Google Earth - what do you look for?

On Google Earth, when your looking at an area that is obviously auriferous, in that there are signs of current or historical mining or, that the area is well within the known goldfields, what do you look for? I have had some success in looking for quartz blows and the like and then targeting the immediate areas but would be interested in what other look for if they are using this great tool.

Interesting question. I tried that approach some years ago by looking at the colour of the ground but every known gold area has a different colour.
Now I just stick with the geo maps.
It'll be interesting to hear what others do.

cheers
Cliff

I usually try to home in on women hanging out their washing--that means that they have been in the area for a while and gold isn't too far away--that's the only reason they stay put.

Google is at least 6 years old but I personally go by the old mining leases of yesteryear.

haven't found any women on there yet not from a lack of zooming in mind you..

regards
oneday

When going anywhere i think its always good to check out google earth and all the available geology/mine mapping overlays and the sentinel NOAA hotspot (fire) data. If you don't check it out and map where interesting spots before your trip, you will head out and often walk or drive right past great places to check out but you miss them because you are on the wrong side of a hill etc.

I look for areas in gold country where there are slabs of hilly country with no rough tracks through them.

If in a general area with some hills etc its always good to map out isolated scrapes before the trip... line a few of them up and move from one scrap to the next. On site it is so easy to miss scrapes hidden by some spinifex or vege

I have picked up a few groups of dry blow heaps that are isolated on google earth. always worth a look.

Never know what you will see on google earth always worth a long hard look as part of my gold research.

Tributer