Steve Herschbach

This is a list of areas open to the public where you can search for valuable minerals in the United States and elsewhere. Many of these locations are free of charge. Others are private mines that charge a fee and yet others are club sites that require club membership. Most of the locations listed are places where you mine the material at the source yourself. Other sites have material you can mine or sort through that has been collected for you. Finally, some of these listings are not sites where you can mine but that may be of interest nonetheless, like old mines of historic interest and museums. A key concern for many is access to places without fear that they are accidently going to be on mining claims or breaking some sort of rule. Many people have families and so areas are desired that are suitable for both the young and the very old. Ease of access is important. Many people are tourists who want to experience some local history and who may know almost nothing about prospecting and mining. Areas that are clearly defined and with easy to understand rules are important. The focus of this section of the website will therefore be to list sites set aside specifically for public mining. Some states have very little information other than general rules and vague hints about where you might prospect. Links are provided to that information to at least get you started. Be cautious working in these states until you have more specific information. Always check the links for the latest information from original sources as things change constantly and material here can easily be out of date. If you have suggestions for additions to this list please contact me with your information. If a site has been listed here and should not be, please notify me to have it deleted. Alaska - Arizona - Arkansas - California - Colorado - Georgia - Idaho - Indiana - Michigan - Minnesota - Montana - New Hampshire - New Jersey - North Carolina - Oregon - South Carolina - South Dakota - Utah - Vermont - Washington - Wisconsin - Australia - Canada - Italy - New Zealand - Scotland Alaska Akau Alaska Gold & Resort (Fee) - New detect for gold operation near Nome, Alaska. Bertha Creek Panning Area - In the Chugach National Forest south of Anchorage. Cache Creek Cabins - Gold panning and dredging on Cache Creek near Petersville. Caribou Creek Recreational Mining Area - On Glenn Highway east of Palmer. Chicken Gold Camp (Fee) - Gold panning, suction dredging and a real bucketline dredge at Chicken, Alaska. Crescent Creek Panning Area - In the Chugach National Forest south of Anchorage. Cripple River (Fee) - The GPAA operation near Nome. Crow Creek Mine (Fee) - Near Girdwood south of Anchorage. Possibly Alaska's most popular public mining site. Dalton Highway - Gold around Wiseman in the Brooks Range. El Dorado Gold Mine - Two hour mining tour near Fairbanks. Ganes Creek Gold (now closed) - World class nugget hunting locale near McGrath in Interior Alaska. Gold Fever Prospecting - Opportunity to run large suction dredges near Chicken, Alaska. Hatcher Pass Public Use Area - Scenic public mining area along the Little Susitna River. Independence Mine State Historical Park - Gold panning at historic old mine. Indian Valley Mine - Historic mine location on Turnagain Arm. Jack Wade Public Gold Panning Area - Non-motorized only in the Fortymile River region. Kennecott National Historic Landmark - Once the largest copper mine in the world. Nome Beach - The famous gold beaches of Nome, Alaska. Nome Creek - 60 miles north of Fairbanks, 4 mile stretch of creek open to hand mining methods. Petersville Recreational Mining Area - Remote but road accessible site north of Anchorage. Resurrection Creek Panning Area - Popular public mining site near Hope, Alaska. Sixmile Creek Panning Area - In Chugach National Forest south of Anchorage. Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve - Gold pans only! Arizona Bisbee Mining & Historical Museum - Once known as The Queen of the Copper Camps, Bisbee is nestled among the Mule Mountains, an area world renowned for the diversity of its minerals and the wealth of its copper. Lake Pleasant Park - Gold Panning. Lynx Creek Mineral Withdrawal Area - Gold panning and metal detecting for gold. Arkansas Crater of Diamonds State Park (Fee) - The largest diamond ever found in North America was found here. Maybe you can find one larger yet! Sweet Surrender Crystal Mine (Fee) - Dig your own quartz crystal in an operational crystal mine in the beautiful Ouachita Mountains. California Auburn State Recreation Area - Search for gold on two forks of the American River. Columbia State Historic Park (Fee) - Various fee panning opportunities. Empire Mine State Historic Park - The Empire Mine is the site of the oldest, largest, and richest gold mine in California. From 1850 to its closing in 1956, it produced 5.8 million ounces of gold. That 5.8 million ounces of gold would fill a box 7 feet on each side. Himalaya Tourmaline Mine (Fee) - Dig for amazing multi-colored tourmaline crystals! Keyesville Recreational Mining Area - Pan, sluice, dredge and dry wash for gold. Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park - Gold panning along Humbug Creek. Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park - Gold panning along the American River. South Yuba River & Merced River - Now closed to dredging but open to panning, sluicing, etc. South Yuba River State Park Project - "Hands and pans" only. Strike It Rich Adventures - Gold panning and mine tours. Colorado Arapahoe Bar - Panning and sluicing at Wheat Ridge, CO. Cache Creek - Non-motorized mining in the BLM Cache Creek placer area. Clear Creek Canyon - Recreational prospecting at Clear Creek Canyon Park. Fairplay Beach - Panning at Fairplay, CO Phoenix Gold Mine (Fee) - Pan for gold at Trail Creek near Idaho Springs. Georgia Allatoona Lake - Pans and shovels only. Consolidated Gold Mines - When you visit, you will be taken on an underground tour of the gold mine by our friendly, knowledgeable staff. Consolidated Gold Mine in Dahlonega was the site of America’s first gold rush. After the tour you will do some gold panning, and gem grubbing. Dahlonega Gold Museum Historic Site - The Dahlonega Gold Museum, located in the old Lumpkin County Courthouse, offers visitors a look at the mining history of Georgia. Gold coins minted in Dahlonega and nuggets – one weighing more than 5 ounces – are on display. Idaho Emerald Creek Garnet Area (Fee) - Look for rare star garnets, found in only two places on earth. Indiana Gold in Indiana - General rules. Michigan Gold in Michigan - Potential locations. Minnesota Gold in Minnesota - General information. ads by Amazon... Gold in Vermont - Information and locations. Washington Gold in Washington - Information and locations. Wisconsin Gold in Wisconsin - Rules and tips. Australia Fossicking and Gold Panning in the Northern Territory - Search for gold, gemstones, crystals and semi precious stones. Gold Prospecting Australia (Fee) - Metal detect for gold in the Australia outback! Museum Victoria - Museum Victoria has an extensive gold collection. The majority of the specimens are from the Victorian and Western Australia goldfields although representative samples from many localities are present. Victoria was famous for the large gold nuggets which were prolific on some of the alluvial goldfields. Unfortunately most of the large nuggets have been melted down, although the Museum has a selection of models of historical and recent nugget finds. Perth Mint - Gold of every description is on display, and watch a gold bar being poured! Queensland Fossicking Guide - Prospecting and metal detecting in Queensland. Sovereign Hill Gold Museum - Discover the beauty and power of gold through one of Australia's most impressive presentations. The Gold Museum houses an extensive and valuable collection of gold nuggets, alluvial deposits, gold ornaments and coins. Canada Britannia Mine Museum - Historic copper mine and museum in Britannia, BC. Dredge #4 at Dawson City, Yukon - Dredge No.4 is located 12.3 km (7.8 miles) up Bonanza Creek Road just outside Dawson City. A tour allows you to explore the massive machine, the largest wooden hulled, bucket line gold dredge in North America. Free Claim #6 - This gold claim is situated “6 above Discovery Claim” on historic Bonanza Creek, in the Klondike Area. It was staked by F. Ladouceur in October, 1896, not long after the famous discovery about half a mile downstream. The Klondike Visitors Association now maintains the claim and visitors are welcome to pan for free and keep the gold that they find. Goldbottom Mine Tour (Fee) - Pan along Gold Bottom and Hunker Creeks. Klinker Opal Property (Fee) - Dig your own opals near Vernon, B.C. Italy Biella Gold Prospectors Association - Purpose is to promote and spread the hobby of panning for gold in Italy. New Zealand Gold Fossicking Areas - Sixteen areas have been set aside in the South Island where anyone can freely enjoy recreational gold mining without the need for a mining permit. Scotland Museum of Lead Mining - The Museum is unique in Scotland as it is the only former lead mine open to the public. Gold panning lessons are also available for a fee. Scottish Gold - The gold found will have lain untouched and unseen since time began! Panners have been finding gold here since the sixteenth century and your day will introduce you to the skills that they used.

The Minelab GPZ 7000 was introduced in 2015 and is still in production. “This revolutionary new ZVT technology far surpasses GPX detectors for detecting deep large nuggets AND finding gold at any depth. The GPZ 7000 will open up the gold fields again.” -Bruce Candy, GPZ Inventor "I have been using the Minelab GPZ 7000 for some time, first as a tester prototype versions, and now as an owner of one of the first production line models. I did not find the GPZ 7000 to be a detector that immediately wowed me. Instead, it is a detector that reveals itself with use. However, I did finally have my Eureka Moment with the GPZ 7000 and after that there was no turning back. I sold my Minelab GPX 5000 and the large collection of accessory coils and other options I had accumulated for it. I am fully convinced that using the GPZ 7000 in the future gives me a better chance of finding gold, especially certain types of gold previously undetectable by other detectors." - Steve Herschbach The GPZ 7000 housing is obviously based on that used on the earlier Minelab CTX 3030 model. The battery is slightly larger and has twice the capacity of the battery on the CTX 3030. The batteries are compatible with each other (you can use the smaller CTX battery on the GPZ 7000) and use the same charger system. The Minelab GPZ features a simple LCD menu system with GPS locating and PC mapping options. One set of screen options controls the metal detector settings, while another set controls the integrated GPS tracking and mapping system. The GPZ 7000 is fully weatherproof and the GPZ 14 coil is fully waterproof to 1 meter. New coils, when purchased, will come with the short lower rod section attached plus an included scuff cover / skid plate. Currently the GPZ 7000 has only two coils available, the stock 14" x 13" GPZ 14 Super D coil, and the 19" x 18" GPZ 19 coil. Rumors persist of both a small coil in the works from Minelab, plus possible aftermarket coils. The coil that comes with the GPZ 7000 is remarkable however in the combination of sensitivity to small gold and depth on large gold that it covers. Minelab GPZ 7000 gold nugget detector with Zero Voltage Technology (ZVT) I am fortunate to have had the opportunity to field test the new Minelab GPZ 7000 detector. It allowed me time to make decisions regarding my own use of detectors earlier than most people. It also gave me a place first in line and I now have a brand new GPZ 7000 of my own. My use of the GPZ 7000 combined with what I think I know about how it works made me decide I had to have one. I am in my detecting prime right now and plan on spending a huge amount of time swinging a detector looking for gold now and in the future. I will never use just one detector for everything but the fact is that I can only swing one detector at a time. I need to decide what detector will be my primary unit for the bulk of my detecting. What one machine will best return my investment of time and effort in possible gold finds? I have decided that machine is the Minelab GPZ 7000. The GPZ with its 14" x 13" Super D coil provides an across the board powerful solution for getting gold both large and small on the first pass. Most ground I pass a coil over I have exactly one chance of finding a target. It has to happen on that first pass. Sure, when I am beating a patch to death I may hit the same area over and over. But most of my detecting is all about being over ground I have never been over before. I have to have confidence the machine I am using is going to give me my best shot at getting whatever is there on the first and likely last pass of the coil. As far as I am concerned all the percentages and charts and stuff is something others can debate, though I will post some thoughts on that separately. The bottom line is I am convinced the GPZ 7000 does give me a technological edge at this time, and that by applying that edge early and as often as I can I am increasing my odds of finding gold. If I never said another word about the detector that really just sums it up. I thought very hard about whether I should keep my GPX 5000. I decided any time spent with it would detract from the advantage I would enjoy by using the GPZ instead. It should not have been lost on people that I sold my GPX 5000 and almost every accessory I owned for it. That alone should tell you everything you need to know about what I think of the GPZ 7000. I even sold my SDC 2300. I was tempted to keep it until a smaller coil becomes available for the GPZ. Small coils are a must for nooks and crannies and other places larger coils can't fit. Yet as I considered it all I had to question just how much use the SDC 2300 would get if I had access to a GPZ 7000, and the answer was not very much. It found a new home. ads by Amazon... The GPZ 7000 does not replace or take away from the SDC 2300 and GPX 5000 in the current Minelab lineup. They are both fantastic units. The GPX 5000 and its vast ecosystem of coils and other accessories remains the no-brainer best value for many people. The SDC 2300 will continue to be the hot small gold sniper it has been proven to be. A person who owns both will have much of the power of the GPZ 7000 already at their disposal. The thing is the GPZ 7000 to the best of my determination so far seems to offer almost everything those two models offers in a single unit, and then goes farther yet. I can't swear that under every circumstance and in every scenario that the GPZ 7000 trumps the SDC 2300 or GPX 5000. Certainly in the case of the GPX 5000 all those accessory coil options do matter, especially where ground coverage is job one. The SDC does have that little coil. All I can say is that for that proverbial one pass over any particular chunk of ground I have to pick the GPZ 7000 as my best bet for getting whatever gold is there or missing it forever. And for hitting already hunted ground it is going to find gold both those detectors will miss no matter how many times they pass over the ground. The GPZ 7000 in my opinion is the best overall single solution available. If I was told I had to sell all but one machine and could only use one detector for gold prospecting I would without hesitation choose the GPZ 7000. In closing, I suddenly see a bright future ahead. I really had given up on there being anything significantly better than a GPX 5000. The GPZ however is not the end of the road but just the beginning. As good as it is it is not perfect and I am certain we will see further improvements as the platform is refined in the future. That first step is often the biggest and the GPZ in its way is every bit the breakthrough the SD 2000 was when it was released. Nobody can put back all the gold that has been detected in the twenty years since but the GPZ 7000 is definitely the next step in getting what is left. My thanks to Minelab for being able to say I had a part in this, small as it has been. Thanks especially for investing the huge amount of dollars and people power it took to make this happen for us, the prospectors of the world. Were it not for Minelab electronic prospecting would not be near what it is today. ~ Steve Herschbach Copyright © 2015 Herschbach Enterprises Official Minelab GPZ 7000 Page GPZ 7000 Instruction Manual Minelab GPZ 7000 Color Brochure Minelab GPZ 7000 Ferrite Field Guide GPZ 7000 Software Update Page Official GPZ 19 Accessory Coil Page GPZ 7000 Zero Voltage Transmission (ZVT) Explained GPZ 7000 Tips For Better Ground Balance GPZ 7000 In Difficult Ground Conditions Forum Threads Tagged "minelab gpz" Minelab Metal Detectors Forum Minelab GPZ 7000 Technical Specifications* Internet Price $7999 Technology ZVT - Zero Voltage Transmission Frequency N/A Autotune Mode(s) Preset Slow Motion Ground Rejection Automatic, Semi- Auto, and Fixed Soil Adjust Normal, Difficult, Severe Discrimination No Volume Control Yes Threshold Control Yes Tone Adjust Yes Audio Boost No Frequency Offset Yes Pinpoint Mode No Audio Output 1/4" Headphone Socket, Wireless Module With Speaker, Headphones supplied Hip Mount No Standard Coil(s) 14" x 13" GPZ 14 Super-D Optional Search Coils 19" x 18" GPZ 19 Battery Li-Ion Rechargeable Pack, 7.2V, 72Wh Operating Time 8+ Hours Weight 7.32 lbs. Additional Technology Integrated GPS With PC Mapping Interface Notes Weatherproof *Notes on Technical Specifications - Detailed notes about the specifications listed in this chart. Using the GPZ 7000 Part 1 by Nenad Lonic Using the GPZ 7000 Part 2 by Nenad Lonic Using the GPZ 7000 Part 3 by Nenad Lonic

The Minelab GPX 5000 detector was released in the fall of 2010 and is still in production. I got one the same year - see First Alaska Gold with the Minelab GPX 5000 at Steve's Mining Journal. The Minelab series of pulse induction (PI) metal detectors starting with the SD 2000 are widely acknowledged as being some of the most powerful gold nugget prospecting detectors currently available. The GPX 5000 is the latest and most refined in the series. I can say that having used all the models the changes from model to model were gradual, but the difference between a Minelab SD 2000 and a Minelab GPX 5000 is nothing short of astounding. Minelab has dramatically refined this technology over the years. See Steve's Guide to Differences of Minelab SD, GP, & GPX for details. I believe that Minelab has really squeezed about all the performance I think I can expect out of a pulse induction (PI) with the GPX 5000. The stability, depth, and sensitivity are superb, as is the ability to adjust the machine to handle almost any ground mineralization or hot rocks that may be encountered. There are only two things that I can see that realistically can be improved on at this point. First, the the iron discrimination system, which is unreliable in general and of no use at all on deep targets. Second, the overall physical package, which has changed little since the SD 2000 first came out. The harness and bungee system is actually quite effective and comfortable for long hours of detecting but the separate battery and lack of speaker are an issue. However, it is possible with modern high capacity batteries to eliminate the separate battery/cable system and add an external speaker. Minelab would then be doing for people what many are now doing with aftermarket add on equipment. Still, there is no doubt at this point that for the serious, dedicated prospector, the Minelab GPX 5000 represents the current state of the art in pulse induction detectors. It is the detector of choice for many prospectors around the world. Minelab GPX 5000 - state of the art in pulse induction metal detecting My own GPX 5000 was exceptionally good to me, helping me locate the best gold nugget find I have ever made. I spent a month metal detecting in Alaska in 2013 in the Fortymile area. The month was about up and from July 22 to July 28 six days of metal detecting had netted me only three gold nuggets. That is a lot of detecting and digging for just three happy moments! I was getting burned out plus missing my wife and new home. My wife had also let me know one of my dogs was not doing well. It all just added up to time to go home. Besides, I had about 5.5 ounces of gold, not bad at all and better than I had hoped for. Good weather, good gold, good times with friends, it really had been a near perfect trip. Therefore on the morning of the 29th of July I wandered up to Chris and Bernie's camp and told them I was done. I was paid up at Chicken Gold Camp through the 31st so my plan was to be packed up and hit the road for Nevada early on August 1st. I had just a few days left so had to decide what to do. There is an area on upper Jack Wade known to have produced big gold in the past. Like nuggets weighing pounds, and a 10 ounce nugget had been found there by a dredger the previous season. It was on the ground owned by a miner I had a deal with. I had of course hunted it previously but only found a few small nuggets and lots of little ferrous trash. It was a gorgeous sunny day and the area was relatively open and level so easy hunting. I fired up the Minelab GPX 5000 with Nugget Finder 14" x 9" mono and crossed over the creek to give it a go. I was really relaxed because mentally I was done working and just happy to be out beeping a couple more days. It was really a nice feeling knowing I would soon be heading home. I barely had got started when I crested the top of a small ridge of tailings and got a massive boomer signal. Just a huge descending low tone, the type you might get if you buried a huge bolt or some other large ferrous target not too far down. There was a recent dig hole on the target, and I thought "well, let's see what he left in the hole" and gave just a couple big scoops. It was sandy easy digging stuff, and as it slid down the hill I glimpsed gold. I thought "no way!" and as I grabbed it could feel the weight. I stood there looking at 6.5 ounces of solid gold in my hand! The Selfie We All Want To Take - Steve With 6.5 Ounce Gold Nugget There is no doubt in my mind about the addictive nature of nugget detecting. It is not easy to do and the gold is not easy to find. There can be lots of false starts and disappointments along the way. It is all that however that makes it so sweet when gold is finally found, when all the hard work and effort is rewarded. I get a thrill out of every nugget I find, no matter how small, because I work hard for every one of them. The really big finds are much rarer yet, so much so that few people ever get to say they found a nugget weighing one ounce or more. The feeling of accomplishment is indescribable because it verges on feeling like a miracle has occurred. Once you get a taste of that feeling you want to feel it again, and it is that quest that powers me and others through days, months, and years of effort. The thrill of finding gold! Just Out Of the Ground, Unwashed, And On The Scale After an hour of photos and just plain soaking up the moment I proceeded to hunt that area extra well, because as you can imagine after a find like that visions of piles of nuggets enters your mind. If one got lost, might there not be others? Unfortunately it does not seem to work like that, and continued careful hunting of the location only produced one more nugget, a clean little 1 gram piece. No surprise there. How even one nugget like this gets lost is something we all wonder about. How does a half pound of solid gold end up in a tailing pile? Who knows, I am just happy it did. For a combination of size and the solid gold content it is the best nugget I have ever found. Minelab GPX 5000 With 6.5 Ounce Nugget At Dig Location The biggest question of course is who started to dig that nugget and then quit? The material was easy digging, about as easy as you could ask for. I surmise it had to be a Minelab operator. If you run a Minelab long enough you get huge boomer signals very often, and they are almost always a can or bolt or some other shallow, large junk target. They can also be very large gold nugget but if you get that signal enough times and dig it up, only to find junk, your brain gets trained to think that is all it could be. "Too big to be gold" - have you ever thought that? I wonder how many people have done like this unknown person, got a target, and then decided nope, it has to be junk, and walked away? I know I have done it and I am pretty certain it has cost me. It may be that a small percentage of the very biggest nugget signals are still out there, having been detected and left for junk. In fact, I am willing to bet that is the case, though there are a couple less now. View Of Both Sides, Just Rinsed In Creek I first went and showed the nugget to the claim owner and then Bernie and Chris. However, I asked them to keep quiet about it. The trip had been so enjoyable, and finding something like that right at the end, well, it was obvious I was going to be back in 2014. There was a lot of public area left to hunt on the creek still, and I saw no reason to possibly start a little gold rush to the area before I got the chance to come back and give it another go. That trip has now come and gone at Steve's 2014 Alaska Gold Adventure and so now finally you get to hear the rest of the story. Speaking of the public area, Bernie and I went and hit it the very next day. We had mostly taken advantage of our access to areas not available to the general public while we could and had been leaving the public area for later. There is information about it at the 2104 tale. We both started out with our GPX units but I could tell Bernie was less thrilled than I to be digging junk, so I suggested we go back to the truck and grab our VLF detectors. We did just that, and I no more than got my Gold Bug Pro swinging when it made a loud beep, and up pops a 5.9 dwt nugget practically off the surface! It was just another over the top easy nugget after all the days of digging nothing but junk. Even wilder is that fact that in 2014 several days detecting by several people including myself in this same location produced no gold at all. It is liked I walked up and banged the only nugget there. The next day and a half produced no other nuggets but I am certainly not complaining about that. My trip had gone from great to off the charts fantastic with just over a Troy pound (12 Troy ounces) of gold found. 12.3 ounces actually found in exactly 30 days of time spent actually nugget detecting. Not a get rich quick scenario by any means but not bad at all either. All the gold except a few smaller nuggets were found with the Minelab GPX 5000. Overall the time spent in the Chicken area during the summer of 2013 will go down in my memory as one of my best times ever. There are many more photos from this trip in the Photo Gallery. ~ Steve Herschbach Copyright © 2014 Herschbach Enterprises Troy Pound Of Gold Nuggets From Jack Wade Creek, Alaska 2013 Official Minelab GPX 5000 Page Minelab GPX 5000 Instruction Manual Beginner's Guide to Tuning the Minelab GPX 5000 Minelab GPX 4000-5000 Timings Charts Difference Between Minelab SD, GP, and GPX Models Forum Threads Tagged "minelab gpx" Minelab Metal Detectors Forum Minelab GPX 5000 Technical Specifications* Internet Price $3999.00 Technology Ground Balancing Pulse Induction (GBPI) Frequency 1100-4500 PPS? Autotune (Motion) Mode(s) Very Slow, Slow, Medium and Fast Ground Rejection Slow, Medium, Fast Tracking, Fixed, and Off Soil Adjust Eight settings (timings) - see chart below Discrimination Variable 1-10 and Off in Menu Volume Control Variable 1-20 in Menu Threshold Control One turn control Tone Adjust Variable 1-100 in Menu Audio Boost Quiet, Normal, Deep, Boost in Menu Frequency Offset Automatic Tune plus Manual 0-255 in Menu Pinpoint Mode No Audio Output 1/4" headphone socket (No speaker) Headphones supplied Hip Mount Shaft Mount Only Standard Coil(s) 11" round DD and 11" round Mono Optional Search Coils Over 100 accessory coils available Battery Rechargeable 7.4VDC 9.2A/hr Lithium Ion Operating Time 14 - 15 hours Weight 5.3 lbs (w/11" coil, excluding battery (1.7 lbs) Additional Technology Multi Period Sensing (MPS) Dual Voltage Technology (DVT) Smart Electronic Timing Alignment (SETA) Numerous Audio Adjustments via menu Coil (Double D/Mono/Cancel) - 3 pos. switch Notes The GPX 5000 employs an external battery carried on a backpack harness and connected to the control box via a power cord. The detector is normally suspended from the harness with a bungee cord, allowing for nearly weightless operation in level ground. *Notes on Technical Specifications - Detailed notes about the specifications listed in this chart.

The Minelab SDC 2300 metal detector was released in 2014 and is still in production. The SDC 2300 is making news due to the compact folding design waterproof to ten feet, and its extreme sensitivity to small gold in very mineralized ground. The SDC 2300 is also quite simple to operate for such a powerful detector, making it a good choice for those not wanting to invest lots of time into becoming proficient with harder to learn detectors. The animation below best illustrates the standout feature of the Minelab SDC 2300 - its ability to quickly fold into a compact package. The Minelab SDC 2300 is extremely compact, folding down to only 15.7 inches (40.0 cm) by 8.5 inches (21.6 cm) for stowing or packing. It is waterproof to 10 feet (3 meters) and is very rugged, the housing being originally designed to military standards. It is assembly free, needing only to be folded out to full operating length from the compact, stowed position. The Minelab SDC 2300 uses high performance Multi Period Fast (MPF) technology designed to optimize the performance on small gold nuggets and specimen gold. It offers both and audio and visual target response via waterproof speaker, headphones (included), and LED indicator. The SDC 2300 is designed to be easy to use, with an intuitive icon user interface. It operates on only four easily obtained C cell batteries (both alkaline and NiMH rechargeables included) that have no issues with shipping or air travel. The SDC 2300 weighs 5.1 pounds excluding batteries and approximately 5.7 lbs with four NiMH rechargeable C cell batteries. Minelab SDC 2300 folding and unfolding animation The Minelab SDC 2300 is fully waterproof and submersible to ten feet but the included headphones must be kept dry, only the cord can be submerged. To get the full use out of the ability to submerge the detector optional waterproof headphones are available. The four C cell batteries are inserted into the end of the SDC 2300 via a waterproof cap. The handle mounted LED control panel on the Minelab SDC 2300 is one of the more intriguing features. It is quite small, measuring only about 2" x 3" in size. The LED Indicators show target signal strength, threshold level and battery status. The Audio Control touchpad adjusts the threshold level and low/high audio tone to suit user preference. The Noise Cancel touchpad automatically reduces external electrical interference. Nine LEDs indicate detection signal strength, battery status and threshold level. There is also one Low Battery warning LED. Just behind the control panel is a thumb operated button on top of the handle that engages a quick automatic ground balance sequence. When released the SDC 2300 goes into a continuous slow automatic ground tracking mode. Minelab SDC 2300 waterproof pulse induction metal detector A recessed control panel on the left side of the SDC 2300 has two rotary switches - the on/off Power Switch, and a Detecting Mode/Sensitivity Control. Both these twist knobs must be lifted and twisted to adjust, making it near impossible for them to be accidently knocked out of position during normal operation. There are two operating modes, Normal Mode, and Salt Mode. The Normal Mode has five sensitivity settings and the Salt Mode has three sensitivity settings. Normal Mode is for most gold prospecting situations and the default recommended sensitivity setting of 2 is highlighted in green. Areas with low mineralization may allow higher sensitivity settings. Extreme mineralization or electrical interference may require lowering the sensitivity setting. Salt Mode is for salt flats of salt water beaches. Three sensitivity settings are offered. Only use Salt Mode when Normal Mode will not suffice as it has lower sensitivity to the smallest gold targets. The Salt Mode may also be a setting of last resort in mineralized areas where the lowest Normal Mode setting still does not provide stable operation. The Minelab SDC 2300 employs a round 8" mono coil that is hardwired to the unit. This allows the coil to be optimized for the best performance possible and eliminates a possible leakage point in the system. Ground balancing is almost a non-issue with the SDC 2300. In many areas the SDC 2300 simply ignores the ground right out of the box and there is no ground balance procedure. In more mineralized ground, holding the ground balance button causes a quick ground balance to occur. The SDC 2300 is always automatically ground tracking at a medium-slow rate to maintain the best possible balance, so it is impossible for a novice operator to mess it up. I had no issues with it tracking out targets. I did encounter hot rocks the SDC would not balance out, the very same types my GPX 5000 would not balance out. Overall the SDC handles ground as well if not better than the GPX because it is running a variation of the fine gold timing and the small coil "sees" less ground than the stock coil on the GPX 5000 therefore there is less ground for it to balance out. ads by Amazon... I can get my GPX 5000 to make a threshold that is perfect with no waver. The SDC 2300 has a less stable threshold more reminiscent of other SD series detectors at higher sensitivity settings. It is pretty stable at the stock "2" sensitivity setting but still not as solid as my GPX. The SDC 2300 is quite a bit more EMI resistant than the GPX 5000 and plays well with other detectors as long as reasonable spacing is kept. When my brother fired up the SD2200v2 I could get within about 50 feet of him unless he ran a larger coil, then I needed a bit more space. The bottom line is the SDC 2300 is perhaps the most user friendly nugget detector you can buy. Anyone can run it. It really is normally a turn on and go detector. The only option normally to consider is the sensitivity setting, which gives a balance between a bit more depth but more threshold noise. We were in mild ground and I could run it maxed out but that did make for a less stable threshold. Once you find the sensitivity setting you like in an area you just leave it alone; the ground balance setting is retained when the detector is turned off. So for me operating the SDC 2300 boiled down to turning it on or turning it off. Batteries lasted a good seven hours plus. It seemed just right for most days, never quite running dead by the end if the day except for rare occasions. If I have to complain about the unit I could complain about the armrest folding up every time I pull my arm out and the lack of volume control. The headphones I received were wired on the left and the cord runs across your chest. You either wear the headphones backwards, or in my case run the cord behind my back. I need a headphone adapter to run optional phones with volume controls. But these really are minor niggles. The waterproof, compact folding design is extremely compelling and easily offsets these minor complaints. The SDC 2300 except for the cost is a perfect detector for many more casual nugget hunters who would never, ever learn what all the settings on a GPX 5000 do. It is far easier to operate in bad ground than a VLF. I can hand one to anybody, tell them to turn it on, keep the coil on the ground, and dig everything that goes beep. If it were not for the high price I would flat out just tell everyone to go buy one. It is practically impossible to be unhappy with the SDC 2300. ~ Steve Herschbach Copyright © 2015 Herschbach Enterprises 5 Grams gold found with SDC 2300 - smallest nugget in lower right only 0.045 grams! Official Minelab SDC 2300 Page Minelab SDC 2300 Instruction Manual Minelab SDC 2300 Quick Start Guide Minelab SDC 2300 Color Brochure SDC 2300 & MPF Technology Explained Forum Threads Tagged "minelab sdc 2300" Minelab Metal Detectors Forum Minelab SDC 2300 Technical Specifications* Internet Price $3299 Transmit Frequency Multi-Period Pulse Induction Autotune Mode(s) Slow Motion Ground Rejection Automatic Ground Tracking Soil Adjust Normal and Salt Modes Discrimination No Volume Control No Threshold Control Yes Tone Adjust Yes, High or Low Tone Options Audio Boost No Frequency Offset Automatic Pinpoint Mode No Audio Output Waterproof Speaker or Headphones Hip Mount Shaft Mount Only Standard Coil(s) 8" round Mono Optional Search Coils No Battery 4 C-Cells (Alkaline and NiMH Supplied) Operating Time Approx. 7 Hours with NiMH Batteries Weight 5.7 lbs. with NiMH Batteries Installed Additional Technology MPF (Multi Period Fast) Waterproof to 10 feet (3 meters) Notes Ultra compact folding design derived from Minelab F3 Compact Demining Detector *Notes on Technical Specifications - Detailed notes about the specifications listed in this chart.

The Minelab GPX 4500 detector was released in the spring of 2008, and discontinued in 2020. The Minelab series of pulse induction (PI) metal detectors starting with the SD 2000 are widely acknowledged as being some of the most powerful gold nugget prospecting detectors currently available. The GPX 5000 is the latest and most refined in the series but the GPX 4500 is only just a step behind it in features and performance. See Steve's Guide to Differences of Minelab SD, GP, & GPX for details. The GPX 4500 created a page in gold rush history by being singled out as the detector of choice in Africa for some time. Many large nugget finds were made there with the new GPX 4500 and starting around 2009 demand far exceeded supply as African prospectors were willing to pay any price to get what they believed was the only detector capable of possibly making them rich. Buyers in the U.S. drove prices far over retail due to extreme demand and these units were resold in Africa for prices well exceeding $10,000 per machine. This amazing demand was almost single-handedly responsible for driving Minelab sales and stock prices to all time highs. When the GPX 4800 and GPX 5000 were introduced Minelab stopped selling the GPX 4500 in the U.S. and Australia but demand was such that it continued to be sold in Africa. Finally, in 2015 the GPX 4500 was reintroduced for sale again in those countries as an entry level pulse induction model (for Minelab) priced at less than half what the GPX 5000 sells for. This makes the GPX 4500 an exceptional value at this time. Minelab GPX 4500 Pulse Induction (PI) metal detector for gold prospecting and more I got my own GPX 4500 in 2008 and saw many others in use at my old mine at Moore Creek, Alaska. The GPX 4500 made the ground light up like it had never been hunted with many nuggets found in already detected locations. Here is my report at the time about what I observed at Moore Creek: "I have run a little pay-to-mine operation at Moore Creek for four years now. We have old tailing piles that have nuggets in them. Some piles produced quite a few nuggets, and so everyone and their brother has been over them hoping for just one more. For instance, Dean's Hill. Dean found a 6.54 oz nugget a mile below camp on a pile. Rich Lampright found I think about 6 more ounces of smaller specimens on the same pile. Anyway, well over a pound came off this one pile. Now, these piles are small hills. You might be talking 300 feet long by 100 feet wide by 40 feet tall. Big but not something a person can't cover every square inch of. There have been probably 50 people hunt Dean's Hill using everything from the SD2200 on up to the GP3500 and probably a GPX-4000 or two last summer. There are other hills with similar reputations, including Bud's Island right near camp. Over 100 people have hunted it since it is so near camp. So the guys show up this year with the GPX-4500. A determination was made almost immediately that all ground should be treated as virgin again, and sure enough nuggets started coming out of Dean's Hill and Bud's Island and other places that were well and truly "hunted out". It was simply way too many nuggets to chalk up to anything other than the GPX-4500 being able to hear nuggets previous units could not hear at Moore Creek. ads by Amazon... I attribute this to two things. Previous SD/GP units had a tendency to sound very faintly on hot rocks at Moore Creek. So you got to where you usually ignored those sounds as they were almost always rocks and listened for something just enough different to indicate a real target. It is possible with the GPX to completely and absolutely tune out those faint hot rocks, allowing whisper faint nuggets to be detected. They might not actually be deeper per se, it is just that you could not discern them before. Same difference as far as I'm concerned. Plus, with the Gain and extra timings you can crank the GPX up for some insane performance. Steve F got his biggy by running the GPX up to the point where the ground was super noisy. You'd not normally hunt that way but he was focused on one spot, and it did allow him to get an exceptionally deep target. The bottom line is I am absolutely convinced the GPX is doing stuff that could not be done before. It was too many people getting too many nuggets out of too many hard hit spots to be anything else. There is no doubt in my mind that money spent on a GPX-4500 is money well spent. Remember, though, it can't make the gold. We had a couple GPX users who simply could not seem to get over nuggets. Anyway, hopefully Rob and Glenn and Steve and other Moore Creek visitors will chime in here with some of the settings they were using at Moore Creek to help little old me out. I am headed back up to Moore Creek August 8th to prep ground for next season but plan on firing my new GPX up for the first time finally. I gave away everything I found in June so it would be nice to have at least one nugget to call my own this summer!! Any tips would be most welcome. Steve Herschbach Moore Creek Mining LLC July 25, 2008" Gold found with Minelab GPX 4500 at Moore Creek, Alaska in 2008 - largest nugget 3.5 ounces The was a period of time after the GPX 4500 was discontinued in the United States that the GPX 4800 and GPX 5000 were the only two PI models available from Minelab. Garrett introduced their new Garrett ATX at less than half the price of those detectors. It was a bargain at $2120 compared to almost $6000 for the GPX 5000. I do not know this for a fact but I believe that Garrett had something to do with the GPX 4500 being reintroduced for sale. The GPX 4500 at $2699 with two coils was close enough to the $2120 ATX with one coil, that it pretty much stopped the ATX dead in its tracks as a prospecting detector. Up until that point I had been recommending the Garrett ATX as a bang-for-the-buck alternative to the much higher priced GPX uits. Given the extra power and versatility of the GPX 4500 at the new lower price, and the GPX 4500 is now my recommendation for anyone wanting a "bang-for-the-buck" new full warranty high power PI for gold prospecting and possibly even beach or relic detecting. Official Minelab GPX 4500 Page Minelab GPX 4500 Instruction Manual Minelab GPX 4500 Product Brochure Minelab GPX 4000-5000 Timings Charts Difference Between Minelab SD, GP, and GPX Models Forum Threads Tagged "minelab gpx" Minelab Metal Detectors Forum Minelab GPX 4500 Technical Specifications* Internet Price $2699.00 Technology Ground Balancing Pulse Induction (GBPI) Frequency 1100-4500 PPS? Autotune (Motion) Mode(s) Very Slow, Slow, Medium and Fast Ground Rejection Slow, Medium, Fast Tracking, Fixed, and Off Soil Adjust Six settings (timings) - see chart below Discrimination Variable 1-10 and Off in Menu Volume Control Variable 1-20 in Menu Threshold Control One turn control Tone Adjust Variable 1-100 in Menu Audio Boost Quiet, Normal, Deep, Boost in Menu Frequency Offset Automatic Tune plus Manual 0-255 in Menu Pinpoint Mode No Audio Output 1/4" headphone socket (No speaker) Headphones supplied Hip Mount Shaft Mount Only Standard Coil 11" round DD and 11" round Mono Optional Search Coils Over 100 accessory coils available Battery Rechargeable 7.4VDC 9.2A/hr Lithium Ion Operating Time 14 - 15 hours Weight 5.3 lbs (w/11" coil, excluding battery (1.7 lbs) Additional Technology Multi Period Sensing (MPS) Dual Voltage Technology (DVT) Smart Electronic Timing Alignment (SETA) Numerous Audio Adjustments via menu Coil (Double D/Mono/Cancel) - 3 pos. switch Notes The GPX 4500 employs an external battery carried on a backpack harness and connected to the control box via a power cord. The detector is normally suspended from the harness with a bungee cord, allowing for nearly weightless operation in level ground. *Notes on Technical Specifications - Detailed notes about the specifications listed in this chart.

The Garrett ATX was introduced by Garrett Electronics in 2013 and is still in production. It is a pulse induction metal detector waterproof to ten feet. It is unique in that it is one of the few metal detectors retailed to the general public in a housing developed for military applications. Garrett makes a military land mine detector called the Recon Pro AML-1000. It was developed and marketed after the Garrett Infinium, the only underwater ground balancing pulse induction (GBPI) metal detector made by a major manufacturer at the time. The Recon is notable for the waterproof telescoping compact design with hidden coil cables. The new ATX is a highly refined detector combining the best of the Garrett Infinium and Garrett Recon AML-1000 into a single package. The actual housing is almost identical to that used by the AML-1000. The electronics has attributes from both detectors. It is a considerable improvement over the much older Infinium electronically and folds into a remarkably small package without disassembly. I was one of the first individuals to obtain a Garrett ATX when they came out as I had been waiting for a new waterproof ground balancing pulse induction metal detector ever since the Infinium came out over ten years ago. I honestly was a bit surprised Garrett came out with a second generation waterproof GBPI before the competition has released any at all. Ground balancing PI detectors have the ability to work in a combination of salt water and black sand/hot rock environments in unique ways. VLF and even standard non-ground balancing PI detectors suffer under these extreme conditions. The Infinium showed me what might be possible in Hawaii but it suffered from issues common in first generation detectors. There was room for improvement, and I am hoping the ATX addresses the electromagnetic interference (EMI) and salt water instability problems that plagued the Infinium. My first impressions were positive, with my first detailed report at Gold and Silver with the New Garrett ATX. I have a separate article on prospecting with the ATX at Gold Nugget Detecting with the Garrett ATX. The ATX is a versatile detector and will see use prospecting, relic hunting, jewelry detecting (above water and under) and even coin detecting. I have two beach detecting articles on the ATX - Beach Detecting in Hawaii With The ATX and Garrett ATX Return To Hawaii. Garrett ATX waterproof pulse induction (PI) metal detector with 10" x 12" coil The Garrett ATX is uniquely versatile in its physical aspects. It can be extended longer than most people need yet can collapse into a very short diver configuration due to the three piece lower rod design. Garrett ATX collapsed for diving use For storage or backpacking the ATX folds even shorter yet to only 20" in length due to the rotating/folding coil design. The ATX coils are rather unique in that they are integrated with the lower rod with the wires running through the rod and a rear mounted hinge on the coil. This allows the coil to fold back completely over the rod and/or detector body. The rod/coil assembly can be rotated 90 degrees for hunting walls and to enable a more compact stowed configuration. Garrett ATX folded for storage or backpacking All the ATX functions are accessed through a top mounted control panel with rubber topped touchpad buttons and LED indicators. A shift button allows each button to have at least two functions allowing for a full feature set in a simplified layout. Garrett ATX Control Panel Quick Guide to Garrett ATX controls from Owner's Guide - Click image for larger version The Garrett ATX comes standard with a 10" x 12" DD search coil. Optional 8" round and 15" x 20" mono coils with integrated lower rods are also available. New for 2017 are 11" x 13" enclosed coil options in both mono and DD designs. The ATX does have a built in waterproof speaker and so does not require headphones. It does come with land headphones that use a waterproof connector, the same connector that Garrett uses on the Infinium and AT Pro/AT Gold models. The same waterproof headphones available for those models work on the ATX and are required if it is desired to put the headphones underwater. The included headphones have a waterproof cable that can be submerged but the headphones themselves must be kept dry. A short adapter dongle is also available to convert the ATX waterproof headphone connector to the standard 1/4" female receptacle so standard metal detector headphones may be used. See the Garrett ATX Accessory Page for details on headphones, search coils, and other accessory items available for the Garrett ATX. There is information there on using Garrett Infinium coils on the ATX, and notes on how to chest mount or even backpack mount the ATX control box. Finally, the ATX runs off eight standard AA batteries, eliminating any shipping or airline issues that can be a problem with some PI detectors. The detector comes complete with both alkaline and NiMH rechargeable batteries plus a 110V and 12V charger system. The detector runs approximately 10-12 hours on a charge when using headphones, less if running off the speaker. The best method is to use the rechargeable batteries and carry the alkaline set as backup. Garrett ATX search coil options I have had the Garrett ATX now since the fall of 2013 and so have had a solid year with the detector. It really does take about a year for me to settle down my thoughts about a detector. I tend to be all giddy with the new toy at first, having fun, and discovering new things. The strong points and weak points are revealed with use over time, and now I think I can offer up a fair summary of the detector. The ATX is a bit difficult in that Garrett started with the premise of using an existing housing designed to military specifications, and then decided to put a detector in it for consumer retail sales. On one hand this is really great as we get this very unique detector design that would never have been developed just for consumer sales. On the other hand it means for some uses the ATX is just not a very good fit. For other uses it works pretty well. It just so happens I am an avid prospector and an avid beach hunter. I do not beach hunt as much as I like but when I do it I really go after it. Because of this the ATX hits a particular sweet spot for me personally. I really do need a good pulse induction metal detector that can be submerged in saltwater. I would keep the ATX for that purpose alone. I am very happy with its performance as a beach detector especially on beaches where there is black sand mineralization or volcanic rock to deal with. The fact it also does very well as a prospecting PI is almost a bonus for me. From a straight up prospecting perspective Garrett also scores though nobody needs a seven pound detector waterproof to 10 feet while desert prospecting. However, if all I had was a couple thousand dollars to invest in a brand new, full warranty PI for gold prospecting it would be a Garrett ATX. I believe the ATX is superior to the White's alternatives in overall performance and it is far less money than a new Minelab PI detector. I will not speak for the Australians but in the U.S. the ATX holds its own for PI performance and I feel quite comfortable using it gold prospecting. I could wish for a lighter package but the fact is it works and a person who puts in the effort should do just fine with the ATX. I know I can. The ATX does well for relic hunting applications and I have even found I can cherry pick coins halfway well with it. I have always been partial to pulse induction detectors and Garrett has won me over with the ATX. I enjoy using the detector and I can make good finds with it, and that is all I can ask of any detector. Some of Steve's finds with the Garrett ATX in the first year of use In retrospect I have actually done remarkably well with the ATX since I got it, considering it is only one of several detectors I have been using and not the one with the most hours on it. I have found about 3 ounces of gold and platinum jewelry with the Garrett ATX plus about two ounces of gold nuggets with it. I have found gold nuggets in Alaska, Arizona, California, and Nevada with the ATX under sunny skies and in pouring rain. My ATX has spent a couple weeks of days underwater in rough surf and is none the worse for wear. Many thanks and a hat's off to Garrett for producing my all time favorite Garrett detector. ~ Steve Herschbach Copyright © 2015 Herschbach Enterprises Official Garrett ATX Page Garrett ATX Instruction Manual Garrett ATX Color Brochure How To Disassemble and Clean the ATX Coil Shaft & Camlocks Garrett ATX Accessory Page Report on new 11" x 13" Search Coils Forum Threads Tagged "garrett atx" Garrett Metal Detectors Forum Garrett ATX vs Minelab GPX 5000 Garrett ATX Technical Specifications* Internet Price $2120.00 Technology Ground Balancing Pulse Induction (GBPI) Frequency 730 pps Autotune Mode(s) Slow Motion and Non-Motion Ground Rejection Four Tracking Speeds and Fixed Soil Adjust Can ground balance into salt soils Discrimination Dual Tones, Iron Check & Reverse Disc Volume Control Volume Limiter plus headphone controls Threshold Control 25 level push button setting Tone Adjust No Audio Boost No Frequency Offset Automatic Pinpoint Mode Yes Audio Output Proprietary headphone socket, Headphones supplied plus Waterproof Speaker Hip Mount No Standard Coil(s) 12" x 10" Open Spoke DD (Or Optional 11" x 13" Coils) Optional Search Coils 8" Round Mono, 20" x 15" Mono, 11" x 13" Enclosed DD, 11" x 13" Enclosed Mono Battery 8 AA rechargeable and disposables supplied Operating Time 10 - 12 hours Weight 6.9 pounds Additional Technology 13 level adjustable gain control Notes Waterproof to 10 feet (requires optional submersible headphones) *Notes on Technical Specifications - Detailed notes about the specifications listed in this chart.