Few questions

I am completely new to gold prospecting and became interested in the profession when acquiring my first piece of gold. Needless to say I want more as the the sub title of this forum suggests yet don't have the money to purchase it so I feel prospecting would be a great way to stay healthy and try and try to find gold at the same time. Now before I start I have a few questions which are:

1. I am under 18 and such will I only need my dad to buy a mining rights permit and I am legally allowed to prospect with him?
2. What tools will I need? I am 50% sure my granddad has a metal detector so hopefully I won't have to buy one but if i do which model would be good to start with?
3. What would be a good area to start with? I am located in Victoria, Beaumaris so a relatively close yet good area for gold prospecting would be nice yet I am willing to travel a little far.
4. How rare is platinum? I know next to nothing about this supposedly really rare substance but has many people been able to find some lately?

Thanks,
Alexander

alexander144 wrote:I am completely new to gold prospecting and became interested in the profession when acquiring my first piece of gold. Needless to say I want more as the the sub title of this forum suggests yet don't have the money to purchase it so I feel prospecting would be a great way to stay healthy and try and try to find gold at the same time. Now before I start I have a few questions which are:

1. I am under 18 and such will I only need my dad to buy a mining rights permit and I am legally allowed to prospect with him?
2. What tools will I need? I am 50% sure my granddad has a metal detector so hopefully I won't have to buy one but if i do which model would be good to start with?
3. What would be a good area to start with? I am located in Victoria, Beaumaris so a relatively close yet good area for gold prospecting would be nice yet I am willing to travel a little far.
4. How rare is platinum? I know next to nothing about this supposedly really rare substance but has many people been able to find some lately?

Thanks,
Alexander

welcom to the forum, i'm not to sure what age you have to have a miners right but you can get a 10 year ticket for $80+... you can email to find out http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/DPI/nrenmp.nsf/displayerror?readform&message=HTTP%20Web%20Server:%20Lotus%20Notes%20Exception%20-%20Entry%20not%20found%20in%20index
you will need a gps so you don't get lost, hand held uhf and even one set up in your car, water, lighter, i always carry water or any other drink with me, and just your normal stuff just in case... you need a pick and a pick holster, a detector if your pop don't have one get what you can foward gp to your gpx your choice, make sure you have car charger and a normal house charger, you should have maps to studdy your spots where you wont to detect so you know where you are going and how to get back out... you can google earth your spots as well, read up on your spots to know how deep and how much gold come out off these spots. it's up to you where to start detecting if the grounds look good and have a good history off gold that's a good start....
i'm not sure on the platinum someone will help you out on that...
cheers
stoppsy

Alexander

These are the rules in WA in relation to your numbered questions

#1 in western aus everybody must have their own miners right and is not covered by any other
persons miners right even parents.

#2 second hand Minelab Extreme

#3 Golden Triangle area,whipstick, nth of bendigo,Tarnagulla,stewart creek,vaughn hills.

#4 it is very rare, mostly found while gold panning,sluicing,dredging

Pete in WA

Alex, all the info you want regarding miners rights are here:
http://new.dpi.vic.gov.au/earth-resources/prospecting-fossicking/faqs

Thanks for the replys

Turns out my grandpa has a bounty hunter tracker IV. I have tested it using my gold and it seems to work pretty well but you guys would probaly know better so let me know what it's like.

Also, should I be using a metal detector or panning?