Please suggest inexpensive Metal detector that will guarantee the job.

[Congogold]

Hi Mike,
From reading the threads I can see that you know a fair deal more than most. I on the other hand am a novice but I am fortunate to be working in Congo RDC. I buy and export raw gold and have the opportunity to find my own.
Most people using the detectors seem to be looking for coins and treasures. I on the other hand am in rich gold country. I have bought the whites GMT, OKM Rover Deluxe & garrett Infinium to use here in Congo for serious gold prospecting.
Currently I use the Rover for imaging and whites for confirming content already dug out soil> I have recently visited a producing gold mine with the intention of using the Deluxe images to help me better identify gold when I see it in the images. However, so far all images are very similar> In the manual it shows gold as 'red'. My scans show orange in almost every scan anywhere I scan- obviously I can't be seeing gold everywhere and i can't dig everywhere.
I have reads the manual many times and still can't tell the difference between gold and heavy mineralization or ferrous metals! It is driving me crazy...
I am in prime gold country- i buy plenty from artisanal miners who find their gold the old way- I can't seem to get results with the technology at all.
My question is- do i need a specialized detector for this type of prospecting i.e. veins, placer, alluvial gold? or am i not interpreting the scans correctly.
I really need help badly.
Thanks.

Hi Mike.

Thanks for the link. After going through the site, I wrote to Minelab for further advice on their models. I will let you know how it goes.

Cheers

[aarone]

SSP-3100 bought

Well, since I have it, how does one ground balance???? just read a suggestion I'll try tomorrow and that is to lower it to the ground and set the threshold and GB to zero and try and work with it from that standpoint. I've had it since April and can't understand their instructions. I've tried to contact the seller, Bella Lee, in China and never a reply. Somewhat of an awaking. In the meantime, I'm considering on the SSP-3100 using the 40x40cm square coil for 7 feet depth to locate "Confederate Gold". I'm hoping this one will do the trick.....If there is anyone out there with a MD-5008 and knows the secret on how to balance this sucker....Please email me ASAP. Have a great year!

Well, I went ahead and purchased a SSP-3100 option 1 from Joan Allen and ground balancing is a snap. I gave up on the MD-5008 as it is extreemly difficult to gound balance. I couldn't even detect a quarter at 6 inche buried whereas the SSP-3100 14" coil was able to detect the quarter at 10" buried. With the SSP-3100, all that's needed is to set the coil (any coil) at the detecting height and you're ready to start. For extra fine tuning, you need to do some button pushing especially it you want to get into the discrimination mode. Only the 40mx40mm and 18" coils discriminate. Yesterday I used the 40mx40m over graves in a cemetery, one of which was my mother-in-laws. Few of the graves showed Fe metal while many others were "blank" (meaning wood). This week I'll test the same graves with the 18" magnetometer as compare it against the 40mxx40m. I thought I'd get to Georgia by now but had complications with Metalldetektor - Deeptech (German seller) and returned the unit. I'm waiting for eBay to arrange returning money. I'll never deal with them again! I ended up getting the SSP-3100 from Joan Allen and at the moment, I'm very pleased in the quality of the apparatus as well as the price. The 40mx40m normally requires two people to use it. I made up some skids which raises the coil at a constant 3". Two straps connected to the coil is connected to my belt strap on my pants and I pull it myself with no difficulty. When I'm in Georgia, it's me and me alone.

[mikebg]

Hi Congogold.
Please read this:

http://www.minelab.com/emea/products/gold-detectors

Click "more" link to download instruction manuals.

[Congogold]

Help with serious gold prospecting

Aarone,
You need 2-Box Deep Searcher Metal Detectors. For low price see

http://www.kellycodetectors.com/Detectorcategories/2boxdetectors.htm

Most sensitive and expensive professional model is MIL-D1 of CEIA. It is designed in Italy and produced in India.
For details see
http://www.ceia.net/groundsearch/index.aspx

Hi Mike,
From reading the threads I can see that you know a fair deal more than most. I on the other hand am a novice but I am fortunate to be working in Congo RDC. I buy and export raw gold and have the opportunity to find my own.
Most people using the detectors seem to be looking for coins and treasures. I on the other hand am in rich gold country. I have bought the whites GMT, OKM Rover Deluxe & garrett Infinium to use here in Congo for serious gold prospecting.
Currently I use the Rover for imaging and whites for confirming content already dug out soil> I have recently visited a producing gold mine with the intention of using the Deluxe images to help me better identify gold when I see it in the images. However, so far all images are very similar> In the manual it shows gold as 'red'. My scans show orange in almost every scan anywhere I scan- obviously I can't be seeing gold everywhere and i can't dig everywhere.
I have reads the manual many times and still can't tell the difference between gold and heavy mineralization or ferrous metals! It is driving me crazy...
I am in prime gold country- i buy plenty from artisanal miners who find their gold the old way- I can't seem to get results with the technology at all.
My question is- do i need a specialized detector for this type of prospecting i.e. veins, placer, alluvial gold? or am i not interpreting the scans correctly.
I really need help badly.
Thanks.

[aarone]

coins stacked vs plate of same metal

Unless your Coins are 6 Inches in Diameter, I doubt you can detect them at 2 Feet.
Multiple Coins Don't Count as they are Not Solidly Connected together.

If the coins are in electrical contact with each other within a bag and the bag is laying down with a cross-secional area of about 7 inches, shouldn't it react as though it was a plate of the same material 7 inches in diameter?

[aarone]

Ground balance working

Thanks for the manual. Printing is much better. I think I'm now able to ground balance the MD-5008. I start by placing the ground balance knob on minimum. Place the coil about 8 inches off the ground. Press the red (return to zero) button several times. Adjust the critical sound when the red button is depressed. Release the red button. Raise the coil to 2feet. Press the red button and hold while readjusting to get the critical sound. Release the red button. Lower the coil back to about 5 to 8 inches off the ground. Although the needle may peg to the left, the unit should work in detecting buried metal. Size and depth I don't know yet. I checked it out yesterday and it seemed to work o.k. I did not bury various metals at various depths. I only did surface metal detecting and located some buried pipes in the back yard. More testing to come. After learning how to use this unit in the ground balance mode, I'll then work on discrimination in the near future.

[aarone]

Thanks

Thank you kindly for the manual. What you sent is 10 times better than the one that came with the MD-5008. I'll try it again today and see if I can get the "ground balance" to work. I'll also try another approach which was given on this forum stating to ground balance it when the coil in very near the ground. As long as you don't raise the coil too high, the alarm won't sound unless it detects a metal. Again, thanks for your helP

[Qiaozhi]

If there is anyone out there with a MD-5008 and knows the secret on how to balance this sucker.

Read pages 8, 9 and 10 of the attached User Manual for the MD-5008.

[aarone]

I'm interested in purchasing, at a reasonably low cost, a metal detector which can guarantee detection of a six inch Silver or Gold plate six feet deep. What metal detector brands fit this description? It's a "one time shot" for what I need to verify. I'm privy to a fluke discovered situation whereby, there's a strong chance I know where part of the "Confederate Gold" is located. If it's there, I can't make the mistake of missing its burial location. It doesn't mean I'll be allowed to claim the loot but only to put some closure of what happened in April of 1865. That's another problem within itself which may be unsolvable and that is, getting permission to recover the loot. Please contact me at [email protected]
Best regards.....aarone

Well, since I have it, how does one ground balance???? just read a suggestion I'll try tomorrow and that is to lower it to the ground and set the threshold and GB to zero and try and work with it from that standpoint. I've had it since April and can't understand their instructions. I've tried to contact the seller, Bella Lee, in China and never a reply. Somewhat of an awaking. In the meantime, I'm considering on the SSP-3100 using the 40x40cm square coil for 7 feet depth to locate "Confederate Gold". I'm hoping this one will do the trick.....If there is anyone out there with a MD-5008 and knows the secret on how to balance this sucker....Please email me ASAP. Have a great year!

[joejoe]

It depends largly from what part of the world you will be using your detector,and what format of detector you were considering, far as Induction balance type be ware, I have time and time again done exstensive ground testing on well known branded/unbranded machines and proved time and time again that what maybe the bees knees in one country ends up turning out third rate in another, for instance here where i live in England the parameters of the detector are stretched to the limits due to the fact

Hope I havent side tracked to much here and made my self look a twat lol.
All the best
Dave

Not at all, this is the technical stuff I am looking for. I just just hope I'm not hijacking the mans' thread, I jumped in because it is somewhat similar to my needs. Sorry if I am doing a "no no".
Ok, I won't give exact location, but I am in the caribean on a old volcanic island. There is swamp, wet red and brown clay, and many round volcanic rock. Some in the water have rust stains coming out of them. I had pulse x, (to use in water, too) but I wasn't too happy with it, it was purchased used. A tourist had a whites prizm that seemed to do alright at the surface . I think I found more junky things with that than my pulse (I don't mind junk).
My problem is that I don't want to have my pi screaming at me every time I pass over rusted wire- So use a large coil (1x1) so they don't register.
What was it that bill said? That my type of soil may mask the signal of a deeper target? Will a deep PI pass through those big ol rocks without a problem? Remember, I do not want to detect china, just a few feet, passing over small stuff for the larger.

"We have so many variables in are pasture/plough land here due to the thousands of years of working lands which account for the high iron content in it.
I wont mention brands models etc because I dont consider it fair on the manufactures,and it would be unpro to do so but what i will say is get some local advise from people that know your location, im sure theres plenty of top engineers on here that would be more than pleased to guide you, before you part with your money.
On the other hand if your going for Pulse induction type you wont have much problem anywhere simply because you dig everything anyway and by the shear phisics of the PI it doesnt get effected any where like the the typical IB format."

My soil is not worked like yours, history of indians and pirates and lots of gin bottles dated late 1800's. Habitation has been kept to a minimum. Pi's have been recommended to me- only thing is that they seem to be rather dear. If it is ok to ask- how much do you guys generally charge to build one that could handle this place?
Perhaps I appear to be very ignorant(which I surely am) but I know that I've learned a lot by other 'dummies' asking similar questions.
Don't they have VLF's with depth multipliers- I've read yes and no's on them but I never beleive write ups. I've had people write bad reviews about me just because they were sob's who didn't understand why things are the way they are.
I was looking at some bulgarian and mexican PI's before and then was intrigued by the 'simple' jeotech unit. There is a fellow called funfinder who loves it ( a more expensive jeo) so much he may have dedicated his will to it and others like wm6 keeps farting in his face every time he gets a chance to reply.
If a simple whites vlf couls find me coins and whatnot does it stand to reason that a more powerful unit with a large coil may still be able to handle this soil?
For you guys with experience in similar situations- what would YOU do if you were me?

PS:Moderator- If I am in the wrong and hijacking the thread, can you stick me in a new one called - SOS:Need help on an old volcanic island! If I am fine, no problem.
Thanks all. I look forward gems you have to offer.

[satdaveuk]

I'm interested in purchasing, at a reasonably low cost, a metal detector which can guarantee detection of a six inch Silver or Gold plate six feet deep. What metal detector brands fit this description? It's a "one time shot" for what I need to verify. I'm privy to a fluke discovered situation whereby, there's a strong chance I know where part of the "Confederate Gold" is located. If it's there, I can't make the mistake of missing its burial location. It doesn't mean I'll be allowed to claim the loot but only to put some closure of what happened in April of 1865. That's another problem within itself which may be unsolvable and that is, getting permission to recover the loot. Please contact me at [email protected]
Best regards.....aarone

Another thing also Aarone
Theres know guarantees with the depths your hopeing to achive but on the other hand in my opinion it possable, if all things are working for you on the day, ie types of soils in that particular location where your going, the wether, ie has there been heavey down falls, or on the other hand has there been long dry spells, and of course you will need to be stood over it.
So lots of factures will deside wether you will be able to locate your fortune.
What I will say is because of the amount of moneys to be gained if you can pull it off, I dont think you have alot of choice, you just have to go for it. A old englishmans saying... them who dares wins, maybe its worth checking up on a different type of locator say equipment that detects ground displacment, there loads of different devices on the market and theres some write ups on this forum on the topic.
If i was you id be there now before someone else beats you too it.
Another option is if you want to go down the metal detecting avenue and dont want to spend a fortune, providing your in know rush, I could build you a good functinal detector for half the money you would pay for the same spec in a shop, or if you want to buy local why dont you ask one of the lads on here whos local to you. Alot of us on here are actual electrical engineers, so you would get a really pro project.
Just another option food for thought and another arrow for your bow as they say.
Anyway all the best of luck.
Dave

[satdaveuk]

location and location

It depends largly from what part of the world you will be using your detector,and what format of detector you were considering, far as Induction balance type be ware, I have time and time again done exstensive ground testing on well known branded/unbranded machines and proved time and time again that what maybe the bees knees in one country ends up turning out third rate in another, for instance here where i live in England the parameters of the detector are stretched to the limits due to the fact
We have so many variables in are pasture/plough land here due to the thousands of years of working lands which account for the high iron content in it.
I wont mention brands models etc because I dont consider it fair on the manufactures,and it would be unpro to do so but what i will say is get some local advise from people that know your location, im sure theres plenty of top engineers on here that would be more than pleased to guide you, before you part with your money.
On the other hand if your going for Pulse induction type you wont have much problem anywhere simply because you dig everything anyway and by the shear phisics of the PI it doesnt get effected any where like the the typical IB format.
Hope I havent side tracked to much here and made my self look a twat lol.
All the best
Dave

[joejoe]

Ok,thanks for that I haven't read EVERY thread here (just some in fact, just got into this forum). The test thread was good, but a bit of a downer- so almost NONE can detect a cache at 2 feet? Only the teknetic at 22"? I would so like to have a magic box that could do everything.
There seem to be a lot of people here that have extensive field experience. Is the best bet to get a detector and put on a massive coil? I'm sure there are small shallow caches, but there may be deeper ones with more value at a few feet in clay/iron/volcanic rock soil. Are there specific units you all would recommend?
This information mining doesn't seem to be getting easier. It keeps getting thicker the deeper I wade into it.

[Bill512]

Bill- are you sure? Have you had personal experience? PI's would be able to detect that, especially if stacked, yes? I always hear people say, "Are you crazy? That is a STUPID idea!" But they've never actually used the stuff. These days with all these big dollar spending on weapons research, detection and stealth tech, you would think to see some improvement in MD'ing to bring it up to modern times. It's too easy to say "it sucks, it sucks". If it did, how come I don't hear anyone saying they suck on the gogglydoo?
Who knows, maybe they do, but I'd like to hear something other than "my friend had one and he told me...."
Give us some real-world exp. please, we would like to read about it.

this conclusion is directly from my personal experience, from what I have tested with my hands.
No rumors from faraway friends and no stories around fire in cold winter nights.
About PI's ,don't forget that the majority off these detectors have no ground balance.
This limits their use even at mildly soils.The conductivity from ground usually masks the deeper signals.
Most people think that there is some serious signal attenuation from ground and as a consequence the performance from the detectors drops.
The truth is that there is no significant attenuation in signal at these depths, even at bad ground.
Simply the upper layers off ground reacts, and produces signals that mimics the metal signals especially the deep ones.

[Qiaozhi]

Bill- are you sure? Have you had personal experience? PI's would be able to detect that, especially if stacked, yes? I always hear people say, "Are you crazy? That is a STUPID idea!" But they've never actually used the stuff. These days with all these big dollar spending on weapons research, detection and stealth tech, you would think to see some improvement in MD'ing to bring it up to modern times. It's too easy to say "it sucks, it sucks". If it did, how come I don't hear anyone saying they suck on the gogglydoo?
Who knows, maybe they do, but I'd like to hear something other than "my friend had one and he told me...."
Give us some real-world exp. please, we would like to read about it.

We've already covered this before ->

http://www.geotech1.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11831&highlight=cache+test