Anything around Adelaide?

[Diggertom]

Hey guys!

Interested to know if there is anything in the Adelaide region, let's say within a hour or so drive where I would be able to find gems at all?

I believe I may have found some tiny rubies along the torrens river but not sure if they are rubies or not!

Any contribution would be appreciated!

Thanks

Tom

 

[Easyrollin]

Hey man.
I find these same stones in my creek near Mt Pleasant.
Match head sized, deep red coloured stones in the bottom of the pan where the gold should be. Usually maybe one or two in every 3 or 4 pans.
Not sure whether they are rubys, iron contaminated quartz grains or just something else.
Maybe somebody with the knowledge can chime in?

 

[Diggertom]

I'll try and take a photo on my phone, though I might wait till I can get a cheap laser pointer and make a macro lens for my phone!

I get a lot of the more lighter colour, but there are also the dark vibrant red ones which sounds like what your getting.

 

[Lefty]

What's the geology in the area like Diggertom? For rubies or sapphires, there needs to have been volcanic activity at some stage.

Garnets might be a reasonable bet, especially if they are concentrating in the bottom of a gold dish since garnets have a high specific gravity (as do rubies but garnets are heavier again). Dad used to find small garnets in his gold pan when he prospected here in the Gladstone (central Queensland) area. Red zircon even maybe?

 

[Heatho]

They sound like Garnets fellas, post up some pics if you get a chance, should help to ID them.