Multi Use Gold Prospecting Detectors PI or VLF?

[Dwayne2010]

It is grain size and a gram nugget would be like hitting the mother load. All the gold that I found has been grain size, no larger. I was wondering about that. So the higher frequency detector narrows down the palying field. Makes my decisoin a little easier.

 

[auacemanII]

You aren't going to get a PI that will do what you want . So with that said if I could only own one machine and I was mostly looking for coins and such it would be a GTI2500 Garrett. If I was mostly wanting to nuggets shoot 1st would be a "Nevada Bob" Modified MXT with the 10x5 elliptical, but also the Lobo Super Trac could be a good choice.

 

[GH]

There is a dealer in Langley B.C. who sells whites.
http://whiteselectronics.com/component/dealer/page/1279.html

 

[Dwayne2010]

Hi GH, thanks for the link. As life would have it, I lost my placer claim with all the bed rock that I had planned to hit with a detector. Someone beat me to the punch on Mineral Titles Online. I know who it was that staked it on me. So, alas, I scored a different 1km stretch on the Fraser River, accessible by ATV, Mule or flying lol. I am going to purchase a quad this year instead of a gold detector. Unless of course, my high banker can spit out lots of gold on this claim. My fingers are crossed. Supposed to be platinum in the area so we will see. I have everything that I need to make a good go of it, minus the quad. Managed to find a 125cc quad that will fit in my van and which has a pay load of over 300lbs. Just perfect for me.
I guess that after I get my quad, I will look at buying a detector to tinker with in the parks around my area here!.

Thanks for all the replies to my post!

 

[willy]

The MXT WILL pick up sub-grain gold in bad ground. Actually, it might pick up smaller gold than the high frequency detectors in such ground. I was picking up gold down to about 1/3 grain whilst up in the Brooks range.. in ground that, aside from a CZ6a running in salt mode, was only really hunt-able with ML SD2200d's. The white's GM4, Compass AU32, Fisher GB1, Scorpion Gold Stinger detectors that the other guys had were basically unusable. I've also played around on the Coquihalla with a number of detectors and found the MXT to be the 'winner'. ..Willy.

 

[bearkat4160]

I cant believe no one here mention the Infinium to you. I paid for mine in 3 months with gold nuggets from California. its $1012 at mashdetectors.com

 

[Dwayne2010]

Yup, no response about the infinium. This is the first that I have heard about it. Its frustrating that everyone has their own idea on what is best for sub grain gold. I have to wonder if its mroe about the operator then the machine. Again, time will tell. I have yet to make up my mind on what machine to go with. Of course, finances always play the biggest role!


Cheers

 

[bearkat4160]

Definatly a VLF should be used for sub-grain gold. Infinium is good for .5 gram gold. Which is fairly large compared to a sub-grain nugget. The TDI I think will get down to .3 gram. Other than that both Infinium and the TDI are same in depth on larger targets with their stock coils in comparison.

 

[wwace]

Basically if you want one machine that does both small nuggets and coins I would buy an MXT or an Xterra70-705. I have both and they are both excellent detectors. The advantage of the MXT is you do not have to have more than one coil to optimize the machine for either pursuit. I also have an Ace 250 that I use to quickly hunt school yards and tot lots for coins. There is nothing wrong with the ACE but it will not hunt side by side with a high end silver coin machine like an explorer. If you buy a GMT, GMZ, Gold Bug or other dedicated gold vlf rig you will go crazy digging tiny foil bits in any park, school, beach etc. Both the MXT and X70 will hit small one grain size nuggets at an inch or two and nuggets of a gram or two at 6 to 8 inches which is all you will get out of a Gold Bug or GMZ-T. They excell at tiny stuff close to the coil and frankly unless you are just "prospecting" an area you will soon get tired of trying to even find the targets. Much better to isolate the target in a plastic scoop and pan it out at home. That said I find myself using the x-70 more than the others as I find the lightweight a huge benefit for me. I have the 18khz on it at most times(5x10DD). It is just a good fun detector. The MXT is based on the GMT electronics so it has the advantage of being based on a gold machine and it is a very good coin and relic detector also but I find it heavy after a bit. The ACE is just a great cheap unit but don't take one to the gold camp. PI units I would get an Infinium or GPX Minelab. Infinium for water works well. Australia gold fields=GPX 4500

 

[Dwayne2010]

For better or worse, I am going to hold out another two weeks or so, for the Gold Bug Pro. Although I will be using it for coin hunting on the weekends that I cannot get out to my claim, my primary target will be grain gold. I will be working the bedrock slowly, taking my time. Also, will be buying the Pyramid Pro pan. Two weekends ago I was out panning and found a small 8 grain picker). Put the biggest smile on my face I tell ya!

 

[JRJNJVJ]

n/t

 

[bobhallowell]

sounds good where can i get one close to missouri

 

[Jessgo33]

Yea i was reading that, and you were talking about getting a detector, and knew you bought a gold bug pro the same time i did.... Do you like it? Mines not bad. Found a .7 gramer with it. and about 25lbs in iron..lol.. other then that the best machane iv seen to pick up small grain size is the fisher gold bug 2 with the 71.khz. It will beep on " <-------- gold that size. flypoop size peices and the gmz will berley get a single, the mtx will prob. miss it. I don't know about the eurkkea gold but it sounds good for small peices. Hope it helps.

 

[Jessgo33]

in fact here is the you tube video i got that shows what the gold bug 2 will do. Yes its even got the infinum, and whites detectors. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7bI4uUacRg check out this video on small gold and different detectors its a pretty good comparison. It is very educational and fun to watch. Ps the gold nuggets come on at about the 3 min mark...

 

[goldseeker4000]

For your info, the GMT is not the best detector out there for nuggets and coins, or even just nuggets for that matter. Call up Chris Gholson with Arizona Outback and talk to him about the Minelab X-terra 705. It is hands down the best VLF detector on the market for gold nuggets and coin shooting combo. check out the X-terra forum on here and talk with digger. Ask him some hard questions on this matter. I am sure he will set you straight on the X-terra 705. I enjoy mine more and more every day and it is more of a joy to operate than my GPX4000. These are items I found with my Minelab X-terra 705. If you buy a 705 you will not be disapointed! Period! Under $1000 with 3 coils.

 

[Dwayne2010]

I would love to see this with the Goldbug SE or Pro added for comparison

 

[goldseeker4000]

goldbugs are gold gold machines but they cannot compete in the coins catagory. Not Even. I owned a goldbug 2 and I thought it was sensitive only down to 4 inches or less. That sucks. I sold that piece of junk after two or 3 years. X-terra 705 is just as sensitive but will go deeper. guaranteed. I've done it.

 

[Dwayne2010]

goldbugs are gold gold machines but they cannot compete in the coins catagory. Not Even. I owned a goldbug 2 and I thought it was sensitive only down to 4 inches or less. That sucks. I sold that piece of junk after two or 3 years. X-terra 705 is just as sensitive but will go deeper. guaranteed. I've done it.

I am not sure about the older goldbugs, but I have been out coin hunting a few dozen times with my Goldbug Special Edition and it rocks! I have to turn my sensitivity down so that I don't dig the smallest of junk that is deeeeeeeeeepppppp. Gain of 6 which is about 1/4 of the way for sensitivity, I am pulling dimes out at 5 inches no problem. Same with pennies. This machine is almost too sensitive for hunting modern fields and I guess my only complaint is that I get annoyed with it going off on the tiniest piece of tin foil.
As far as prospecting goes, I haven't found any nuggets with it. Then again, gold is where you find it and the claims that I had were mainly fine gold and not really nugget ground.

 

[goldseeker4000]

Jessgo33 , You mentioned in your video about the Infinium 440 volts? What do you mean. Infinium is a pulse detector operating at 770 pulses per second!!!! I owned one and got rid of it to buy my X-terra 705. One of the best decisions I ever made. I did find gold with infinium but it is cheaply built for how much they cost. It did not live up to what I read about it and talked with Vaughn Garrett about it.

 

[goldseeker4000]

Dwayne2010, the discrimination on the gold bugs is not designed to blank out junk like coin detectors are. It is ment to eliminate iron- small pieces to be exact and mainly hot rocks. I used one in a old ghost town and it was useless as there was desintigrated cans down to dust and gold bug 2 was going off constantly. The X-terra 705 has notch discrimination at every 2 notches and you can see the TIDS on the screen and it has 99 tones so every TID has its own tone so you if you have bad targets or good. I often find coins with junk metal in the hole right next to the coin. The junk metal does not full my 705, but you need to learn the readings and that is done by first digging iffy targets to varify. what state are you in? That is too bad about your claim only having fine gold. Give you a hint- go high to detect for the gold. Very high, like towards the summits of the mountains in your area and hunt around the dikes that are cutting up thru the country rock.