Mounds above the mines

Hiya all,
I know this may be a little left feild but with old mines you always see mounds surrounding them....
Are these the tailings pile ????
Have always thought of taking a recirc highbanker to give some down in Marble bar a flogging.... If i am allowed that is...
TIA

Only if the diggings were shallow. If they were deep it will be spoil ,if you think about it! When you get to a very rich area there will be no collars around the shafts as all the material was taken to the water to be washed or it was all washed back into the holes when the rains came !

Hi Ark
they might have done that in Vic or NSW but its a different ball game here in the west coz of the lack of water.
everything or the vast majority was dry blown and the vast majority was not crushed if they couldn't see visible gold, this is the reason that a lot of the mullock heaps surrounding these shafts are still rich in fine gold..next time take home a 20L bucket of the spoil and crush it down and see for yaself..

We have proved this on many occasion in the Pilbara.

Don't forget that gold was worth about $30 per oz in their day and they relied on digging visible gold--once they couldn't see it they stopped digging,
then we come along with detectors including the GB2 and u have a new sense of life and well being perpetuating from the realms of adversity...

regards
oneday69

As ya said I'm in Vic ! And what I posted is applicable to the eastern states but as you have pointed out lack of water plus the local geology will determine the plan of attack on a particular area. All gold fields are different and can contain dramatic changes even within the particular goldfields influence !
I don't encourage taking soil material home as it is illegal to do that in Vic ! You can imagine the amount of damage to areas if everyone who now fossicks in Vic, and that number has exploded in recent times , so it is worth taking the time to learn some simple geology and apply that to the type of spoil that is in the collars around these shafts .

Both very valid points... Cheers for that..
Might have to have a good look around them next time im out that way although i am sure they have been flogged by the squillions of visitors/detectorists to the area...
Might just have to dig some and pan it out into a large bucket and just see if there's any fines it....
Maybe go too the mines office whilst there and get some info...
I am pretty sure that almost all would have been waving a detector so maybe a little wet plant will in find some!!Plus i had heard of gold being found around
Does anyone know of how to get a complete history of marble bar..... I find the place fascinating !

Grumpybunz wrote:Both very valid points... Cheers for that..
Might have to have a good look around them next time im out that way although i am sure they have been flogged by the squillions of visitors/detectorists to the area...
Might just have to dig some and pan it out into a large bucket and just see if there's any fines it....
Maybe go too the mines office whilst there and get some info...
I am pretty sure that almost all would have been waving a detector so maybe a little wet plant will in find some!!Plus i had heard of gold being found around
Does anyone know of how to get a complete history of marble bar..... I find the place fascinating !

Hey mate,
Ive got a book"cossack gold" you can borrow, its all about the history of the Pilbara goldfields- I cant remember how much specifically relates to Marble Bar but im sure youll find it interesting. Also I know where there are some old diggings with piles of spoil that may be worth looking at and a fair bit closer to home than Marble Bar aswell. Send us a PM mate.

To the Bar bonded : a history of early Marble Bar / Kathleen Mallett
http://www.gould.com.au/To-the-Bar-Bonded-p/hes124.htm

Gold dust and iron mountains : Marble Bar & beyond : the story of the Eastern Pilbara / by Hugh Edwards
http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/24906410?versionId=30047869

Both appear hard to get? Maybe a WA Library may have them?

G'day Fellas, don't forget that all libraries have an 'Inter-library Loans option' and that any one can legally copy 10% without prosecution, at a Time, and tomorrow is another Time, and the day after....