Which Side Will Gold Shed?

[mardymoose]

This as a question l have asked quite a few prospectors and depending who you speak to, depends what answer you get
If you answer could you please state why you think gold sheds to that side
There probably is no right or wrong answer, however having said that have found most of my gold shedding to the east, cant even give an explanation as to why
Look forward to the answers

 

[BigWave]

Mardy, I assume you're talking of the GT where most of the reefs run North/South?

 

[old hand]

A old prospecting friend of mine who is no longer with us said the gold shed on the sunny side of the hill regards john

 

[The Green Wanderer]

Theres no simple or definitive answer to that, it all depends on the ground your on. The local geology and the way it has formed. Alot is research on a specific place and then a bit of luck as well.

Here in nth qld alot of the faults run northeast to southwest roughly so the majority of gold bearing rivers and creeks drain westerly. Having said that there are some east draining rivers that also bear gold as well as some that drain northerly before turning east.

Since prospecting is not a precise art everything is open to many variables and the best info is what has been found and relates to your immediate area of interest.
All comes back to the old mantra "gold is where you find it." But dont forget where gold isnt is also important to the search.

Goodluck,
TGW.

 

[mardymoose]

Sorry didnt elaborate a litttle more on location
Yes big wave, as if you didnt know l was talking about the gt in Victoria

 

[davent]

Local bloke I know reckons that the detectable gold in the top end, is usually on the crests of the folds. Dosnt matter what side the majority sheds if its too deep to get to.

 

[mbasko]

A old prospecting friend of mine who is no longer with us said the gold shed on the sunny side of the hill regards john

:lol: good one

Look at the area & you should/could see where elluvial movement is occuring i.e. where material is being eroded downslope by wind, rain etc. This will be likely where most gold is shedding or being moved downwards but may not be where it all is. Don't forget landforms change over time & where an apparent area of shedding or downward movement is now might not be where it was always.
Gold can even be found above the reef line. How did gravity do that?

 

[Old Fred]

Whatever direction is downhill the gold will travel .Even uphill if there enough water pushing it .Gold breaks away from its host rock because of erosion .heat .water pressure ,or roots growing .The old timers up north recond u work the nth side of reefs but i all ways go downhill

 

[casper]

Local bloke I know reckons that the detectable gold in the top end, is usually on the crests of the folds. Dosnt matter what side the majority sheds if its too deep to get to.

good advice (esp for Victoria).....the crests of the folds are known geologicaly as anticlines.

casper

 

[Dignit]

It is my understanding that surface gold has disassociated through weathering effects from veins of solidified liquid which has gold in it (amongst other minerals) and typically SiO2 (Quartz). Millions and millions of years ago the gold was dissolved in fluids deep in the earths crust and under the intense pressure of the earth above it was forced up through weak points i.e cracks in the earth. If you can imagine a tree being inverted and the canopy of all the branches being the cracks in the ground where the liquid was forced up. As the liquid rose and cooled it solidified and gold solidified in the Quartz. In the Vic GT there was an East West compression of the ground which caused North South running cracks and folds which were the least path of resistance for pressurised liquids to rise up. In some cases the North South running veins of solidified Quartz/gold ended up on top of hills, known as a saddle reefs. These main veins also had off shoots called Spurs which branched out in different directions subject to inherent weakness in the earth. As these hills eroded over the years the Quartz eroded and gold broke free from the Quartz. So the gold sheds down from those main veins but also the Spurs. So I would expect gold all around a hill subject to where the main reef and Spurs are and relative to main sources of erosion. For example if further movement of the earths crust caused two hills with a reef running through them both and a river/creek formed cutting the vein the river/creek would be an extra source of erosion which could create a source of free gold. I'm no geologist but have tried to understand this phenomenon so that I look for the best place to detect. To me you should be looking for signs of exposed reef, any where around a hill, and detect down hill from it. It is the opposite to what the old timers use to do after exhausting alluvial gold. They use to loam up hill from the alluvial diggings to find the Quartz vein source. I'm more than happy for anyone to correct me, as I am still learning and trying to get my head around it.
Cheers

 

[Norvic]

After 30 plus years, I`m still in the dark, although in summer is always on the sunny side..............bloody hot.

 

[GaryO]

Gold Usually sheds on the opposite side of where im detecting

 

[mbasko]

Gold Usually sheds on the opposite side of where im detecting

Oh well if we ever catch up for a swing we'll both be on the wrong side of the hill then Gaz :lol:

 

[Ramjet]

When I saw the topic the first thing I thought of was the old joke... If a rooster lays an egg on the peak of a roof, which side will it roll off? :lol:

 

[kawman]

dunno,, but the chicken that walks funny lays the biggest eggs.. my wife says so...

 

[BigWave]

If a rooster could carry a hen's egg and lay it on the peak of a roof (can't imagine why), then it could obviously roll both ways. Same if a hen laid her egg in the same spot. It's a weird concept and some seriously deranged poultry you're talking there!.
In general (in the Vic GT), if a gold bearing reef dips to the East, then it will have shed to the West (and vice versa).
Congrats on Layla by the way Poppy RJ.

 

[Ramjet]

That is the whole point of the joke... roosters don't lay eggs. I know it's a primary school joke.

 

[lostnfound]

It is my understanding that surface gold has disassociated through weathering effects from veins of solidified liquid which has gold in it (amongst other minerals) and typically SiO2 (Quartz). Millions and millions of years ago the gold was dissolved in fluids deep in the earths crust and under the intense pressure of the earth above it was forced up through weak points i.e cracks in the earth. If you can imagine a tree being inverted and the canopy of all the branches being the cracks in the ground where the liquid was forced up. As the liquid rose and cooled it solidified and gold solidified in the Quartz. In the Vic GT there was an East West compression of the ground which caused North South running cracks and folds which were the least path of resistance for pressurised liquids to rise up. In some cases the North South running veins of solidified Quartz/gold ended up on top of hills, known as a saddle reefs. These main veins also had off shoots called Spurs which branched out in different directions subject to inherent weakness in the earth. As these hills eroded over the years the Quartz eroded and gold broke free from the Quartz. So the gold sheds down from those main veins but also the Spurs. So I would expect gold all around a hill subject to where the main reef and Spurs are and relative to main sources of erosion. For example if further movement of the earths crust caused two hills with a reef running through them both and a river/creek formed cutting the vein the river/creek would be an extra source of erosion which could create a source of free gold. I'm no geologist but have tried to understand this phenomenon so that I look for the best place to detect. To me you should be looking for signs of exposed reef, any where around a hill, and detect down hill from it. It is the opposite to what the old timers use to do after exhausting alluvial gold. They use to loam up hill from the alluvial diggings to find the Quartz vein source. I'm more than happy for anyone to correct me, as I am still learning and trying to get my head around it.
Cheers

While this post is a bit old now- is there any better information? I just seem able to find shot and bullets, but not gold.

 

[RM Outback]

To answer your question in short LF the answer is NO. Dig'n-it's explanation is well worded and the best text type answer you'll get according to science and studies through exploration and mining. Pretty much all the answers to the main question are relevant hence there's no one specific answer. I see your using a 4500 what areas are you working to give us some idea so people can offer you advice. I'm not an expert by any means still learning and I doubt that'll change any time soon I've never used a 4500 but do use a 5k and 2300. Are you a member of any club if not it's a good way to start out and gives you the benefits of meeting like minded people and speeding up your learning process.

 

[user 4386]

Well...it ALWAYS sheds downhill or downstream so is primarily a question of gravity and topography. The question is more "WHERE has it shed from". If gold is uphill of the reef you are looking at, for example, it will usually be because it shed from a reef you don't know about yet (farther up the hill), or one long eroded away, or from old river gravels with gold that are uphill of you (common). I have never seen an example where I could not see a pretty obvious reasonable explanation..... Certainly there is no "golden" rule (however in the GT most reefs strike north-south, as do many hills, so shedding east and west is most common.

Don't complicate your life......