:ausflag:Rare octahedral gold crystal

[B.T]

Hello all. I found this little beauty before I busted my toe and was waiting for the pics to come back from processing.
Its only .2 of a gram but is an octahedral gold crystal and the only one of its type I have found in my 16 years of gold detecting.
It was only about an inch deep and was found with the "X Terminator 70" Prospecting mode, auto tracking, sens wound up to 30.
The other picture is where I found it.

 

[utmike]

Sure makes you wonder what else that spot you're working may be hiding. You have to wonder how far away from it's source that little guy is. Nice find!

 

[Mick in Dubbo]

Nice find BT. I sure hope that this is not one of those pyramid things.
Mick Evans.

 

[NH Bob]

n/t

 

[NH Bob]

n/t

 

[B.T]

G,day Mike. That place is the best place I have found in quite a few years. No big gold as yet, biggest 3 grams, but the place is full of it. I was planning another type of attack on it with a new coil I got and just when I got the coil I busted my toe. Doc reckons I have to take it easy for another 4 weeks. Mate, am I wishing that no-one else comes across it in the mean time. I found a truly amazing specie there the week before my foot kissed the doorway which I have not photographed yet. I got it in situ in a small quartz vein and when I smashed it out and knocked open the quartz I can tell you my eyes nearly bugged out. Its about 3 1/2 grams of crystalline gold intermingled with a silvery/yellowish pyrites which itself is/was encased by an outer sort of shell of the pyrites itself. Hard to explain but ill get a pic of it up here next week end. Amazing place.
And yeah Mick from Dubbo whichever way you turn that little guy its a pyramid

 

[Mick in Dubbo]

Sounds like a hot little spot BT. Reading your posts inspire me to have a crack at some gold prospecting. I'll have to keep saving my finds to buy one. Argyle attached a 10.5 round DD to his X-T 30, and found it ran alright on the Victorian gold fields. Makes it sound sound like a possible temporary solution till I can save enough for the X-T 70(Got $550 in finds at the moment from the last 7 months of detecting). A friend of mine lives on the road to Hill End from Mudgee. He lives on a very small block, about 40 acres. There are some diggings on it from the gold rush days, but will cost about 50% of any finds I make. It's also full of ironstone and quartz, so it should make an interesting starting point for gold prospecting, as well as some challenging ground for the X-Terra to handle. I know of one chap that has been over it with a 2200, but had no luck, albeit, it was only a short hunt.
I'm looking forward to seeing you out and about again.
Mick Evans.
P.S. Do you think that the V/Flex technology on the X-Terra's is what makes them so good in gold country?

 

[Digger]

I was immediately impressed that anyone could find a piece of gold that small. And, I am embarrassed that I didn't know what octahedral gold was!!! So, after doing a google search, I am even more impressed than I was initially. And, more educated on gold! Thanks for the post. Very nice find!!! HH Randy

 

[B.T]

G,day Mick and Digger. Dont worry Digger I had to look in my book to find out what it was too shape wise.
I dont know what makes the 70 so good on small and weird gold, whether its got something to do with the Vflex or what but the little rocket just loves finding that sort of stuff. There are some areas where it struggles and you have to turn the sensitivity right down but after getting to know where it likes through trial and error you end up having heaps of places where it excells. Its funny gold detecting, I have had some places where the best gold that was or can be found is with a VLF and some other places only PIs will find it and others a mix of both.
Good luck with your hunting.

 

[Mick in Dubbo]

Thanks BT. I look forward to owning a 70. I'll be dropping Jack Lange a phone call tomorrow, to sort out my thirty. If Minelab try and tell me it's OK again, then he can have it as a trade in on the 70. After all, he shouldn't have any problems with, if Minelab say it's working!
Mick Evans.