Fossicking for sapphires at Grabben Gullen, NSW

[@jeffholmes1362]

Good job showing how easy the Specific gravity test is and how it can be useful. Congrats on the gold too. And loved the intro where you cracked it and then left it in…😂😂. Thanks for sharing

[@InSearchOf...Australia]

Cheers. Yep, keeping it real 😅

[@shanemiller667]

Thanks Jason-keep up the good work

[@InSearchOf...Australia]

Cheers. I’ll try!

[@pkgoldopalhunting]

great stuff mate looks great and gold is a bonus man stay safe

[@InSearchOf...Australia]

Cheers. It was a surprise bonus. I’ll certainly return. Have a good one.

[@gabivalla6279]

Good fossicking, Jason! Loved the brief raven call. Seemed the blue of the sapphires pops out to my eyes, and seeing again the slumped extraction points, human wombats, that in the relaying the course of the waterway, existing gem and gold-bearing gravels get covered over with soil and vegetation, so has given us reason to dig that little gravel island in our mountain creek, rather than the difficulties in the fast flow either side, one with steep hillsides, a steam railway on one side, no further hints! I quite liked your simple SG demo, only adjustment I have is toothpick and cotton sat in the water vessel, all tared off, saves on the human suspense?! You may or may not be a Whovian, but a sonic screwdriver, a UV torch, will cause all sapphires, even the red ones, rubies, to change from whatever their own colour, to a glowing pink under the light. It'd make for a cool demo video. Bike lights are very strong, and waterproof. It'd make any coloured stones pop on the flipping of the gravels, as well as sniping underwater without getting your head wet, overcoming the glare overhead or very dark waters. Their USB charger access usually has a watertight rubber stopper, you're not going diving with it. Coincidental gold by-product, well, I never, ha ha! Happy trails, cheers again from Gabi of Narre Warren.

[@InSearchOf...Australia]

Cheers. I’ll give the UV a try but I’ve only seen all but the blue sapphires glow pink. In saying that, Grabben Gullen seemed to have more green than blue. The gold in this case became more an indicator. A nice indicator that is. I know the types of islands of which you speak. There was one there and i’ll give that a go next time I’m there. Have a good one!

[@buckshotprospector]

Wow Jason theres heaps of gems there. Bound to be heaps more there if we got pans like that here there would be crazy gold with it. Great Video jason

[@InSearchOf...Australia]

Cheers. The indicators were off the scale so I think I was hitting the right spots like many before me. I think the puzzle to solve is “where haven’t people already tried?”

[@mocaman99]

1:50 lol. Cheers for the vid Jason. Grabben Gullen is kinda sorta between my in-laws and us, next time we're out that way might have to do a side trip I think :)

[@InSearchOf...Australia]

Yeah. I accidentally put in the same clip twice without realising it and only edited one. But hey, what can I say, keeping it real. Happy hunting!

[@PaulMacDonald-bc2nx]

Great video on SG test ….. I have never understood how to get the volume…. I know GG has nice green sapphires… but I also got ones that colour and I think a few of those are peridot .?

[@InSearchOf...Australia]

Possibly. I didn’t get large enough specimens to test as I believe the specific gravity would be different. Worth investigating though. Glad you enjoyed the video.

[@adamboyle4954]

What does the sluce do?

[@InSearchOf...Australia]

Hi Adam, A sluice is a flat base with two walls and riffles, mesh or carpet like materials that is placed in a river to allow water to run across it. You add material you dig up and the sluice removes most of the unwanted material while keeping gold and gemstones. This means you don’t need to pan as much or sieve as much by hand.

[@joshuaadrian8225]

Still yet to find my first from here

[@InSearchOf...Australia]

Finding the right spot is the key. I got small fragments but nothing substantial. Keep plugging at it.

[@markkilley2683]

It's not an Amethyst you have found? You may or may not have found Peridots?

[@InSearchOf...Australia]

It could be either. I’ll test their specific gravity to work it out. You’ve peeked my interest.

[@markkilley2683]

@@InSearchOf...Australia Or olivine.

[@InSearchOf...Australia]

That’s possible as well.

[@MrYabbie]

I like grabben gullen

[@InSearchOf...Australia]

It was my first time and won’t be my last!

[@SP-xb5we]

spot round the corner better,saw an 80 crt bomb come outta their by a lengend from goulbourn named pete,dont bother sapphiring in nsw anymore ,i now have a leases on qld gem fields and anything under ten crt is considered shit..stick with the gold in nsw mate and save youre time and back

[@InSearchOf...Australia]

It’s true that sapphires seem to be overly sparse, whereas gold seems to be much more abundant. 80 carats! That’s a monster.

[@SP-xb5we]

@@InSearchOf...Australiayep i ruined my back for two years solid in those creeks for 4crt heat treaters at best...central queensland on the otherhand

[@SP-xb5we]

those holes in the sides of the bank at grabby theres the odd one deep down on the bedrock but hard work nothing over 2crts in the creek ,happy digging mate

[@InSearchOf...Australia]

Cheers! You too!