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West Coast rivers
kaka  
Posted : Tuesday, 6 January 2015 9:24:27 AM(UTC)
kaka

Rank: Gold Flake

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Joined: 6/10/2011(UTC)
Posts: 17
Location: New Zealand

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Just returned from the west Coast and I was hoping someone might be able to give me some advice. I noticed that many of the rivers-eg the Waiho have quite large boulders around half a metre plus along their margins with a little sand and a some smaller stones in between. Some colour can be had from the sand and small stones and generally a sluice is not really practicable because the water is fast flowing with a reasonably steep drop off down the bank. Is there any technique other than panning the sand as those boulders are too heavy to shift easily and it is not easy to dig down between them?
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fastangler  
Posted : Friday, 9 January 2015 9:38:57 PM(UTC)
fastangler

Rank: Gold Nugget

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Joined: 1/10/2010(UTC)
Posts: 37
Location: christchurch

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Was thanked: 14 time(s) in 9 post(s)
hey mate


im not familiar with the river
but it sounds like you need a pinch bar and a big crow bar to do anything at that point in the river
you could still do it with a shovel, it would just be a bastard.

but unless you've found a concentrate of those colours i would continue upsream or to a tibutary thats bearing gold
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