Gold Metal Detectors
Detectors are designed specifically to suit one type of use or another. For example, gold prospecting detectors are designed to be extremely sensitive to small pieces of gold and should have very good ground balance, where as, a coin, relic & treasure hunting detector needs the ability to discriminate between various types of metal objects. It is important to understand that each model of metal detector has specific features, levels of performance and applications. Therefore, when preparing to purchase a new detector be sure you know exactly which features you want and the types of objects you plan to look for.
A gold metal detector, like any other metal detector, operates by generating an electromagnetic field which is swept along the ground. As it does so, any gold found will affect the electromagnetic field by changing it and this change will be displayed for the operator to see and also may be indicated by an audible sound produced by the metal detector..
Inside a metal detector are two sets of copper wire windings. An electrical current is passed through one of the windings and this creates the electromagnetic field. This is called the transmit winding.
As metal conducts electricity, any metal object brought into the field will alter it and this alteration is picked up by the second winding, known as the receive winding. This is then sent to the control box which the operator can use to control the types of metals he or she wants to detect. This information is then displayed through a meter or LCD display and, often, with an audio signal. The more sophisticated the detector the more information is displayed.
There are various refinements to metal detectors designed to filter out unwanted metals and give a signal on the wanted metals only. This is called discrimination and is achieved by the detector being set for a specific level of conductivity. Different metals conduct electricity in different degrees. Silver is an excellent conductor of electricity for example whereas nails are a very low conductor of electricity. Each metals conductivity is known of course and so a metal detector can be set to detect gold or silver and reject any others. The size of the metal found is not particularly important in this case. It is just the ability or the ‘willingness’ of metal to conduct electricity that is detected.
A detector will often react to minerals in the ground or "mineralized ground" as it is called. These cause false signals and is referred to as "ground noise" . Any metal detector you buy should have a "ground balance" control to tune out ground noise. The best metal detectors can eliminate virtually all ground noise.
Some detectors can detect metal quite deep. This will depend on the quality of the detector as well as the way it is used. It also depends on the size of the object. A large nugget of gold deeper underground will be detected whereas a small speck might not be.
Gold Detecting Tips
Some useful detecting tips when using a gold metal detector include:
Go low. As close to the ground as possible. This will improve your chances of finding something buried further down. The electromagnetic field is only so big, unless you have a really big super duper detector, but even then there is still a limit as to how far down it can detect, so the lower you can sweep the better.
Go slow. Your sweeps on the surface of the ground should be slow. Do not be impatient. It is easy to miss a small gold nugget if you sweep too quickly.
Ground Balance is important. As mentioned before, this is where there are natural minerals in the ground beneath the detector. You need to ensure you have a detector that will compensate for this. The automatic tracking feature some detectors have is a good idea as the detector then maintains the ground balance setting as you sweep over varying grounds.
Another useful tip is to research old gold prospecting areas. Doing some research can be invaluable as you could find old maps, records that indicate some gold was found in certain areas. Old surveys and geological reports can be a good source of information also. You do not have to limit yourself to established gold fields. Old small fields used by old timers (without a gold metal detector) long ago can be quite lucrative. Although they may have gold there, they are generally too small for mining companies to economically find and process gold. But they are ideal for the small prospective gold fossicker and can be quite lucrative.
If you find a spot that is giving you some results. Slow right down and do a very thorough sweep several times. It is better if your detector is set a bit too sensitively, especially if your metal detector can discriminate very well. Try and keep the setting fairly low. You may dig up more rubbish that way but are unlikely to miss any potential gold deposits or gold nuggets. And you never know what else you may find! It is not uncommon to find old coins and other potentially noteworthy items.
If you find any rubbish or trash, it is a good idea to remove it and dispose of it in an environmental fashion so you do not keep detecting the same rubbish over and over again.
Unlike beach and coin hunting, gold hunting can be quite rewarding not only as a hobby, but financially. Perhaps, one of the toughest kinds of hunting to do compared to beach and coin hunting, it requires the right equipment, location and even some luck.
The best detector for a specific area you're thinking of hunting will mainly depend on how much ground iron is present and how large the gold is. Therefore, we've listed some really good gold metal detectors for you that we feel will meet the needs of most gold hunters.
There are three basic kinds of metal detectors on the market. Pulse detectors, motion detectors and multi-frequency machines - the newest kind. Motion detectors are best used on land and in fresh water. Pulse detectors work best in salt water. Multi-frequency detectors are a newer, more expensive technology, but they're also the most versatile. They work under almost every condition.
Other things to think about are whether you'll need a waterproof machine, or if a land machine will be adequate for you. Some land machines are extremely sophisticated. They can even tell you what they've found before you dig!
Water machines, on the other hand, don't offer these kinds of advanced features. They do, however, allow you to walk in shallow water or even submerge the machine. While serious hunters used to have to own two or three different metal detectors for specialized jobs, one good multi-frequency, waterproof machine can now do it all.
You get what you pay for when it comes to metal detectors. A cheap machine may not dent your budget much, but it also doesn't penetrate deeply into the ground. That means you'll mostly find junk. Spend a little more for a high end detector, and you'll be finding more deeply buried items - that translates to a higher likelihood of finding something good.
Good metal detectors can find items at least a foot below the surface of the soil, though the exact depth will vary by object size, soil composition, metal type and other factors. That's because dirt with a high mineral content can reduce depth and increase interference.
That means that when you decide which is the best machine, you should start out by looking at the environment you'll be using it in. If you only intend to look for relics, or if you live in the American Southwest, a waterproof machine won't do you any good! Think about what you're looking for, too. There are machines that do well with silver, but not with gold, for instance.
Once you know what you're looking for and where you're most likely to conduct your search, it's time to think about some other important features. Ask yourself how deep you need to search. Decide what kind of target alert system you want, too. Some machines have different beeps, depending on what they've encountered.
Can you adjust for the type of ground? Some will allow you to manually adjust for minerals, or will even do it on their own. There are also metal detectors that allow setting changes for different object types, and allow you to adjust sensitivity to avoid picking up as much junk. Displays vary, with more sophisticated types give you more information.
Check battery life, as well as size and weight. While most detectors are just a few pounds, they can still feel heavy after a while. Most machines use AA batteries, but battery life varies widely. Other useful features include collapsible shafts, versatility in water types, enhanced sensitivity to valuable materials and the ability to rule out junk.
