March 31, 2019

Gold Prospecting in Australia


The climate in Japan is subtropical to subarctic zone, with a lot of rain and snow and mountainous areas. For these reasons, gold panning is mainly carried out in the torrent river.The size of the gold is flour, and a lucky person can obtain the size of 1 to 5 mm. Although rare, some people get nuggets 10 mm or more. I am an old man without physical strength and skills, so I can only get flour gold.

I dreamed of getting a nugget of 10mm or more, but I thought it was difficult in Japan and decided to look overseas.I surveyed countries that have gold prospecting tours with metal detector suitable for my physical strength.
Alaska, Canada and Australia were nominated. I chose Australia because Alaska and Canada are cold even in summer.

I traveled to Australia 30 years ago, so I planned this trip related to gold.I visited the Sovereign Hill theme park in Ballarat and Kalgoorlie in Western Australia.

I wanted to do gold prospecting around Ballarat, but I expected that the possibility of gold discovery is low because there are thousands of fan, I booked a two-day tour in Kalgoorlie.


Kalgoorlie area is a bush area near the desert and flat land, so it was suitable for prospecting with metal detector.
About 10,000 peoples lived in the gold rush era about 100 years ago. For this reason, there was a large amount of lead bullets and construction materials such as galvanized steel that respond to metal detectors.

I was lucky enough to get two small nuggets around 10mm, so this will be a memorable trip.
I am not good at communicating in English, but the tour guide was kind enough to teach me.

My physical strength is gradually declining due to aging, but I would like to visit again.

Gold panning in an artificial river in Sovereign Hill:
Many people are shaking the pan in the air to look for gold, so most people can’t find gold. Will anyone go Sovereign Hill for technical guidance? I think many children will be interested in the gold panning.

Gold
Gold used in Sovereign Hill:
It is an artificial placer gold and I think it was made with a cutting machine.

 
Drawing machine to make a gold pan.

Museum of the Goldfiels in Kalgoorlie:
This is a picture of an old gold prospector and the appearance is the same as the present people.

Museum of the Goldfiels in Kalgoorlie:
This stone was used for the construction such as paving stones, but it was a laughing story that the stone contained fine gold.
Is there anyone who builds a house using this stone? In old Japan, there were many people who spent money on things that could not be seen than good appearance. They were called cool people.

Super Pit Mine:
The size is 3.5km in length, 1.5km in width, and 600m or more in depth. A working car larger than one house is visible at the bottom. The black spots on the slopes are traces of old mines. I was impressed by the passion of the miners who dug small tunnels than the size of the Super Pit.

Gold nugget prospecting in Kalgoorlie:
There were a lot of flies and animal droppings.

 
1 cm nuggets obtained in 2 days (What is the definition of nuggets?)

There was much iron scrap and lead bullets. About 100 years ago, a town of 10,000 people was formed in this area. But now the” Broad Arrow” pub is the only building.

Perth Mint:
Gold attached to the surface of about 50 cm white stone

Perth Mint:
Gold nuggets were sold at the store: Small nuggets in the round cases were A$ 30- $ 300 and the big nuggets had no price indication.














July 31, 2018

Gold prospecting in Las Vegas


In Japan, there is a holiday period called Golden Week, where holidays continues for about 10 days in early May.

Many Japanese travel abroad during this period. However, the air ticket becomes expensive.

I have less money but I have lots of free time, so I went to Las Vegas excluding the period. At first I wanted to do a gold prospecting using a metal detector in the desert, but I abandoned the tour because I could not find the guide. I decided to find something related to gold in Las Vegas.

The main targets are the gold nugget exhibited in the Golden Nugget Hotel, neon of the gold digger which is adorned in the Fremont Experience Street and the old gold mine "El Dorado Mine" in the outskirts of Las Vegas.
However, I can’t comment on gambling.



Overall picture of El Dorado Mine

 Exhibition hut of El Dorado Mine

Inside the hut of El Dorado Mine

 The Hand of Faith Nugget :27.2kg

Robin’s Nugget 5.9kg


Gold digger

  Slot Machine:Wild Lepre's Coin

  Pictures of the old days of Las Vegas

  Gold color hotel

I made a new type gold pan “modern Yuriita
Is gold in Las Vegas money or an illusion?

March 21, 2018

Gold prospecting in Scotland


I participated in the 2017 World Goldpanning Championships in Moffat Scotland. Moffat is a small town, but it is beautiful and has many tourists.

The championships were held at the athletic park after the nation’s parade. I am grateful for the fact that the BGA(British Goldpanning Association) has managed the championships wonderfully with such a small staff.

I am a beginner in the world competition for the second time. I should have practiced panning before going to Scotland, but I was busy with work. For this reason I was defeated in the second round.

I attempted gold prospecting in the natural river before and after the championships. I paid a mining fee at the Museum of Lead Mining near Moffat and went to a nearby river.

When I was looking for a place suitable for gold digging, I saw many gold diggers because it was the summer vacation period.

Although I searched all over the place, I couldn’t find any bedrock. A gentleman from London showed me the location of the bedrock. The depth to the bedrock was 50 to 100 cm. I only got fine gold in a few hours of work.

In the evening, I was attacked by the well-known Scottish midges. I brought mosquito coils from Japan and the effect was small. I wanted to have a spray-type insecticide, but I gave up because I can’t take it on an airplane.

Scottish landscape is wonderful and could have been enjoyed without midges and rain.

 “The Dark Sky Town” is good joke?
 The competition site before the championships
 The opening ceremony of the championships
 Museum of Lead Mining
 Large gold pan in the museum
 Wonderful Scottish view
 Mountains are colored in 3 colors, purple is heath, dark green is fern, green is lawn


 Gold sample collected by the gentleman from London
 Midge: The width of the ruled line is 7 mm
Mosquito coil (The components is plant)

January 27, 2018

Blogs related to placer gold in Japan


There are many bloggers in Japan and it is top class in the world. Considering the reasons, homework are issued during the summer holiday in elementary school. Homework is each subject, free research, diary, etc. I think that Japanese people do not feel resistant to write even if they become adults. But I played with camping and swimming for most of the summer vacation period, so I finished my homework with the help of my parents in the last week.

There are about 500 gold prospectors in Japan, about 100 people are writing blogs and about 50 people are active blog contributors. Most Japanese got English education for 6 to 10 years, but we usually do not use English because we do not have borders with other countries, so few people write English blog.

In the past, Japan was called the golden country "Zipangu", and gold production was high. Only small gold can be collected in recent years, there are no professionals, only peoples with this hobby.

I will introduce the URL of Japanese blogs in order to have you recognize the present gold panning in Japan. Since many pictures are attached to these blogs, even if you can’t understand Japanese, it is obvious in the picture.


<List of Japanese blogs>

Blog of wild master
       http://star.ap.teacup.com/jq1bvi/
Blog that you can understand Russian underground resources well
       http://russianresources.seesaa.net/
Changeable loitering diary by Mr. H-numa
       http://49kh89.blog.fc2.com/
Dawn of the metallurgy
       http://www.geocities.jp/e_kamasai/index.html
Doublet is little out of focus
       http://d.hatena.ne.jp/doublet/
Every day of gold wolf fascinated by placer gold
       http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/kengoldjapan
Fine gold prospecting by grandfather
       http://53374333.at.webry.info/
Get stones
       http://ishikoro333.blog.fc2.com/
Gold digging digging diary by Sarunashi
       http://blog.livedoor.jp/gogomogutan/
Gold panning know-how
       http://home.f01.itscom.net/yaeno/golddust.htm
Gold prospecting as a hobby
       https://loneb.net/archives/category/gold-prospecting
Gold prospecting diary as a hobby
       http://kusanebiki.exblog.jp/
Gold prospecting diary
       http://d.hatena.ne.jp/garimpo/
Gold prospector in Higo Province
       https://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/mhevors6
Heppoko ZERO "Easy Diary"
       http://zeor.blog.so-net.ne.jp/
I also lost big gold nugget today
       http://sasamichi.hatenablog.com/
Kazuo-san’s Gold rush
       http://goldgold.naturum.ne.jp/
Let's dig placer gold
       http://www.geocities.jp/nikkah/
Let's go for gold prospecting with inspiration
       https://plaza.rakuten.co.jp/hxhmrsitu/diary/201801180000/
Looking for placer gold in Echigo Gold Mountain
       http://outdoor.geocities.jp/yoldianotabilis2008/
Memory of placer gold
       http://d.hatena.ne.jp/goldhunter/
Mr. Nomura's Placer Gold Class
       http://www.geocities.jp/placergoldkobe/
Okukuji Reports
       http://blog.livedoor.jp/oku_kuji/
Old gambler’s journey and gold panning
       http://goldgg.blog.fc2.com/
On the resources of the Northern Territories
       http://hoppouryoudonoshigen.seesaa.net/
Placer gold documents by Gold-brain
       http://241773.at.webry.info/
Placer Gold Study Group in Kozuke Province
       http://www12.wind.ne.jp/tensyo/gh03/
Placer gold treasure by Condor
       http://blog.livedoor.jp/wanmaruko
Playboy in Suruga Province
       http://www.geocities.jp/jg2xgtbongo/index.html
Reports on gold prospecting as a hobby in Okukuji
       http://www.geocities.jp/nakapiro1978/
Reports on gold panning with children
       http://d.hatena.ne.jp/Fuji_Kiseki/
Road to the gold prospector in Hokuriku Province
       http://blog.livedoor.jp/ishikawagold/
Small world up to 6 mm
       http://chibimaru.naganoblog.jp/
Sparkle of placer gold
       http://sakinnokirameki.at.webry.info/
Specimen box made by law faculty student
       http://sakasamakun.hatenablog.com/
Study Group of Gold Mine History in Hitachi Province
       http://www.geocities.jp/omorigold/
Taka’s hobby spree/Hobbies are food for wark
       http://www.geocities.jp/albireo_taka/sakin/sakin.html
The Society for Placer Gold and Platinum-group-metal
       http://placermining.net/
Tiny art forest
       https://ameblo.jp/peak2/theme-10092420899.html
Tono's placer gold
       http://tonosakin.hatenablog.com/
Unrequited love for placer gold
       http://as110705.blog.fc2.com/
Wani-wani panic 2
       http://kazenoo.hatenablog.com/
West Gunma Placer Gold Laboratory
       http://www.geocities.jp/nisigunma_sakinn/
West Kanto Placer Gold Laboratory
       http://www.hanno.jp/koyamaau/
Yamaguchi Placer Gold Study Group
       http://www.c-able.ne.jp/~goldhunt/
Zenipi's blog
       http://ameblo.jp/zenip/



December 6, 2017

Shikoku Pilgrimage and gold panning




I got on a journey called Shikoku Pilgrimage (Junrei).

This is a journey around 88 temples in Shikoku Region (Island composed of 4 prefectures) and Koyasan in Wakayama Prefecture, they are related to Buddhist monk Kukai (Kobo Daishi) who existed about 1,200 years ago.

Shikoku Pilgrimage has been done for ascetic exercises and faith since about 500 years ago, but recently there are many tourists and foreigners. The total distance is about 1,300 km, and there are various people who walk, use bicycles, cars and buses.

The pilgrimage is taking place in various countries, and Shikoku Pilgrimage is similar to the pilgrimage of Spain (Camino de Santiago) in Christianity. We visit the Buddhist temples, but there are no restrictions on the qualifications of pilgrims and their purpose, and you can do your own purpose (faith, atonement, confession, ascetic exercises) away from your daily life.

Mercury, mercury sulfide and copper mines were located in Shikoku related to Kukai. Mercury was used for gold plating by the amalgam method on the surface of bronze Buddha statue. Mercury sulfide is a red color and it was a precious substance used for painting shrines and temples. For this reason it is said that Kukai had knowledge of minerals.

Besshi copper mine which was the world's largest output was in Shikoku. Although it is closed now, it became a sightseeing spot called Maintopia Besshi. You can visit mine facilities and experience gold panning. Foil gold and granular silver are included in the sand and it is difficult to separate.


The red dot shows 88 temples, the blue line shows Median Tectonic Line(large fault).
Various metal deposits are near the Median Tectonic Line. 



Pilgrims usually have a cape, white coat, cane, but there are no rules on clothes.


The train used in the mine.

Gold panning pool

Gold and silver used in gold panning






October 28, 2017

Lecture and practice of gold panning in Japan


I went to Shonai-machi in Yamagata Prefecture because there was a class of "Gold Digging Experience". We gathered at the lodge "Kita- Gassan" near Dewa-Three Mountains.

The three mountains are subjects of mountain faith, and there are many shrines and temples in the surrounding area, and many Yamabushi are still practicing in mountain.

In this area, development of placer gold and gold mine has been done for a long time.

This class is held annually, and the instructor who is a master of “Yuri-ita” taught us the history and technology of gold digging in this area.

After the lecture, we practiced gold panning in the pool and dug placer gold in the nearby river. Each one got a small amount of gold and was able to spend a meaningful day.




Five-storied pagota of national treasure
The tower is weathered but  Japanese prefer this oldness






Lecture room scenery


Practice in pool


Gold digging in Tachiyazawa-river


Sluice mat knitted with plant fiber and Japanese shovel "Katcha"

August 29, 2017

2017 Gold Panning Championships sponsored by “The Yu-no-oku Museum of Gold Mining History”/Japan


I took up the topic of this museum before. This facility introduces the history and tools of gold mine to citizens. There is a large pool where more than 100 people can gold panning at the same time.

Here, the largest gold panning championships in Japan is held annually, and it was held for two days on 29 and 30 July 2017.

On the first day, the junior division, the proficient division and the unofficial division were held with 200 participants. On the second day, school competition with 8 schools of junior high school and high school were held, 136 people were played in school groups and 5 person team.

Panning technology of high school students has improved year by year, and the winner in this year was a female student. I think she can make a good result at the world gold panning championships.


<The 1st day>
1. Official Categories
   Standard plastic pan is used in this category.
  a. Juniors: 80 people, 6Kg
  b. Proficient(Men & Women): 120 people, 10Kg/10minutes
  c. Final: steal classic pan, 16Kg/15minutes
2. Unofficial Categories
   Unlimited kind of pan: 20 people, 7 Kg/10minutes


<The 2nd day>
1. School Competition: 8 schools, 136 people
   Standard plastic pan is used in this category.
   1 school 19 bucket
2. 5 person team
   Five different pans are used.


Gold panning in pool


Opening ceremony



Opening ceremony of school competition

Competition using 5 types of pan



The mascot of this museum(Each city in Japan has a mascot)


This year's winner is a female student