Gold Catcher

Thank you guys! Great feedback. GC

Thanks, my friend. I am not quite there yet but am thinking about it. I have never dredged or done anything more than just sluicing or panning. But I know some snipers who are quite successful in the rivers up here. But hunting with a metal detector fully submerged is something else that I would need to learn and practice. Who knows, I might hate it. 🤪 Also, I wonder how waterproof the SDC really is and whether it would actually survive fully submerged for longer periods of time. I still remember what happened to my first "waterproof" Samsung smartphone when I took it into the pool... GC

How many of you have done underwater gold prospecting with the SDC2300 or other water proof detectors? I have never done this but I start entertaining the idea. I am curious to know what experiences you guys have had. As an inspiration I have attached the Youtube clip below. Although he was not metal detecting this video is well done and entertaining. GC

The 6000 is a birdshot monster! Unfortunately, it just sounds exactly like small gold. GC

I have several times observed disapearance of fast timing gold after disturbance. Either you treck it out (wish the 6k had a manual GB option like the 7k), or the timing constants change in relation to the ground mineralization as the small nugget gets moved and change position in the soil. This happens less likely with the SDC due to MPF. GC

Good to know that the 6k coils are nothing special (other than chip). This makes me hope of low cost high performance coils to come. On the coil size, I wonder how small the Geosense technology can be pushed to and whether a super small coil would even make sense, given how extremely sensitive the 6k already is with the 11 inch round. A 10X6 elliptical seems to be on everybody's wish list. I would for sure get one . GC

That would mean that ML approves both Coiltek and NF for aftermarket 6000 coils. Interesting news. Perhaps the coil versatility for the 5000 is something that will eventually come for the 6000 as well? Based on what was discussed before this move appears to be rather unexpected, given the delicate electronics of the 6000 and how it is synchronized with the current ML coil offerings. But I have no doubt Coiltek and NF will make superb coils. A big win for 6000 owners. I love my NF 12 inch for the GPZ, an absolute fantastic coil. But for the longest time it was really hard to get here in the US and only at a very steep price tag ($1200). The demand for 6000 coils will be huge, so it will be interesting to see who will be the winner when it comes to performance, availability and price. GC

One thing to remember is that it is not just about weight but also about ergonomics. The GPZ weighs 1.5 lbs more than the SDC but I can swing the GPZ much easier/longer than the SDC. The 6000 shows how weight and ergonomics can be dramatically improved and my guess is that the next GPZ will follow this trend. GC

Well done, Condor. You are a fine example of our honorable brotherhood. However, you find dishonesty not only with claim sellers but also with other detectorists at times. I was once hunting on an expired claim in an area not too familiar to me and met a fellow local detectorist who told me that 10 miles east they were finding multi-oz nuggets. I found good gold that day, of course I staid where I was. People just try everything. I was a bit shocked though that he even tried to pull that, seeing me with my 7000 in my hands. Just like in your case, some people don't seem to care what they see in the mirror every morning. GC

California: $6.1 /gallon (SF Bay Area) Germany: EU 8.3, US $ 9.1 / gallon (!) (now you know why cars like the 4Runner are not being sold in Europe...) https://www.globalpetrolprices.com/Germany/gasoline_prices/ Reese, do you have a solar panel for your Jackery? Next time you buy a solar generator get the Ecoflow Delta. It's about the same price but 1800W with 3300 W surge (1200 Wh). Charges from 0-100 in less than 2h and you can run microwave and coffee machine with it. GC

Great report, thanks Reese, and beautiful gold. 0.6 g in 15 inch depth with the 17 inch coil is impressive. It is such a great coil in the open field, also because it remains almost as sensitive as the 11 inch coil to fast surface targets. I admire your endurance. I don't know of many detectorists here in the US who live from what they find under their coil. Looking forward to catch up again soon, and good luck! GC PS: I always have a little body cam with me when I am out there. You want to make sure you have video evidence in case of a self defense encounter. This can make a big difference in where you will be spending the next decades of your life. Hope this will never happen to you though, nor to anyone for that matter.

It's out of stock, unfortunately. ML should have done a better job with the GM shaft and at least provide some sort of useable stand for it. Same is true for the SDC (albeit slightly better) which most of the time only stands up with an aftermarket stand screwed onto the shaft, unless the ground is completely flat (when is it ever in SDC terrain). GC

Great write up, Gerry. On the gold size issue, I sometimes find myself going back to the 7000 just to not get stuck all day digging up the super tiny stuff with the 6000. In particular, because the 6000 is so sensitive that often times I can't estimate the target size from the signal strength, not even for shallow targets (every shallow target screams). So, it can go the other way as well. GC

He said he can make a lower shaft. The upper shaft where the control box sits might be more difficult. But I let him answer.

Guys, I just wanted to share with you my new three-piece GM shaft, custom made by "Steve's Detector Rods". Absolutely superb craftmanship with perfect fit and easy assembly. Ideal for backpacking and traveling (longest piece is just 24 inch). The rod is super light (much lighter than the stock rod) but yet very sturdy. The clamps are high quality, something I would love to see on the 6000.... I am very happy with it and can highly recommend it. Steve is also a super nice guy, one of the few guys left who you would say is a true craftsman. http://www.stevesdetectorrods.com/ GC

I remember that movie! The fameous Walter Huston dance. I do that whenever I find and "bigger" nugget, provided nobody is looking....

Congrats, Reese. Nice find! Looking forward to meet up again. Will check out Lost Basin 😉 GC

It's the constant coil swinging in the brutal heat that makes you mad

It has been said already, but the GM iron meter was never designed to ID deeper targets (mineralized ground produces large +X signal just as iron does-gold will hide in it). However, for surface targets <=1 inch it works fairly well (discretion is advised however). Advice: slow steady swings with no change of coil height (+X signal from ground will otherwise pass through filter more easily if coil height changes during swinging). This will maximize discrimination efficiency. Keeping that in mind, the iron meter can be a life saver in trashy areas for fast shallow gold where no PI will produce. GC

Rather than in the Motherlode I would consider some of the old mines in the Mojave/Colorado deserts. In particular some of the smaller placer operations that also had some drift mining appear interesting. Many are still gold bearing but got shut down as per order L-208 in WW2 and most never resumed operations. Northern California is too densely populated and the original motherlode belt is for the most part highly urbanized. So, getting mining permits in one of the famous gold rich areas there is virtually impossible. Even finding areas there where you can still do detecting is very hard, since so much is either city-, state- or private land or otherwise off limits. Apart from very few spots you need to go into the higher Sierras and away from the traditional gold belt in order to do prospecting. However, in the CA deserts getting permits seems to be (comparably) easier, so I hear. A small team of geologist, engineers and mining experts will be needed though to make sure the investment would be worthwhile. I am actually considering this adventure once I retire (together with partners of course). Still a distant dream though. BTW, CA still has some nice people, so it's not all bad. Also, the diversity of breathtaking landscapes, all gold rich, is hard to beat. And yes, still plenty of gold in the ground! Just the bureaucracy sucks. GC

Here is the second largest nugget ever found in AZ (US). What a beauty!! 28 troy oz specimen, 22 troy oz gold. Estimated insurance value: $140,000. It didn't make it through the grizzly and was hence rejected from the hopper. Apparently, it ended up being kind of a sun baker in the header pile! One more reason to check out the header piles, not just the tailing piles. The nugget came from Oatman, AZ. Below is a snapshot of the Oatman mining district, with highway 10 going right through the area. Heavily claimed up by mining corporations. But still some potentially unclaimed spots here and there from what I can initially tell. Might be worthwhile exploring with the new ML tech.....

Thanks for posting, Gerry. Stories like that keep the dream alive for many. Also good to know that big nuggets actually do exist outside Au as well.....Would love to hear more about it, how it was found (machine, depth, etc). Not much info on the ML page. Perhaps the story is still to come. I just bought a claim in AZ together with a few friends. Perhaps time to put military wire fencing around it before the gold rush stampede rolls in. GC

The problem with many of these sites is that the trash goes all the way deep, so walking away would be the only (sane) option. But that's where I see a huge market opportunity for the next generation detectors, to be able to be productive there beyond traditional VLF technologies. Those sites often still have a lot of gold, you just need to be able to ID it. GC

PI snobbery will go South quickly when ferrous indicators are needed to keep your mental sanity. No 6000/7000 will find any gold in some of the areas where I hunt (at times), unless you accept trash/gold ratios of >1000. Come and hunt with me at some of the old mining districts along the Yuba river and experience the PI pain.😁 Only VLF's will produce there and PI snobs (like me...) would leave empty handed when not using VLF. I neither own the Nox nor the 24k but I am seriously considering to beef up my VLF capabilities. Would like to hear comments about the 24k vs Nox vs GM, particular for gold. Is the 24k handling ground better? GC

I agree with you. IMHO, no VLF will come anywhere close to what a high end PI or ZVT can deliver, in particular at depth in mineralized ground. I also have a hard time believing that the GM (or Nox?) will hear gold the 6000 can't, although I acknowledge that others have different experiences. And since I don't own the Nox I will let others speak on that. But from the limited GM/6000 comparisons I have done thus far (for whatever it's worth) I can say the 6000 will hear everything the GM will find, not the other way around. My GM and GB2 quickly loose out at depth, so no comparison to the 6000/7000 whatsoever, IMO. I use the VLF for trashy areas and shallow gold (i.e. tailing piles, bedrock, etc). This is where it shines, if the conditions are right. Although I kind of feel naked without my 6000 and 7000 in my truck, certain areas are only productive with a VLF and iron probability meter (meter used with great caution and only if target is directly under the coil). GC