Anyone know if there is any gold to be found in the river in Taumaranui?
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Geologically I would say that is unlikely, but others may know better than me.
Some interesting reading
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/GRA18720111.2.10.3
The only thing I’ve found down there that could be a sign is some quartz
Happy to run any samples through the XRF if you want. Just need a chip or two, about a half teaspoon of suspect matrix.
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What’s the Xrf you mention, this for sampling ore?
Being a Wanganui boy I have researched this and there is no gold to my knowledge. I’ve even tested around an old gold shaft in the Kaimanawha’s but no sign
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I did a lot of research of old newspapers over lockdowns. An 1872 report in the thames guardian reports of gold in the Taringamutu River…which flows into the ongarue north of taumarunui. I checked out this stream a few months back but access points are limited unless you approach landowners. I did a couple of pans but no colours. Never saw any quartz. Not to say there isnt any gold but the country seems volcanic …theres a high peak out past the aerodrome.
An interesting point i note is the nearby marae / locality by name of te koura. Translation: gold ,according to google, as well as crayfish.
Important to try different spellings when doing on line searches…taringamutu has i think been mispelt as taringamotu. Motu is island. There arent any to speak of so the word makes no sense.
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I swear I remember reading some very old thing about traces of gold in that area as well, and I would not be suprised at all if there was some gold, considering I have found gold in the Waimakariri river which has 0 record of any gold or anything ever found in it, and is totally outside a known gold bearing area, there could definitley be some up there, I dought it would be anything near strike it rich, but if you got in the right area there might be some to be found.
Cheers
Me and my mother have found many many quartz pebbles down in taumaranui but that’s the one that flow from the mt…
I might be able to go down there with my pan to see if I can find something down there. I’m still an armature though so I’m not expecting anything lol. I’ve just get down there to a spot I won’t be spotted…shhhhhhh
Its the Wanganui River in the North Island, not the West Coast 
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Cheers yeeh I am aware of that fact. If it was the one on coast I would bet money there was good gold in it.
Just to revive this post with the interest in potential gold on the volcanic plateau, has anyone taken any samples from the rivers that flow off Ruapehu?
Especially the Whangaehu River who’s source is the crater.
Not super clued up on geography but ask for curiosity sake.
I think if you were going to test for colour in that area. Skimming afew gravels off the surface to pan…You probably won’t find much.
Try and find a source of bedrock if any.
Dig a deep hole to test some material.
Any gold will be deep…
I have found specks in the Tutaekuri river in Hawkes bay .
Also found colour in the foothills of the kawekas.
Recently found traces from a slip in the Otaki gorge
Gold is everywhere 
Interesting to know if there is some there.
Good luck
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