New Zealand Gold Prospecting & Metal Detecting Forums Archive

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Detecting For Gold

kiwijw		Posted : 15 years ago
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)		Hi Gavin, Hows things? Good effort in getting the topo maps up on line. Sorry I havnt made a coment earlier. I have the papaer maps of all my intersted areas plus google earth is great as well. Have you checked out those sluiced workings I took you to on google earth yet?? Quite impressive. Regards John

gavin		Posted : 15 years ago
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Administrators, Registered Joined: 20/02/2010(UTC) Posts: 1,326 Location: Christchurch Thanks: 736 times Was thanked: 535 time(s) in 287 post(s)		All good here mate - eager to get out and have a play with the detector again. Jealous of you down there having it on your doorstep at the moment ;) Researching possible locations based on tips I picked up having a go with your good self. Yes, added a pin to my Google Earth saved places where those sluiced workings are + a note saying not to go back as you've had it all :P No worries regarding the topo map - just something I put together for my own use originally. Hoping other people find it just as useful! Cheers, Gavin :)
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jase265		Posted : 15 years ago
Rank: Gold Flake Groups: Registered Joined: 2/08/2010(UTC) Posts: 24 Location: newzealand Thanks: 1 times Was thanked: 1 time(s) in 1 post(s)		hi guys , just a question is any one allowed to detect gold on old mine sluicings ? i was allways lead to think that any old mine or sluice workings, was a no go area as of its history.
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gavin		Posted : 15 years ago
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Administrators, Registered Joined: 20/02/2010(UTC) Posts: 1,326 Location: Christchurch Thanks: 736 times Was thanked: 535 time(s) in 287 post(s)		Not sure. But I think the livestock on the site were doing more damage than the little holes dug from detecting (that get filled back in again). Def one to look in to though! Had not occurred to me.
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nzgold		Posted : 15 years ago
Rank: Gold Nugget Groups: Registered Joined: 5/08/2010(UTC) Posts: 97 Location: New Zealand Thanks: 23 times Was thanked: 20 time(s) in 19 post(s)		G'day Jase265, No you probably aren't "technically" meant to, but then again, aren't you creating your own piece of history by digging around in old sluicings? If somebody tried to sluice an area the way the oldtimers used to in todays society, adn left it as a big open hole in the ground, left their tools and tailraces and just moved on, The Greenies would all go ABSOLUTELY BESERK!!! But now theyre trying to protect all these holes. DOC and the rest of the greenies are just a big joke. They are hypocrites with everything when it comes to mining, whether it be detecting, dredging or just simple pan and sluice fossicking.

gavin		Posted : 15 years ago
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Administrators, Registered Joined: 20/02/2010(UTC) Posts: 1,326 Location: Christchurch Thanks: 736 times Was thanked: 535 time(s) in 287 post(s)		Yes, it's quite a difference in change of attitude from the old days to present day. I'm also constantly amazed at how a lot of these old gold mining communities have disapeared with hardly a trace - reclaimed by the bush as if we were never there. Especially on the west coast where it's a bit more verdant.
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jase265		Posted : 15 years ago
Rank: Gold Flake Groups: Registered Joined: 2/08/2010(UTC) Posts: 24 Location: newzealand Thanks: 1 times Was thanked: 1 time(s) in 1 post(s)		ok, thanks guys. i got a bounty hunter tracker iv, had sum fun with it in parks,goes well for entry detector an my first metal detector, ... if anyone knows about these detectors would it find gold?
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kiwijw		Posted : 15 years ago
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)		Hi there Jase & every body, I have a tracker 1V & find it great on the beach as it handles the wet salt sand conditions well. Even the black sands on the beach. This can often be a bad mix, salt & black sands. Tends to over load my other VLF detectors but not the tracker 1V. It would find gold but it would need to be pretty close to the surface, like in exposed bed rock that the old timers have exposed with their ground sluicing. Most, if not all, VLF detectors need the gold to be pretty close to the surface. Even the likes of the gold bug. They can find pretty small gold but it does need to be close to the surface. I have read in the Australian Gold Gem & Treasure mag that guys have had good results with the Tracker 1V on gold. So you never know your luck. You have probably seen X Terra Steves gold that he has found up the Waka. This was with a VLF machine the X Terra 70. Gold found in shallow exposed bed rock. That is the key for finding gold. Shallow exposed bed rock. Smallest bit .05 of a gram & the biggest .98 of a gram NZ GOLD.....Welcome to the site. Maybe we can put past things behind us & move on in a positive direction. Happy hunting JW :)

criticol		Posted : 15 years ago
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 14/05/2010(UTC) Posts: 234 Location: coromandel Thanks: 72 times Was thanked: 66 time(s) in 48 post(s)		Jesus John. Are you a human bulldozer or what? Hope you filled those holes back in. :) Nice gold! Good to see that you dont loose heart.(got the gold bug bad too). Cheers--- Colin.
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kiwijw		Posted : 15 years ago
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)		Hi Colin, You have got to get to the bed rock. That is where the gold is. (as you will know) In the above pics I had got gold at these spots before & for no reason I went back to the same spots & although I was getting no further signals I kept digging into the schist & hit upon more gold. The lesson learnt was that if you get gold off bed rock then the chances are there will be more gold present. Just because you arent getting a signal that doesnt mean there is no more gold, with a bit more digging you will bring the target into range of the coil. I have done this quite a few times now with good results. Yes I always back fill my holes. I am coming back up home early october. Doing a bit of whitebaiting on the West Coast on my way up & a bit of detecting as well of course. Will look you up when I get settled back in at home. Regards John :)

kiwijw		Posted : 15 years ago
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)		Here is some of my latest gold. Big bit is 9 grams total of 12.5 grams. The top 3 were found with the big 24" X 12" mono coil & the rest with the little 6" mono Happy hunting JW :)

criticol		Posted : 15 years ago
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 14/05/2010(UTC) Posts: 234 Location: coromandel Thanks: 72 times Was thanked: 66 time(s) in 48 post(s)		Gooday John. Guess that photo of your small coil was for my benefit. I took note of it,s advertised message! Ha-Ha. Nice one : ) You leaving that good stuff and coming back home? Why? Thats not a bad days wages worth! Cheers and regards---Colin.
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kiwijw		Posted : 15 years ago
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)		Gday Colin, I am heading up home to sell my house & come on back to the REAL gold country. I also have a two storied house to build at Waihi Beach & my wifes wedding video season is about to kick off up home. Found 3 little bits tonight after work. Nothing bigger than half a gram & probably only a gram all up. These were found last week. Just under 4 grams. The biggest just over 1 gram. All found with the coiltek 10" X 5" elliptical mono. Happy hunting JW :)

kiwijw		Posted : 15 years ago
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)		Hi Guys, Well the gold gods have smiled on me yet again. I dont know what it is: But I just keep coming home with the good stuff time after time. Ok it isnt always a lot but I always seem to get at least a bit of colour. I dont know if I am just "in the zone" or mentaly ground balanced or what??? Maybe my GP 3000 is just a freak machine. Went to some old workings today that have been thrashed by every man & his dog. Met a guy there, first time ever I have come across some one else, who was detecting there with a GPX 4500. He was using a 14" nugget finder elliptical mono. Not sure how long he had been there. He probably told me but I cant remember. He took a guess who I was & got it right. MMMmmm guess he has seen my posts & also being in Queenstown....... He hadnt got anything. I wasnt holding much hope myself as I have thrashed the place myself but to date have got over one ounce there. That suprised him as the place has seen probably every gold machine out there over the years. I decided to look in places that I hadnt given much thought to & went real slow with my little favourite joey mono. Places like the side walls & edges of the old tailing races. Well one as it turned out. I didnt get there until about 4pm. He was just leaving as the weather looked a bit dodgy & it started to rain a bit. I had a plastic bag over my control box so wasnt too worried. After we had a bit of a chat the rain stopped & it looked a bit brighter so he decided to stay a bit longer. I had just got my first signal when he walked up to me. When I got back in to it it just turned out to be a bit of crap. He went off a couple of tailing races away & I headed to the edge of one. My next 4 targets were all bits off gold. It was probably about 1.5 hours later & he decided to head off. I asked how he did & he had nothing. He was suprised when I showed him my 4 as he had scanned that area when he first walked in. We said our goodbyes & then I got 3 more bits right where I was standing when he walked off. I was right in the zone....I dont know what it is......Mentaly ground balanced or what But I was just getting piece after piece with no junk targets. Just on dark I got another one & didnt have my head lamp with me. I had left it on the bloody roof of my wagon It was right in the hard schist & not in a crevice & right on the top lip edge of a tailing race that was a good 10 foot drop into the bottom which was full of briar rose. SHYT BAGS....what do I do?? Keep at it & risk it going off the edge & down in to the briar rose bushs & lost for ever or wait until another day......NA go for it.......All went well be it dark by the time I got it out. All up I got 13 pieces for a total of just over 4 grams. Just when you think a place has given all its going to.....13 pieces for the GP 3000 & nothing for the GPX 4500 I usually go to areas where gold has been found before which is usually a safe bet to finding something. Even if it is only a bit of colour. But lately I have gone to areas that arent that well known or not a lot of gold has been found at them. During the last week I went for a bit of a walk to just check out a hunch. It was quite a long walk but I was rewarded. Not a lot but 3 grams. The buzz was that it wasnt a known area for gold so that made it all the sweeter. Went for another walk on saturday & only got in 2 hours actual detecting. I was using my favourite little joey mono & got 5.99 grams. They were all pretty shallow & found way up on a mountain side. Here is a view not far from where I went. Well on sunday I went for a bit more of a walk & got in 4 hours detecting but I struck the jackpot. Total for sunday 26.11 grams. I was using the 24" X 12" UFO mono & it just proves it can find small gold as well & larger bits. Here are three I got all pretty close to each other. The big one is 13.85 grams. Happy hunting JW :) Edited by user 15 years ago \| Reason: Two photos the same

criticol		Posted : 15 years ago
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 14/05/2010(UTC) Posts: 234 Location: coromandel Thanks: 72 times Was thanked: 66 time(s) in 48 post(s)		Hi John. It's real good to see that there are still some, (or at least one!) "TRUE" prospectors out there having a serious go at it, and making it work for themselves. These Quasi seekers who go out with just the hope of falling over gold, without having to put in the hard, (and I mean hard!) yards, are just kidding themselves. Take it from me, you deserve all the success that you get! I wish you the best of Luck! Cheers and Regards---Colin.
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gavin		Posted : 15 years ago
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Administrators, Registered Joined: 20/02/2010(UTC) Posts: 1,326 Location: Christchurch Thanks: 736 times Was thanked: 535 time(s) in 287 post(s)		Hi John, Thanks for providing yet more inspiration - love the photos! I'm currently in the process of making a platform for my truck for the lazy camping option. Aim of getting out a lot this summer looking for some colour! Colin - Must admit... I was one of those expecting to simply fall over gold at the beginning :P Cheers, Gavin
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jase265		Posted : 14 years ago
Rank: Gold Flake Groups: Registered Joined: 2/08/2010(UTC) Posts: 24 Location: newzealand Thanks: 1 times Was thanked: 1 time(s) in 1 post(s)		the garrett AT pro would do well , just as well as a mine lab? in finding gold? whats the better one to have , gold dredge or metal detector?
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GoldenKiwi		Posted : 14 years ago
Rank: Gold Flake Groups: Registered Joined: 24/12/2010(UTC) Posts: 18 Location: Auckland Thanks: 1 times Was thanked: 2 time(s) in 2 post(s)		JW, your a master at your trade mate and one day I hope to be just like you! :) Keep up the good work mate.

kiwijw		Posted : 14 years ago
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)		Hi Jase 265 & Golden Kiwi. Firstly, Jase. I dont believe there is any detector that is as consistantly as good at finding gold than the minelab range of pulse induction detectors. ie, SD, GP, GPX series. Whites Goldmaster & Fisher Gold Bug are very good VLF detectors for tiny gold near the surface but lack any depth. As to your question about Dredge or detector......They are both very different kettles of fish & both have there place. The dredge to clean up in a river & a detector to clean up every where else outside of a river. HINT....there are a lot more places to look for gold outside of rivers than in rivers. If you are seriouis about gold hunting then you will have both. Golden Kiwi, Thanks for your comments. Yes I work bloody hard for the gold I find. Both in detecting, sluice boxing or dredging. No gold is easy. I just got back from 12 days down in Central Otago & spent most of that time detecting for gold on a property that I had the land owners permission to detect on. It has no claim over it & my first day on there was that heat wave day where temps were hitting 40 degrees. I was using a nugget finder 12" X 7" mono coil & got 14 bits for a total of 6.96 grams. The next day I put on the coiltek 24" X 12" mono coil known as the UFO coil. only managed 2 bits with that a 1.37 gram bit & a .68. I then wacked on the little coiltek 6" mono & got 3 bits a 1.09, .23 & a .12 for a total of 3.48 grams for the 2nd day. On the 3rd day I used the UFO coil again in a different spot & got 8 pieces. .85, .35, 1.48, 2.00, 1.38 2.79, .99, & 1.49. I then put on my new minelab commander 12" X 15" mono & went over the same ground & got 3 more bits. .73, .66, & 1.30 for a total of 14.05 grams for the 3rd day. The next day, my 5th, I went to a totaly new spot & actually detected the exposed bed rock in a river using the little coiltek 6" mono coil. I got 8 pieces for a total of only 1.98 grams the two smallest bits were .06 & .07 of a gram. That is pretty small. I carried on in that river the next day & got 16 bits for a total of 3.46 grams. The smallest being .09. On the 6th day I went back to my first spot & using the niggetfinder 12" X 7" mono got m2 bits. An 8.5 gram nugget. Ye Ha & a .57. I then put on the little coiltek 10" X 5" mono coil,known as a joey coil. I went in amongst some old workings & got 3 little bits. .23, .07, & .20. Total for that day 9.46 grams. My 7th & last day I went back to the river with the little 6" mono & got 3 small bits. .23, .06, & .16 for a total of .48 grams. All up I got 41 grams which is better than a poke in the eye with a blunt stick. I will get some pics up later as my camera has packed a sad. Happy hunting JW :)

stressless		Posted : 14 years ago
Rank: Gold Flake Groups: Registered Joined: 28/01/2011(UTC) Posts: 11 Location: Waihi Thanks: 3 times Was thanked: 1 time(s) in 1 post(s)		Awesome well done !!

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