Akasully2 Posted March 21, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 I watched a kids TV show recently all about Oz (All Over The Place - CBBC) that said that 99% of the earth's gold had still not been mined because it was too deep down near the core of the earth. Does that mean it is liquid? Yet another question for VS! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verystormy Posted March 21, 2014 Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 No, not liquid. Just deep. Most underground mines are less than 2km. There are a couple in Africa that are over 4km but they are the exception. As costs of mining increase with depth, then it becomes less economic to mine the deeper you go. It is also very expensive and very hard to find minerals at depth. An ore body at say 2km would need the same amount of holes drilling into it as one at 100 meters. The difference is that the cost of drilling one at 100m is about $30k per hole. One at 2km is about $500,000 and an ore body might need between 400 and a thousand holes! Also finding them at that depth is very hard. We rely a lot on chemistry of the soils at surface. So we test soils for a range of elements that may indicate the presence of gold below. But at depths, this expression doesn't happen or is too weak to test. We also use a range of geophysical tests to try and see what is in the rocks, but the majority can not see very deep. The one exception is seissmic like the oil guys use. But it is very expensive and unless you already have a good idea what is there, it's too expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akasully2 Posted March 21, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 I think that is fascinating. What a great knowledge to have. I went to a tin mine in Cornwall and they told a story of how tin miners travelled all over the world mining, using their skills. One story was of an up market wealthy-ish gent travelling to buy land abroad (could have been Oz) but didn't exactly know what he was looking for in the rock. However, he met up with a woman who had worked at the mines crushing the rocks to get then ready for smelting. She had a keen eye and could advise him what type of rock formation to look out for. He made a fortune and married her! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
portlaunay Posted March 22, 2014 Report Share Posted March 22, 2014 I tell you VS, your geology days are numbered http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/12/121211095007.htm Sully, ditch the metal detector. The first phase of my plan is a miniature GoPro that can fits onto a tiny saddle so we can get direct to the gold source without the massive overheads. Phase 2 I'm working on a chariot like drilling machine that can be pulled by ants and you, me and VS will ride it to the earth's core if needs be. This time next year... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akasully2 Posted March 22, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2014 Fascinating....get rich on ant poo! Before I read that, I though you had been on magic mushrooms or something. Saying that though, even after reading it I have come to the conclusion you have an extremely creative mind or/and you have been on the cooking sherry! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verystormy Posted March 22, 2014 Report Share Posted March 22, 2014 I was actually part of that research. We looked at burying insects and also tree foliage from trees with deep roots. The trees were actually more successful and it is a technique now occasionally used instead of having a field crew out taking soil samples. The problem is that you need extensive coverage and the coverage has to be equally spaced or the statistics fall apart. The other issue is that a lot of gold deposits have very little expression of gold close to surface which is why we assay samples for a large suite of elements. Either because we use them as pathfinders to mineralization or to establish the rock types. Even the best geologist can not always tell the rock type. That's a major problem at my current project as nickel is contained in the intrusion. Like a big plug of lava that has come up from deep in the earth. As it cooles it forms a range of different rock types. But, some of these can look like sediment that has been cooked up. A big problem for us as the rocks surrounding the intrusion are cooked up sediments (gneiss). The soils of WA are complex but facinating and I nearly did a phd on the chemistry of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verystormy Posted March 22, 2014 Report Share Posted March 22, 2014 I do love the idea of being pulled by ants. Count me in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
odies Posted March 23, 2014 Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 had to laugh Porty at the this time next year.. we had the euro millions won this week £107k to 1 person a mechanic named TROTTER. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nikkis2000 Posted March 23, 2014 Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 No, not liquid. Just deep. Most underground mines are less than 2km. There are a couple in Africa that are over 4km but they are the exception. As costs of mining increase with depth, then it becomes less economic to mine the deeper you go. It is also very expensive and very hard to find minerals at depth. An ore body at say 2km would need the same amount of holes drilling into it as one at 100 meters. The difference is that the cost of drilling one at 100m is about $30k per hole. One at 2km is about $500,000 and an ore body might need between 400 and a thousand holes! Also finding them at that depth is very hard. We rely a lot on chemistry of the soils at surface. So we test soils for a range of elements that may indicate the presence of gold below. But at depths, this expression doesn't happen or is too weak to test. We also use a range of geophysical tests to try and see what is in the rocks, but the majority can not see very deep. The one exception is seissmic like the oil guys use. But it is very expensive and unless you already have a good idea what is there, it's too expensive. Watching a fascinating doco on SBS about the history of gold mining in Aus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy little Vegemite Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 When you get here I will meet up and go through all the maps and things and show you where I would head. There is a special place i know that no one has ever been over with a metal detector as they think it is no prospective. But, I worked for a mine there that mined a bit of it and had fist sized nuggets. I do hope my hubby can get an invite to this meeting, he is a wee bit excited at the thought of gaining some of your knowledge VS! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
portlaunay Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 I do hope my hubby can get an invite to this meeting, he is a wee bit excited at the thought of gaining some of your knowledge VS! Watch it, he may take you straight to Wolf Creak Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy little Vegemite Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 Watch it, he may take you straight to Wolf Creak One can always hope, life insurance is all up to date Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verystormy Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 I do hope my hubby can get an invite to this meeting, he is a wee bit excited at the thought of gaining some of your knowledge VS! Will be happy to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nikkiwd Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 I can feel a Perth Poms MD club forming where we will make our millions Great idea, will need to bring all our dear hubbys though...they can do the digging and we can supervise while keep the fish paste sarnies coming Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
portlaunay Posted March 25, 2014 Report Share Posted March 25, 2014 (edited) Will be happy to. Count me and 1 other in too. This could turn into that business you've always wanted - 'Verystormy Prospecting' With your knowledge of rocks and my highly trained army of gold digging ants we really will be millionaires. Gina Rinehart will be amassing her legal team this very moment with plans to squidge us into the dirt. Best keep it quiet. Let's just keep it between us... Edited March 28, 2014 by portlaunay typo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verystormy Posted March 25, 2014 Report Share Posted March 25, 2014 Will do porty. First a tree and a fish paste sarnie. Tomorrow the world Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akasully2 Posted March 25, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 25, 2014 Again just watched 'All over the place' on CBBC. They went looking for gold with metal detectors on this guys land, who opens it up to the public once a year. Anything you find you keep! To add to the fun he buries coins. The winner is who ever gets the most. One guy just kept finding nails...he is obviously in tune with my approach so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nikkis2000 Posted March 28, 2014 Report Share Posted March 28, 2014 Saw this and thought of you Akasully! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest9824 Posted March 28, 2014 Report Share Posted March 28, 2014 Saw this and thought of you Akasully! Has that bloke got his pinky winky out??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beandownunder Posted March 28, 2014 Report Share Posted March 28, 2014 Has that bloke got his pinky winky out??? gosh Pea I think you're emotionally scarred too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akasully2 Posted March 29, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2014 Maybe that is not a metal detector, just a hollow casing that he pulls off as people pass by...ah, ha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beandownunder Posted March 29, 2014 Report Share Posted March 29, 2014 Maybe that is not a metal detector, just a hollow casing that he pulls off as people pass by...ah, ha. im getting a bit worried about you and Pea, perhaps you both require some counselling???!!!!...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nikkis2000 Posted March 30, 2014 Report Share Posted March 30, 2014 Lol! What's even funnier is it turned out to be a woman!! I thought it was a man too until she came right by me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akasully2 Posted March 30, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2014 Lol! What's even funnier is it turned out to be a woman!! I thought it was a man too until she came right by me! Maybe it was one of those female urinal spouts. A convenient way to have a wee in the sand dunes without whipping her cacks down! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akasully2 Posted March 30, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2014 Last night as we walked through the posh restaurant after our meal, I looked down and saw that my OH's flies were down. Now, I know when we say to our gentlemen, 'your flies are undone' it usually means they are flying at half mast and a bit of shirt is exposed. But last night I was shocked to see that his flies were completely undone and the fly opening on his boxers was gaping too and I could see his Epping Forest on full view!!!! He had just walked down the length of the restaurant with it at eye level of all the diners. I don't think they were quite expecting that as the after dinner entertainment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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