Where to start ? ... Tips and Advice please...

AstralDruid · 2025-01-14T03:58:52-0600

In April I will be back in my homeland, and intend to spend a while detecting farm lands etc... all around a range of small mountains, The Mourne mountains N Ireland..
In recent years there has been a resurgence of prospecting in those hills, legends have gold and gemstones aplenty, and there is evidence of ancient gold from this area...
So ...thought i would give the resident Gold hawks a shout out, and see if you guys could help decide some things,,, like for example where to start ? Are rivers /streams always the best bet ?
The rock is mostly granite,,, some slate, greenstone and horn-blende, i believe... these are old fold mountains,, small in stature but they were in place way before the Alps and the Rockys...
They sweep down to the sea (Irish sea) and are very easily accessible,,, I spent most of my early days in these mountains..
So... if anyone is open to discussing, i would plan on at least 3 days in the hills, this spring...

Range coordinates:	54°10′N 6°05′

Crow · 2025-01-14T05:56:47-0600

Gold has been found in the Mourne Mountains of County Down, Ireland. Scientists believe that the Mourne Mountains were the primary source of prehistoric gold in Ireland.

You might want to try panning along the Mourne rivers, in particular the Carcullion, the Leitrim and the rocky river for alluvial gold wearing out the host rock. the Rocky Rivers and some say the River Bann just below Spelga Dam. it is very fine. I prefer in catchment above the dam in stream above along moyad road fine particles gold is eroding from eroding hills above through tiny streams.

Here is geological map red signified gold particles found in river sediment.

Crow

AstralDruid · 2025-01-14T09:15:18-0600

Thanks Crow
So, rivers are the way to go then ?

My brother lives 5 mins from Spelga Dam, just on the other side of Slievenamuck,, so again, easy access. I have a set of Garrett pans, so i guess i'll have to give it a go..
Slow water areas , is that right ? Should i be digging into the rocks etc... really i have watched a few videos but never really understood it all...

AD

Crow · 2025-01-15T18:27:34-0600

AD

Gold accumulates in rivers in places where the current is slow or the stream gradient decreases. This includes the head or foot of a stream bar, curves in the stream, and behind boulders or other obstructions.

Stream bars: The upstream ends of stream bars are especially good places to look for gold. Boulders in the stream can trap gold on the downstream side. Rock outcroppings from the stream sides can trap gold. Dikes in the bedrock: Dikes that angle downstream will trap gold on the downstream side. Sudden drop-offs: Sudden drop-offs into deeper and larger volumes of water are good places to look. Waterfall boulders: Boulders at the base of a waterfall can protect gold deposits. Black sands: Black sands that accumulate with gold are an excellent indicator of where to look.

Crow

Crow · 2025-01-15T19:38:50-0600

Three days! The gold is very fine and elusive. personally I would prefer another part of Northern Ireland where there is higher concentrations of gold. But if I was to search for gold around Spelga Dam. many say down stream of the dam? But for me the water runs to fast and very few gavel bars for gold to collect.

I would try for color into tributaries now running into the dam. The mountains are ancient much older than rocky mountains. almost totally worn away. Gold from host rock has be shedding from erosion. into fine particles as rocks slowly break down over time along the course of the river. Today gold is trapped in sediment of dam.

Key is to finding sediment in pockets of bedrock along the riverbed.

There is parking at the dam.

Across the road is stream you can follow that. no vehicles up the track allowed. follow the stream and check for small pockets or potholes that hold alluvial deposits along the stream bed. below.

Further along the Moyod road around the edge of the dam there are streams running into the dam. These might be worth checking out. Here is looking down stream lading into the dam.

Here is looking upstream.

looking back towards the dam these small stream may carrying fine flakes of gold.

there is another car park to park and to set off and venture to the streams running into the dam.

That said Irish gold amigo is very rare but in ancient time gold was mined from these hills. Since the construction of the dam I do do think any more gold is washing down below the dam wall.

Crow