GB Pro and hard rock

[Hobbyist]

The 5" coil is capable of finding bits and streaks of gold in hard rock (100% sens, all metal mode, scraping coil on rock, very faint to moderate strength signal). Found more of the stuff today.

Pardon the crap photography, I can't get a sharper macro pic without the flash. Dropped 22K test acid on those streaks, it's good color. Depth of detection into rock depends on the amount of gold flecks within, usually 2" to 4" in my experience. Makes me wonder how much more I'd have found if I had a GB 2.

 

[godigit1]

That's pretty good for 19khz I haven't tried any tailing piles with mine yet. I'm still hooked on my old GM 3 for the small stuff.
Were you working banks or tailing's?
HH

 

[Hobbyist]

Hi Godigit1,

I was working volcanic rocks strewn around an area. That piece in the photo came from a really big rock that's larger than me, there are many of that size, and a giant one larger than a Mack truck. Nature's power is humbling! I still have yet to find the mouth of the (hopefully) extinct volcano.

The GB Pro won't sound off on one or two tiny flecks in rock...the portions which are literally peppered with color will set off the machine. I believe your GM3 would be in detector heaven @ 50kHz on those rocks. I'm seriously thinking of adding a high kHz machine to my collection.

 

[godigit1]

Hey Hobbyist,

That's pretty interesting, is this a pyroclastic flow?. The rock looks well worn. Boy if the rock all has the gold lacing you would think the soil or creeks, rivers would have allot of fine gold.
If your going to add a Higher KHz machine the old Gms are a good option if you cant get a GB2. I know the GB 2 is the hottest but after having my GM as my first and primary machine for 14 years I bet i could give a GB2 a run for the money.. Ive been seeing one now and again going for below $400. and as low as $300.

HH
Godigit

 

[Hobbyist]

Hiya Godigit1,

Yes it's a pyroclastic flow. I gotta feeling I haven't found the mouth of the volcano mainly because I was standing IN the mouth of the volcano where the rocks are. Its a gently undulating to flat plain surrounded by steep high mountains.

If that area is indeed the mouth of a volcano, that fire mountain must be hella big! I just had a bit of relevation yesterday. Each time I find some color, I mark the spot on my Garmin. The spots range from 1.5 to 15km apart, all have the same color/kind of rock near or on the surface. I input the coordinates into google earth and zoomed out....they're near as makes no difference in a straight line. And when I extend that straight line, it hits an old mine that yielded 20 grams/tonne back in the 1980s. That old mine is about 175km as the crow flies from my gold-bearing rocks. Right now I'm boggled at the thought of a 200km stretch of rock peppered with Au.

I'm sure your GM is a fine machine. Many seasoned prospectors swear by the GM2 and 3 models. The AutoTrack feature of the newer White's GMT is an attractive feature (as opposed to the GB2's manual-only ground balancing). I remember that old History Channel docu on how the earth was made: America's Gold...a White's was featured briefly there. Aah decisions, decisions!

 

[godigit1]

Hey Hobbyist
I do allot of research that way as well.
Some time if your bored look at the mountains between Placerville and Auburn Ca. You will see mountain tops that look snow covered in june on the time line.
They are covered with quarts rocks and boulder, amazing that white channel was almost a river of pure quarts.
Where are you at in the world?
Good luck which ever machine you decide on

godigit.

 

[Hobbyist]

Hi Godigit1,

I flew to Placerville and Auburn on google earth, saw some mountain tops with the quartz rock. Guess they called it Placerville coz there was plenty of placer gold in that area! That History channel documentary I mentioned explained how plate tectonic forces pushed up layer after layer of seabed to form California, and the spaces between the layers of stacked seabeds were filled with quartz and gold carried by superheated water. Nature's power is awesome!

Am on the island of Borneo...roughly on the opposite side of the planet from you. If I could dig a hole from here through the earth, I'd pop up somewhere in the Amazon basin area. LOL! Thanks again for your suggestion. I'm taking it VERY seriously. HH!

 

[godigit1]

Before it was called placerville it was hangtown because they hung a few people without trials. (Quick justice) At one point there was a company offering to move your house up clean underneath and set the house back on a foundation. there is still that much gold there but the town is built on it and trying to prospect anywhere is very difficult due to private property.
The area was incredibly rich when first discovered and some of the biggest gold came from there to the forest hill divide which is where you start seeing the quarts peaks, and of coarse just a few miles away is sutters mill.

Wow Borneo.
How does that work can you claim mineral rights there if you find a deposit? Just flew over and you have some interesting topography especially on the west side. Appears to be large bedrock exposures. And some of the alluvial fans are huge. As mush as the rivers meander seems there could be deposits high and dry just sitting in the jungle waiting for you.

I hope you find a patch out there there has to be larger streaks in those rocks somewhere.

Good luck!
godigit

 

[Hobbyist]

LOL! Hangtown? Sure sounds like the wild and wooly west! Yes it is possible to get mineral rights, with license to mine over here. If on private property, the tribute to the landowner ranges from 7.5 to 10%, and the state takes 5% on top of that. Of course before all that takes place, an environmental impact assessment must be undertaken, a fair bit of paperwork to be done, and initial fees to be paid etc. I've been screwed over by landowners before, after I did the grunt work and found color. I now stick to state land and public access areas. However I don't know if I wanna get into all that....my hobbies have a habit of turning into businesses with the accompanying headaches.

You're right about the rivers meandering...I've found rounded river boulders high up on hills, about 40 meters up from the current river level (measured with the altimeter on my watch). My next spot to explore is the confluence of 2 rivers...that area is about 200 acres worth of rounded white quartz rocks and grey boulders, hella lot of ground to cove with a 5" coil! The dry season's approaching, I'll hit that patch hard when water levels are low enough.

 

[godigit1]

Hey Hobbyist

Sounds promising! I would be thinking dredge that river. Has to be allot of fines in there some where.
If you can op up to the 5x10 you could cover that beach quicker.(how hard is that in Borneo?) Its a great coil and, in my opinion the only advantage of the 5 over it is getting into tight spots.
I'm sure other people use detectors there but I'm sure it doesn't get pounded like here. I hope you find some good virgin ground.
You have me interested, now I have to do some research on Borneo. THANKS. LOL

Be Well

 

[Hobbyist]

Hiya Godigit1

Happy Easter! I did buy the 5x10 last year, and it was a good coil till it was damaged beyond repair. I had kept quiet about that incident because most people would probably think it was just a crock of bullpoop. Guess I'll open my big mouth now and let you in on it. It's not a crock of bullpoop...it was a croc that was hungry and rose from the muddy water to take a taste of my 5x10. I was detecting along the inside bend of a brackish water portion of a river and before this happened, already had one near-miss with one of those things. Anyways the GB Pro was wrenched out of my hand and I ran for a tree (never climbed a tree so fast in my life).

The whole incident was over in like 10-15 seconds. Croc decided it did not like the taste of the coil, released it and came out of the water to eyeball the tree I was up in. After a tense minute or two, it went back into the water. I decended and retrieved my machine. Fortunately the head portion was not submerged , just muddied, but the coil was a lost cause and I unmounted and dumped it. Wiped the mud off the head, walked back to the truck and attached the 5" coil. To my relief, the machine worked normally, and I decided to quit that area while I was still ahead.

Over the next few days, I pondered the incident. When I was using the 5" coil in the same area, I was not attacked. But when the 5x10 coil was on, I had a near miss and a fatal attack (fatal for the coil). Could it be that the bigger coil was simply easier for the croc to see in silted waters, or did it generate some kind of particular water disturbance which signalled "food" to nearby reptiles? I don't have an answer.

Metal detection is legal here, and so is the importation of such machines. It attracts a 10% sales tax on total cost of device with shipping plus MYR49.50 in Customs broker fees to clear each shipment. It's not a popular hobby though...too many pieces of ordnance left over from WW2 still around discourages most people, I guess If I have the mood, I may order another 5x10 along with the higher kHz machine. I'm still agonizing over GMT vs GB2. 71kHz may be too hot for my soil conditions, and the thought of having to ground balance very often is not appetizing. I'm in no hurry.

 

[godigit1]

Hi Hobbyist,

Sorry for taking a while to get back. thanks for the Easter wishes hope your was good as well.

I Guess that makes dredging a little hard!!!!! I don't think Id be getting in that water. not without dynamiting it first
My first thought on the coil difference for a crock would be if he saw the bottom going over the watter the elliptical shape may look like a bird or duck from the shadow.

Heck we could stick a black rubber glove over the end of that 5 inch and go noodling!

"YEA I CAUGHT THAT 60 POUND CAT WITH MY GOLD BUG 5 DD".

I Have not owned either machine but both have large followings. Allot of people love the tracking on the GMT and I hear it tracks super fast but when it comes to really working the ground with my old GM It was never really a problem for me. The changes in ground became very noticeable and I learned to balance pretty fast. I hunted with that machine for 13 years. The GB 2 I know is probably much more stable than my old gm but the GMT is newer even yet.

The way gold machines are selling I wouldn't be surprised if something good was just around the corner. I wouldn't rush either.
Be Well
digit.

 

[Hobbyist]

Yo Godigit1,

My Easter was spent playing with some bits of metal...most fun! I believe you may be absolutely right...the coil's shape may just have signalled "winner winner duck dinner" to the croc. And if First Texas uses your concept to sell more machines to those who love gold and catfish on their plates, they owe you some serious money! Man, you really made me laff!

Been cruising fleabay to price the machines...seems that Aardvarkmetaldetectors (kellyco's ebay arm) is no longer operating; I got my GB Pro from them. To make matters worse, kellyco's site is most unfriendly towards non-US customers now. Used to be I could hit the Paypal checkout button to see the shipping charges; now it just loops back to the shopping cart. No worries...let them sort the bugs out. You take care and have a great week!

Hob