gold ground

Hi all .
What do you look for when you are hunting for gold ?
I mean is there any tell tale signs like rock formation , ground formation etc ?
Thanks

Hi Zacc,there are things to look for but its all different in different areas.make sure first up you are in gold bearing country.then look for old workings and see what the country looks like around them.i dont know where you detect but i look for salt and pepper(quartz and ironstone).also ironstone outcrops,coffeerock and also look for vegetation that seem to grow in areas of gold.Blackbutt for one around the kal/coolgardie area,further north we call a tree our money tree because we more often than notfind gold in close proximity.its all about putting the time in,research, use your eyes .when guys are talking gold put your mouth in neutral and your ears on high sensitivity,dont know if that helps much but im sure others will help.

Their are some excellent books out there that you might be able to access, either by your local library or by purchasing yourself.
Some of them are books written by experienced Detector operators like Doug Stone, the Prospectors' Guide by the Government (an updated one has been released in the last couple of years), an excellent one written by Tom & Neil Bennett called The Golden Ointment Booklet.
Then there are a heap of excellent maps you might be able to discover. For the Golden triangle area in Victoria for example Doug Stone's Gold & Relics maps and also John Tully detailed maps of the Golden Triangle areas.
Excellent instructional DVD's from the likes of knowledgeable fellas like Jonathon Porter and Jack Lange.
Magazines like the Gold Gem & Treasure monthly mag.
You can also access instructional tours by people in the industry. If you are able to visit a shop that caters for Gold detecting they should be able to point you to some useful information and not forgetting organizations like the Prospectors and Miners Association and local Prospecting Clubs.

It is like everything the more you study / practice the better you become at it.

P.s. and not forgetting this forum, a lot of very experienced prospectors who are willing to write from years of experience and knowledge post messages here.
There is a wealth of information out there.
regards CB.

Also Zacc - have a good read through the Gold and it Properties section. A lot has been put on there to tell the readers where to look

Jeff

Hi Zacc.

For any beginner or pro,a good place start would be to search around areas where previous gold mining activity has occurred.Check for signs of old surfaceings,rock stackings shafts etc.and work in and around this type of ground.Here in Victoria,we have a saying,Look for the Salt and Pepper signs ie,Quartz,Ironstone and slate.Now these three ingredients might be the key to gold occurrences,but that alone does not guarantee you gold, nor the type of gold to be found in the vicinity.Last but not least, make shore that the gold your after,is within detector reach and big enough to be detectable.

Happy Hunting.