Aussie Lapidary Forum
Fossicking and Rockhounding => Trip Talk => Topic started by: darttrev68 on May 24, 2017, 08:50:53 AM
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Hi All...
Well, I'm finally going to tick the Harts Ranges off the bucket list. Heading up there in four weeks from the 26th June - 14th July. Hoping to spend a few days at each of several locations including the Mount Palmer mica mines, Entia Valley and Mud Tank.
Firstly, are there any ALFer's who might be up there at the same time?
Secondly, can anyone help me with directions to the iolite / kyanite locality in the Entia Valley?
Cheers
Trevor
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PM me darttrev and I'll send you my phone number if you want to have chat. We were there for 2-3 weeks in 2015. Went to all the places you mentioned and others but unfortunately couldn't spend the time. I proabably had the gps going a lot of the time so might be able to get you some gpx tracks etc. I would also suggest before going ringing Mt Riddock station and ask permission to visit the Entia Valley and maybe other areas on their property. I don't think the Entia Valley is a declared area, some people just go there but it's worth checking as your going though a number of gates on their property.
Cheers
Andrew
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Lucky you Darttrev68... I plan to go out there next Winter... Hopefully spending 6-8 weeks at Harts Range and 2 weeks around Alice Springs... Now, just have to convince Mrs Gemster to spend that time in a Tent.... ;D Keep us informed on your Trip... Keen to know what is Open and What is a No-go area now... I know there are a few new leases been granted up that way...
Gemster... beers
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Lucky you Darttrev68... I plan to go out there next Winter... Hopefully spending 6-8 weeks at Harts Range and 2 weeks around Alice Springs... Now, just have to convince Mrs Gemster to spend that time in a Tent.... ;D Keep us informed on your Trip... Keen to know what is Open and What is a No-go area now... I know there are a few new leases been granted up that way...
Gemster... beers
Don't have to use a tent. I prefer not paying to stay anywhere but we stayed at Gemtree and just day tripped. Some very long days, driving in the dark etc. But nice having a hot shower at the end of the day. If spending time at mudtank getting water for fossicking and drink is tricky as I don't think Gemtree are that happy giving it away. And are reluctant to sell it. You can get water from the open pit at MudTank for fossicking, but had to lug it a good way in drums. As we had never been to the area before we decided on the security of leaving the van at gemtree not in the middle of not where.
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Tent or Camper Trailer, not too sure yet. ::) I am pretty well Self-Sufficient. 150L Fuel +2x 20l jerry cans, Water is 30L +jerry.. And a Hot Shower.... We have 2 Vehicles going, may-be 3 ,each with it's own Supplies.. And a very Large Rottweiler..
I don't blame you for wanting the Security of Gemtree... It is always a worry when you park your Car/van in the bush... A GPS in case my car gets 'Lost'' and a Trail-cam will come in handy... Oh and Zeus The Rottweiler ;D
Lots of planning and preparation to venture so remote..... At least I have 12 months to get it together... :P Thanks for the tips.... beers
Gemster.... beers
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I'll be mostly camping out in the field in my tent. I'll probably stay a couple of nights at Gemtree between Mount Palmer, Entia Valley and Mud Tank. Do some day trips to the Zircons, Garnets and the Kornerupine. I hope to meet up with some fellow fossickers and camp nearby for security.
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The only spot we noticed people camping was mud tank, spotted tiger camp was completely empty(I'm not sure if I'd leave a van or setup camp at spotted tiger with no one there, I'd worry all day). There were some semi-permanent residence at mud tank and everyone looks out for each other. If staying at gemtree try and make it roast night(might be fridays). It's a good meal but not quite enough for me when digging all day. But nice having a meal cooked for you and a chat with everyone.
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We passed the turnoff to O'Donoghue hwy this morning. Queensland end of the Plenty hwy.
I was pretty tempted to give Agate creek a miss and head over to mud tank, we came up the Strezleckie track via Yunta so the bitumen between Bedourie and Boulia was just too nice to leave behind. 33 degrees today, suffer southerners.
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I noticed in the fossickers guide to the Northern Territory, there is a lot more information than what the government has on their website. Does anyone know the site number for the best dodecahedral garnets. Some say site 3 while other information says site 5. From what I've read, I think the best spot is near a small hill that is called as "castle rock". Does anyone know if this is true. I'm not looking for cutting material, just nicely shaped crystals, so with fossicking time limited, many of the garnet sites where shards and pieces are found, do not interest me.
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We passed the turnoff to O'Donoghue hwy this morning. Queensland end of the Plenty hwy.
I was pretty tempted to give Agate creek a miss and head over to mud tank, we came up the Strezleckie track via Yunta so the bitumen between Bedourie and Boulia was just too nice to leave behind. 33 degrees today, suffer southerners.
There always the way back rusted you could head across the Barkley and stay on bitumen. :) Yeah I'm suffering brrr brrr , more from being stuck here than the cold.
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I noticed in the fossickers guide to the Northern Territory, there is a lot more information than what the government has on their website. Does anyone know the site number for the best dodecahedral garnets. Some say site 3 while other information says site 5. From what I've read, I think the best spot is near a small hill that is called as "castle rock". Does anyone know if this is true. I'm not looking for cutting material, just nicely shaped crystals, so with fossicking time limited, many of the garnet sites where shards and pieces are found, do not interest me.
Are you after the really big ones ?, I know exactly where they are, they are just a bit deep. Did you get my email and open the file ?
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No Email here ;D ;D
Gemster.... beers
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Makky, that digging spot is the garnet area on map fa03a right in the centre of the map on my Ruddock stn? Near the tiny rocky hill? Tell him about the one on the track out to Mt Palmer that I gave you directions to, some nice specimens there. Sorry for being brief, doing this on a phone is no fun.
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I think it is Rusted, it's just outside the declared areas. I had a look at your Mt Palmer spot there were plenty of garnets there but not like when you visited.
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I got your email Makky, thanks heaps for the info. A few of the spots I lined up on Google Earth, match the end of the tracks. So I must have been in the right areas. I'm adding locations now to my itinerary, mostly the kyanite spots in Entia Valley. Can't wait to get up there...
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Spoke to a fellow ALFer tonight who visited the Harts Ranges last August, and he told me that some of the roads have been closed off (Bulldozed) by the Mount Riddock Station owner due to people tampering with his equipment. It was the area where the garnets are found around Old Station Well. Does anyone have any extra information about access to this spot as it is where I want to go to try and find the Kornerupine location.
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Your only hope of getting past the bulldosed heaps would be to ask the owner but he was pretty firm with a no when I asked 2years ago. Kong Bore was ok, but might not be now as it has an exploration license on it. Maybe others have made tracks around the heaps but me personally I'd be respecting the owners wishes. We were disappointed we couldn't visit the Old Station Well area, as it was the aquamarine spot my daughter really wanted to visit. The owner said it was 4wds continually needing rescuing that caused the heaps, there was also a pump stolen from Kong Bore from memory but that didn't cause the area to be closed.
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Makky, did you call into Mount Riddock and talk to the owner, or did you phone him to find out this info?
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Makky, did you call into Mount Riddock and talk to the owner, or did you phone him to find out this info?
I rang before hand and talked with the old bloke asking permission for Kong Bore, but then met his son?or inlaw with a truck full of cattle out in the Entia Valley who I had a good chat to. I asked again if Kong Bore was ok and inquired about Old Station Well. He was less than impressed with 4wders and first thought that's what we were doing, he was quite friendly once he realized we were fossicking. But very firm with a no in regard to Old Station well. And gave me plenty of details about past issues etc etc.
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On the Maps I have here, the only Way to Old Station Well is by Chopper now... Lol... May-be we could pool our $$$ and buy one... Droo
Another Area Lost from Peoples Actions....
Gemster.... beers
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I might have to cross that area off the list. Just have to stay an extra day in Entia Valley and try and find the sphenes instead.
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Sphenes? ??? What are They?
Gemster....
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Trevor ,
Hope you can find the sphene . I bought one from the Gemtree shop on avisit about 15 years ago
A beautiful stone . On my last visit to Gemtree about 5 years ago was told that no-one that they knew ( including the previous owner of Gemtree park ( Graham ?) had found sphene in recent years
but certainly worth looking for. BTW I have another sphene that I bought in Sydney a few years ago and was told it had been found in the Broken Hill area. Is that possible ?
Good hunting
John
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Thanks for answering my Question... :-\
Gemster... beers
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Thanks for answering my Question... :-\
https://www.gemologyproject.com/wiki/index.php?title=Sphene
https://www.mindat.org/min-3977.html
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Thanks Leah ;).....
Gemster... beers
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The sphenes were over in Entia Valley at the southern end near Spriggs Bore. They are associated with the albite feldspar crystals at site 34. Apparently this location is hard to find as it is all overgrown with waist high grass.
As for the sphene around Broken Hill, there is a spot on Huonville Station where we collected some nice olive green crystals - up to around 3cm in size - about ten years ago. Again, we can't get on to it as the station owner has closed the station to everyone, thanks to some yahoo's on motorbikes.
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Might have to add that one to the List... Didn't even know 'What' they were till a few days ago... ::)
Gemster....
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The sphenes were over in Entia Valley at the southern end near Spriggs Bore. They are associated with the albite feldspar crystals at site 34. Apparently this location is hard to find as it is all overgrown with waist high grass.
As for the sphene around Broken Hill, there is a spot on Huonville Station where we collected some nice olive green crystals - up to around 3cm in size - about ten years ago. Again, we can't get on to it as the station owner has closed the station to everyone, thanks to some yahoo's on motorbikes.
Very nice crystals :) A lot of the spots in Entia Valley are hard to find, the Iolite spot between Shaws and Valley Bore is gone, filled in by flooding. You can roughly pick where it was but need a lot of time to start digging test holes.
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Anyone heading out to Harts Range would be pleased to know that the NT Government has just released 'Fossicking in the NT' on a very handy USB.... And Yes They are Free... just request one with your mailing address and they will send you one... I ordered mine last Thursday and it arrived Today... Postage must run better Downhill.... ;D ;D
Here is the Email address..... titles.info@nt.gov.au and provide your mailing address...
Most the Maps on the USB are easily obtained off the Net. But the New Maps come with GPS co-ords on all boundaries so No excuses where you are... and a lot of handy info on Fossicking in the NT too...
Shame other State Governments don't promote Fossicking like the NT does and come up with these great ideas... ::) Mmmmm may have to re-think this comment ::)
Gemster... beers
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Hi Gemster,
You provided an email address - not a link! I'm keen to get one of those!
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Ops... it isn't a link... its an email address .... Email them your details and they will send you one... would be best to tell them what you want... New Fossicking NT USB...
I also noticed in the usb that there is a section on Old Station Well Area... that is now Closed...
This has been raised with them and I expect an answer soon on this.... As this is marked on NT mines maps as FA10... a Public Fossicking Area that has been 'closed' by the Station Owner?... Mines were surprised when I mentioned this as they were Not Informed of this Closure...Stay tuned for more info... This is getting Very interesting.. :)
Gemster... beers
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Interesting that the NT government website still has information about Fossicking Area 10 - Old Station Well and they state:
"Note: Access to Fossicking Area (FA10) Old Station Well can be obtained by contacting Mt Riddock Station on (08) 8956 9720"
If rumour is correct, when you ring that number, be ready to expect a "No you cannot get access to that area" as your answer.
I will contact the station and confirm whether or not it is open to fossickers.
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darttrev, I have just called Steve xxxx who is the Mt Riddock Station Owner... The number listed on the mines website is his Father who has handed over the Station to Steve xxxx
Now the Bad News... Old Station Well is CLOSED... and will be FOREVER.. No amount of Persuasion will work as he informed me that every time 'Fossickers', 4WDers and Nature Lovers leave the gate open or cut his fences it costs him a hefty $20,000...
His Cattle are segregated and to put them back in their right paddocks it costs... He also informed me that Mines NT are well aware of this Closure that has been in place for a few years now.... If you want to call the CORRECT number is 08 89569693.....
So all I can say is a Big THANK-YOU to the 'LOCAL 4WDers'(gee I wonder who they are) that have Stuffed this up for Every-one... Another Location Lost Forever by the Actions of a Limited Few... F$#@$%G A%$#*& >:( Man I wish I could really tell ya how I feel about this one....
An Angry Gemster.... beers
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Fossicking USB for NT.
This is the link to the web page, but as Gemster said, you just need to email them, requesting the Fossicking USB and provide your postal address. I ordered one last night and was informed it was on the way this afternoon.
https://fossicking.nt.gov.au/
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:D G-day Mr Crocket. How's things.. :D.... It appears that they may even withdraw their USB' s Until All This is Sorted out...
As after Some Enquiries, this has opened a Large Can Of Worms, And the Worms Won't stop coming out of the Can... Mistake after Mistake has been made....Lol.. ::)
Glad im not a Taxpayer in the NT... 8)
On Another note about the Sunstone Location on Mt Riddock Station, A Lease has been Granted to Gemtree... All With-out Mt Riddock Station's Knowledge.... No Consultation, No Nothing... He Is Not A Happy Fellow at the Moment...
Gemster... beers
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darttrev, I have just called Steve xxxx who is the Mt Riddock Station Owner... The number listed on the mines website is his Father who has handed over the Station to Steve xxxx
Now the Bad News... Old Station Well is CLOSED... and will be FOREVER.. No amount of Persuasion will work as he informed me that every time 'Fossickers', 4WDers and Nature Lovers leave the gate open or cut his fences it costs him a hefty $20,000...
His Cattle are segregated and to put them back in their right paddocks it costs... He also informed me that Mines NT are well aware of this Closure that has been in place for a few years now.... If you want to call the CORRECT number is 08 89569693.....
So all I can say is a Big THANK-YOU to the 'LOCAL 4WDers'(gee I wonder who they are) that have Stuffed this up for Every-one... Another Location Lost Forever by the Actions of a Limited Few... F$#@$%G A%$#*& >:( Man I wish I could really tell ya how I feel about this one....
An Angry Gemster.... beers
That's exactly what he told me two years ago(I think I post that below), he also said he was going to contact NT Mines about it. I think it's a case of government bureaucracy with no idea what's going on.
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Yes MakkyBrown I agree with you on that one.... Poor Fellow, He is starting to Pull his Hair out... And Now with this Gemtree Stuff going on... We spoke for an Hour on the Stuff-ups The Mines Department has Done up that way... ::) ::)
Gemster.... beers
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:D G-day Mr Crocket. How's things.. :D .... It appears that they may even withdraw their USB' s Until All This is Sorted out...
As after Some Enquiries, this has opened a Large Can Of Worms, And the Worms Won't stop coming out of the Can... Mistake after Mistake has been made....Lol.. ::)
Glad im not a Taxpayer in the NT... 8)
On Another note about the Sunstone Location on Mt Riddock Station, A Lease has been Granted to Gemtree... All With-out Mt Riddock Station's Knowledge.... No Consultation, No Nothing... He Is Not A Happy Fellow at the Moment...
Gemster... beers
I thought(was told) it was Dazzling Gems the lease was granted to, that should have been a declared fossicking area imo if the NT mine had been on the ball. Great spot my kids loved digging it with all the rainbow flecks, was the highlight of their trip.
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Where about is That Lease? I have Asked about Dazzling Gems .. Should have something on that Tomorrow... ;)
Gemster... beers
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Is this the Kong Bore location with the rainbow lattice sunstone? Found by Sonny Mason (RIP) and about to be covered with a mining lease. These classic locations should not be allowed to be taken up by profiteers.
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Is this the Kong Bore location with the rainbow lattice sunstone? Found by Sonny Mason (RIP) and about to be covered with a mining lease. These classic locations should not be allowed to be taken up by profiteers.
That's the one Trev, was quite an adventure getting there also went to the old rutile mine. It would have made a great fossicking area. With strict restriction to stop the greedy out for pure profit. I've heard(through multiple hands, so might not be accurate) it is being marketed in the states.
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More than likely... Same with the Sceptres...
The NT Mines really need to bring in what NSW did and Allow fossickers on to leased Areas..
I have also heard that one of the Amethyst Sceptres areas is under Lease too, by a Well known Crystal Collector... ???
MakkyBrown, Would you take a Trailer into most/some of the Locations you went into?
I know it's Rough Country, But we are looking at setting up Base Camp at say Entia Valley/Valley Bore area for a while then moving on to Somewhere else.... I really need to take a bit of Comfort for Mrs Gemster ::)
Gemster... beers
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Yes, most of it's ok. (around Gemtree/Mudtank/Garnets). Bit sandy in parts of the Entia Valley but your'll have your tyre pressures down for the corrugations on the highway so that should be ok( be a bugger to get bogged though ::) , I wouldn't have dragged my caravan through some of it pretty soft).
It was a bit rutted out going up Mt Parmer, I may have been in low range for comfort not traction. Rusted might have dragged his camper trailer up there. It's good on the eastern track into shaws, you could camp there and unhook. It get sandy in parts crossing the valley. The rivers didn't have any water and were sand based from memory.
Out the back of Kong Bore now under lease got pretty rugged, bonnet high scrub, on a very disused track.
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Well that's put a smile on Mrs Gemster's face... Not too worried about getting Bogged as we will have at least one other 4x4 going and not afraid of a bit of Sideways Fun.. ;D.... Thanks MakkyBrown... ;)
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And when driving on the Plenty Highway with the bitumen centre strip it's almost worth pulling completely off the road for all traffic(not just trucks) as rocks get thrown more than any other road I've been on. Especially from 4x4 towing camper trailers that don't even slow at all. The all gravel sections are fine must be something to do with the road base material on the bitumen edges. The frustrating bit is even when you pull off some clowns still drive with a wheel in the gravel at full speed ??? Was chatting with the local cop at gemtree roast night, he'd had smashed a heap of windscreens. He even smashed one the same day after drive to Alice to get one fixed.
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Poor Fellow, having to drive into Alice to get windscreen fixed, Lucky they are Free for Him.. ::). Fuel + Windscreen + Time = $$$... ::) That's why it's called the Plenty Highway.... Plenty of Corrugations and Plenty of Rocks...AND plenty of Bulldust.. ;D
More than likely I will be doing the Plenty, West to East once on the way Home :'(... and go the Long Way around to get there as we want to see the Marbles as well.... I Always pull off and Stop when im on Bad Dirt Roads.. And Yes you will meet every D$%%#@ad Driver out there, with-out a Doubt... That's why we want to Camp along way away from that... ::)
Gemster.... beers
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And when driving on the Plenty Highway with the bitumen centre strip it's almost worth pulling completely off the road for all traffic(not just trucks) as rocks get thrown more than any other road I've been on. Especially from 4x4 towing camper trailers that don't even slow at all. The all gravel sections are fine must be something to do with the road base material on the bitumen edges. The frustrating bit is even when you pull off some clowns still drive with a wheel in the gravel at full speed ??? Was chatting with the local cop at gemtree roast night, he'd had smashed a heap of windscreens. He even smashed one the same day after drive to Alice to get one fixed.
Same with the central strips on the Savannah Way between Mount Surprise and Georgetown. Some clowns go full speed kicking up the gravel. >:( Big trouble there is often you cannot pull too far of the strip unless you want to drop in a gully. :o Some people have no idea how to drive on development roads.
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There is a 'Delegation' of NT Mines People having a site inspection and a meeting with Mt Riddock Station Owners next week regarding 'Old Station Well' Area.... Hopefully we will have an answer soon on this.... Meanwhile It is Closed until this is sorted out...
Gemster... beers
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If they open it Gemster you might do ok as it's been closed a good while.
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Somehow I don't think that will happen MakkyBrown.. :-\.. NT Mines wants it Open but the Station owner is adamant that it remains Closed... It's the Station that granted Permission in the first instance... So it's their Call.... and after several phone calls to sort this out, I doubt it will open again.... Shame, cause it's NOT the Fossickers, Station Owners or NT Mines that is the Problem here... ::)
Gemster.... beers
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Have been given a reprieve for good behaviour and the GLW is now willing to include a few days at Mudtank (if you think this holiday is all about fossicking for gemstones you have another think coming blah blah blah). Last time I was there I went to (I think) 5 mile, turned right heading toward Harts and got one nice garnet (7 ct round brilliant) however I have been told there is a better site for garnets off to the left after crossing a dry creek in that same area.
Would appreciate any advice/suggestions
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Hi all, currently sitting at Gemtree. Had four great days out at Entia Valley, camped near the Valley Bore. Got some nice epidotes and blue kyanite. Tried to get to Spriggs Bore for the Albite crystals but at sign at the Abalindum boundary said no access and "fossickers will be penalised". Steve at Mount Riddock was very nice fellow. He told us why he wanted Old Station Well closed, 4x4 drivers stuffing it up and not doing the right thing. Found some small but nice garnets today. Digging for zircons tomorrow.
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Also camped for two days near the Rex Mine. Walk up to the disputed mine was fun. Nearly blown off the mountain by the Antarctic wind, but found some nice specimens
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Back home. Here is the run down of my trip up to Harts Ranges.
Day 1 - travelled from Alice Springs to the Harts Ranges. Called into Mount Riddock Station and met Steve and Bec, to confirm permission to camp in the station. Very nice people and happy to give permission to fossickers. Steve explained why he wanted Old Station Well closed off and his argument was valid. Too many other people considering it their right to cross through the area and a number of them have caused problems that have cost him personally. He is in negotiations with the NT government about closing it off.
Continued into the Harts Range area (another 30 km to the east) and set up camp at the Rex Mine. The road in was very rough but negotiable with care. A few of the jump ups tried out the Pajero and reminded me where the centre of gravity of my car was. The track to the Rex was easily found and the valley provided a good secluded spot for camping. Spent the afternoon exploring the Rex Mine and found plenty of muscovite mica, some of which had small glassy deep red garnets included in the sheets. Collected a number of these garnet in mica samples along with some very nice crystalline books.
Retired back to camp, however the wind picked up and tried to blow us off the mountain. Couldn't sit around the fire to keep warm as the fear of starting a wild fire took precedent. Following a wet end to last year, the grass had grown to clumps around two feet high and was an inferno waiting to happen. Called it a night and went to bed to keep warm, fell asleep to the sound of my tent flapping in the wind with frequent gusts sending the fly into spasm ready for take-off. Not the soundest sleep I've had. Tomorrow would be the long walk up to the Disputed Mine...
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Day 2 - drove from the Rex Mine around to the parking area at the base of Mount Palmer. This road was also pretty rough with a few sections trying out the suspension of the Pajero. Parked as close as we could to the beginning of the walking track up to the Disputed Mine and headed up the mountain. The track was very overgrown and sometime vanished beneath our feet, however there were enough markers along the trail to find it again. The track follows a steady climb up to the Spotted Dog Mine, then along a contour, around a gully to the Disputed Mine. The rise from the carpark to the Disputed is about 200 metres over a length of 1.4 km.
Reached the Spotted Dog Mine and collected a few samples of muscovite mica with hematite inclusions. The hematite forms a cross-hatched pattern between the sheets and when held up to the light looks very attractive.
Onto the Disputed. The dumps are extensive and cover a large flank of the hill. Dug a few sections that looked promising and found a very nice yellow green tapered beryl in matrix, with a few gemmy sections. Also found while digging a double ended, double sceptre, clear quartz crystal about 10 cm long. Moved to a different part of the dump and found some nice albite, tourmaline, quartz, mica books and tourmaline in mica specimens.
Watched the time and around 3 o'clock started heading back down the mountain. With a full backpack the trek back to the car was fun. Constantly watching where to step, as a mis-placed foot roll would cause the pack to topple and the low centre of gravity leaves you like a upturned tortoise. Finally back to the car and headed around to our base camp at the Rex.
Another blustery night and sleep became a novelty. Early morning wake up and pack up, ready to move to the Entia Valley...
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darttrev68, sounds like you found some nice specimens. You will have to post some pictures if you haven't already.
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Great report darttrev68. :) Love to see some pictures of your finds and the area. beers
May get out that way one year, like after 2020. Hopefully go with someone who knows the area. It would be risky traveling alone.
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Nice Report.... Do we get to see some Pics ...Please.... :D beers
Great to get an insight into what I will experience next year.... Can't Wait...
Gemster.... beers
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I'll get around to taking some pictures of the samples. Got a lot of location photos to put up. Will do so soon.
Day 3 - Travelled from the Rex Mine to the Entia Valley. Set up camp near the Valley Bore and after a quick bite to eat, headed over to the epidote site on the western side of the valley. Used the map from the 86' book and the distances were still pretty spot on. A slight deviation in the track meant that the turnoff to the epidotes was a little further on from the junction of the cross valley track. The road into the epidotes was high with grass but still easy to follow.
We parked at the base of the hill and walked up to the epidote horizon. It occurs in contact with actinolite, calcite and quartz and often the epidotes have been naturally etched out of the rock. They are deep green and form crystals up to 20cm in length. The horizon runs north-south for around 500 metres along two small ridges.
This day was a chance to investigate the horizon and look for prospective areas to dig. I found a hole and started digging in the wall. Two glassy 6cm crystals rolled out of the calcite. Unfortunately they were fractured, but I managed to collect all the pieces and repairs will be done to bring them back to their full glory.
We headed back to the cars and discovered another potential site, worth investigating tomorrow. On return to our base camp we enjoyed a fire-coals cooked hot potato and watched the cows return to the bore for the night...
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Day 4 - Woke up to a glorious sunrise over the Entia Valley. Back to the epidote today, travelled the 7.3 km from our base camp along a good station track. A bit sandy in places and I felt the car drift a couple of times.
We parked at the base of the ridge and investigated the epidote horizon we had spotted yesterday afternoon. This was on the smaller ridge to the south of the track and back about 140 metres from the main ridge. Here there was a long traceable vein of quartz with large epidote crystals growing inside it. In some sections the quartz / epidote vein had calcite filling cavities and this was often naturally etched to expose the epidote crystals. I dug on a couple of spots and uncovered small pieces with terminated epidote crystals standing free.
In places where the quartz vein widened to over 30 cm, the epidote were much larger. Digging on one of these spots uncovered a single crystal 15 cm round. Unfortunately it fractured, but I managed to get a large terminated top.
After lunch we went back to the higher ridge to follow the old workings and located some nice epidote in albite, along with clusters of small albite crystals. The coarse albite rock had large cavities where another mineral had dissolved. These turned out to be long (up to 20 cm) actinolite crystals as some smaller samples were found intact.
After spending the day digging the epidotes, our sample bags were filled and we headed back to our base camp at Valley Bore...
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Great report! Already making me dream of a trip out there! Looking forward to some pics!
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:P Very Nice Finds there darttrev68..... and Reports... My notebook is getting Full... ;D
Maybe an ALF Get-together at Harts Range Next Year Mr Sydney?... ;) There is so much to see and do out there , you need a few weeks... ::)
Gemster... beers
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In my dreams Gemster! At this stage the divorce would cost me to much!
Having said that when the kids are a few years older I'm pretty positive my wife will be up for it as she is big on exposing them to different areas of the country and they are all partial to some good fossicking especially when there is actually material to find without too much difficulty.
;D
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Hi Trevor, I have enjoyed reading your daily reports on your mouth drooling and inspiring Harts Ranges trip. Droo Did you go on your own or did you have some of your Broken Hill Club fellowship tag along with you? Gemster I like your suggestion of an ALF get together at the Harts Ranges. There has been a get together in Powelltown Victoria.
Cheers beers ;)
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Hi Trevor, I have enjoyed reading your daily reports on your mouth drooling and inspiring Harts Ranges trip. Droo Did you go on your own or did you have some of your Broken Hill Club fellowship tag along with you? Gemster I like your suggestion of an ALF get together at the Harts Ranges. There has been a get together in Powelltown Victoria.
Cheers beers ;)
Maybe 2020 :) . :-* for luck.
Fires near home made me turn around after Eldorado when Woofa and I were on the way to the Powelltown gathering.
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Day 5 - Another magnificent sunrise over the Entia Valley. Today we headed down towards Spriggs Bore on the southwestern side of the valley. We reached the boundary fence between Mount Riddock and Abalindum Stations and met a sign saying "Fossickers trespassing will be penalised". Well this put an end to our plans for Spriggs Bore, so we turned around and headed over to Shaw's deposit on the northeastern side of the valley.
Shaws deposit was 16 km from our base camp at Valley Bore, via the northern access road and a station track that turns off after crossing the main channel of Entire Creek, 7.2 km north of base, heading towards the southeast. At 15 km there is an old caravan with two steel shelters, that would make an ideal camping spot. Shaws deposit is another 1 km to the east.
Shaws deposit has both iolite (cordierite) and kyanite. The iolite is a lavender colour and mostly occurs in association with quartz seams. Some very large pits have followed the quartz and we found a very nice cuttable piece of iolite in one of these pits. My colleague pulled out a gemmy piece of it and asked me if there was amethyst here. Surprised I said "not that I know of" and looked at the piece. It was a ripper of a piece of iolite around 30 carats of cuttable gem.
We further explored the area and located the kyanite horizons. Some of this is close to the iolite diggings, while other kyanite crystals are found in a black biotite mica layer that extends to to small ridge to the south. Here the kyanite is glassy, sometimes transparent and grades from white to pale blue to bright blue. Some of the kyanite collected is vivid blue in fluorescent light and teal green in sunlight. These exist as crystals within the black mica up to 15 cm long, but most are around 5-7 cm.
After collecting our fair share of kyanite we headed back to base camp and along the way, checked out some of the quartz reefs on the side of the road back. Near the base camp was a pegmatite with a quartz core containing tourmaline crystals. Several workings were followed along the strike of the pegmatite, but as light was fading for the day we decided to check it out properly tomorrow.
Back to base camp for another quiet night around the campfire...
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Day 6 - Our last day in the Entia Valley. We travelled back to the Epidote location for one last look along the horizons for well formed crystals. Following the strike of the formation along the smaller ridge, we found a section at the southern end of the ridge where very large crystals were sitting in the quartz. This spot also had calcite filling gaps and where it had naturally etched the crystal faces were exposed. A few very nice samples of thumb sized, terminated epidote crystals were collected from this location.
Back to camp for lunch, then a look at the tourmaline location on the ridge west of camp. We followed the pegmatite for around 400 metres and checked out the numerous pits along the outcrop. Pieces of quartz with spaces where large tourmaline crystals once existed, were strewn around each pit. A few nice tourmaline crystals were found, some had terminations, while others were sitting in matrix.
Back at camp we started to pack up ready to move out next morning.
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Possible solution to lack of access to Harts Range fossicking. The Northern Territory government purchases the station and turns it into a fossicking reserve. Control is given to the Atitjere community to run tours, or charge a reasonable entry and/or camping fee, providing the community with employment and income.- Kim
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Day 7 - Left Entia Valley and headed west along the Plenty Highway towards Gemtree Caravan Park. From the Entia Valley gate we passed Harts Range (29km) and then Mount Riddock Homestead (55 km) to the turnoff into Kong Bore (61 km). The sign on the gate said "disease control" indicating that Mount Riddock had segregated some of their cattle for quarantine reasons and the gate into Kong Bore must be kept closed.
At the bore there were mica mines within sight and a grave nearby. We inspected the dumps and found a lot of mica but not much else. Apparently there is a blue quartz and beryl to be found but we couldn't see any.
A tourmaline location is noted on the southern side of the mica mines. We located the tourmaline and most was fine fibres through a very weathered rock. By chance I noticed a larger crystal in quartz and had a scratch in the dirt. What came out was astounding. Sprays of tourmaline crystals, some as large as your hand rolled out of the dirt. We opened up a small hole, 1 metre long by 30 cm wide and retrieved about 30 pieces with tourmaline sprays, the largest piece being 25 x 30 cm with 3 distinct sprays.
We then headed around the bore to a creek and followed it upstream to a sunstone location. Either we didn't find the spot or the sun was at the wrong angle, but our search for the sunstone was to no avail. We walked up the creek into a small gorge. There was evidence that a vehicle had gone up the gorge as wheel tracks were evident. It was rough going and the driver of the previous vehicle was either very brave or insane to have gone along this "track".
After nearly 2 km, we decided that our search was in vain and turned back towards the cars. A few quartz crystal leaders were found but none yielded good samples.
Back to the cars and onwards towards Gemtree. We arrived late in the afternoon, booked in for four nights and set up camp on site "beryl". We met up with a couple of fellow fossickers and compared notes about where we had been.
The evening was spent talking rocks and fossicking around one of the many campfires at Gemtree.
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Without offending anyone, but your idea Kim is SO WRONG... As I went past the Spotted Tiger campsite, I noticed how un-maintained it was. This is in the control of the local Atitjere community and it is not being looked after. The idea to set it up was good, but fossickers are not a priority for the community nor the NT Government.
It would be a bad idea to give it over the Atitjere community and I have seen elsewhere, when control is given over, far too many great fossicking locations get locked up and access is denied. Once it is governed by the local aboriginal tribes, areas become men only or women only and some become strictly off limits. There is already a land rights claim underway for the whole Harts Range. Hopefully common sense will prevail and the fossicking areas will not be closed.
The government would be better to negotiate with the landholders for access to particular areas and set rules - as was applied by the fossicking permit - that all fossickers must follow. This allows the fossickers back in and the landholders know what will be expected when they visit. The permit does not have to be imposed, but a registration that you are in the area should be.
Bush camping should still be allowed and if the government want to help (which they don't), they need to maintain some of the access roads - even if it is a dozer run over the tracks every so often to keep them passable.
The other problem is that many of the access tracks are not gazetted roads, but private station tracks. This means that a breakdown of a vehicle and the cost of retrieval and fixing the ensuing road issues, falls on the landowner. This is one of the reasons Mount Riddock wants to close off Old Station Well. Unless the government does something about this, then many more areas will become off limits.
The NT government's priorities do not include fossickers. They have closed their office in Alice Springs and even though there are government signposts for fossicking areas, these are out of date and not being fixed anytime soon.
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Day 8 - Woke up to yet another magnificent sunrise, this time over the Mulga trees at Gemtree Caravan Park.
Headed out to Castle Rock - a distinctive small rocky hill, around 17 km east from Gemtree. The garnet diggings are found by following the track another 1 km to the southwest of Castle Rock and a second set of diggings occurs another 600 metres further on.
The garnets are found shedding out of a schist and by sieving the topsoil, some nice dodecahedrons can be found. We chose a likely spot and dug. Soon small dodecs rolled out and a number of nice crystals were collected. The largest, found by my fossicking colleague was the size of a golf ball.
This was my first chance to try out the "dartomatic" shaker table and it worked a treat.
After lunch we had acquired enough garnet samples, so we headed back towards Gemtree. We turned into Mud Tank and inspected the Zircon Field. After discussions with the resident fossickers, we decided that we would reserve a hole and try our luck tomorrow. As for the rest of our afternoon, we searched around the base of Specimen Hill for sharp magnetite crystals. Many of these are a result of cleavage of larger samples, but a lot are individual crystals. Some very nice, sharp crystals were found by following a black magnetite outcrop on the southern flank of the hill. In association with the magnetite is apatite. At Mud Tank, the apatite is yellow / green and forms rounded masses, some with pseudo-hexagonal shape. Several large barrels of apatite were found among the magnetite horizon.
We headed back over to an area called "the flats" where several zircon pits were being worked. We found an abandoned hole, placed a "reserved" bucket inside it and headed back to Gemtree. After collecting some firewood we settled into camp for the night, with discussions about "how to" fossicking techniques in readiness for the hunt tomorrow...
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Nice Reports darttrev. beers .. How are the Tracks out there?
Gemster.... beers
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Tracks are a bit rough past the Spotted Tiger campsite going into Mount Palmer. Entia Valley was good. The tracks were sandy in places but easy to follow. Some parts on the sections into the epidote and into Shaws were overgrown with high grass, but the wheel tracks were still able to be be seen. Didn't get down to the Spriggs's Bore area, so can't comment. The main road - Plenty Highway - has been upgraded and is really good near the Mount Riddock homestead. The section from there to the Harts Range Police Station is getting ready for sealing as well and could be done before you get there Gemster.
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Day 9 - Headed over the zircon field at Mud Tank for some digging. We were given the OK from a fellow camper at Gemtree to use their sorting table (a piece of white painted steel on a 44 gallon drum) and wash buckets, so we set it up and went digging. The whole process involves digging through to the layer where the zircons are found then dry sieving to remove the fines. The next process is to wash the mud off the oversize and turn it out on the white sheet. The zircons have a distinctive glint as the sun passes through and are easily picked from the rest of the rock.
We washed several buckets of oversize and found on average five small zircons in each sieve. Among the zircons were some well formed crystals and waterworn rounded zircons with clarity.
We moved around a cubic metre of dirt from the hole for the day and washed 12 buckets of oversize to get about half a kg of zircons. Among the the samples was an 80 carat stone with a large proportion of cuttable material. There were several good sized crystals and a number of small rounded zircons that were cutters.
Back at Gemtree, a good nights sleep was in order ready for another day's digging...
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Day 10 - Our second day at Mud Tank and our last day of the fossicking trip. We headed from Gemtree to the zircon field, continued to dig out our hole and process the wash. The morning sun showed up the zircons really well and we managed to continue to find a number of small crystals.
The area where our hole was located - at the western end of "The Flats", closer to "Specimen Hill" - is where nicely formed crystals are known to exist. As a result, a number of the samples found had natural faces on them. At one point I removed a 3 cm crystal straight out of the wall of the hole, then a second 3 cm crystal fell out while I was digging. This was really good as it meant that both myself and my fossicking partner had a good one to take home.
We washed another 12 buckets of oversize and as the sun passed 3 o'clock the angle made it harder to pick the zircons out of the wash. We also noticed that our wash water was getting too muddy to properly clean the zircons and as a result we probably missed some of the smaller pieces when picking through the sieves. This is a lesson to be learnt when fossicking at Mud Tank, replace the wash water regularly, otherwise the zircons are too easily missed.
The good thing about staying at Gemtree - apart from the showers - is that there is water available for washing. Remember to bring the following if you ever decide to go to Mud Tank - 15L buckets x 6, washing tubs x 2, white topped table (or a sheet of flat iron), 20L water drums x 3, sieves - for both screening and washing.
The soil is hard clay and needs a good pick and shovel to get to the zircon layer. After that a small sharp pick and a scoop to fill the buckets with dirt is needed. Claw tools are also handy when digging.
The last tool needed is a magnet. This is used to identify the magnetite from the zircon, as when they are both covered in mud they are easily confused. Both are distinctly heavier than the quartz, but the zircon is not affected by the magnet.
As the sun headed down, we washed our last bucket of oversize and then went back to camp. The final pack up was done in readiness for our departure back to home in the morning... and so ends the fossicking trip to the Harts Ranges.
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Awesome reports! What can I say.... just sounds amazing!
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Sounds like you had a great trip, thanks for the reports :) Pity you couldn't find the sunstone spot, we got a bit lost aswell but after a good bit of xcountry driving found it. Track out of the river bed is real hard to locate.
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darttrev a great report. Thanks. I dream of one day getting there and am hoping maybe 2018.
I hope as you go over your zircons collected you find some real stunners.
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;) Sounds good... I hope the road is sealed soon... The Sunstone spot is now under or about to be under Lease by a 'well' known Crystal Collector ::)
Gemster beers
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Excellent report darttrev. beers
Been to NT three times as a tourist and it is still on my wish list for fossicking.
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Yes - I'd be really keen to hear / see how good the zircons are especially given the size of some of the stones you are picking up! Also are they all clear of some colour through them?
I love the brilliance of the zircons - I think they are very underrated.
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Added some photos to the gallery including these Mud Tank Zircons
(http://aussielapidaryforum.com/forum/gallery/8/medium_5533-180717213957.jpeg) (http://aussielapidaryforum.com/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=8633)
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There's a good range of interesting stones there. Wouldn't mind some myself.
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Trev,
Great reports.
Frosty
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Looks like any reference to 'Old Station Well' has been removed from NT Mines websites.... I have been Googling and searching and cannot find any current References anywhere... At least they have moved very quickly to sort out the issue that was bought to their attention..
Shame We have Lost this one too, due to actions of a few... >:(
Gemster.... beers
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I noticed in the fossickers guide to the Northern Territory, there is a lot more information than what the government has on their website. Does anyone know the site number for the best dodecahedral garnets. Some say site 3 while other information says site 5. From what I've read, I think the best spot is near a small hill that is called as "castle rock". Does anyone know if this is true. I'm not looking for cutting material, just nicely shaped crystals, so with fossicking time limited, many of the garnet sites where shards and pieces are found, do not interest me.
Are you after the really big ones ?, I know exactly where they are, they are just a bit deep. Did you get my email and open the file ?
I'll be there for a few days in mid August and would love to pick your respective brains for garnet sites - have previously been to the usual area at 5 mile but would like to try to find better possibilities. Can I pm for your recommendations?