ELECTRONIC PROSPECTING by (Jimmy Sierra) Normandi
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
ELECTRONIC PROSPECTING By (Jimmy Sierra) Normandi GOLD NUGGET’S WITH A METAL unit. Then, of course, you must pass DETECTOR’. your coil over the gold before you can For a more complete understand- find it. That is probably the hardest ing of this method of gold prospect- part of all. ing, pick up a copy of his book. It is Until recently, most prospecting units packed with information told in a way required the spinning of knobs to con- that even the greenest begginer can trol the ground mineralization, much understand. Let Jimmy tell us how likened to the shifting of a 4 wheel we can find some of that gold that is truck. Now, however, there are a buried out there. number of units on the market which "cancel" ground mineralization auto- WHICH DETECTOR IS BEST matically while the coil is moved over FOR GOLD PROSPECTING ? the ground. This process is called The main characteristic to look "tracking" or "automatic ground can- for when choosing a detector for celing". The faster the tracking, the prospecting is whether or not it will easier the detector can accommo- handle the extreme ground mineral- date the changes in ground mineral- ization where most gold is found. This ization. There are times when manu- requires the ability to cancel ground al ground balancing works better and minerals and resist the tendency to times when tracking is the only way overload the audio circuit when used you can operate. The thing to look for in these highly mineralized condi- is "how smoothly your detector will The most exciting new develop- tions. Dedicated prospecting detec- operate. That is to say, is the tracking ment in gold hunting is Electronic tors accomplish this task. Some bet- system noisy? Does the operating Prospecting or Nugget Shooting, as ter than others. Check with your local threshold hum stay smooth and not it is better known. I wanted to give detector dealer for advice about what produce false signals or excessive you the best information available is available. Another valuable asset chatter. When you are making these and since I have done some nugget for a prospecting detector, is the abil- determinations, be sure you are not shooting, I am not an expert by any ity to "see" extremely small pieces of running the Gain or Sensitivity level means. I have asked James (Jimmy gold. Higher frequencies tend to see too high. Just as when driving a truck Sierra) Normandi, who qualifies an as smaller items than lower frequencies. on a curvy road, too much throttle will an expert with any type of metal However, lower frequencies tend to put you over the cliff not get you there detector.to help with this chapter. penetrate highly mineralized ground faster. Use enough sensitivity or gain He has found many treasures better. Again, higher frequencies are to keep a smooth operating detector. and has nugget hunted successfully better at seeing low conductivity met- In that way you will hear the tiniest both here as well as world wide. als such as gold. It is therefore good pieces of gold. He is the author of several books to choose a detector which balances Bottom line, is to choose a unit that on metal detecting and helped design these needs to get the best out of you feel comfortable with. The best many of the outstanding metal detec- them. I guess by now you realize that way to choose one is to talk to those tors manufactured by Whites there is not just one characteristic who use them. Ask questions. As Electronics. which makes a good prospecting your local dealer or the local distribu- He has allowed us to use detector but a number of qualities tor for details about their detectors. excerpts from his book “FINDING which blend together to form a "good" Just because the detector is the most 44 expensive one doesn't make it the your multipurpose unit will do the job, ROCK PICK-CHISEL CREVICER best for you. Some will prefer manual you must gather together some If you are working bedrock some swear by tracking. There are important "tools of the trade. crevices, this can be invaluable. It is now units which allow you to switch pretty hard to break heavy bedrock from tracking to manual. This is a HEADPHONES: with a mayhoe or trowel. This tool is very good feature. I believe you Although any decent headphone heavy itself and should only be car- should have a way to lock the track- is better than no headphone, the bet- ried when you expect to work in non- ing system for those times when hold- ter ones usually sport higher imped- decomposed bed rock. Decomposed ing the ground tune to one spot just ance. It is important that the imped- rock will break apart more easily with works better. ance is balanced as well, so that the light tools. A small crevice tool also Some prospecting units have a way signal is clean and sharp. I recom- comes in handy for pulling out those to help identify trash items which can mend a pair with volume controls on tiny pieces of gold. be a real pain in the neck while each ear independently. Most of us prospecting. The old timers left a lot don't have the same level of hearing DIGGING POUCH of iron trash behind them when they in each ear. Comfort is important as Most prospectors carry some sort searched for gold and it is still out well, as a headphone which hurts of pouch to put their digging equip- there. Be careful, however, when your ear after a few hours will distract ment in as well as to carry home the choosing a prospecting unit, not to you from hearing those faint targets. assorted pieces of trash they accu- depend on a system which utilizes Try them on before you buy. Usually mulate There are a multitude of dig- the type of "discrimination" which is the more you pay the better the head- ging pouches available in every found on "coin detectors" This form of phone is, but the best test is to test shape and material. Merely choose discrimination will reject gold in min- them yourself. the one that suits you. eralized ground. It might work great in TROWELS an "air test' or on top of the ground, The most common digging tool is HOW DO I FIND THE GOLD but in mineralized ground it is bad the common trowel. These come in a NUGGET? news. All that you want is some variety of sizes and shapes and your Alright, you have the right detec- method of identifying iron. You MUST dealer will give you a good choice, I tor, a good set of headphones, some- dig every target that you cant be sure am sure. If he doesn't have one you thing to dig with and a pouch to place is not iron. If you have a doubt D I G . like, just visit the local nursery or the trash items you have collected. Even the best Iron Identification sys- hardware store. A stainless steel Now you think you have a gold tems are not perfect. If the mineral- trowel is a good investment as it will nugget located. But where is it? It ization is bad enough, even they may not rust and will give you a lifetime of must be small, because it keeps mov- not be dependable. But, some way to use. Some have a serrated edge to ing around in the ground as you try to eliminate even part of the iron trash cut roots when you have to dig locate it. If it were larger you would will be helpful. around the base of a tree. surely see it and you could be on your Most recently, a few good "multipur- way. This is where the skill will come pose" detectors have come on the THE SIERRA CUP in. Some hunters use a small plastic market which WILL work in high min- A cup made of plastic that cannot gold pan or they use a small plastic eralization, will track automatically, be detected by the detector as mate- cup, commonly referred to as the have iron identification systems that rial is swept over the detector coil. “Sierra Cup”. Some will just trickle are not designed for coin hunting and This type of cup aids in the material the soil on the top of the loop. will see small targets. Again, check after it has be dug up. with your local dealer to find out W H AT SHOULD I PUT THE about these units, if you want to do MAGNETIC HOE NUGGET IN? some coin and jewelry and relic hunt- My favorite tool is the hoe style pick. It Finally, you need something to ing as well as some gold prospecting. has a claw head on one side and a flat pick put the gold into. The most practical mattock head on the other. It is not as good container I have come across is a PROSPECTING EQUIPMENT for removing dirt from a hole as the trowel, plastic 35mm film canister. It has a Now that you have chosen your but is very valuable if the soil is hard or large opening. I wasted much time new prospecting detector or perhaps ro c k y . looking for small pieces of gold which 45 missed the opening of my gold vial before I discovered the film canister. In addition, stay away from glass con- tainers. Gold, even small pieces, will break the bottom out of a glass vial in time.