Misc data and adventures of a Tayopa treasure hunter

My apologies Crow for last nights being too drowsy and being online....
I neglected to return your Gidday!
Gidday Crow.

Gidday releventchair

No worries...

African gold refined in UAE ends up being smuggled to India. By various devious ways. Air India has a international flight from UAE to Mumbai India.

However after the plane lands in Mumbai all passengers disembark the aircraft then does some domestic flights around India. In these domestic flights there is very little bag inspection. So the gold is smuggled via the international flight to Mumbai. The smuggler from UAE with the bag of gold goes to the bathroom on the aircraft. There is a cavity behind the washbasin. a plate with 4 screws to be opened. The bag of gold is deposited and a identical empty bag is exchanged. The gold smuggler from UAE then returns leaving Mumbai. A second passenger gets on the domestic flight with an identical bag enters the bathroom unscrews the 4 screws removes the bag of gold and leaves his empty identical bag in the place..

There is no baggage check for domestic flight passengers getting off at a domestic terminal.

It was going on for years until.....Some one got careless. In 5 years it is believed that smugglers shifted about 250 million in gold to India.

Crow

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-25013393







 

Last edited:
For me the research into gold moments is incredibly interesting how the various rat lines work shipping and supply chains. 46 countries in Africa ship 67 tons of gold per year our of Africa unofficially. UAE exports about 7 billion dollars of gold per year mostly to clients in India and China.

There is an old treasure hunters saying Follow the money trail...Follow the money trail.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-gold-africa-smuggling-exclusive/exclusive-gold-worth-billions-smuggled-out-of-africa-idUSKCN1S00IT


However it is not just from Africa either Indonesia has many artisanal miners trading gold in Bali which is then smuggled to Burma ( yep to hell with their counties new name it will always be Burma to me.) Through Burma it is smuggled by taxis which straddle the border in hidden compartments. Then passed on by courier which it is shipped on domestic flights and sold to gold dealers all over India.

There is one smuggler extraordinaire it been claimed he has smuggled about 1.5 billion of gold into India over 20 odd years. When asked what happens if one couriers get greedy and he said some times it happens. But while disappointing they try to make sure it does no happen again. But regardless There is no real worries if they lose a million or two because the turn over is so big. In most cases the pay for those involved is so lucrative that many of the family members become involved. Why bite the hand that feeds you very well.

The India population is so hungry for gold even the Chinese is smuggling gold through Tibet, then through Nepal into India. The Indian government has been incredibly high taxing of gold imports into the country which smuggling gold into India incredibly lucrative.

Crow
 

Last edited:
So you see most modern mining companies and western own mining ventures adhere to the London delivery standard. We have to really ask who is actually lobbying the UN for stamping out illicit mining by small artisanal miners in these countries?

Of course it is the large multinational companies that want to push out the small miners and make a deal with the countries where this mining is happening. While no doubt the large mines would be extremely efficient very few of the small miners would ever be employed by these companies? Modern mining methods are just not labor intensive anymore. So there will be very little trickle down economic effect to the local population.

Since the corvid 19 pandemic and economic down turn all around the world investors are flocking to gold. This driving up the price.

Crow
 

Gidday releventchair

No worries...

African gold refined in UAE ends up being smuggled to India. By various devious ways. Air India has a international flight from UAE to Mumbai India.

However after the plane lands in Mumbai all passengers disembark the aircraft then does some domestic flights around India. In these domestic flights there is very little bag inspection. So the gold is smuggled via the international flight to Mumbai. The smuggler from UAE with the bag of gold goes to the bathroom on the aircraft. There is a cavity behind the washbasin. a plate with 4 screws to be opened. The bag of gold is deposited and a identical empty bag is exchanged. The gold smuggler from UAE then returns leaving Mumbai. A second passenger gets on the domestic flight with an identical bag enters the bathroom unscrews the 4 screws removes the bag of gold and leaves his empty identical bag in the place..

There is no baggage check for domestic flight passengers getting off at a domestic terminal.

It was going on for years until.....Some one got careless. In 5 years it is believed that smugglers shifted about 250 million in gold to India.

Crow

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-25013393








thanks Crow...That is a a quite daring move ,..the guts some people have and the length they go...

TT
 

Gidday Don amigo

Many year ago when I first started drilling exploration holes instead of boreholes. We went to region in western Queensland to drill some truth holes looking for potential gold deposits. But at the time funding was tight and depth of sample holes was too shallow. The area is part of a strange anomaly as you can see in the picture below.

Capture.JPG

The river bed run in a almost semi circle the region you cannot notice it on the ground but it bulges like a blister.

epi thermal vent.JPG

I believe it was partial epithermal venting around the circumference of the uplift. The venting have never fully penetrated the surface. But rather deeper subsurface faults just below the ground. However ours at the time was not to question ours was to do or die as the saying goes. Most of the land was on one huge cattle lease and I think the owner was not too keen on mining and with his political clout really mothballed further exploration.

Crow
 

Last edited:
Inside the circle bulge on the earth surface as said you never even know that a large area.

panoramio-93047830.jpg

And around the center of area in question although there was mineral deposits just no trace of gold.

Crow
 

However near peripheral of the area in the west one creek showed signs and epithermal venting in which today there is goldmine open cut operating there. However nothing to north south east or west. For me I cannot understand that fracturing from underground pressures have not created more productive epithemal vents all around the peripheral of the bulge.

panoramio-93047780.jpg

For me I suspect along peripheral of the area of the bulge that deep down structural fracturing allowed epithemal vents to happen but never reach the surface. I believe there could be a possible viable gold deposit along the outer reaches of bulge characterized as where the river water courses almost run into a circle.

jj477.JPG

However perhaps one day after crow long gone some big discovery will be made.

Crow
 

Attachments

  • panoramio-93047768.jpg
    panoramio-93047768.jpg
    224.5 KB · Views: 55
Last edited:
However near peripheral of the area in the west one creek showed signs and epithermal venting in which today there is goldmine open cut operating there. However nothing to north south east or west. For me I cannot understand that fracturing from underground pressures have not created more productive epithemal vents all around the peripheral of the bulge.

View attachment 1852828

For me I suspect along peripheral of the area of the bulge that deep down structural fracturing allowed epithemal vents to happen but never reach the surface. I believe there could be a possible viable gold deposit along the outer reaches of bulge characterized as where the river water courses almost run into a circle.

View attachment 1852827

However perhaps one day after crow long gone some big discovery will be made.

Crow

Thanks Crow...I have one layman question ,,,what are the tell tale signs that one can find gold nuggets (corrected) on the surface of river beds? I am not referring to mining for actual deposits but just on the surface as we hear sometimes people picking gold ingots from rivers,,,

TT
 

Last edited:
Thanks Crow...I have one layman question ,,,what are the tell tale signs that one can find gold ingots on the surface of river beds? I am not referring to mining for actual deposits but just on the surface as we hear sometimes people picking gold ingots from rivers,,,

TT

Sorry earlier I meant NUGGETS not INGOTS...

TT
 

Thanks Crow...I have one layman question ,,,what are the tell tale signs that one can find gold ingots on the surface of river beds? I am not referring to mining for actual deposits but just on the surface as we hear sometimes people picking gold ingots from rivers,,,

TT

Gidday TT

Just for clarification rough gold rocks are called Nuggets and Ingot is melted down ore cast into ingots. So amigo in context of your question Nuggets generally shed from exposed quartz vain from erosion generally through water or wind action over thousands of years sheds from the host rock. And through water action flowing into gullies into streams and rivers.The gold attached to the quartz some times breaks away. Being heavy it works its way to the bottom of the gravel of the river. Some gold nuggets can be dispersed along flood planes. Over time even nuggets grind away into flakes and dust fine grains of sand. Which is communally called alluvial gold.

Walking along any wash or river bed its always working look in bottoms of potholes. In Australia is is several people make a living nugget hunting. Most are retired or semi retired. Most rework old gold fields and old mine tailing that old timer miners some times miss nuggets.

Crow
 

TT

Here is sample of Quartz with gold.

9057054-3x2-large.jpg

Over time pieces break off as the quartz rock tumbles down a river bed.

Crow
 

TT

Here is drill core sample.

gold core 1.jpg

gold core 2.jpg

Mining companies drill not just for quartz veins but also the Host rock surround the veins. Usually you cannot see it as it is tiny microscopic fragments in the host rock. Quartz with gold tells you. Mining companies will think it viable only if very get a viable pay from host rock in parts per million per ton. Divided and average from all core sample test holes they will get an average. Also gold per ton has to mean more than gold recovery per ton formula. 10-20 years ago many mines was not profitable to mine however with high gold prices some old workings and mines has once again become profitable.

Crow
 

Last edited:
TT

Here is sample of Quartz with gold.

View attachment 1852834

Over time pieces break off as the quartz rock tumbles down a river bed.

Crow

Thanks Crow for the detail explanation!...It does not hurt to look at some river beds then...if not lucky to find gold nuggets one may find some other interesting stuff that have been washed away,,,internet is full of stories of people getting gold nuggets from river beds and beaches,,,but having some scientific explanation from the pros is good...

TT
 

TT

I grew up in a family that sieved the gravels of river beds for gold, sapphires and rubies and zircon. Being thew youngest of the family I was still in my nappies back then. I was a happy as pig in..... well you sh....:laughing7:

You know what after a more than one life I took my young son to the old overgrown workings where were I once played and dug for gold and sapphires almost 50 years ago. I even found areas we had sifted albeit it now very much over grown. But the joy is there amigo to see the gleam in the eye of my little lad pulling out a weathered rough worn sapphire. So ya see it takes on sparkle to take one on a amazing journey.

So you see from little things big things grow.

Crow
 

Last edited:
TT

I grew up in a family that sieved the gravels of river beds for gold, sapphires and rubies and zircon. Being thew youngest of the family I was still in my nappies back then. I was a happy as pig in..... well you sh....:laughing7:

You know what after a more than one life I took my young son to the old overgrown workings where were I once played and dug for gold and sapphires almost 50 years ago. I even found areas we had sifted albeit it now very much over grown. But the joy is there amigo to see the gleam in the eye of my little lad pulling out a weathered rough worn sapphire. So ya see it takes on sparkle to take one on a amazing journey.

So you see from little things big things grow.

Crow

That is really a happy moment Crow...you can't believe how this young generation are tech savvy and will learn the technicalities of a process very quickly...they are also IT savvy giving them a competitive advantage...I wish your lad all the best:thumbsup:

TT
 

Gidday Amigos

I think regardless of where you are in life age and situation. We all dream of bigger and better things do we not? While it is true the older we get the more comfortable we resist change. After all amigos its all too easy to feel the world is passing us by. It is a part of life by even those who are younger and have the hunger its hard to to see the bigger picture.

While its easy to fantasize that big easy discovery that going to make rich and make all the troubles all go away. Sadly the reality is far different. While researching for treasure either for lost gold mines, pirate treasure whatever seems to be a romantic way to seeking treasure?

However we should open our eyes to all opportunities in life as treasure to seek. Even in Covid 19 outbreak we should all take the time to research into growing and expanding opportunities. I does not mean sinking a fortune into such a single enterprise but looking into micro opportunities which some time evolve into macro opportunities.

Even now raggedy old Crow with half missing feathers stuck home with family is constantly searching for opportunities even when technically retired and no need to work. Hardluck and Kanacki in respective isolation are doing the same. Many opportunities are being passed back and forth. Many will never get off the ground. But some things will grow amigos. You can be that small brick in a building of success.

There are emerging opportunities.... Being a treasure hunter amigos in reality is no different from being entrepreneur.

An entrepreneur is an individual who creates a new business, bearing most of the risks and enjoying most of the rewards. The entrepreneur is commonly seen as an innovator, a source of new ideas, goods, services, and business/or procedure.

While for a small simple venture might seem daunting that one small step might bare fruit for those who make one role of the dice.

Crow
 

Last edited:

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top