Hi all.
I just stumbled across this forum while doing some field study for my first ever treasure hunting project.
Next week I am flying out to Nepal. I am basing myself in Kathmandu to start with, I am there for 2 weeks, but will be moving around a few provinces during my entire stay.
The object of this visit is to lay down a blueprint for the next stage. My partner and i are both first timers, and we have no hands on mining experience per se, but have studied so much in the past couple of years that I feel we are somewhat armed enough, or should I say 'primed enough' to at least have a feel around.
We are primarily going for placer gold prospecting. There are so many untapped areas among all the sites that have already proved both economical and sub-economical. It is a prospector's paradise. But we have not ruled out precious and semi-precious gemstones should the geographies seem too obvious.
The single most challenge is that the geology of the Himalayas is so dynamic, that the topography is constantly shifting. But just the idea of exactly why the Himalayas exists in the first place leads me (and others) to think that there must be an absolute fortune sat there. Thing is.... The area is so damn vast 400KM x 2400KM (including the foothills). We are spoiled for choice to locate virgin sites where we can lease.
Permits and leases are easy to acquire, the Nepalese Government and geographical department is eager to have its mineral resources exploited by foreign investors. The country is one of the poorest in the world, and up to now seems apathetic in its own recovery initiative. There are a handful of Chinese companies moved in, but nobody seems to have had too much success, mostly because of the inaccessibility of most of it. This could be a contributor to our own future failure. But it is better to try and fail that to go through life never knowing.
We will firstly use word of mouth, we already know where all the gold is currently coming from, so we know where to head for. We will hire a couple of guides to act as interpreters and bloodhounds to gather local knowledge, then we will do a little panning, detecting, still wondering whether to try and acquire a highbanker. If we are successful. We will leave and pull together a more well seasoned and experienced team if we deem it viable before returning to do a phase 2 prospect. Especially if we spot very promising signs of possible gemstone presence, then we will be bringing in an experienced geologist if we can find one.
Even if we draw a total blank, then at least we would have had a fun 2 weeks tramping around the Himalayas and will enjoy our flight around the summit of Everest.
Would love to know if anyone has already been there and done that, and if you have any particular tips or advice. Would be gratefully received. Or even if you haven't, then still feel free to comment with your gnarled and grizzled wisdom
Or better still, if you are a fully qualified geologist specializing in precious and semi precious gemstones or precious ores, then feel free to PM me if you would like to possibly take a shot at the phase 2 prospect.
I just stumbled across this forum while doing some field study for my first ever treasure hunting project.
Next week I am flying out to Nepal. I am basing myself in Kathmandu to start with, I am there for 2 weeks, but will be moving around a few provinces during my entire stay.
The object of this visit is to lay down a blueprint for the next stage. My partner and i are both first timers, and we have no hands on mining experience per se, but have studied so much in the past couple of years that I feel we are somewhat armed enough, or should I say 'primed enough' to at least have a feel around.
We are primarily going for placer gold prospecting. There are so many untapped areas among all the sites that have already proved both economical and sub-economical. It is a prospector's paradise. But we have not ruled out precious and semi-precious gemstones should the geographies seem too obvious.
The single most challenge is that the geology of the Himalayas is so dynamic, that the topography is constantly shifting. But just the idea of exactly why the Himalayas exists in the first place leads me (and others) to think that there must be an absolute fortune sat there. Thing is.... The area is so damn vast 400KM x 2400KM (including the foothills). We are spoiled for choice to locate virgin sites where we can lease.
Permits and leases are easy to acquire, the Nepalese Government and geographical department is eager to have its mineral resources exploited by foreign investors. The country is one of the poorest in the world, and up to now seems apathetic in its own recovery initiative. There are a handful of Chinese companies moved in, but nobody seems to have had too much success, mostly because of the inaccessibility of most of it. This could be a contributor to our own future failure. But it is better to try and fail that to go through life never knowing.
We will firstly use word of mouth, we already know where all the gold is currently coming from, so we know where to head for. We will hire a couple of guides to act as interpreters and bloodhounds to gather local knowledge, then we will do a little panning, detecting, still wondering whether to try and acquire a highbanker. If we are successful. We will leave and pull together a more well seasoned and experienced team if we deem it viable before returning to do a phase 2 prospect. Especially if we spot very promising signs of possible gemstone presence, then we will be bringing in an experienced geologist if we can find one.
Even if we draw a total blank, then at least we would have had a fun 2 weeks tramping around the Himalayas and will enjoy our flight around the summit of Everest.
Would love to know if anyone has already been there and done that, and if you have any particular tips or advice. Would be gratefully received. Or even if you haven't, then still feel free to comment with your gnarled and grizzled wisdom
Or better still, if you are a fully qualified geologist specializing in precious and semi precious gemstones or precious ores, then feel free to PM me if you would like to possibly take a shot at the phase 2 prospect.
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Welcome To TNET! Sounds like you have quite an adventure ahead of you. Good luck, and hope you are successful.
Don jose
