So I found a bit of gold....now what?

go and collect a million of them, and break them up, and you may have enough for a bag of chips :P

or go hire a metal detector.

Any ideas?
Yep tell us all where it is and we can all have a bag of chips.Super size me.

Ummmmmm.........Keep quiet about it.

Try contacting APLA (Amalgamated Prospectors and Leaseholders Association) and they should be able to point you in the right direction.

Yep, apparently where quartz and iron occur together it is quite common to find Gold also.

That came from a gold fossicker up at Emerald.

So it might be worth a little trip with a metal detector, you never know. Actually it has been a long held desire of mine to stub me toe on a lump of gold too big to carry home. I imagine myself sitting on it and sending the missus back for the truck. There again she'd probably prang it.

Sorry 'ol Chump, sounds like it's "Fools Gold" (iron pyrite or muscovite mica).
Still, you can get it checked ....... just to make sure.

Rob

Chump Boy

Which state are you in ? I realise your find is very small as outlined in other replies but the following is legislation in QLD - not sure about other states.

In QLD, unless you hold the correct fossikers licence (which are usually for small gazetted areas only) or are the holder of a fuill blown exploration permit (EPM), then all minerals belong to the state regardless of whether found on private or public land. If you found it on ground that is held by another exploration permit holder they actually have right to it and by removing it you are stealing it. EPM's are often held over state land like state forests

Hi Chump_boy,

I reckon that the very first thing to do is to make sure that it is gold.

Having done that, and it is indeed gold of good quality, you need to send me a mm detailing exactly where this was found.

I will then go and check that it is safe for you to continue to prospect.

Should I fail to contact you within a week or two then you can be sure that your find was a good one............

Cheers
Michael

There is plenty out there to be found.

If you scavenge arround the old mines out at Hillend, you will find plenty of bits of quartz with tiny ammounts in them.

It pays to know what your looking for although it stands out like the proverbial dogs when u are on a good thing...........amazingly beautiful.

I have quite a few small bits myself, keep em in a bottle on the coffee table.

All my bits might make up a few pin heads but thats about all.

Very pretty never the less.

I had mine confirmed as real gold by the museum at Hillend and apparently it is true that fools gold is far more likely to be found.

Hi Chumpy,

Easiest way to tell if it is gold is it's weight. I have found a few nuggets in my time with the biggest an ounce and a half. I have a few rocks with gold in them and the best way to tell is pick up a rock of similar size and compare the weight.
If u find it is gold then go to a miner's shop (I trust u found it in an area where gold is prolific) and hire a detector and go and have fun....... Get the best detector they have on offer.....ie Minelab. If your "bit" is gold then I am sure there is more of the stuff.......
Depending on which state u are in depends on the rules and regs according to miner's rights. I was fortuanate to get my WA one before they changed it to a yearly renewal. Mine is valid until my ticker gives out.
Good luck and if you do decide to go back the main thing is you are back in the bush camping and having fun..... Who cares if you find anymore it is a wonderful excuse to go back :)

Chump Boy,

Contrary to what you've read here, gold in quartz is quite common. I'm a professional prospector and have found quite a bit over the years. I'm also the former Secretary of APLA (Amalgamated Prospectors and Leaseholders Association) in W.A.

If you want an unbiased opinion and assuming you've already broken it into small pieces and you can send me a small piece of it, you can email me for help at

leslowe@iinet.net.au

As an old hand at this and I can assure you, there are a many ways to skin a cat ;)

I'm not interested in chasing it up myself. I know too many potentail gold bearing places to go chasing someone elses gold.

Bilbo

chump
Dont tell anyone where it is.
get the rock analised.
if the expert asks were you found it, tell them 20km from where you did.
if its gold, hire the best detector you can get and lern how to use it.
go and get all the gold you can get befor some one else will.
and dont tell anyone that you are going out as they might follow you.
and invite us to the party
thanks
lbudgie

Member - Pedro the One (QLD) posted this followup

pertinent to another thread on here ..................

>Dont tell anyone where it is.
>get the rock analised.

Iffen it turns out not to be gold, would that be classed as a bummer ???????????

what ya talkin bout willis??