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Question About Tailings Piles


Jesse

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I'm relatively new to metal detecting tailings, my experience is more with bedrock. I've found several spots close by that are old historical mining sites. My problem is I don't know what to look for, do you go to the big cobbles or smaller rocks? I've attached a few pictures hopefully they make sense. Thank you in advance.

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I agree with phrunt on this as he is correct about the larger rocks, unless you plan to separate all those large rocks nice and even.

I would hit the smaller stuff and then dig down a ways to the layers below it so as not to miss anything.

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Jesse, but then again big cobbles can often hold LOTS of gold. A buddy of mine found a cobble about a foot wide that the oldtimers had had placed on a claim marker,  that had 26 oz of small gold in it. And Jimmy Sierra found similar piece with 27 oz in it. So, feel free to detect the big cobbles, too, you have my permission!😊

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I usually use my VLF with iron meter for tailing pile hunting. Using the Zed will drive you crazy unless your hobby is junk digging 😉

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It's always being said that hunting tailing piles, and header piles, is so effective. I can't speak for others, but in my experience this has rarely paid off and mostly is a giant waste of time. With sensitive pi or zvt detectors you will spend most of your time digging out trash. Really fun to recover tiny screen wires with the Zed and the 14 in coil. VLF and iron meter with small coil is the only way to be productive here in my view. I know this may sound provocative to some 🙂

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Yes indeed....hunt every inch of it!!!!

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3 hours ago, Gold Catcher said:

I usually use my VLF with iron meter for tailing pile hunting. Using the Zed will drive you crazy unless your hobby is junk digging 😉

And if the smaller gravel piles have a lot of iron in them, use a rake with strong magnets on the teeth.  This will help you spend less time digging trash.

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