First off, Woods Point is an awesome place to visit, do it if you ever get the chance To actually get into the mine & get in-depth with the miners Is a notable achievement To actually get them to talk to you about mining the mine!!!!! And their methods for chasing the good shit Journalistic job well done That's some quality journalism right there! Big kudos for all involved
Thanks for making such an in depth video. As someone who's working in and studying Victorian Gold it was good to see the alteration profile in core, what their underground workings look like, and their modelling.
I spent a two years sabbatical (prior to retirement) researching south east alluvial gold deposits and the history of early European settlement. What surprised me was that the settlement of most of country Victorian followed gold discoveries. After the initial rush,(1853) there was an influx of Californian prospectors (from the 1849-51 gold rush on the American River US). They quickly recognised the gold deposits and bought with them high tech recovery kit such as rocker boxes and a device they called the california water pump (which was a rubbish water pump but better than buckets). Alluvial gold miners needed to collect one troy ounce per week to survive (this was called being on wages). About 60-70 percent of miners never achieved this level and lived below poverty level. PS while I found gold, I never achieved one ounce per week.
Thanks for your comment. It's true that many early prospectors were unsuccessful, but because the economy was booming, they usually found work in company mines or other industries
That last sample was amazing!!! Would love to find something like that here in the States. Watched a couple of your videos and really enjoy them and learning some things to look for out prospectin and lookin in old mines.
It is here in the United States, I have a spot that I need to relocate now that I understand it because of these videos about Bendigo mine. The area I located has multiple events making it look like a zebra on a very top of a hill that is part of an extinct volcano that is not on the list of extinct volcanoes. It's here, get yourself a core driller for about eight grand that you can backpack here and there with a buddy. You need water and all kinds of stuff so it helps to have a quad or something like that
In most of the mines that I have worked in, gold occurs as coarse grains embedded in quartz so it's easy to concentrate the gold by crushing the quartz then separating it by gravity, gold being about 7 times denser than quartz. In older mines the crushed ore was also passed over plates covered in mercury where the gold clings to the mercury. Later, the gold is separated from the mercury by heating the whole lot in a retort tube. In modern modern mines they sometimes use a chemical method called 'Carbon In Pulp" or CIP, which dissolves gold in a cyanide solution.
@@GeologyFilms Crushing the quartz into grains small enough to release most of the gold seems to be energy and machinery intensive. How small are the quartz grains at the end of the process and what machinery is used for crushing it? Ball mills?
@@trimetrodon Freddie: Everybody likes conveying information to someone asking intelligent questions. It's the grain size of the gold particles in the ore and whether the gold is "free" or chemically combined with something else that determines the process necessary to recover the gold. Gold is frequently incorporated into the structure of pyrite and cannot be mechanically separated, or it is in alloy with silver (known as electrum). Ball mills or crushers are used to break down the ore so that process fluids can gain access to fine gold particles. Gravity circuits are only used when gold particles of sufficient size can be liberated and their density can be used to separate the gold from the lighter elements.
Hi Rick, Yes great to meet you too. I'm currently working on two geology-related films for a geoscience organisation and hope to provide links to the first film when it becomes available. Regards Clive
I think that sounds about right. Of course for gold to be easily visible it has to be reasonably coarse, which is often the case for the deposits in SE Australia.
@@GeologyFilms My great uncle, Bill Spargo, had a hunch that the gold from Ballarat ran thru the high country. He lived on Mt Hotham for 27 years and discovered the Red Robin mine which is still being worked from my understanding. Bill was in charge of building the Alpine road so obviously gained his knowledge of the ground there. I have inherited his diaries. Probably of interest to a few.
The Red Robin closed down about 8 years ago but before that I managed to film there over a period of a few years. Some of that footage is in this video. ua-cam.com/video/KDexpMBAs6M/v-deo.html The diaries sound interesting!
As a kid my Dad drove us from Walhalla to Woods Point, even today I am too scared to do it my self, those narrow roads and 3000 foot drop on one side..., I will go to Woods Point via Warburton one day though ..
Walhalla to Aberfeldy Bridge is a ridiculous narrow one car width track. After that it's ok all the way to Woods Point. If another vehicle was coming south whilst I was on that part of the track I have no idea what I would have done. Not doing that ever again.
First off, Woods Point is an awesome place to visit,
do it if you ever get the chance
To actually get into the mine & get in-depth with the miners
Is a notable achievement
To actually get them to talk to you about mining the mine!!!!!
And their methods for chasing the good shit
Journalistic job well done
That's some quality journalism right there!
Big kudos for all involved
Thankyou very much for showing lamtion, I found this clip to he very educational on how gold is past through and how it gets deposited...
Wow...an air bogger..ancient technology!
Thanks for making such an in depth video. As someone who's working in and studying Victorian Gold it was good to see the alteration profile in core, what their underground workings look like, and their modelling.
In depth video.... Ha Ha.
I spent a two years sabbatical (prior to retirement) researching south east alluvial gold deposits and the history of early European settlement.
What surprised me was that the settlement of most of country Victorian followed gold discoveries. After the initial rush,(1853) there was an influx of Californian prospectors (from the 1849-51 gold rush on the American River US).
They quickly recognised the gold deposits and bought with them high tech recovery kit such as rocker boxes and a device they called the california water pump (which was a rubbish water pump but better than buckets).
Alluvial gold miners needed to collect one troy ounce per week to survive (this was called being on wages). About 60-70 percent of miners never achieved this level and lived below poverty level.
PS while I found gold, I never achieved one ounce per week.
Thanks for your comment. It's true that many early prospectors were unsuccessful, but because the economy was booming, they usually found work in company mines or other industries
Well spotted Fran!
Driving through Woods pint, it is easy to assume that no mining goes on there... until stopping and making the effort to walk the historic area.
Thanks for this top video. So glad to have found your channel. I have a deep interest in geology and mining.
Deep interest... Ha Ha.
That last sample was amazing!!! Would love to find something like that here in the States. Watched a couple of your videos and really enjoy them and learning some things to look for out prospectin and lookin in old mines.
It is here in the United States, I have a spot that I need to relocate now that I understand it because of these videos about Bendigo mine. The area I located has multiple events making it look like a zebra on a very top of a hill that is part of an extinct volcano that is not on the list of extinct volcanoes. It's here, get yourself a core driller for about eight grand that you can backpack here and there with a buddy. You need water and all kinds of stuff so it helps to have a quad or something like that
Do we find gemstones in the presence of quartz veins or any place where precious stones even if there is no sweat quartz please answer?
wow, Woods Point looks like a beautiful place, but it's too far away from Melbourne
My dad and I went there for the sake of it, nice place, pub's definitely got some nice atmosphere. also very beautiful scenery.
How is the gold efficiently extracted from the quartz?
In most of the mines that I have worked in, gold occurs as coarse grains embedded in quartz so it's easy to concentrate the gold by crushing the quartz then separating it by gravity, gold being about 7 times denser than quartz. In older mines the crushed ore was also passed over plates covered in mercury where the gold clings to the mercury. Later, the gold is separated from the mercury by heating the whole lot in a retort tube. In modern modern mines they sometimes use a chemical method called 'Carbon In Pulp" or CIP, which dissolves gold in a cyanide solution.
@@GeologyFilms Crushing the quartz into grains small enough to release most of the gold seems to be energy and machinery intensive. How small are the quartz grains at the end of the process and what machinery is used for crushing it? Ball mills?
@@trimetrodon Freddie: Everybody likes conveying information to someone asking intelligent questions. It's the grain size of the gold particles in the ore and whether the gold is "free" or chemically combined with something else that determines the process necessary to recover the gold. Gold is frequently incorporated into the structure of pyrite and cannot be mechanically separated, or it is in alloy with silver (known as electrum).
Ball mills or crushers are used to break down the ore so that process fluids can gain access to fine gold particles. Gravity circuits are only used when gold particles of sufficient size can be liberated and their density can be used to separate the gold from the lighter elements.
These are very well done videos!
What the source of that sericite, carbonate and gold? Id be drilling near that...
Hi Clive. It was great to run into you this weekend. I am very much looking forward to seeing some new material over time. Best wishes, Rick Shaw
Hi Rick, Yes great to meet you too. I'm currently working on two geology-related films for a geoscience organisation and hope to provide links to the first film when it becomes available. Regards Clive
I understand that if you can see gold in the rock with the naked eye, it will run a minimum of one oz to the ton.
I think that sounds about right. Of course for gold to be easily visible it has to be reasonably coarse, which is often the case for the deposits in SE Australia.
"ONYA ANDY" Another great informative upload.All your content is ABSOLUTELY 100% PERFECT FOR US LEARNING PROSPECTOR'S.CHEERS.SHANE
Glad you enjoyed it
Do Ballarat mine! And Bendigo mine!
Yes I've been working on both but it takes time.
@@GeologyFilms My great uncle, Bill Spargo, had a hunch that the gold from Ballarat ran thru the high country. He lived on Mt Hotham for 27 years and discovered the Red Robin mine which is still being worked from my understanding. Bill was in charge of building the Alpine road so obviously gained his knowledge of the ground there. I have inherited his diaries. Probably of interest to a few.
The Red Robin closed down about 8 years ago but before that I managed to film there over a period of a few years. Some of that footage is in this video. ua-cam.com/video/KDexpMBAs6M/v-deo.html
The diaries sound interesting!
Where is my Welcome Stranger?
Fascinating 🖖🏼
Thank you
top vid thanks guys
Thanks for watching
As a kid my Dad drove us from Walhalla to Woods Point, even today I am too scared to do it my self, those narrow roads and 3000 foot drop on one side..., I will go to Woods Point via Warburton one day though
..
The tracks up there are actually pretty good, just do it when it's dry and you'll have no problems.
Walhalla to Aberfeldy Bridge is a ridiculous narrow one car width track. After that it's ok all the way to Woods Point. If another vehicle was coming south whilst I was on that part of the track I have no idea what I would have done. Not doing that ever again.
@@pippaknuckle I did that road 3 months ago no problem 😉
awesome vid
so interesting - again
Thank you again.
I want to find gold.😞
Please b my guest india
Spent some great night at the pub with that old pool table years ago 🤣
Yes it's a great old pub.
Yeah Rocks 🪨👏👏