Recent Metal Detecting Finds and My New Polaris Big Boss 6 Wheeler
Posted by Billy on July 24, 2009 · Leave a Comment
Filed under Metal Detecting, Polaris Big Boss · Tagged with Metal Detecting, Polaris Big Boss
Metal Detecting Safety Essentials
Posted by Billy on June 4, 2009 · Leave a Comment
I was in Perth a couple of days ago and decided to do a bit of Metal Detecting gear shopping, I put a deposit on a Polaris 6×6 Big Boss, and on the way back I stopped at a Prospecting and Metal Detecting Shop in Midland, it is the Prospectors Patch, a great little metal detecting shop.
While I was in there I decided to buy myself a new GPS, and I went for a Garmin Oregon 200.
It is a pretty amazing tool, I have not used it out bush yet, but I have used it driving my car around the district and it is absolutely spot on as it should be.
It cost me $400 and I have actually just seen the same one on Ebay going for close to $600, so I actually saved some money, usually it is cheaper to buy stuff off ebay.
I have some bought myself some great tools for my metal detecting adventures, I would like to offer any readers some essential safety equipment you should invest in, if you are planning on going out to the wilderness either metal detecting, hiking, camping or in the 4wd.
This is my safety equipment I have invested in and may one day save my life when I am metal detecting in isolated areas:
Billy’s Metal Detecting Safety Essentials for isolated and long metal detecting trips
- Uniden Hand Held Radio x 1
- Uniden Walkie Talkies x 2
- Boat Flares
- Smoke Flares
- Glow Sticks
- Yellow Fluorescent Workers Vest
- Garmin GPS
- Mobile Phone which has Next G
- Knife
- Matches / Lighter
- Binoculars
- Signaling Mirror
- First Aid Kit and Snake Bite Kit
- Torch and Batteries
- Radio
- Small Sidchrome Tool Kit
- Puncture Repair Kit
- EPIRB
If I was allowed to get these, such as you are in the USA, I would also invest in
- Tazer
- Pepper Spray
- Hand Gun or a Small .22 Rifle
- Night Vision (Can’t afford these)
These could be useful if you encounter either a dangerous animal or a dangerous person …. trust me, USA Metal Detectorists swear by them.
Remember, if you are heading out bush or to an isolated area, don’t forget to notify the right authorities of your planned trip, when you expect to return … use your common sense!
Get in touch with the great outdoors with Oregon 200. This next-generation handheld features a rugged, touchscreen along with a built-in basemap, a high-sensitivity receiver, microSD™ card slot, picture viewer and more.
Touch and Go
Oregon 200 leads the way with a tough, 3-inch diagonal, sunlight-readable, color, touchscreen display. Its easy-to-use interface means you’ll spend more time enjoying the outdoors and less time searching for information. Both durable and waterproof, Oregon 200 is built to withstand the elements. Bumps, dust, dirt, humidity and water are no match for this rugged navigator.
Find Fun
Oregon 200 supports Geocaching.com GPX files for downloading geocaches and details straight to your unit. No more manually entering coordinates and paper print outs! Simply upload the GPX file to your unit and start hunting for caches. Show off photos of your excursions with Oregon’s picture viewer. Slim and lightweight, Oregon is the perfect companion for all your outdoor pursuits.
Keep Your Fix
With its high-sensitivity, WAAS-enabled GPS receiver and HotFix™ satellite prediction, Oregon 200 locates your position quickly and precisely and maintains its GPS location even in heavy cover and deep canyons. The advantage is clear — whether you’re in deep woods or just near tall buildings and trees, you can count on Oregon to help you find your way when you need it the most.
Add Maps
Conveniently plug in optional preloaded microSD cards for all your outdoor activities on land or water (see maps tab for compatible maps). Just insert a MapSource® card with detailed street maps, and Oregon provides turn-by-turn directions to your destination. Add select topographic maps to take advantage of Oregon’s 3-D map view which gives you a better perspective of your elevation. With BlueChart® g2 Vision, you’ll get everything you need for a great day on the water including depth contours, navaids and harbors. The card slot is located inside the waterproof battery compartment, so you don’t have to worry about getting it wet.
Oregon 200: Touch the great outdoors.
What’s in the Box:
- Oregon 200
- Lanyard
- USB cable
- Owner’s manual on disk
- Quick start guide
Physical & Performance:
Unit dimensions, WxHxD: 2.3″ x 4.5″ x 1.4″ (5.8 x 11.4 x 3.5 cm) Display size, WxH: 1.53″W x 2.55″H (3.8 x 6.3 cm); 3″ diag (7.6 cm) Display resolution, WxH: 240 x 400 pixels Display type: Transflective color TFT touchscreen Weight: 6.8 oz (192.7 g) with batteries Battery: 2 AA batteries (not included); NiMH or Lithium recommended Battery life: 16 hours Waterproof: yes (IPX7) Floats: no High-sensitivity receiver: yes Interface: USB RoHS version available: yes
Maps & Memory:
Basemap: yes Preloaded maps: no Ability to add maps: yes Built-in memory: 24 MB Accepts data cards: microSD™ card (not included) Waypoints/favorites/locations: 1000 Routes: 50 Track log: 10,000 points, 20 saved tracks
Features:
Automatic routing (turn by turn routing on roads): yes (with optional mapping for detailed roads) Electronic compass: no Barometric altimeter: no Geocaching-friendly: yes (paperless) Outdoor GPS games: yes Hunt/fish calendar: yes Sun and moon information: yes Tide tables: yes Area calculation: yes Custom POIs (ability to add additional points of interest): yes Unit-to-unit transfer (shares data wirelessly with similar units): no Picture viewer: yes Additional: Touchscreen: yes
Registered my Miners Right for Prospecting
Posted by Billy on May 27, 2009 · Leave a Comment
Well, firstly I would like to apologise to any dedicated readers of my blog for the lack of posts for the last 10 days or so, I have been away in the big smoke (Perth) for a few days, and also I have been busy around the house, so I have not been metal detecting for nearly two weeks!
Anyhow while I was in Perth, I decided to go to the Department of Mines and Petroleum to register my Miners Right which will enable my to go Prospecting and Metal Detecting on Crown Land and other areas.
Not that I have any intentions to go looking for gold in the near future, but I suppose it is a handy item to have in case I do strike it rich, and will save me potential problems if I do find gold and don’t have a Miners Right.
If you want to go gold prospecting you will definetely need a Miners Right, having one will save you alot of problems if you do find gold.
When I was at the Department of Mines and Petroleum, they were very helpful, and they showed me a great tool which you can download, it is called the TenGraph Online
The TenGraph is an excellent tool, you can do searches of any town or place in Australia to see where you can go prospecting without permission and where you cannot go prospecting without prior permission.
I have included a screenshot of the TenGraph, it shows the area of my hometown and surrounding districts of Dumbleyung.
Click Image to see large screenshot
If you click on the image attached you will see different colours of that screenshot.
- Black means you are allowed to prospect in those areas
- Blue means that those areas are currently under tenement, and you cannot prospect in those areas unless you get written permission from the tenement holder and
- Green means that there is a Pending Tenement in those areas and you can prospect in those areas.
The Tengraph is not only a great tool for Gold Prospecting, but it is also a very handy tool to do research possbible areas to go metal detecting around old abandoned homesteads, rivers, parks and much more, it is free to use but you must register to use it, it is also free to register.
Read the following information about Miners Rights
Miner’s Rights
Revised as at February 2006
How To Obtain A Miner’s Right
Rights Of The Holder Of A Miner’s Right
Where Can I Prospect/ Fossick
Restrictions On The Activities That Can Be Carried Out On Crown Land
Entry Onto Pastoral Leases
Compensation
Obligations Of The Holder Of A Miner’s Right
Unauthorised Activities
Application Form For A Miner’s Right
How To Obtain A Miner’s Right
A Miner’s Right may be obtained for a fee of $25.00 at the Department of Mines and Petroleum, Mineral
House, 100 Plain Street, East Perth, or at any Mining Registrar’s Office. An application form is attached
to this pamphlet.
An individual or company incorporated under the Corporation Law may hold a Miner’s Right. In each
case it is important to ensure that the Right is used in the full and correct name. A Miner’s Right cannot
be issued in a registered business name.
Rights Of The Holder Of A Miner’s Right
The holder of Miner’s Right is authorised under Section 20 of the Mining Act 1978 to carry out the
following activities on Crown land not the subject of a mining tenement:
• prospect for minerals (including gold);
• conduct geological mapping;
• conduct tests for minerals;
• undertake limited sampling using hand held equipment and to remove samples up to 20
kilograms;
• mark out mining tenements;
• fossick for rocks, gemstones, etc;
• take water and camp for the purposes of prospecting.
Possession of a Miner’s Right does not authorise these activities on private land or Reserve land
(except where the purpose is a Common, Mining or Public Utility).
Where Can I Prospect/ Fossick
Prospecting can be carried out for all minerals including gold and a metal detector can be used.
Prospecting cannot be carried out on a mining tenement unless the tenement holder’s consent is
obtained and if a pastoral lease is affected the pastoralist should be notified.
Prospecting may be carried out on an exploration licence situated on Crown Land where a Section 20A
Permit has first been obtained – refer to Information Series Pamphlet No. 18.
Fossicking authorises the collection of mineral specimens (excluding gold and diamonds) for lapidary
work or hobby interests. Use of a metal detector is not permitted. In addition the written consent of any
mining tenement holder and the pastoralist is required.
Restrictions On The Activities That Can Be Carried Out On Crown Land
When on a pastoral lease the written consent of the occupier is required before conducting activities on:
a. land for the time being under crop;
b. a yard, stockyard, garden cultivated field, orchard, vineyard, plantation, airstrip or airfield;
c. land in actual occupation and on which there is a house or other substantial building;
d. the site of any cemetery or burial ground;
e. land within 100 metres of land referred to in (a) to (d) above; and
f. land which is the site of, or is situated within 400 metres of the outer edge of, any water works,
race, dam, well or bore (unless the excavation was previously made and used for mining
purposes by a person other than the pastoralist).
A Warden may order access to these areas other than (c) above, where he/she is satisfied that the land
is bona fide required for mining purposes. Compensation for loss or damage to the land is to be agreed
between the parties or determined by the Warden.
Entry Onto Pastoral Leases
(Refer to Information Pamphlet No. 5 – Prospecting, Exploring, Mining on Pastoral Leases)
The holder of a Miner’s Right may pass or repass over any of the restricted land referred to above in
order to gain access to any other Crown land for the purpose of conducting activities allowed under a
Miner’s Right.
Before doing so, the holder of a Miner’s Right must take all reasonable and practicable steps to notify
the pastoralist (consent is not required) of his intentions and when passing or repassing shall:
i. take all necessary steps to prevent fire, damage to trees or other property and to prevent
damage to any property or livestock by the presence of dogs, the discharge of firearms, the
use of vehicles or otherwise;
ii. cause as little inconvenience as possible to the pastoralist in relation to the passing and
repassing;
iii. comply with any reasonable request made by the pastoralist in relation to the passing and
repassing;
iv. restrict the number of passes or repasses to the minimum necessary for the purpose of mining
on or marking out that other land; and
v. make good any damage caused by the passing and repassing to any improvements or
livestock on the land.
Compensation
Any person (or company) holding a Miner’s Right is liable to pay compensation in accordance with
Section 123 of the Act for any loss or damage caused by that person (or company) whilst exercising any
right authorised under Section 20(2) in respect to any Crown land.
Obligations Of The Holder Of A Miner’s Right
As well as the above requirements for pastoral leases, in respect to all Crown land the holder is required
to:
• ensure that the least possible damage to the surface of the land is caused;
• fill in disturbances on the surface of the land made while conducting activities and which are
likely to endanger the safety of any person or animal;
• take all necessary steps to prevent fire, damage to trees or other property and to prevent
damage to any property or livestock by the presence of dogs, the discharge of firearms, the
use of vehicles or by other means;
• not to obstruct any public thoroughfare or undermine any road, railway, dam or building so as
to endanger public safety;
• not to remove any fencing, timber, etc. previously erected around or placed on an abandoned
shaft, pit, etc. in such manner as to render the area unsafe.
Unauthorised Activities
It is an offence under the Mining Act, 1978 to carry out mining operations on any land without
authorisation, and a penalty of $100,000 (plus $10,000 per day if the offence is a continuing one)
applies.
The holder of a Miner’s Right is authorised to search for and remove samples from Crown land, however
he is not permitted to carry out activities such as “strip mining” (ie. the use of front-end loaders and
bulldozers or similar machinery to strip the surface of soil or vegetation).
These types of operations may only be carried out in respect of granted mining tenements and
conditions will be applied to require compliance with methods of rehabilitation laid down by the
Environment Division.
Important Note
The information contained in this pamphlet is to serve as a guide only, and every holder of a Miner’s
Right has an obligation to be fully aware of the relevant provisions of the Mining Act, 1978 and
associated Regulations.
MINING ACT 1978
APPLICATION FOR A MINER’S RIGHT
TO: Director, Mineral Titles Division
Department of Mines and Petroleum
Level 1, Mineral House
100 Plain Street
EAST PERTH WA 6004 (May also be sent to any Mining Registrar’s Office)
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
(name in full-block letters)
of
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
(full postal address)
Postcode: …………………………… Telephone No: …………………………….
hereby make application for the use of a Miner’s Right pursuant to Section 20(1) of the Mining Act,
1978.
The prescribed fee of $25.00 is attached.
……………………………………………………..
(Signature of Applicant)
This pamphlet is issued by the Mineral Titles Division of the Department of Mines and Petroleum
1st Floor Mineral House
100 Plain Street (Cnr Adelaide Terrace)
EAST PERTH WA 6004
PHONE: (08) 9222 3333
FAX: (08) 9222 3444
Internet: http://www.dmp.wa.gov.au
N.B. The information contained in this pamphlet is designed to assist in gaining a general awareness of
the requirements of the Mining Act 1978 and is not intended to be a substitute for understanding the
statutory requirements of the Act and Regulations there under.
Old Toys, Badges, Coins and Bullet Holes
Posted by Billy on May 12, 2009 · Leave a Comment
Over the last couple of days I have been doing some treasure hunting at yet another old house, just outside of town, but all that remained of this house was just the concrete slab. I believe that this house probably had something to do with the Railway, possibly a Station Masters house, no sure, but it is directly opposite the Railway Line in Dumbleyung.
I found a few things of interest to myself as follows:
- A Old Toy Man in a Tractor
- Toy Ranger Pistol
- AMF button with KC & “no borders” map – WW2
- Brass Coat Hook
- Silver Fork
- Stainless Steel Fork
- Dumbleyung Football Club Badge dated 1969
- Australian Railway Badge?
- 1943 Australian Penny
- 1916 Australian Half Penny
- 1922 Australian Penny
- A Penny with a bullet hole through it!
Filed under Badges and Pins, Brass, Buttons, Coin Shooting, Coins, Finds Catalogue, Ghost Towns, Half Pennys, Help Identify, Metal Detecting, Metal Detecting Finds, Metal Detecting Photos, Old Houses, Penny, Pins · Tagged with 1916 Half Penny, 1922 penny, 1943 penny, badges, Buttons, Coin Shooting, Coins, cutlery, half penny, Metal Detecting, minelab e-trac, Old Houses, pennies, toys, Unknown, ww2
If you can’t find it amongst the clay, then bring the clay home!
Posted by Billy on May 4, 2009 · Leave a Comment
The other day when I was Lake Metal Detecting I got a nice little sound on my Minelab E-Trac Metal Detector and when I started digging, I just could not find it, and I was getting pretty tired as it was hot weather and almost dark, so I just dug out a big lump of the clay hard mud, waved my detector over the lump of mud, then got the same tone again.
I put the lump of clay in my sifter and took it home.
Because the lump of clay was really hard, the next day I got my high pressure hose out which I use the clean the motor of my car and sprayed the high pressurised water onto the clay, it cut through it like a hot knife in butter, and abracabra it revealed a coin in the middle of the clay!
So that’s my tip of the day, if you find something in clay, and can’t get it out, and are worried about damaged the hidden treasure, bring it home and high pressure hose it to find the coin like I did!
I just identified the coin by using electrolysis … what was the coin you ask?
A lousy 10 cents! All that work for 10 cents! At least that is more rewarding than finding a pulltab!
But thats one of the best things about metal detecting identifying what you have found, whether it is worth something or worthless, it’s all good fun … and the worlds most rewarding hobby!
Filed under Australian Decimal Coins, Coin Shooting, Coins, Finds Catalogue, Lake Detecting, Metal Detecting Finds, Metal Detecting Tips, Sieves · Tagged with Coin Shooting, Coins, decimal coins, Metal Detecting, Sieves, sifter, sifts
Yesterdays Church Metal Detecting Coin Finds
Posted by Billy on May 1, 2009 · Leave a Comment
Well, here are some close up photos of the coins I found yesterday at an old Metal Detecting at an old Church near my hometown.
Click on the images below to see a good close up photo!
More photos from yesterday:
1955 Silver Australian Three Pence
I would like to say that in 1966 Australia introduced Decimal Currency, so I would say that the above 1966 coins would have been definately sitting under the soil for 43 years.
In 1966, coins were introduced in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents. One-dollar coins were introduced in 1984, followed by two-dollar coins in 1988. The one- and two-cent coins were discontinued in 1991 and withdrawn from circulation. Cash transactions are rounded to the nearest five cents. As with most public changes to currency systems, there has been a great amount of seignorage of the discontinued coins. All coins portray the head of state, Queen Elizabeth II, on the obverse, and are produced by the Royal Australian Mint.
Filed under Australian Pre Decimal Coins, Coin Shooting, Coins, Finds Catalogue, Metal Detecting Finds, Silver, Three Pence · Tagged with Metal Detecting, silver coins, Three Pence























































