New Zealand Gold Prospecting & Metal Detecting Forums Archive

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Panning/ Sluicing off the Beaten track

roman holiday		Posted : Thursday, 13 May 2010 8:24:54 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 26/04/2010(UTC) Posts: 147 Location: Tauranga Thanks: 18 times Was thanked: 8 time(s) in 7 post(s)		Hey guys, Was just wondering if it was worthwhile to get a permit from Crown for panning and sluicing in places other than the officially set aside ones. I guess you could just pan or sluice anyway... keeping a low profile, but hey if you could pick up a cheap permit for little hasle, why wouldn't you?

goldtimer		Posted : Thursday, 13 May 2010 2:46:18 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Flake Groups: Registered Joined: 8/05/2010(UTC) Posts: 26 Location: New Zealand Thanks: 5 times Was thanked: 11 time(s) in 9 post(s)		Hi there, Yes I think it would be good if you could peg off your own area to fossick like the oldtimers did, but the permit application process nowdays is far to costly to make it worth it for just panning and sluicing. You'd be better off to just keep a low profile and not worry about it too much if you're panning in an area that's not a fossicking area,as long as you ask permission from land owners and keep off claimed areas, noone should bother you about it. Cheers GT

roman holiday		Posted : Thursday, 13 May 2010 4:28:49 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 26/04/2010(UTC) Posts: 147 Location: Tauranga Thanks: 18 times Was thanked: 8 time(s) in 7 post(s)		Thanks GT... at this stage I'm looking to start some serious fossicking later... I guess the convention is to do as you mention... before taking it to the next level with dredgers and rock crushers...:) I'm looking to start some serious fossicking early next year after the summer. I'll start off tetsing my skills in the Coromandel, before heading down to the top and west coast of South Island.

roman holiday		Posted : Thursday, 13 May 2010 4:31:19 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 26/04/2010(UTC) Posts: 147 Location: Tauranga Thanks: 18 times Was thanked: 8 time(s) in 7 post(s)		It sounds liek it isn't too difficult to know which areas are claims. I imagine them to be marked off with large red pegs... with danger/ warning/ no entry/ beware the dog signs splashed about. :)