RE:CrosspolinationAlso:
I had the pleasure to do some prospecting with an old timer, who as a young bloke (just out from Cornwall) learned the trade from the old timers who worked Gympie and prospected the hills for 50 miles around. He would say to me as we walked up a gully, look at those pot holes - I think they we dug by so and so, he was good. Or else say, look, that one is in the wrong place, it should have been over there to collect the spoil from that ridge.]
Never helped me much, I never found much gold, but it did teach me that the old time diggers were bloody good, and if they could not carry on even after finding rich patches in the Pilbera then we will have trouble too.
Sure we have diamond drills, and electronic tools and geos with PhDs and chips (Cockney slang) but they are mighty expensive and the budget can be used up quick smart - maybe even ES will get a sore head.