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prospecting with the x-t 50 ?
- Thread starter thompy
- Start date
steve herschbach
New member
Hi,
For gold in quartz I'd recommend a Fisher Gold Bug 2 or White's GMT. A small coil for either will also help for tiny gold. I've found a lot of hardrock gold with the Fisher Gold Bug 2 or White's Goldmasters that neither the X-Terra or MXT will signal on. Lode gold is often just tiny specks dispersed in the quartz.
Between the X-Terra 50 and MXT at this time I'd still give the nod to the MXT for prospecting. Its true all-metal threshold based prospecting mode is better for tiny targets. Again, the small coil would help.
Steve Herschbach
For gold in quartz I'd recommend a Fisher Gold Bug 2 or White's GMT. A small coil for either will also help for tiny gold. I've found a lot of hardrock gold with the Fisher Gold Bug 2 or White's Goldmasters that neither the X-Terra or MXT will signal on. Lode gold is often just tiny specks dispersed in the quartz.
Between the X-Terra 50 and MXT at this time I'd still give the nod to the MXT for prospecting. Its true all-metal threshold based prospecting mode is better for tiny targets. Again, the small coil would help.
Steve Herschbach
Joe of South Jersey
New member
I have been playing with the High freq. coil 18.75. It might be the ticket. I have picked up small chains that went undetected with other detectors.
Ralph Bryant
New member
The idea of gold prospecting with a silent-search discrimination machine has been bouncing around for several years. It seems we are just now getting to the point of having the machines that would be sensitive enough to realistically tackle such a job. I think I'd still prefer the psychological assurance of an audible threshold when hunting the real small stuff, but for nuggets of a gram or larger, some of these newer units just might be worth a try. Perhaps Minelab will consider adding an audible threshold option on future Xterra models......That might go a step farther in satisfying small gold and deep relic hunters alike.
Ralph
Ralph
Mike Bearden
Member
Careful there Buddy, (just kidding) but I posted something similar and got a light spanking by some that suspect the X-50 w/18.75 coil isn't ALL THAT.
I was even told that one of the units I tested the small chain against must have been defective and it wasn't! Time will tell, it alway's does.
Thanks for your report, now I don't feel like the Lone Ranger.
H.H.
Mike
I was even told that one of the units I tested the small chain against must have been defective and it wasn't! Time will tell, it alway's does.
Thanks for your report, now I don't feel like the Lone Ranger.
H.H.
Mike
steve herschbach
New member
Hi Ralph,
I can live without the threshold when prospecting. I've found many ounces of gold with the Gold Bug 2 in iron disc mode... completely silent search, then "beep"!
My issue with the X-Terra is that the "all-metal" mode is still multi-tone. Tiny non-ferrous target bounce between low iron and medium tones. Do not get me wrong. The unit hits the small targets. But the bouncy signal sounds flaky.
The Matrix M6 does have a single tone mode that I prefer as a silent search nugget mode compared to the silent search multi-tone mode on the X-Terra for the tiniest targets. Specifically, for tiny gold nuggets.
I fully intend to go out and find some gold nuggets with the X-Terra. I do think it has nugget potential and on larger nuggets it may do as well as many nugget detectors.
I am not convinced that either the M6 or the X-Terra will ever replace the White's MXT as THE machine to have if you really are serious about prospecting but also want to coin or jewelry hunt with the machine. At heart the MXT is a gold machine turned into a general purpose unit but its GMT lineage shows. The X-Terra and M6 are more like great coin machines that also might be pressed into service for nugget hunting and do well. Not a huge difference, but one nonetheless.
I sure wish I had a Gold Bug 2 with a variable disc control. Now that would be something to play with!
Steve Herschbach
I can live without the threshold when prospecting. I've found many ounces of gold with the Gold Bug 2 in iron disc mode... completely silent search, then "beep"!
My issue with the X-Terra is that the "all-metal" mode is still multi-tone. Tiny non-ferrous target bounce between low iron and medium tones. Do not get me wrong. The unit hits the small targets. But the bouncy signal sounds flaky.
The Matrix M6 does have a single tone mode that I prefer as a silent search nugget mode compared to the silent search multi-tone mode on the X-Terra for the tiniest targets. Specifically, for tiny gold nuggets.
I fully intend to go out and find some gold nuggets with the X-Terra. I do think it has nugget potential and on larger nuggets it may do as well as many nugget detectors.
I am not convinced that either the M6 or the X-Terra will ever replace the White's MXT as THE machine to have if you really are serious about prospecting but also want to coin or jewelry hunt with the machine. At heart the MXT is a gold machine turned into a general purpose unit but its GMT lineage shows. The X-Terra and M6 are more like great coin machines that also might be pressed into service for nugget hunting and do well. Not a huge difference, but one nonetheless.
I sure wish I had a Gold Bug 2 with a variable disc control. Now that would be something to play with!
Steve Herschbach
Ralph Bryant
New member
Hi Steve,
Have you had the chance to do a side-by-side comparison of the MXT and the M-6 in coin modes with the small DD to compare sensitivity to smaller nuggets ?
My thinking here is that since the MXT is based on GMT circuitry, and the M-6 is based on MXT circuitry, doesn't that make the M-6 effectively based on the GMT too ? Kind of like cousins, second removed ?
Putting discrimination on the GB-II would be like kissing your wife's sister on the lips while she was standing there watching. Might seem like the thing to do at the moment, but could very easily ruin a good relationship and cost you lots of gold !
Ralph
Have you had the chance to do a side-by-side comparison of the MXT and the M-6 in coin modes with the small DD to compare sensitivity to smaller nuggets ?
My thinking here is that since the MXT is based on GMT circuitry, and the M-6 is based on MXT circuitry, doesn't that make the M-6 effectively based on the GMT too ? Kind of like cousins, second removed ?
Putting discrimination on the GB-II would be like kissing your wife's sister on the lips while she was standing there watching. Might seem like the thing to do at the moment, but could very easily ruin a good relationship and cost you lots of gold !
Ralph
steve herschbach
New member
Hi Ralph,
So far from my use I'd use an M6 before the X-Terra if I had to choose between the two for a day of nugget hunting. For precisely the reason you mention and the fact that it has the single tone mode.
I guess if you lined them up in order from gold machine to coin machine it would go GMT then MXT then M6 then X-Terra 50. The X-Terra 50 is no slouch on gold. It is just a step farther away from being pure nugget detector that the M6... in my always so humble opinion!
I have not done a head-to-head on the MXT and M6. Frankly, I used the M6, it was fun, works great, I'm sure many will love it.... but I see nothing in it to make me want to use it instead of my MXT. I doubt I'll be using the M6 much going forward. Only so much time, and too many detectors to play with.
In my marketplace, Alaska, people who do not want a pure nugget detector still want nugget capability. From my use if a guy walks in tomorrow and tells me he wants a good gold machine that can hunt coins and more, I'll advise him to get an MXT, just like I've done the last two years. The MXT has found a lot of gold up here since it was introduced. For coins only I sell piles of Aces and Prizms. The X-Terra is like an upscale Ace/Prizm and so will offer a great premium alternative to the people up here for coins, jewelry... and maybe a nugget now and then.
I guess I'll just have to wait for an MXT with extra features, instead of a stripped down MXT with tones.
Yeah, best leave the Gold Bug 2 alone. It may never be equaled for purity of design. A great example of form following function and simply unequaled still at what it was built to do... hit tiny bits of gold. I oh so wanted a Gold Bug 3 and was offered the Gold Strike instead. What a disappointment.
Steve Herschbach
So far from my use I'd use an M6 before the X-Terra if I had to choose between the two for a day of nugget hunting. For precisely the reason you mention and the fact that it has the single tone mode.
I guess if you lined them up in order from gold machine to coin machine it would go GMT then MXT then M6 then X-Terra 50. The X-Terra 50 is no slouch on gold. It is just a step farther away from being pure nugget detector that the M6... in my always so humble opinion!
I have not done a head-to-head on the MXT and M6. Frankly, I used the M6, it was fun, works great, I'm sure many will love it.... but I see nothing in it to make me want to use it instead of my MXT. I doubt I'll be using the M6 much going forward. Only so much time, and too many detectors to play with.
In my marketplace, Alaska, people who do not want a pure nugget detector still want nugget capability. From my use if a guy walks in tomorrow and tells me he wants a good gold machine that can hunt coins and more, I'll advise him to get an MXT, just like I've done the last two years. The MXT has found a lot of gold up here since it was introduced. For coins only I sell piles of Aces and Prizms. The X-Terra is like an upscale Ace/Prizm and so will offer a great premium alternative to the people up here for coins, jewelry... and maybe a nugget now and then.
I guess I'll just have to wait for an MXT with extra features, instead of a stripped down MXT with tones.
Yeah, best leave the Gold Bug 2 alone. It may never be equaled for purity of design. A great example of form following function and simply unequaled still at what it was built to do... hit tiny bits of gold. I oh so wanted a Gold Bug 3 and was offered the Gold Strike instead. What a disappointment.
Steve Herschbach
i look mostly for coins but i like relic hunting and prospecting, my last detector was a qxt, but sold it when a fella with a explorer pulled up some coins only a couple of in. down, on ground i just covered, i was pulling square nails out 12-13 in. down, my machine ran a little erratic on that side of the street, figured electrical interference, but as for prospecting there are a number of old mines from the late 1800's around 30, all hard rock,from what Ive read they all shut down do to money problems, over the tough winters up hear, and a lack of decent rock crushers, that could handle the ore, one mine was shut down in the 1980's. there is gold dust around but haven't heard of any nuggets, i guess due to the last ice age.so I'm looking for a unit that will cover these bases, i was thinking the mxt but would like a multi tone machine,thats the only thing didn't like on the qxt, sounds like the x is the answer.
steve herschbach
New member
Hi thompy,
The MXT has the dual tone relic mode. I use the relic mode to find gold nuggets, and many coin hunters prefer it. The disc knob sets the break point between high and low tone. For nuggets I usually set mine exactly on "2". Any ferrous item gives a low tone, and non-ferrous item chirps high tone. Coin hunters run the disc up higher. If you crank it all the way up you will lose nickels and zinc pennies so it makes a heck of a "cherry-picking" mode. Basically nothing but coins will chirp with the MXT set like that.
Tought call. These are all good units we are discussing. To a large degree it is a matter of style.
Steve Herschbach
The MXT has the dual tone relic mode. I use the relic mode to find gold nuggets, and many coin hunters prefer it. The disc knob sets the break point between high and low tone. For nuggets I usually set mine exactly on "2". Any ferrous item gives a low tone, and non-ferrous item chirps high tone. Coin hunters run the disc up higher. If you crank it all the way up you will lose nickels and zinc pennies so it makes a heck of a "cherry-picking" mode. Basically nothing but coins will chirp with the MXT set like that.
Tought call. These are all good units we are discussing. To a large degree it is a matter of style.
Steve Herschbach
Just ordered my XTerra 50. Will get the 18.75 coil soonest. Detector preference is/should be a function of where you live and hunt. Intended use is Arizona's west coast. I.E. Colorado River plus parks and home sites.
Primary gold machine is a GP Extreme. GPX is usually set up in what I call scout mode. Lightweight coil and battery. My main assumption is "find that first nugget in this area" and others will follow. Assuming you find the first one, this works more often than not. Hope to follow up in trashiest areas with the XTerra and 18.75. Have some places picked out. Wish me luck with my hare-brained schemes and my new machine. And thanks for all the good info.
Posting an old picture. These are from a place that is now closed. Sigh!
Luck
Paul
Primary gold machine is a GP Extreme. GPX is usually set up in what I call scout mode. Lightweight coil and battery. My main assumption is "find that first nugget in this area" and others will follow. Assuming you find the first one, this works more often than not. Hope to follow up in trashiest areas with the XTerra and 18.75. Have some places picked out. Wish me luck with my hare-brained schemes and my new machine. And thanks for all the good info.
Posting an old picture. These are from a place that is now closed. Sigh!
Luck
Paul