New Zealand Gold Prospecting & Metal Detecting Forums Archive

 

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Gwenold  
Posted : Friday, 29 January 2016 9:34:18 AM(UTC)
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Hi. If anybody could make it clear for me about legislation for gold detecting in NZ. Around QT especially. Should i keep near the river's only, or I may prospect for gold all around this area: hills, dry creeks etc. Any time limits for a tourists to make gold fossicking in public areas? What if I like there and stay for a month or two? I want to obey the law, feel relaxed about it, not stepping on somebody's toes sametime, enjoy walking and find some gold. Also do I need to buy a special permit for gold fossicking like in Australia?

Edited by user Friday, 29 January 2016 9:43:32 AM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

digahole!!  
Posted : Friday, 29 January 2016 4:03:47 PM(UTC)
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Have a look at the crown minerals website, it lists the 16 public areas you are allowed to go, it also lists what you are allowed to use. All the areas listed are free of charge. ANYWHERE outside of the listed areas you will need a permit of some kind, to detect for gold. Permits are quite a few thousand dollars and a lot of red tape.

LittleKiwiDetecting  
Posted : Friday, 29 January 2016 5:40:09 PM(UTC)
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There are also private lands, so do keep that in mind.
Fisher F22
2016
Pre-decimals: 10
Best Finds: German Pistol, Horse bit, Lead Belt Buckle

digahole!!  
Posted : Friday, 29 January 2016 7:09:50 PM(UTC)
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Even private lands require a permit to mine for gold, as the gold itself is owned by the crown.
Gwenold  
Posted : Friday, 29 January 2016 9:35:05 PM(UTC)
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Originally Posted by: LittleKiwiDetecting Go to Quoted Post
There are also private lands, so do keep that in mind.


Maybe a piece of nobody's land nearby, so if you walk with detector on it nobodys give a yawn? Very strong mineralisation and hot rocks near the river. What if to step little aside the arrow into the bushes, 20 meters or so?
GoldPandemic  
Posted : Friday, 29 January 2016 9:45:05 PM(UTC)
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Check
http://data.nzpam.govt.n...bmaps?commodity=minerals
for claimed rivers & land. Change Basemaps at top right to NZTOPO.

See
https://data.linz.govt.nz/
and click + for NZ TOPO 50 Maps and + for NZ Land Titles. So you stay off anyone's property.

Some of the blue sections are actually Doc/National parks, which is fine.
Just make sure you don't tear down river banks, knock down trees etc and no one should have a problem.
Tell them you are cleaning up the bush/rivers of all the lead bullets (I'm sure you'll find enough & casings).
And if they accuse you of searching for gold laugh at them, and say "you think there is buried treasure here!"

And becareful rivers are dangerous.
Treasure/coins: $1
Other artifacts: 1888 button
Lead: 914g
Copper: 46
Metal Kiwi  
Posted : Friday, 29 January 2016 9:54:36 PM(UTC)
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Originally Posted by: Gwenold Go to Quoted Post
Originally Posted by: LittleKiwiDetecting Go to Quoted Post
There are also private lands, so do keep that in mind.


Maybe a piece of nobody's land nearby, so if you walk with detector on it nobodys give a yawn? Very strong mineralisation and hot rocks near the river. What if to step little aside the arrow into the bushes, 20 meters or so?


Gwen the rules here are much stricter than Australia. In the designated Public Fossicking area's you are fine with a pan or detector. Outside of those area's fossicking for gold is in most area's at your own risk of prosecution if caught.

MK

LittleKiwiDetecting  
Posted : Friday, 29 January 2016 10:49:24 PM(UTC)
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...

Edited by user Saturday, 30 January 2016 1:19:34 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

Fisher F22
2016
Pre-decimals: 10
Best Finds: German Pistol, Horse bit, Lead Belt Buckle

1864hatter  
Posted : Saturday, 30 January 2016 8:50:50 AM(UTC)
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Originally Posted by: LittleKiwiDetecting Go to Quoted Post
Most land is private and public land is owned by the council, so you can't actually take from it, but I'm not so sure on that. Best search the laws around this in New Zealand.


Perhaps reserve your comments for topic about which you actually know some facts. The facts about detecting for gold in new Zealand are as follows. You can only detect in one of the 16 public fossicking areas. If you want to detect elsewhere you will either need permission to detect on somebody else's claim or set up your own claim. The latter option will cost up to 10,000 with the required associated consents etc. and probably will take a year.
Landowners have no legal rights to any resources in on or under their land unless they get a permit /claim from the crown. As such they have no right to detect on their land.
These are the facts.

What you choose to do with them is up to you.

Happy hunting
And now....On sandy beaches and muddy soil, rings and coins await my coil!
simon  
Posted : Saturday, 30 January 2016 9:45:40 AM(UTC)
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"Nobodys land". What exactly is that?

As far as I'm aware all land around here is someones. that scrubby piece of 'wasteland' next to the road, down by the river....its all someone's land. maybe look up wams.org and do some research on this 'nobodys' land. i think you'll find all land is either private or under a crown lease, is controlled by DOC, LINZ. theres is no such thing as 'nobodys' land in New Zealand.

Wherever you go with your detector you need to investigate whose land it is and seek permission to be there. as far as i know no one has sought a gold permit to purely detect. yet technically you do need one to take the crown's minerals. so your actions are yours to contemplate and any consequences are yours truly. if you want to play it safe stick to the official few public fossicking areas. or maybe talk to other more experienced dectectorists and listen to what they have to say.

Detecting can be a great hobby but its not just a big free for all. theres a good portion of the public, including other miners that frown upon the little detectorist. best option is play it right and they won't have anything to complain about. this includes refilling holes you've dug. especially ones in walking tracks and reserves and some around here seem to fail in in their mad hunt for gold.

Happy detecting.
LittleKiwiDetecting  
Posted : Saturday, 30 January 2016 1:22:47 PM(UTC)
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Sorry for any disagreements I may have caused on the thread. I'm out now. GL and HH
Fisher F22
2016
Pre-decimals: 10
Best Finds: German Pistol, Horse bit, Lead Belt Buckle