New Zealand Gold Prospecting & Metal Detecting Forums Archive

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Loaction map of old tailings sites around nz

NuggetHead		Posted : Friday, 15 June 2012 9:21:24 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Nugget Groups: Registered Joined: 19/10/2011(UTC) Posts: 42 Thanks: 11 times Was thanked: 19 time(s) in 11 post(s)		Hi all, I would like to know if there is an easy or quick way to understand the location of old Tailing sites around the country and if any of them are in public fossicking areas. Is there a map or the likes that shows the location of this type of thing? Does the gov. have this kind of detail? Does anyone know? Any advice is muchly appreciated. Cheers NH

kiwijw		Posted : Saturday, 16 June 2012 11:16:16 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 28/03/2010(UTC) Posts: 1,152 Thanks: 92 times Was thanked: 658 time(s) in 324 post(s)		Google Earth. JW :)

simon		Posted : Saturday, 16 June 2012 11:51:21 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 7/01/2011(UTC) Posts: 789 Location: Central Otago Thanks: 33 times Was thanked: 239 time(s) in 150 post(s)		as jw pointed out google earth is it. unfortunately gold sites aren't exactly near big cities usually thus the quality of the imagery is sometimes a bit average for some locations. also have a look at other web tools. there's the topomap on the forum that might gives some clues where to looks via the old ' mine' symbols. the christchurch earthquake site is good also. basically just google maps but with many faults shown in red (for land) and blue (undersea). http://www.canterburyquakelive.co.nz/ and the wams site is good to see where public access may be, what is crown land, conservation land etc. http://wams.org.nz/wams/ as far as where tailings sites are everywhere. anywhere there were gold workings. i'd say each public gold fossicking site would have tailings to some degree. one of the best examples is the herringbone tailings near bendigo in central otago. if you look at google maps you can prob see them! the bannockburn sluicings will probably have a bit of info online also. not exactly stacked tailing. but some huge workings inc. a giant sludge channel. it's a doc site so all are free to wander over the tracks and look tunnels, holding dams, etc.
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NuggetHead		Posted : Monday, 18 June 2012 12:37:41 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Nugget Groups: Registered Joined: 19/10/2011(UTC) Posts: 42 Thanks: 11 times Was thanked: 19 time(s) in 11 post(s)		Cool, thanks you guys. I was hoping for a 'Fast-Freddy' type of approch, but then we aren't we always. All good, I will just keep digging and recording the information I find. Leg work is the bread and butter in this game to be sure. I tell you what, as soon as I have consolidated my findings, I will let you guys know. I am willing to share. I have plenty of Info already, GPS Cord's, Mine or Dredge (or both in some cases), what dredging machine was there (if applic), when it was in operation, Crown land and/or Private land, Iwi involvement etc..... Taken ages I tell you! I read the post from Willy re the Crown Min act update and agree with LepreSean and Simon, Common sense and a nose for good or not is key. I have found recently, that if you ask, you are ok, even people have let me explore and try their claims... ofcourse, hand tools only ;P

simon		Posted : Monday, 18 June 2012 12:08:01 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 7/01/2011(UTC) Posts: 789 Location: Central Otago Thanks: 33 times Was thanked: 239 time(s) in 150 post(s)		nuggethead, you would be surprised at how little your local govt body knows about heritage and sites within it's boundaries. in the old days i guess people died off and sites became overgrown with introduced species, and now they are forgotten about. i've learnt of heaps of places just by talking to people. for instance one old lady told me of some caves (miners tunnels) she used to play in when she was a kid. these were so close to a populated area it was unbelievable they are not known. it's always a struggle to figure out what to do when you find something. i have had several dilemmas with sites and objects. it's all a question of who to tell. tell no one and the site will not be enjoyed and may soon be gone. tell everyone and they may destroy the site. tell the wrong person and get yourself in trouble if you find something and remove it (even tho no one would possibly see said object again otherwise anyway). part of the excitement is researching it all i guess too. and some sites have sources of old bottles which seems to draw the collectors. finding intact bottles around here (most get smashed on the rocks when thrown over the bank) is rarer than finding a gold nugget. i've got so many places i want to walk into that i need a break in the weather. once summer starts i can't seem to get away from work and being in the water. good luck with it all.
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