Author Topic: Gold prospecting using a metal detector (Read 112985 times)

Lesgold · « **on:** February 11, 2022, 03:08:24 pm »

Hi Folks,

Went out for a days detecting along a mountain stream. My mate got four nice little bits of gold and I found my usual supply of rubbish. I did get one nice signal in a narrow crevice under about 6 inches of water. We just didn?t have the gear to dig it out as the crevice was tightly packed with gravel. We tried for about 20 minutes but could not get the target out. We had to walk away. That was the hard bit. We will head back today with a bar and a scraper to attempt to remove it. Gold fever makes you do weird things. We will drive for a couple of hours and then walk for half an hour to uncover what will probably be a piece of rusty steel. Can?t wait to hit the road in an hours time. I reckon beekeepers and prospectors must be all mad lol.

Lesgold · « **Reply #1 on:** February 12, 2022, 04:51:32 am »

Back home again after the day out. Filmed the adventure as we were in pretty country. Here?s what we ended up with.

Cheers

Les

https://youtu.be/AV2MzUG2GMQ

The15thMember · « **Reply #2 on:** February 12, 2022, 01:20:33 pm »

This is super cool, Les! That stream looks very similar to the streams here in the Smoky Mountains in North Carolina, although your vegetation and birds are different. I know that people prospect around here in our streams, although I've never done it myself. I have that exact same portable scale, and it always comes out of calibration for me too. I actually just found the scale by the side of the road one day when I was walking the dog. I'm pretty sure someone was using it for drugs and chucked it out their car window.

Lesgold · « **Reply #3 on:** February 12, 2022, 03:22:20 pm »

Thanks Member. We had a couple of memorable days out in the bush. Good company and outstanding scenery were the standouts of the trip.

Cheers

Les

Ben Framed · « **Reply #4 on:** February 12, 2022, 05:10:25 pm »

That sounds fun Les! I am posting a short clip for your entertainment. I hope you find something similar as the nugget that Buggs found!

https://youtu.be/lXZk_wSzUKc

Lesgold · « **Reply #5 on:** February 12, 2022, 05:13:34 pm »

I think I could get excited about a Nugget like that.

Ben Framed · « **Reply #6 on:** February 12, 2022, 05:25:21 pm »

Actually I was excited about the nugget that you found! Not knowing the first thing about prospecting, I have wondered, "if there is gold in the creeks and such, shouldn't there also be gold found in the areas/soil bordering the creeks?" Might take a little digging? How deep in the soil/rock will your machine detect and identify gold?

Phillip

Lesgold · « **Reply #7 on:** February 12, 2022, 07:20:25 pm »

Hi Phillip,

The old timers dug the banks around the creeks looking for gold that was deposited millions of years ago. Detecting for gold is just an enjoyable pastime (like beekeeping) The nugget that I found was about 12? down below the waterline. That would be close to the limit for my machines if that nugget was in the ground. Detectors can pick up a signal deeper than that but it depends on the size of th gold.

Lesgold · « **Reply #8 on:** February 20, 2022, 04:17:54 pm »

We had to go back to the same spot on the weekend as my mate picked up another signal just below a rock bar. We could not see or recover what it was as it was again under water. This time a mask and snorkel was taken to the spot to help out. This is what we found.

Rock Bar Gold
https://youtu.be/D_zE5MsQUaM

Cheers

Les

Ben Framed · « **Reply #9 on:** February 21, 2022, 02:05:40 am »

That is a beautiful location Les. Congrats on the find!

Phillip

Lesgold · « **Reply #10 on:** March 15, 2022, 05:24:00 pm »

After two weeks of solid rain, it was nice to get out into the bush for a play. You would need to have good eyesight to see what I came home with. The detector is outstanding on the really small gold.

Cheers

Les

Ben Framed · « **Reply #11 on:** March 16, 2022, 05:40:18 am »

No matter the size, you found gold! Good job Les!

Phillip

The15thMember · « **Reply #12 on:** March 16, 2022, 04:21:30 pm »

Quote from: Ben Framed on March 16, 2022, 05:40:18 am

No matter the size, you found gold! Good job Les!

Phillip

I agree! .117 grams of gold is better than no gold!

Lesgold · « **Reply #13 on:** March 16, 2022, 05:50:43 pm »

With winter approaching, the time spent with the bees reduces so other activities take priority (for a couple of months) Its just nice to get out in the bush and have a play.

Lesgold · « **Reply #14 on:** April 02, 2022, 02:19:23 am »

It?s been cold and wet for a few days. Had to get out and do something so I decided to melt down some of my small gold nuggets into a button of gold. (The things we do when we get bored)

Cheers

Les

https://youtu.be/Uj9_W1HNgHs

Ben Framed · « **Reply #15 on:** April 02, 2022, 02:40:00 am »

Quote from: Lesgold on April 02, 2022, 02:19:23 am

It?s been cold and wet for a few days. Had to get out and do something so I decided to melt down some of my small gold nuggets into a button of gold. (The things we do when we get bored)

Cheers

Les

https://youtu.be/Uj9_W1HNgHs

I enjoyed the video Les. Thanks for posting it.

Phillip

BeeMaster2 · « **Reply #16 on:** April 02, 2022, 09:33:39 am »

Les,
I had no idea that you could use a potato as a crushable. If it is 98% gold, what is that in carats?
Jim Altmiller

Ben Framed · « **Reply #17 on:** April 02, 2022, 09:52:35 am »

Quote from: BeeMaster2 on April 02, 2022, 09:33:39 am

Les,
I had no idea that you could use a potato as a crushable. If it is 98% gold, what is that in carats?
Jim Altmiller

I would like to know as well Jim. Not only did I not know that a potato could be used as a melting mold, neither did I know that borax is used as a flux.

It seems borax is a product of multi assets. Cleaning clothes, some aspects of taxidermy, and a melting flux. Wonder what else?

Phillip

Lesgold · « **Reply #18 on:** April 02, 2022, 06:49:23 pm »

Hi Jim. At 98% gold content, it would be just under 24 karats. (18karat gold has 75% gold content) The old timers in the gold rush years used potatoes for the same purpose. The starch burns to carbon and the rest of the potato acts as a good insulator. The underside of the potato does not heat up at all during the process. You are correct Phillip. Borax has a lot of uses apart from the obvious. When I was a kid, mum used to put borax around a large container that stored sugar. It would kill the ants. I will be placing borax around my citrus trees shortly. I think it contains the trace element boron which is lacking in my soils. Adding borax reduces the thickness of the skins of the fruit (especially lemons).

The15thMember · « **Reply #19 on:** April 02, 2022, 07:04:58 pm »

Quote from: Lesgold on April 02, 2022, 02:19:23 am

It?s been cold and wet for a few days. Had to get out and do something so I decided to melt down some of my small gold nuggets into a button of gold. (The things we do when we get bored)

Cheers

Les

Wow! So neat! I love watching these videos, Les. I don't know anything about this sort of thing, prospecting, amateur metallurgy, whatever it is you call this hobby, and I'm finding it super interesting. I'm not understanding what's going on with the borax. What exactly is it doing to the gold? How does it work?