Recommendationd for where to dig around rubyvale area?

[budgie6000]

Hi guys
I'm mostly through my trip to Cape York, from Perth, and I plan on spending a day or two in the rubyvale area
on the way home to try and find some Sapphires. I've never been to this area before so would really appreciate any tips and recommended locations as I note the area is large.

From my googling I've read much of the wash in this area is really deep so not hand fossickable? The willows might have some shallower stuff?

Note, on the way up we had 2 days at the lava plains field. Spent a good few hours struggling with rock hard red clay but only found 4 very small pieces.

Cheers budgie

 

[Pat Hogen]

The people who find sapphires in the Rubyvale area do not generally tell where they find them other than to mention the common fossicking areas. It is not something that is readily given away. Rifle Range Road is producing some good size yellows.

 

[budgie6000]

Thanks Pat, understand completely. Thanks for the tip about rifle Range road.

 

[Lefty]

Glenalva has shallow wash Budgie. To be honest I've never done real good there but other people have found some pearlers. I've cut stones for other people that came from there and they are quite nice, very light compared to the often dark colours from the main areas of the field.

 

[budgie6000]

Thanks lefty, you're a legend. We'll check it out.

 

[Gilly47]

just left Glenalva and the wash where I was was in the top 300 mm. you have to wash every stone you find as the clay is very sticky. only found a 3.1ct yella and some small chips, got some nice pieces of chalcedony and red jasper as well
arty: arty:

 

[budgie6000]

Hey guys, thanks again for the tips. We've now left sapphire and are heading home to Perth but to provide a quick update. We cheated but found heaps of sapphire and some zircon!

We ended up buying the bags of dirt from the Gemini Caravan Park and Armfest and sieving them. I realise we're not going to strike it rich this way but that was never our intent. The bags provided a good couple of days entertainment, pulling out bombs and small Sapphires, many of which are cuttable so they'll be sent to Thailand when I get home. The rest will go in the tumbler.

I'll try to remember to post some before and after pics when I get a chance.

Cheers budgie