New guy and this is my area


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Hello and thank you for letting me be a part of your community. I have never done any metal detecting, I have read many many threads on types of detectors, what to look for and many tips. However I would like to explain my area and absorb all the info you folks are willing to provide.

I have an area in the desert, there are old mines in the area so I know gold has been found here in the past, I just don't know what type. The hillsides have LOTS of quartz, I have not seen any with visible gold veins on them though. The dirt from a 3rd up the mountain down past the base is very red and the run offs have black sand on top of the fine dirt from beginning to end. This area has been sealed off from the public for more than 70 years and no mining in probably a hundred.

I have narrowed my choices in detectors down to Fisher gold bug DP or gold bug pro, Whites GMT, or Minelab eureka gold or 705. I know I have to spend alot of time learning whichever detector I get, I would like the learning curve to be easiest as possible. Based on the info above which of these would be a better choice? I COULD afford a GPX 5000, will it find more gold to make up the price? Will it handle the conditions I stated above much better than the VLF's I listed?

Would you start in the Big Arroyo's? The run offs with the black sand? The tailing piles from the old mines? Sorry for all the questions, all feedback is greatly appreciated. This site just seems so promising I don't know where to start. I am prepared to be disappointed for a while with my lack of knowledge but overall I think this will be a great place for lots of exercise and fresh air! Thanks again for you help.

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I believe you will find out that a VLF will suffer in this area from the extreme ground mineralization,I think a PI would be a much better choice....Geo

Probably start near the bottom and work up the hillsides sampling, a large coil would work well here allowing you to hotspot the area then systematic hunting with a smaller coil to maximize the results, interesting area but I think without a PI it would be tough...

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Hello and thank you for letting me be a part of your community. I have never done any metal detecting, I have read many many threads on types of detectors, what to look for and many tips. However I would like to explain my area and absorb all the info you folks are willing to provide.

I have an area in the desert, there are old mines in the area so I know gold has been found here in the past, I just don't know what type. The hillsides have LOTS of quartz, I have not seen any with visible gold veins on them though. The dirt from a 3rd up the mountain down past the base is very red and the run offs have black sand on top of the fine dirt from beginning to end. This area has been sealed off from the public for more than 70 years and no mining in probably a hundred.

I have narrowed my choices in detectors down to Fisher gold bug DP or gold bug pro, Whites GMT, or Minelab eureka gold or 705. I know I have to spend alot of time learning whichever detector I get, I would like the learning curve to be easiest as possible. Based on the info above which of these would be a better choice? I COULD afford a GPX 5000, will it find more gold to make up the price? Will it handle the conditions I stated above much better than the VLF's I listed?

Would you start in the Big Arroyo's? The run offs with the black sand? The tailing piles from the old mines? Sorry for all the questions, all feedback is greatly appreciated. This site just seems so promising I don't know where to start. I am prepared to be disappointed for a while with my lack of knowledge but overall I think this will be a great place for lots of exercise and fresh air! Thanks again for you help.

Welcome to the group.

As stated a VLF is pretty tough to use around here. I have used a GBpro and is suffers in the heavy minerals.

Im finding my gold with the 5000. It punches through the mineralization well. If your looking to pay off the 5000 with gold that may happen and it may not. Its

like any other hobby..your paying to have fun....sometimes this one pays back. :)

Mining areas are tough to hunt. There is usaully a lot of scrap metal in the washes around them. It will drive you nuts with a detector.

Look at a TOPO map and see if you can find the name of the mines on it. Then look up the mine on the net and see if it was even a gold mine. There

are many other types of mines in gold country.

You might try running some material from the bedrock of the washes around there to see if it turns up gold. IE with a drywasher or highbanker.

You could even just suck some cracks out with a vac and pan them.

It may have gold in it but not detectable gold...just fine stuff.

Hope this helps.

Tom H.

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Hello Nightstalker and welcome to the forum and this great hobby. Hunting gold with a metal detector is probably the hardest deciplen of prospecting to learn. What ever detector you decide in getting it take a lot of practice using it, and researching your area to be sucessful. The area's you mention sound promising, but you will need to check with BLM, National Forest, Local Goverment to determine the status of the area you want to go! Is it already claimed? Is it a declared National Monument, or wilderness area, etc, etc? The learning curve is difflecult on either variation of metal detector. This is where joining a club, meeting other people with your interest, and learning from them will greatly help... like joining this forum. I am no expert even after using a vlf metal detector for the last four years, I just upgraded to a GPX 5000. The most solid advive is probably buy the best that you can afford. I had some diffleculties switching from the VLF machine to the PI, it might have been just me, but instead of going through two learning curves, and If you can afford it, buy the GPX 5000. The 11" mono, and the 8" mono will find some pretty small nuggets to give a Gold Bug 2, or PRO a good contest. The GPX 5000 will handle the groung mineralization better than any other detectors that I have use. My VLF machine was, is a Eureka Gold. My PI machine is the GPX 5000. My favorite coil so far have been the stock MineLab 11" Mono. I an amazed at how quitier this setup is compare to the Eureka Gold. I bump right along the ground into rocks, cactuses, bushes and it just doesn't scream with fales signals. I have just started using the the "SPECIAL" settings that the 5000 offers. Finding my first gold nugget with the 5000 on Nov 20th, 2011. I found it on Rob's claim on my day of handon field training. That is near to Rich Hill, a week later I found 3 more nuggets on the LSD claims. The last two time out I have gotten skunk on gold, but have found 2 clad dimes, a modern penny and other bits of trash I can't figure out what they are. That how this hobby is, some day you find gold, most day you get skunk.. you got to stick with it, research and get out there and cover the ground. I am sure others will join in, but for me the true gold is in the friends you will make, a gold nugget will be a bonus, sharing the finds with your friends will be memorable!

Good luck and more Au to you, Robert

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Welcome Nightstalker,

Don't waste any time call Rob Allison and buy the 5000 you'll never regret it. Thats the best advice anyone could possibly give you and with Robs hands on training in the field you'll be on your way. Good luck and have fun.

Mike

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I echo Greenbox’s comments. Get with Rob and get the 5K. Rob will give you some great hands-on training with the 5K and then turn you loose on his personal claim to scratch up some nuggets. Rob puts a great package together with LOTS of extras along with a great instructional video. You will save yourself a lot of pain. Cheers!!! Mike

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Thank you for all of the replies, now I just have to talk myself into investing over 5k....kind of hard as a newbie thats never used a metal detector before, but I don't want to waste money on one that doesnt work well for my conditions either. Deep Breath... haha

Nightstalker...My opinion...DO NOT under any circumstance invest $6,000 in a piece of equipment you don't know anything about for an endeavor you don't know anything about... You can pick up an older PI detector, like an SD2100, which will find gold just as well as the latest greatest ... Your outlay would be under $1,ooo and will let you know if you even really like the hobby... Or, you can go head on with the six grand and sell it to me for three next year...:rolleyes:

Cheers, Unc

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Nightstalker Unc's advice is very valid here, notice in my reply to you I said PI not mentioning any model in specific..There are plenty of PI's for sale and that may be the better choice for you in this instance...Look around a little, there are bargains to be had and don't be afraid to ask for advice there are some great folks on this forum and we all had to start as newbies at some point, nice to have new and maybe some instruction that is your choice for sure.......Don't put yourself deeply in debt for the latest it is not necessary.......Geo

Seeker 10.6 Grams n New 3000 near Stanton a while back LOL

post-160-0-67256600-1325768905_thumb.jpg

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Nightstalker...listen to your Unc!

and listen to cp90macs and oldies...do some research, If there was visible gold laying about I am pretty sure that some miners would have grabbed it. Quartz and black sand donot guarantee gold...

Yes, a vlf may be a challenge but it will find gold and especially a gb or gmt will find gold...

You can buy a gravity-trap gold pan for 20 bucks or less, why not sample the washes before you spend 100's or 1000's of dollars...if you are in it for the money you may be disappointed...do it for the fun!

Buy Chris Ralph's book A FIST FULL OF GOLD ot JIM STRAIGHTS Follow the Drywashers...and many others...

good luck

fred

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Nightstalker...listen to your Unc!

and listen to cp90macs and oldies...do some research, If there was visible gold laying about I am pretty sure that some miners would have grabbed it. Quartz and black sand donot guarantee gold...

Yes, a vlf may be a challenge but it will find gold and especially a gb or gmt will find gold...

You can buy a gravity-trap gold pan for 20 bucks or less, why not sample the washes before you spend 100's or 1000's of dollars...if you are in it for the money you may be disappointed...do it for the fun!

Buy Chris Ralph's book A FIST FULL OF GOLD ot JIM STRAIGHTS Follow the Drywashers...and many others...

good luck

fred

I have sampled it, there is small flake...I just don't know if this is nugget country.

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Nightstalker, I agree with Uncle Ron and Fred. It's not a race, so don't go to fast. Take your time. I started with a MXT and it won't find small gold. I traded it for a GMT and have found lots of Gold with it. I also have a GPX 4500 and find deeper and larger gold with it. It also makes the hot rocks disapear. Hope that I have helped. Doug

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I have been looking for some used PI's. I haven't had a lot of luck, but a SD2100e showed up on Ebay for $1499 with some filler extra's (new pouch, trowel, canteen etc.). I was initially thinking it wasn't to bad of a price, then I did some research and found out that detector was last made new in 2001 and sold for 3k. I also found the thread here where minelab doesnt service the older detector's anymore including that model. Thoughts? I'm not really enthusiastic about it but what do I know? Any suggestions on where to look for some good used PI's and suggestions and price ranges on used PI models you think are worth having? Thanks in advance for your help.

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I have been looking for some used PI's. I haven't had a lot of luck, but a SD2100e showed up on Ebay for $1499 with some filler extra's (new pouch, trowel, canteen etc.). I was initially thinking it wasn't to bad of a price, then I did some research and found out that detector was last made new in 2001 and sold for 3k. I also found the thread here where minelab doesnt service the older detector's anymore including that model. Thoughts? I'm not really enthusiastic about it but what do I know? Any suggestions on where to look for some good used PI's and suggestions and price ranges on used PI models you think are worth having? Thanks in advance for your help.

Craigslist!!!

Take a look

http://phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/for/2770627351.html

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