Alluvial gold, thunder eggs and sandstone

[Rockhopper]

Hi all I'm new to this site and I love it so many good forums and information for research. I have been collecting gemstones since I was old enough to walk always out at creeks and in the bush where I feel most at home. This last year I have been really getting into gold prospecting. I can't afford a metal detector so I usually go to creeks or collect rocks and break them up at home. An old prospector told me once that where you find thundereggs you won't find gold? I know you don't usually find gold in places that have coal? So are thunderegg areas a no go? What about sandstone outcrops any gold found in places with the sandstone and creeks that run through sandstone?

 

[AtomRat]

Your best start is to google the area your looking at for gold mining history. If nothings really listed then its possibly not there in an amount worth looking for. Australias spread out with various deposits, some relate to others which is what we use to chase what we are looking for. Creeks are a great start being alluvial deposits that the rain and flows have sent downstream into the gullies. Gold and gemstones aren't always related, but generally there are more common minerals or metals like garnet, silver, copper, tin, zircon, sapphire, topaz, irons found within golds reach.

If the areas you have been digging don't contain evidence of historic gold diggings or mines ( or you cant locate history about it ) , then if you want to find some, get a book, map, info online which will show you to your closest goldfield wherever you may be to start looking. It may be 5 hours away, it may be 10 mins away. If you'd like to share a rough location where you are from I've got a couple of books maps I can use to guide you towards a direction

 

[Rockhopper]

northern rivers nsw in and around and Logan qld in and around inc Mt Tamborine. I have googled and can't find anything there's not really any info on the pimpama mineral deposit either. I have found a few old maps with little pictures of crossed picks on them so that may indicate diggings in those areas? I know of some old mines over north side of Brisbane but I assume that have been detected a lot by brisbanites.

 

[AtomRat]

You live near where I stayed for 6 months when I was 14 and I wish I only knew about what was there back then. From Woodburn to Tweed you will find an assortment of everything like agate, opal, jasper, aragonite etc and the gold may be slightly more inland towards regions around Warwick areas. Silver and fossils with precious gemstones nearby as well. Dont worry about where others have been, there's always something, do some research or buy a couple of books and you will be well on your way

 

[Rockhopper]

Thanks

 

[Rockhopper]

Anyone found anything besides broken sapphires at goonburra camp ground?