How to detect? (Old mining town)

[pgill]

Hi Guys and Gals

Near where I live is an old gold mine that closed down. I am only now seeing the size of this place, and it is incredible.
The place is split into two parts, the first being the Venterspost village which was a sports area and about 100 houses, all have been flatened but foundations and rubble still there. The second part being the native hostels, which I went to today for the first time, and nearly fell over......

I am looking for advice on how to detect these places.... remembering that the hostels housed generally poor people who just worked on the mine day in and day out. The village was all white people of all levels, including a doctor. The swimming pool is very big, and also includes a kiddie pool next to it. And to the left of that was a kiddies fair ground that had a round-a-bout that went around a small track... all the cars are gone now.

To give you some idea as to size of this place, I have attached some pictures. The first being an arial shot of the village as it is now.... the rest of the pictures are from the Hostel... a friend of mine in the pictures so that you can get an idea of size.

Thanks for the help.... So far we have found much scrap and about 30cents around the swimming pool.

God bless
Peter

 

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[pgill]

Re: How to detect?

And the rest of the pictures

 

[Nana40]

Re: How to detect?

Peter!!! What a place!



Very slowly....very patiently.... And don't discount the housing area.

 

[BIG61AL]

Re: How to detect?

wow what a site! be prepared for hugemongus volumes of trash. but think of all the coins that lay in this area. Keep us posted.
al

 

[SHERMANVILLE ILLINOIS]

Re: How to detect?

P,

nice photos, looks interesting.

When did the mine operate?

have a good un..............

 

[pgill]

Re: How to detect?

Thanx guys and of course gals

The mine was one of the first in our area to have started up therefore is very old. There is still plenty of gold in the mine, but it is now very deep. Of course the deeper the gold, the more it costs to recover..... with the price of gold the way it is and all the other costs like fuel etc, it has now become to expensive to dig out.
This mine did change to "Mass Mining", so there are very big vehicles underground doing a lot of the work... more quantity of rock..... Cannot remember how many levels down we are talking, but I live in the area where the deepest mine is.
The house that I live in also belonged to the mine originally. When I moved into the house in 1991 it was 32 years old then... but the mine, a lot longer than that..... Cecil John Rhodes had his finger in the pie in this mine, so that will give you a guide....
I will try and find out more, and of course more pictures.....
God bless
Peter

 

[SHERMANVILLE ILLINOIS]

Re: How to detect?

P,

thats old.

Old Cecil, the man with a country named
after him, at one time.

have a good un..................

 

[IrishCharlieM]

Re: How to detect?

Wow what a great place. Low and slow my friend.

 

[pgill]

Re: How to detect?

Hi Guys,

Slight correction Cecil was not part of this mine... but part of the mining industry in the old Transvaal..... But apparently the mine is + - 65 years old. They are still working the underneath part, but coming from a different route. There are many mines in this area that are interlinked.

Anyway I have now taken photo,s of what is left of the village in Venterspost that was used for the white workers and management.

The photo's include a couple of the 100 or so foundations, the swimming pools, roads, tennis courts and general view of the area. I will have to split these between messages so be ready.

You could say this is a gold mine for a metal detectorist

God bless
Peter

 

[pgill]

Re: How to detect?

and more....

 

[pgill]

Re: How to detect?

and more....

 

[pgill]

Re: How to detect?

and more...

 

[pgill]

Re: How to detect?

and lastly

 

[Gypsy Heart]

Re: How to detect?

Excuse me?.............Is this the same Pgill who just a few months ago was saying he didnt think there were any places to detect in his area? Hello! This site is fantastic WayTo Go and thanks for sharing the pics. Best of luck and pull out some goodies!

 

[pgill]

Re: How to detect?



The worst part is the place is only about 10 minutes away from me, and I did not even know it existed to this extent..... sorry....

In fact I have lived in this town since 1986 except for 1 year..... and with the metal detecting, I am only now discovering this place.....

Thanx Gypsyheart

God bless
Peter

 

[goldinmypan]

These photos triggered my memory and I started thinking of a place I used to pass quite often on my way to the High Sierras. I had no thought of MD in those days but I would drive thru the property chasing quail. I'm talking about Manzanar. Of course its a National Historic site now so the sight of a MD would probably have FEDS coming out of the sky. Do a google on Manzanar. It was actualy a town in the early 1900s before LA stole all the water. That would put the finds much earlier than the interment camps of the 1940's. I wonder if searching outside the fence would do any good? Maybe next time I get up that way??

 

[SHERMANVILLE ILLINOIS]

P,

thanks for posting the additional photos.

Yes, you do have a gold mine there for
checking out with a detector.

Any chance of getting maps showing the layout?
Should have been some stores and entertainment
centers for the workers. Must be some old photos
around also.

Again, thanks for the photos, nice.

have a good un................

 

[Jerxs]

Good luck with the area, I would be looking for slack piles to pick up some nuggets that may have been over looked. Soulth Africa, you better be packin when detectin!

Dx

 

[Wetgreenie]

Wow, There sure is a lot there. I would be tempted to try that amphitheater looking place.
Or the piles of scrap from the mines.

Being South Africa, what are the chances of running into trouble out there?
With the Government, the Mines or native people

 

[pgill]

Thanx guys for the replies...

I do know exactly where all the shops, pools, parks, tennis courts, bowling greens etc etc were. But I agree, I must look for some plans or photo's...... As for problems there? well the area is not fenced in or any signs placed around the area..... so if I am asked, well I am stupid.... did not know There is not anything they can do except chase me away...... Umm in regards to my safety.... well there is nowhere in south africa that is safe anymore, so I cannot worry about that now. Just be on the lookout, and use common sense..... I also do not wear headphones at any of these places. I think if I had to look at slag piles, I would be looking for trouble.... Also remember this is ore gold and not nuggets.

God bless
Peter