Suggestions for Gold Detector

[ghostminer]

Our company has 300 acres of historic mining property in the Sierra Nevada Mts. There are heavy black sands/iron. We are in the process of permitting for operation but I would also like to do some detecting in the old tailings and exposed bedrock also. I have no experience with metal detecting and there are lots of them on the market. I'd like to be able to detect up to two feet in depth if possible. Does anyone have any suggestions?

 

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[GreyGhost]

I would go with a Minelab SDC 2300. Most can be bought new for a lot less than the MSRP. They have great depth and are very, very simple to use. Literally on/off switch and sensitivity switch, that's about it. A GPX series detector is A LOT more complex and takes a long time to fully master. A Gold Bug Pro would be good for a beginner too but you may be disappointed with its depth and instability in mineralized ground. The GBP is good on exposed bedrock but only expect to dig targets just a few inches away from the coil. That's just the truth with VLF's unless ofcourse you've got something big like close to an ounce then it will go deeper.

 

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[Tahoegold]

You asked about a good gold machine that goes feet deep.

Hi Ghostminer, I know how difficult it is to start looking for a detector as a new person to the field. I am new to gold detecting. I got a Makro Gold Racer after reading tons of stuff and talking to friends that have gold bugs and ML. It's light and has many nice features and works very well. You asked if you could detect up to 2 feet. OK, only a PI machine will go that deep in mineralized soils. You WILL be disapointed with a VLF for deep detecting. For fine gold, VLF units will work very well, in shallow soil, like 1" for sub grain specks. There are depth vs nugget size vs coil size on the net. I think fisher has the chart. Also, 2' would be a challenge for a new person to detect a nugget. Do you have the money for the best? Get the minelab GPZ7000 and you WILL go deep and find small gold too. I understand some of the older minelabs are available that are easy to use and would get you familiar with the art of finding a real target. I recommend you go to a shop where you can actually test a detector. You can even rent them to give them a test run. Sounds like you have a job to do, I would for sure make an informed decision only after testing on some gold. I would not just buy a detector without getting an idea of how you and the detector work together. My 2 cents. Sounds like a great dilemma. I would sure like to work with you on this!

 

[AU_Solitude]

He had a falling out with treasurenet... Said he left. Sorry @tahoegold

 

[Tahoegold]

He had a falling out with treasurenet... Said he left. Sorry @tahoegold

Thanks! Well, I hope he finds a great detector for his job.