Prospecting for Gold

Idriess was doing odd jobs when he wrote the book. He says he was inspired to do so because it was the Great Depression, and he thought many unemployed people were interested in gold prospecting. He wrote the book relatively quickly and it was soon picked up for publication.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article27939196 |title=Author of Twenty-two Books And Still Going Strong |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |issue=33,223 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=17 June 1944 |accessdate=20 April 2016 |page=7 |via=National Library of Australia}}

It was the first of Idriess' books to sell a decent amount. The author later recalled, " People bought that prospecting book, and I made enough money out of it to pay rent to my Darlinghurst landlady, buy a new pair of shoes, and get some tucker."{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article32773423 |title=WRITING AND TRAVEL. |newspaper=The West Australian |volume=XLIX |issue=9,794 |location=Western Australia |date=18 November 1933 |accessdate=17 April 2016 |page=14 |via=National Library of Australia}} He was launched as a professional writer.

In 1939 it was reported the book sold just over twelve thousand copies in Australasia, "a world's record for a semi-technical book."{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article179252142 |title=Lure of Gold |newspaper=North West Champion |volume=27 |issue=69 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=11 September 1939 |accessdate=20 April 2016 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia}}

{{Infobox book|

| name =Cyaniding for Gold

| title_orig =

| translator =

| image =

| caption =

| author = Ion Idriess

| illustrator =

| cover_artist =

| country = Australia

| language = English

| series =

| exclude_cover = yes

| genre = technical

| publisher = Angus and Robertson

| release_date = 1939

| english_release_date =

| media_type =

| pages =

| isbn =

| preceded_by =

| followed_by =

}}

Cyaniding for Gold is a 1939 book by Idriess. It is a follow-up to Prospecting for Gold.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article12438343 |title=CYANIDING FOR GOLD |newspaper=The Argus (Melbourne) |issue=29,201 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=26 March 1940 |accessdate=20 April 2016 |page=9 |via=National Library of Australia}}{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article179252142 |title=Lure of Gold |newspaper=North West Champion |volume=27 |issue=69 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=11 September 1939 |accessdate=20 April 2016 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia}}

It focuses on the cyaniding process. It included a chapter on mining-engineer E. W. O'Brien's air-slaked lime discovery.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article193667693 |title=BOOKS RIGHT FROM THE PRESS |newspaper=The Armidale Express and New England General Advertiser |issue=1446 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=1 September 1939 |accessdate=20 April 2016 |page=7 (FINAL EDITION) |via=National Library of Australia}} According to the Adelaide Mail:

The pen that has written so many fine books of the Australian out back here makes a valuable contribution in a simple and detailed account intended especially for the

working miner and small syndicate. The process is practically explained from A to Z, whether the reader can invest only £20 in a plant, or a syndicate or company can afford £2,000. Most of the material has been gathered from plants working profitably today, and from the experience of practical men well known in the Australasian cyaniding world, while numerous illustrations and diagrams further assist the reader. The result is a book that should be particularly valuable, even to non technical readers.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article55774102 |title=Delightful Story Of Sark |newspaper=The Mail (Adelaide) |volume=28 |issue=1,431 |location=South Australia |date=28 October 1939 |accessdate=20 April 2016 |page=13 (Magazine) |via=National Library of Australia}}

{{Infobox book|

| name = Fortunes in Minerals

| title_orig =

| translator =

| image =

| caption =

| author = Ion Idriess

| illustrator =

| cover_artist =

| exclude_cover = yes

| country = Australia

| language = English

| series =

| genre = non-fiction

| publisher = Angus and Robertson

| release_date = 1941

| english_release_date =

| media_type =

| pages =

| isbn =

| preceded_by =

| followed_by =

}}

Fortunes in Minerals is a 1941 book by Idriess about mining.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article42307480 |title=FORTUNES IN MINERALS. |newspaper=Cairns Post |issue=12,333 |location=Queensland, Australia |date=1 September 1941 |accessdate=20 April 2016 |page=1 |via=National Library of Australia}}

{{Infobox book|

| name = Opals and Sapphires

| title_orig =

| translator =

| image =

| caption =

| author = Ion Idriess

| illustrator =

| cover_artist =

| exclude_cover = yes

| country = Australia

| language = English

| series =

| genre = non-fiction

| publisher = Angus and Robertson

| release_date = 1967

| english_release_date =

| media_type =

| pages =

| isbn =

| preceded_by =

| followed_by =

}}

Opals and Sapphires: How to Work, Mine, Class, Cut, Polish, and Sell Them is a 1967 book by Ion Idriess.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article106981886 |title=Advertising |newspaper=The Canberra Times |volume=42 |issue=11,843 |location=Australian Capital Territory, Australia |date=11 November 1967 |accessdate=20 April 2016 |page=12 |via=National Library of Australia}}

{{reflist}}

{{Ion Idriess}}

Category:1931 non-fiction books

Category:Australian non-fiction books

Category:Books by Ion Idriess

Category:Angus & Robertson books

Category:Gold mining in Australia

Category:Books about gold prospecting in Australia

{{Nonfiction-book-stub}}