One of the most sought-after metals that metal-detecting hobbyists search for is gold. Gold rarely loses its charm and value and when you find it, you will also find a lot of people who are willing to buy your find from you.
Gold is a very lucrative find if you get it before it has been buried for 50 years. That is what makes metal detecting so much fun and adventurous. Finding those lost gold items can pad your income and help you retire if you find enough of it.
Can a metal detector detect gold?
This is a very common question asked by people who want to take up metal detecting as a hobby. They are not as interested in other metals as they are not as valuable as gold.
There is some good news here. You can find gold with your metal detector no matter which one you buy. From the least expensive to the most expensive model, gold is one of those metals you can always find.
That way you do not miss out on any lucrative find that may come your way. It is possible to start off with the cheaper model of metal detectors and after you make some great finds, move on up to the more sensitive and expensive models.
Using a metal detector to find gold
One of the aspects of technology that the more expensive metal detectors have over the cheaper ones is their sensitivity. It is easy to fine-tune your detector to make sure you pick up more gold than you could with a cheaper model.
The way to use your metal detector to find gold is to read the instructions first. Make sure you know how to set the controls so you do not miss out on any buried gold artifacts.
Once you have read the instructions make sure to do a test. Put a gold ring on top of the ground and slowly swing your metal detector over the area. Don’t toss the ring to some far point. This is a test and you need to know how your metal detector reacts when it finds gold.
The only thing to be concerned about is that your detector may sound and act differently when you find a gold item buried than it would sound if the gold item was on top of the surface.
Do more testing with other metals so you know how the meter will respond to each metal you find.
The Metal Detectors’ Limitations For Finding Gold
Not everything will be perfect even when you buy an expensive model. One of the limits on each metal detector will be its capabilities and range. Some go deeper than others and some work in certain soil while not working in other types of dirt.
The size of the gold item will play a role in if your metal detector can find it or not. These devices can miss really tiny objects. Another limitation will be how deep the gold item is buried.
Then you need a metal detector that works in different soil. This is an important factor as what can work easily on sand, may not work too well in other dirt areas.
There is more to finding gold than those issues. The gold has to also be found in your detector’s frequency if it is not available in that specific frequency your metal detector will not ping.
On top of all this, the type of soil may match your metal detector’s ability but it may be highly mineralized. This will set off false readings and make you waste time digging for nothing.
Can a metal detector find gold nuggets?
This is a possibility for many metal detectors. As long as the device has a ground-leveling feature and the option to look for gold, this should not be a problem.
Also, you need to pick your search area carefully. The gold nuggets won’t be laying on top of the ground so you need to make sure your metal detector goes deep enough to find what others have missed.
That is another problem, while it is a good idea to start your search where gold nuggets have been found before, do not expect to find much gold in the same area. Some of your search areas should include where miners have worked before.
Tailing pilings, rock piles by creeks, and other locations are good places to start. Any area where miners have left traces of their work will be another good area to start your search.
VLF or PI metal detectors for finding gold
The VLF option may be a bit old-school but it has its advantages over the PI or pulse metal detector. The PI is best for finding large gold nuggets but not so good for finding smaller ones.
That is where the VLF model has the advantage. You won’t miss out on many smaller gold nuggets when you use older technology.
Some final words
It is possible to find gold with just about any metal detector on the market today. The key question is how much gold will you miss out on when you use a cheap metal detector?
The investment in a top-quality metal detector will be a wise move as you can have the possibility of finding more gold. Just do not count older technology out as it is still a very good option to use.