Mineral Specimens

[AugustMoose87]

I don't know how much cross-over there is between detecting and rockhounding, but as someone who does both, I'm curious what minerals can and can not be located with a detector.

On the "can" side, obviously native gold, silver and copper - are there other metals that occur that way? I would assume tellurides, and that is where my certainty ends. Intuition says hematite, magnetite, galena, and other minerals where metals make up a large portion.

As for the "can nots", I think we can skip the obvious ones - I know sandstone, quarts, granite, fossils, etc. can't be metal detected. I'm thinking more are there any that either their appearance or composition would make you think it might be detectable, but it isn't. For example, mica looks somewhat metallic/silvery, but it can't be detected.

 

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[Helipilot]

I was down at Magnet Cove, Arkansas today rock hounding and looking for bits of meteorite myself and a professional geologist believe impacted in that area. Lots of "hot rocks", volcanic ejecta and debris, and other great specimens. I use a Whites, Garret, and a rare earth magnet affixed to a hiking pole for iron based meteorite specimens. Haven't really done a lot of tests but I think you are covering the obvious usual suspects in your post. I will play around with my rock collection and report back on what I find.

 

[AugustMoose87]

Thanks! About all I have worth testing at the moment is a piece of galena, but I will dig it out and see what the detector says

 

[TerryC]

You will also find that Iron Pyrite will sound off with a metal detector.... but it must be one used for gold prospecting and it must be very sensitive. My Gold bug II would sound off to a half centimeter square of Pyrite. TTC