistic or nonsensical that idea is. Dreams die hard."
http://www.bedrockdreams.com/2016/03/can-i-make-living-gold-mining-revised.html
That said, there are a few professional and semi professional prospectors in Australia, and I've met a few. But it is a very small proportion of the prospecting population, that's for sure!
dam it said:
Definition of a prospector..
Loads $10,000 worth of equipment into a $1500 car . drives 1000km for $50 worth of gold lol
I saw that somewhere once and liked it
Too right bazza22110.
I reckon that I've spent upwards of $30k over 6 years on equipment, fuel, car services/repairs, accommodation & meals detecting in the GT and elsewhere.
I even think that estimate of $30k may well be delusional, but I really don't want to know the real figure.
Hell, a recent trip to FNQ cost around $4k (inc tour) for around $700 gold.
Some trips have "paid" off, but the great majority haven't.
I have found around 164g of gold valued at around $9k (have given some away as jewellery to friends, but won't sell the rest). Many (including myself) consider me (and daughter) as a "lucky one".
I come home from each trip (tired but rejuvenated) to a job to earn a real wage to support my family (and mutts) in a lifestyle that they deserve.
I love amateur prospecting, but I'd never expect it to pay my way.
I reckon that I've spent upwards of $30k over 6 years on equipment, fuel, car services/repairs, accommodation & meals detecting in the GT and elsewhere.
I even think that estimate of $30k may well be delusional, but I really don't want to know the real figure.
Hell, a recent trip to FNQ cost around $4k (inc tour) for around $700 gold.
Some trips have "paid" off, but the great majority haven't.
I have found around 164g of gold valued at around $9k (have given some away as jewellery to friends, but won't sell the rest). Many (including myself) consider me (and daughter) as a "lucky one".
I come home from each trip (tired but rejuvenated) to a job to earn a real wage to support my family (and mutts) in a lifestyle that they deserve.
I love amateur prospecting, but I'd never expect it to pay my way.
Goldtarget
(AKA OldGT)
Aussie gold hunters (tv series) gives a reasonable overview on the hardships and the dedication needed to give prospecting a fair dip looking for a pay-off.
Even those with machinery in the GT and WA who have gone through all the hoops to small scale seem to be marginal at best. What I mean is having season after season of good returns on time/effort/cost is simply unrealistic based on what I have seen.
Most of the good news in the prospecting world comes from the very lucky, the very dedicated, and/or thrown a fair chunk of cash to be in the right spot.
As a hobby/pastime/interest there's always a good chance you can get some costs back or pay off some equipment which is great, but as for turning dollars, in 99.9% of cases the better option is taking the hourly rate, especially if you take penalties into account. That's not to say some of the early adopters of the PIs and some of the dredgers didn't do too badly, unfortunately I reckon those days are just distant memories.
Tour guides, detector trainers, detector retailers, they'd be the only ones I know that week after week, year after year get a good return on time put in. If it was a serious dream I think most people would need to split up the year between prospecting and something else that was a surer bet.
To answer the question though I'm not sure there's anything on that list that would a great option. Least skill to greatest return is coins/treasure. Best chance of a good score over time, Gold. Opal miners and gem miners/fossikers appear to fairly marginal and definitely harder than swinging a detector. I do love the romantic tales of opal and sapphire blokes being unassuming millionaires....who knows maybe they do exist.
Even those with machinery in the GT and WA who have gone through all the hoops to small scale seem to be marginal at best. What I mean is having season after season of good returns on time/effort/cost is simply unrealistic based on what I have seen.
Most of the good news in the prospecting world comes from the very lucky, the very dedicated, and/or thrown a fair chunk of cash to be in the right spot.
As a hobby/pastime/interest there's always a good chance you can get some costs back or pay off some equipment which is great, but as for turning dollars, in 99.9% of cases the better option is taking the hourly rate, especially if you take penalties into account. That's not to say some of the early adopters of the PIs and some of the dredgers didn't do too badly, unfortunately I reckon those days are just distant memories.
Tour guides, detector trainers, detector retailers, they'd be the only ones I know that week after week, year after year get a good return on time put in. If it was a serious dream I think most people would need to split up the year between prospecting and something else that was a surer bet.
To answer the question though I'm not sure there's anything on that list that would a great option. Least skill to greatest return is coins/treasure. Best chance of a good score over time, Gold. Opal miners and gem miners/fossikers appear to fairly marginal and definitely harder than swinging a detector. I do love the romantic tales of opal and sapphire blokes being unassuming millionaires....who knows maybe they do exist.
I think, as always, the "store keepers" do OK.
I recall seeing on TV a few years back Divers recovering Golf Balls from Dams in Golf Courses around Melbourne and it was stated they were making $2000 a week doing so.
I don,t think many prospectors would be getting that kind of a return, so Golf Balls is the go! :Y:
I don,t think many prospectors would be getting that kind of a return, so Golf Balls is the go! :Y:
It's a bit like fishing really. Spend big $ on a boat and all the gear you go with it not including the tow vehicle to get a feed of fish and maybe not get a bite.
But if you do it for recreation and fun it's all worth it.
But if you do it for recreation and fun it's all worth it.
Moneybox
Philip & Sandra Box
LoneWolf said:
This is what it looks like in the parent rock. It makes nice table tops for those with enough to buy one. The rock in the previous photo is what's left after the parent rock has eroded and released it.
Sorry it doesn't quite fit with this thread......
