Gold Prospecting with Metal Detectors

Gold nugget detecting requires specialized equipment:

Frequency Matters Most - 45+ kHz for small nuggets - PI technology for maximum depth - Multi-frequency as all-around option

Top Gold Detectors: 1. Minelab GPZ 7000 (ZVT technology, deepest) 2. Minelab GPX 6000 (PI, lightweight, powerful) 3. Minelab Gold Monster 1000 (45 kHz VLF, affordable) 4. Fisher Gold Bug 2 (71 kHz, budget option)

Coil Selection: - Small coils (5-8") for trashy areas and small nuggets - Large coils (14"+) for depth in clean areas

Hot rocks are mineralized stones that false signal. They're the #1 frustration for gold hunters.

Types: - Positive hot rocks: Signal like metal - Negative hot rocks: Cause null or threshold drop

Management: - Use ground balance threshold - Learn your detector's hot rock response - PI detectors handle hot rocks best - Some hot rocks indicate gold-bearing areas!

Finding gold starts with research:

Historical Records - Old mining records - USGS mineral reports - Bureau of Land Management claims

Physical Indicators - Quartz veins - Ironstone outcrops - Black sand deposits - Old workings and tailings

Legal Access - BLM land (check local rules) - National Forests (regulations vary) - Active claims require permission - State trust lands (permits needed)

Threshold Tuning Keep a faint hum - nuggets often give soft signals below threshold.

Slow Coil Speed Move slower than coin hunting. Small nuggets need time to respond.

Ground Balance Often Conditions change constantly in goldfields.

Dig Everything In gold country, every signal matters. No discrimination.

Work in Grids Systematic coverage finds more gold than random wandering.

Check Your Piles Sweep all spoil piles - nuggets hide in moved dirt.