High iron mountain areas for gold nuggets

Defense

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Hey there. I'm looking at getting my first metal detector. I'm located in Southern California. High desert / mountain area. Thousands of valleys, ravines and dried up river beds. I want to try looking for gold nuggets but the area has a lot of iron in the area. Not interested in beaches, parks or wet areas. I'm tying to keep it as budget friendly as possible while jumping into this new hobby.

I've been looking at the Gold Bug Pro, Garrett AT Gold, Nokta Gold Kruzer, Nokta Gold Finder 2000.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!
Jerry
 
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Hey there. I'm looking at getting my first metal detector. I'm located in Southern California. High desert / mountain area. Thousands of valleys, ravines and dried up river beds. I want to try looking for gold but the area has a lot of iron in the area. Not interested in beaches, parks or wet areas. I'm tying to keep it as budget friendly as possible while jumping into this new hobby.

I've been looking at the Simplex+ and Vanquish 340/440. But from what I been reading and videos I've been watching I may have a hard time with the iron (hot dirt?) with these machines?

Any suggestions?

Thanks!
Jerry

personally I do not think the Simplex Plus would be a good detector based on what you are wanting to do the simplex is a very chatty detector on mild to moderate ground, I own one and detect similar ground too what you describe all the time

First question I have for you are you wanting to search for pretty much gold Nuggets, or are you wanting to detect for coins and jewelry also

if you are only interested in searching for gold nuggets I would go with a dedicated gold detector like the Mine Lab GM 1000 (Gold Monster) which I own, or a Garrets gold Master 24K, if you are wanting to detect for gold Nuggets and coins and Jewelry I would look at the Nokta/Macro Legend Pro Pac which I also use all the time, or the Equinox 800 which I have buddies that use the 800

another good detector that you might consider for what you want to do is the Mine Lab Xterra 705 but it is not water proof or rain proof and is no longer produced any longer, you would have to find a good used one which they do come up for sale quite often
 
personally I do not think the Simplex Plus would be a good detector based on what you are wanting to do the simplex is a very chatty detector on mild to moderate ground, I own one and detect similar ground too what you describe all the time

First question I have for you are you wanting to search for pretty much gold Nuggets, or are you wanting to detect for coins and jewelry also

if you are only interested in searching for gold nuggets I would go with a dedicated gold detector like the Mine Lab GM 1000 (Gold Monster) which I own, or a Garrets gold Master 24K, if you are wanting to detect for gold Nuggets and coins and Jewelry I would look at the Nokta/Macro Legend Pro Pac which I also use all the time, or the Equinox 800 which I have buddies that use the 800

another good detector that you might consider for what you want to do is the Mine Lab Xterra 705 but it is not water proof or rain proof and is no longer produced any longer, you would have to find a good used one which they do come up for sale quite often

Thanks for the reply. I've edited my original post. I think I'm more interested in hiking and looking for Gold Nuggets strictly. I'm new, so a grab and go / intermediate level device maybe best. I'll take a look at the GM 1000 and the Gold Master 24k. I've also added to my list the Gold Bug Pro, Garrett AT Gold, Nokta Gold Kruzer, Nokta Gold Finder 2000, Gold Bug 2(Steep learning curve). Trying to keep it on the cheaper side.

Thanks,
Jerry
 
Thanks for the reply. I've edited my original post. I think I'm more interested in hiking and looking for Gold Nuggets strictly. I'm new, so a grab and go / intermediate level device maybe best. I'll take a look at the GM 1000 and the Gold Master 24k. I've also added to my list the Gold Bug Pro, Garrett AT Gold, Nokta Gold Kruzer, Nokta Gold Finder 2000, Gold Bug 2(Steep learning curve). Trying to keep it on the cheaper side.

Thanks,
Jerry

Hi and welcome to the forum. You might also take a look at another forum called Detector Prospector.

I am going to recommend some different detectors. The ones you have listed are why the detectors I am going to recommend may be better for your specific needs. So you have five detectors listed that operate at a single transmit frequency over 40 kHz which is a good really small gold frequency and you have a three (including the X-Terra) that operate just below 20 kHz transmit frequency which is good for slightly larger gold but not for the more common small stuff below 0.5 grams. There are three very versatile detectors on the market that can operate at both of those frequencies by selecting them. One of these detectors can operate at a selectable single frequency that is much higher....similar to the Gold Bug 2/Gold Kruzer. Also, even though the detectors listed are not heavy, they do not have easily retractable shafts for backpacking etc.

So my first choice would be the Equinox 800 if you can find one used in good condition since it can operate in simultaneous multi frequency or selectable single frequencies. Its SMF technology will ground balance in most locations very well and make the iron mineralized ground less of a hindrance so that smaller gold is easier to detect deeper. They are expensive but finding a used one around $600 is possible.

The Nokta Makro Legend can be purchased new or very slightly used for around $600 and it is just as good as the Equinox for gold prospecting from my experience and has similar features like selectable single frequencies and SMF. It is easier to collapse and fit into a backpack. Since it is a new release, there are some more software updates already planned that will make it an even better gold prospecting detector soon. Also, a 10"X5" coil is in the works.

Then there is the XP ORX which is a dedicated gold prospecting detector. Some use it for other things too but it really was meant for the gold prospecting/relic community. It does not have selectable simultaneous multi frequency operation like the Equinox and Legend. It is super light weight (around 2 lbs), has 28 or 35 selectable single frequencies depending on which coil you get (I would recommend one of the white HF coils) and is ridiculously easy to breakdown for backpacking. The ORX can be found used for less than $400 and I have recently seen new ones for sale for less than $600. It isn't waterproof like the Equinox and Legend but despite it's lightweight, it is a very fine, extremely sensitive, rugged detector that will find gold very well.
 
Thanks for the reply. I've edited my original post. I think I'm more interested in hiking and looking for Gold Nuggets strictly. I'm new, so a grab and go / intermediate level device maybe best. I'll take a look at the GM 1000 and the Gold Master 24k. I've also added to my list the Gold Bug Pro, Garrett AT Gold, Nokta Gold Kruzer, Nokta Gold Finder 2000, Gold Bug 2(Steep learning curve). Trying to keep it on the cheaper side.

Thanks,
Jerry

The one thing you should keep in mind you may not plan on getting in water with what ever detector you choose but you cannot predict mother nature so you want one that is at the very least rain proof which the GM 1000 is also the Legend and Equinox both are, not sure about any of the others that were listed also the Xterra 705 is not, being as to how you said you want to hike with your detector also you should consider one that collapses down fairly compact which the Legend does and the ORX that jmaclen suggested the GM 1000 can be broke down pretty compact
 
Best bang for buck for your needs. Get elliptical coil. Imo smaller coil cuts learning time curve. Shape/size of coil will let you get in the rocks/obstacles better.
See below.
5 year warranty.
Coil uses external battery in stem. User changeble.
Now you may have to buy some full headphones for headphone module.
Nice thing about this rig.
It can be run lower freq for relics and coins.
Dam good unit hunting in high iron sites. Can also find relics and coins in real heavy iron sites. Good multi use setup.
Light as a feather.
https://bigboyshobbies.net/xp-orx-gold-prospecting-metal-detector
 
Personally, if I was buying, the best bang for your buck is the Nokta Makro Legend not the ORX. You will get an excellent multi frequency (better mineralized ground handling) gold prospecting detector if the special is still on which includes the little 6” coil which is great for prospecting, you will get a much better full featured (unlike the ORX) coin and jewelry detector, it is also waterproof and with simultaneous multi frequency operation it will do very well at most saltwater beaches, it will be an excellent relic detector and it will also collapse into a very small, easily backpackable shape.

I am not trying to steer you away from the ORX. It is a fine gold prospecting detector. In higher mineralization, it is not a very good coin, jewelry and relic detector due to severe up-averaging of all non-ferrous target IDs and loss of depth using its coin modes.

So, looking down the road in the future, if you want one detector that can do it all very well, that would be the Legend or the Equinox. If you just want a dedicated gold prospecting detector….I would definitely still consider the ORX.
 
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Thank you all for the input. I'm leaning towards The Legend with the included 6" coil combo @ $635 for my high mineralization nugget searching.

How's the learning curve? Could this unit be as easy as grab and go?

Thanks,
Jerry
 
Thank you all for the input. I'm leaning towards The Legend with the included 6" coil combo @ $635 for my high mineralization nugget searching.

How's the learning curve? Could this unit be as easy as grab and go?

Thanks,
Jerry

I think you have made a great choice the Legend can be as easy as you want it to be or as difficult as you want to make it, it has preset programs that work very good on an array of ground conditions

the ground I detect is on the extreme side of mineralization, and I have had no issues with the Legend seeing through that mineralization
 
Thank you all for the input. I'm leaning towards The Legend with the included 6" coil combo @ $635 for my high mineralization nugget searching.

How's the learning curve? Could this unit be as easy as grab and go?

Thanks,
Jerry

As far as the learning curve for the Legend Goldfield mode…….you just need to put it in the A or G discrimination pattern, use M for the frequency, sensitivity on 25 or so, keep the recovery speed on 5 or so, iron filter on 1, iron stability on 1, overall volume to suit your needs, adjust the threshold volume and pitch where you like it, noise cancel, ground balance and go detect. Once you set it up like that the first time, it will remember your settings so subsequently you just need to noise cancel and ground balance. It couldn’t be easier…….Use the 6” coil until Nokta Makro release the 10X5” that is in development and should be out soon.

If you don’t have any small nuggets, get some really small lead fishing sinkers, cut them in half, flatten them, etc. Use them for testing in the .1 gram, .25 gram and .5 gram sizes. The sound and conductivity of small lead mimics small gold very well. The Legend will easily hit .05 gram and up sized lead or gold.

For me, the hardest part about the Legend is seeing the screen icons but hey, I’m almost 67…..
 
Thanks again for all the help. I just ordered the Nokta Legend. Does anyone know when the 5x10 coil is supposed to be released? Or where I can find area maps of know gold finds?

Thanks,
Jerry
 
personally i think that was a good purchase. It is very well built. im still learning the machine myself
 
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