Research

[ShaneC]

A question / thought about research.
I feel it's a loose term thrown around alot on prospecting forums and the like. When people ask where's a good spot to hunt there will always be someone who will answer with....you need to do your "research". Now I think it's a great and true answer but research itself is only valuable when you know "what" to research.
Case in point I use the trilobite (Australian geology travel app) plus Brad Hughes's maps on Gold Hunters Victoria. Both these apps are very similar in what they show as in shallow leads / workings, old mines and topography, and are very detailed.
I have been to quite a few locations where there are shallow workings and old mines a plenty but am yet to find Gold on at least >95% of time i go out (on average 2 times a week for approx 4-6hrs each time). Now I feel i do my fair share of foot slogging, wading through blogs / forums, YouTube and plain old swinging the detector. I have also been along to lessons in the field.....but still the whole time i question...Am I researching correctly? Am I looking at the correct ground and indicators? Am I over thinking it? Am I thinking too far out of the box? Where should I be looking?
Anyway just my thoughts on research. Does anyone have any thoughts on their research they want to share?

P.S......I still absolutely love this hobby and will continue to persist. I also have a lesson next week with Andrew Bales to learn some geology... yes more research.
?Cheers

 

[Mackka]

Welcome mate.
I can only speak for myself, an old fart. To me , my research, prior to computers, google and the rest, was spent looking at Parish Maps, topographic maps etc and reading books. I would have a chat to a few blokes for any of their suggestions on my thoughts.
I know that no help to you, however, the principals of research are the same except you now have the world open to you.
Best Wishes
Mackka

 

[Gem in I]

The main research for me is am i allowed to be where i am and just go without overthinking it.

I have found gold >95% of time but by no means am i bragging it is >95% under a gram :lol:

The last couple of years have been 12 hour drives or double that, 1-2 week stints at a time maybe 4-6 times a year. (ppfftt 3 times last year).

They are historical gold locations (minimal research) and seem remote but are more like popular tourist destinations for prospectors.

The most research/observation i do is when i find some then i observe the ground, gold and terrain.

 

[Goldtalk Leonora]

G'day SHaneC....I can only talk about WA....I never have and never will prospect in the East.

Having said that,research is a funny thing. I reckon there are a number of things that need to drop into place...dumb arse luck.....research....the right method of working the ground and dumb arse luck. What I can say from spending many thousands of hours detecting and chasing gold for a living is that all the research that I have done (and it is considerable) it has NEVER put me onto gold EXACTLY. By that I mean, it will take me to areas that I might not of prospected otherwise but it is almost never the case (for me anyway) that I get an 'X' marks the spot....but it is more common than not that it puts me in a good area and other factors (like dumb arse luck and/or a good work method) put me onto gold.

Having said all that...the WA Goldfields are massive. So your choice is to do your research...make decisions....and work for your gold or, like the majority do, follow others...pump others for information....go to random pending ground and hope for the best. The latter will actually work as well....as long as your happy with 2/5ths of bugger all.....and many are.

If you want to find good gold in WA then learning the ropes(including research) is vital.....and of course dumb arse luck.

Hope that helps somewhat.

 

[grubstake]

There's two absolutely phenomenal research resources available free, right here on PA:

Loamer's excellent thread, What to Look For on the Goldfields (New to Prospecting):
https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=2042

Minelab Gold's very informative thread, 12 Weeks to Find First Gold (Persistence Pays):
https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=19429

There's plenty more good stuff on the forum of course, but those two classics really are special for helping people get up to speed in the search for gold and both will repay careful study.

In my experience, modern maps are useful just for navigation purposes; it's the details in the old-time ones where the true value lies. Back in the day (early '80's), I met a bloke who'd noticed the notation "Nuggets" in tiny print on an ancient Golden Triangle map, so he went to the location with his detector and walked straight on to a patch! In the 125 years since the map was published, apparently everybody else had been so concerned with the big picture that they'd overlooked the treasure in the details. :goldnugget:

 

[StoneTheCrows]

Trove can turn up some interesting things as well

 

[ShaneC]

Thank you everyone for replying and sharing your experiences and wisdom.
erfect:

 

[Goldtarget]

If you have boots on the ground regularly, maybe there is something missing, and it might not be research.

A mate of mine got a zed recently and rang me up complaining he hadnt found gold, only rusty tin, buttons, lead etc. Turns out he was looking for the golden spot that noone had ever been to that was trash free. Ultimately its a pipe dream. Driving place to place across the GT.

Most of the places the new chum is going to find gold is the exact places where gold had already been found. The point Im trying to make is theres detecting and theres swinging. By the sounds of things you have time to be methodical, to set your machine to the ground and gold type, and to be meticulous.

Some areas the gold is harder to win than others, that is for sure (Reef Hills for example), and even in the same area it can be variable.

Good luck mate :Y: if you havent been discouraged yet, your persistance will pay off.

 

[Deepseeker]

looking for the golden spot that noone had ever been to that was trash free. Ultimately its a pipe dream.

So true, OldGT. And a couple of times I've even found that rusty old piece of pipe :lol:

 

[Goldtalk Leonora]

If you have boots on the ground regularly, maybe there is something missing, and it might not be research.

A mate of mine got a zed recently and rang me up complaining he hadnt found gold, only rusty tin, buttons, lead etc. noone had ever been to that wTurns out he was looking for the golden spot that as trash free. Ultimately its a pipe dream. Driving place to place across the GT.

Most of the places the new chum is going to find gold is the exact places where gold had already been found. The point Im trying to make is theres detecting and theres swinging. By the sounds of things you have time to be methodical, to set your machine to the ground and gold type, and to be meticulous.

Some areas the gold is harder to win than others, that is for sure (Reef Hills for example), and even in the same area it can be variable.

Good luck mate :Y: if you havent been discouraged yet, your persistance will pay off.

I was thinking about that very point OldGT....going by my chats with Victorian prospectors, there seems to be no 'new' ground for you explore ( happy to be corrected)....so if it's a case of just re-working old ground then what part does research play???

Hmmm....the answer is simple ShaneC....get over to the West where there are countless thousands of kilometres that have never even seen a metal detector!!

 

[ShaneC]

If you have boots on the ground regularly, maybe there is something missing, and it might not be research.

A mate of mine got a zed recently and rang me up complaining he hadnt found gold, only rusty tin, buttons, lead etc. Turns out he was looking for the golden spot that noone had ever been to that was trash free. Ultimately its a pipe dream. Driving place to place across the GT.

Most of the places the new chum is going to find gold is the exact places where gold had already been found. The point Im trying to make is theres detecting and theres swinging. By the sounds of things you have time to be methodical, to set your machine to the ground and gold type, and to be meticulous.

Some areas the gold is harder to win than others, that is for sure (Reef Hills for example), and even in the same area it can be variable.

Good luck mate :Y: if you havent been discouraged yet, your persistance will pay off.

OldGT
Sage advice. Many thanks this is what I needed to hear.

Cheers
:Y: