turning professional prospector--

First topic message reminder :

Well trust me I haven't any inclination in carrying out such a feat.

There r a number of reasons why, let alone, u can work for 6 months of the year in a mining job as a FIFO
and earn an easy $150k per year without any expenses.

fuel doesn't come down in price so bank on about $2 per litre for fuel.
If u don't have a few good leases behind u then u will b pushing shite up hill to make ends meet let alone fall back on.

just because u can find gold doesn't necessary say that u will continually find gold. Its not like fishing were u can hit a spot and get a good haul of snapper or blue bone or whatever takes your culinary delight, once u remove gold it doesn't magically reappear. once its gone its gone, no more harry.
That's why a lot of eastern staters whinge coz all they find is fly shite --why coz they hammer the old spots day in day out.

if u haven't got a few pieces of basic machinery then its even harder to get good results.

set ya self up with a few thousand in the bank first and see how hard it really is.

To find good gold u need to pan --that's how the old timers done it and really nothing has changed especially if u r lookin for the leader. This method saves u a lot of time piss farting around and most importantly u must know when to call it quits..

all the best if u do venture into this profession..

regards
oneday

To get back to the subject, it has been suggested to me, who in their right mind would want to go Professional.

Mad dogs and English, that's who. But it doesn't matter what nationality you are, it will be hard work if you are the Little Man doing it.

As Detectorists/Terrorists    we mere mortals in WA, can apply for permission or get a 40E and then we have the free right to pending ground.

I've never bothered researching what other State Laws are and to be honest, I don't care.  I only worry about what happens here in the West.

Now I'll get to my point.  Why do people who do it professionally (that includes companies) do their best to put us off,  what are they afraid of  ??
Are they scared we will pinch "THEIR GOLD".  

Since when was it ever "THEIR GOLD".  It belongs to Australia and we have been sold out by tugger governments.

As a detectorist, I should be allowed to go where ever I like or the men at Eureka fought for nothing.
I'm starting to wonder if APLA is worth it anymore.  They appear to be a small union of full time prospectors/Lease holders looking after their own interests and, the weekend detectorist doesn't interest them one bit.

Ya might think I'm rambling again, but it's really starting to piss me off.

I expect to cop some abuse for this, so be it.  I'll read your response, but it doesn't mean I have to agree with you.    



    
Cliff

Yep - ya caught my attention Cliff. I'm disappointed, very. I expected far better. But you're the moderator and I wouldn't like to get "heavily censured" again or maybe banned completely.

I'll just say, that you're wrong. Totally - on every point.

Cat

Post ya reply Cat. And you are right, I have censureship rights but, for this topic, I'll see where it goes.
Fire away and please tell everyone how APLA assists detectorists in WA.

You say I'm wrong, where ? tell us why.

Cliff,

Which organisation prevented the removal of the term “prospector” from the WA Mining Act?

Which organisation prevented the withdrawal of the “WA Miners Right” and the privileges that accompany that Right?

Which organisation initiated, fought for and finally got the Sect 20a/Sect 40e legislation through the WA Parliament?

Which organisation got the Special Prospecting Licence wording changed so that “the little guy” had  ghost of a chance to use earthmoving gear on a good patch that he’s found?

Which organisation conducted extensive discussions with St Barbara Mining and Paddington Gold, to name but two companies, to give recreational detector operators large areas of good ground on which to detect?

Which organisation fights constantly against the political push by the Pastoralist and Graziers Association to deny us access to their pastoral leases?

Which organisation is currently arguing that the “Southern Rangelands Strategy” for the Gascoyne/Murchison region extinguishes all access by prospectors and miners?

Which organisation is currently fighting the push by the DMP Environmental Division and DEC to lock up and lock out all prospecting activities on the redundant pastoral station areas that will soon become the newly termed “Conservation Parks”?

Which organisation is currently fighting the Native Title and Aboriginal Heritage Act rip off that would, if taken to its fullest extent, see only aborigines wandering the ground with detectors?

Which organisation represents “the little guy” at the table of big business and big government? Mining companies would love it if we didn’t exist as would the DMP and the government. They want us “out”.

Which organisation has a member ship of around 1500 of which 80% are recreational detector users and who are not leaseholders?

Which organisation does all this and yet is run by 99.9% unpaid volunteers in their own time, with their own money and with bugger all help from the many freeloaders that contribute nothing and knock us at the same time?

Which organisation regularly puts on demonstrations on how to use a detector, loam up a reef, sample test ground to see if it may actually contain gold, use a dryblower, peg a lease, survive comfortably in the bush, use a GPS? All done by volunteers at thier own cost and on their own time and on their own leases?

I regularly spend hours in meetings with the DMP on my own time and at my own cost.  I’ve just done a quick dash – 650 kms each way, to Ora Banda, for APLA AGM at my own cost, left on Friday, drove all day, came home Sunday, drove all day, paid for lodgings and food, all at my own cost, to be part of the Executive that represents small prospectors and recreational operators. Do you do that? No, I though not.

All this for less than 100 bucks a year and far less for concession holders!

Try doing it on your own Cliff and you’ll be the usual guy in the wilderness, ranting at nobody that will listen, about how unfair it all is. We bloody know it’s unfair, that’s why APLA exists. Without APLA you’ll be selling your expensive metal detector in a garage sale for 50 bucks to some poor sucker that wants to find two dollar coins on Rockingham Beach. You think it’s bad now – try it without APLA. 

Cat

PS – The Eureka Stockade had nothing to do with mining, prospecting or access. It was to do with paying taxes but at the same time, not having a vote in Parliament.  Anything else is just another “glorious Australian Myth” that us Australians seem to roll in like pigs in shite. Facts don’t seem to matter to dreamers.

PPS - No, the gold does not belong to you or any other Australians, it belongs to the Crown - until leaseholders find it on ground they lease from the Crown. Then it belongs to them. That's what the law says. What? Oh, you don't like that? Well get it changed. You'll need APLA for that 'cos no bugger will listen to you otherwise.

   Thanks Les, I knew you would respond and I don't apologize for the provocative post I put up ( I did it for a reason).
let's hope everyone has a read of your answers.

    

Cliff

I totally agree with CAT about APLA, living in a State where you have ZERO rights with regards to access and have to go cap in hand to Pastoralist's who metal detect themselves is a very frustrating experience. This is why our business "Aurum Australis" donates money on each and every sale of our DVDs to both APLA and PMAV, we need a voice and through these two associations we have one, might not be perfect at times but beats the hell out of no voice at all.

I encourage all visitors to WA and Vic who swing a metal detector to sign up to both associations regardless of where you live. To me its like oxygen, a total no brainer requirement, sign up if for no other reason than your doing the right thing and putting something back into what your so abundantly receiving from.

JP

Thanks JP, I'll be sure to pass on those supportive comments to the Executive.

It gives the me sh#ts when I hear people whining about, "Oh we don't get a newsletter, the website's no good, APLA only take the money and we get nothin for it, etc,etc,etc". It's what people can't see or touch is what ya get - a voice, access, rights, people that work for the "little guy".

We can't always get the law changed at the drop of a hat when we're up against "big mining", but we have had a few successes. It's vital that APLA gets into the ears of pollies and government departments otherwise we become "personna non-grata", invisible and of no consequence.

We're volunteers with not much money to throw around. I'll admit that the "touchy feely" things have fallen behind in the last few years. But we're only human and some of us work in regular jobs or are out in the bush prospecting for a living. There is now an e-newsletter available for members. That will suffice until we can get the website up and running and get the Datum Post Newsletter printed once more. If anyone on this forum can write a good interactive, website for free - APLA would love to hear from you.

Cat

when fact is better than fiction totally agree CAT..as they say kick a dog long enough well u know the saying..

regards
oneday

Sometimes you have to stir the pot a bit    I am a member of APLA and wouldn't dream of letting my membership lapse.
But there are times and I'm sure I'm not alone in my thinking, you ask yourself what does APLA do for me.  Well you got some good answers from cat.
When it comes to kicking a dog long enuff, we all know the answer to that.  It will do one of 2 things, it will attack you or it will crawl away like a whipped cur.  
The kind of dog you want to be is up to the individual but if you want to keep enjoying what we do now, choose wisely.
Many thanks to cat for his post.
Lets keep fighting for more access and stuff the Crown and it's obsolete draconian insane laws. They need to be challenged at every opportunity.

   

you ask yourself what does APLA do for me

You should really be asking your self what can I do for APLA

With ya on that  , the gold belongs to the Crown  as it is in this case now  ,if we become a republic later on , i wonder who it belongs to next , like soon when the overpopulating wogs breed up & the crown, as in crown land , mother England  is irrelevant . Not the NWO surely ...... are crickey no , um well who then ?
Natives I reckon .Who eles can stand in the way legally. The next 20 years will be a sht mix if im lucky enough to be around to see how all pans out ,
like Slim Dusty said in one of his last songs with regards to overpopulation , hope they all get along , albo.

Well guys I will be definitely joining. Well done to all those who chip in and go the extra mile. Thanks

Gday Cat
I've got a mate who builds websites. I'll get in contact and let you know how I go.
cheers
Brett

for shite sake now the tractor has done a water pump  the list goes on.
mind u the dry blower hasn't missed much of a beat in the last few days since the new motor has been put in position..

the small amount of payable gold is starting to b a concern

time to move again..

regards
oneday

talking to PW Beck in Perth and they told me their Perth office will close at the end of the year..

every transaction will go through their Adelaide office.

regards
oneday

That alone must tell us a lot about the state of the alluvial gold market in WA!! Not worth bothering it seems as the bulk smelt market is already covered by certified gold refiner at the Perth Mint and what was AGR Mathey at the airport. PW Beck, whilst a good, reliable gold buyer is not a registered gold refiner. Their bars are not recognised as 99.99% pure and are not tradeable anywhere on the international market. Perth Mint and AGR are.

Cat

Behind the scenes The US fed is printing like hell atm & selling sht loads of worthless paper gold contracts at the same time to support its failing currency . China , Russia , Germany & Saudis are making plans to not use the US dollar as a principle currency anymore & you cant criticise them for it, wev hit crunch time as far as the gold US price goes ,$ 1200 us bottom ,said it 9 months ago , just a smaller drop yet & the way they are printing useless paper money , gold in a few months with start its run up .albo

and if it hovers around the current bench mark u will buy me a beer,, 

I just sent a heap of gold down to perth to cash it in --it hurts but when u run out of hard cash u need to print some..

regards
oneday

good post Cliff and an even better response Cat, this is what every prospector needs to know. The APLA does a lot behind the scenes for everyone and is the reason we have what we have in WA. the more voice it has the stronger the organisation. everyone should be a member.

geez me offsider pulled 15 grams of pickers out of the riffle concentrates today prior to the clean up through the gold wheel--I think we have found another sweat spot under the road this time.

regards
oneday

are yep just re read this thread & my posts weren't relevant , sorry folks posted on the wrong thread & stubbies had nothing to do with it .  
said it before apla got the old 20 a permit system across & im not a member , acknowledged & bugger me who was the first one to use it in wa ... yep I picked up some ounces due to that & I will commit when everything else in my turbo life atm  settles . albo.
The other thing here is APLA has done great things in the past , but wallys somehow over time infiltrate a good thing & suckle , can any one tell me who is treasurer / minister of this organisation atm & from there I shall decide if to  support , cheers always upfront ,albo.

back home again--pick up the spare motor as the other one is ripping our wrists off everytime we pull start it.

still getting over the bug I picked up in Adelaide but coming good.

Will be better by the weekend--love the color of gold.

Sent 6 odd ounces to PWBeck in Adelaide and was very disappointed with the return. About a grand an oz. mmm

Bugger it -going to fire up my little kiln and make me own 5oz bars and send them off that way if I have to--just hate sending me gold away.

regards
oneday

Hi Ray,

Gee, that didn't sound quite right, I was under the impression that you would only lose about 10%, so I am way off

You lose some percent in silver and copper and a processing fee but your talking a lot higher percent with your lot, I'm a tad worried with your result

A rumour I heard was that a person was casting solid gold budhas and putting a small gemstone on them and on selling them at a huge profit

Ron

will try to track down the assay sheet--seems to have gone missing--

regards
oneday

albo wrote:
The other thing here is APLA has done great things in the pas, can any one tell me who is treasurer / minister of this organisation atm & from there I shall decide if to  support , cheers always upfront ,albo.

Here you go Albo.

http://www.apla.com.au/apla-executive.html