Hard Prospector

Looks like a new version of "Nitrox" mixed air breathing for scuba. Heard of supply chain issues but this seems a bit desperate.

Flooding like nobody has seen in over 100 years is taking place in some of the historic gold districts of Montana, Idaho and beyond. An impressive late season snow pack followed by warm temps and rain has the rivers and gully''s a boom'n. Material that hasn't moved in over a century is on its way. Time to get your detector, sluice box, highbanker, dredge suits, etc. ready. Could be once in a lifetime prospecting opportunity, still keeping in mind the property damage is extreme & tragic for many and our hearts go out to them.

Does the coil come wit a complimentary rotaror cuff rebuild? HA! just joking Frank, seems like a good price for someone tougher than me.

In CA, boot leg pot growers drop portable pumps by the hundreds onto any river or stream they please and govt. regulators just turn a blind eye when brought to their attention. I know a guy who uses a mini high banker with a 12v pump and in a closed recirculating system near a stream at least a 100' away. He buckets the water over to his basins (3 ...of which are 30-40 gallons each), which flow from one into another as the material settles out. He is able to run quite a few buckets of pay in this process and feels he's within the law.......or close enough as he's not discharging into or pumping out of the stream or using any gasoline powered equipment. Periodically he shuts down to drain out the muddy water (via a 100" garden hose out into the boonies) and scoop out silt he spreads around the bushes. He told me he as operated this way for nearly 10 years and hasn't been pinched yet.

Yep, couldn't have said it better. Most of my gold detecting these days for is jewelry on the coast. Too bad nugget patches don't get replenished with each new beach season.

Big shoes to fill. I'm optimistic the new owners will carry on producing this excellent publication/magazine.

In addition to everything all ready stated, I'll put a pet flea collar at the seem where my pants tuck into my boots

Just love going into these old mills. The practical engineering that went into these monuments of the past were impressive. No "humanities degrees" at work here.

Bedrocker; I would go with your probable theory..........The wrong people knew he likely had a lot of gold hidden near by. He was jumped and forced at gun point to reveal the cache in return for his life. The worst kind of sort knew that "dead men tell no tales" so after digging up the dust he was killed on the spot. Life can be so unfair and tragic

Nice haul phrunt, fun day for sure.

Can't believe this machine is still available.........

Sold off my GB Pro and F19 some years back. The only time I've ever kicked myself for selling a detector. Just picked up a used F19 recently here and glad to have one again. Just love the simplicity of operation, ergonomics, lite weight, the way it will break down and fit into the smallest of packs and only uses a uses single 9v battery. Very effective gold nugget and jewelry finder. Yes there are better gold VLF's out there currently but this one still has a lot going for it. ......... Especially for $300 bucks.

Good deal there

Entertaining read, very much enjoyed the ride. Story's based on actual accounts are nothing new over the years, Hollywood is full of such movies. I appreciate the effort put into this.......thanks

I subscribe to the ICMJ Prospecting and Mining Journal, pretty much the only mining magazine I get anymore. A monthly publication, been around for nearly 100 years. Articles are excellent and informative. Subscription offered on line and in print with archives access that seem to go back forever.

NZ's largest gold nugget gifted to the Crown, melted down and made into whatever.........what a shame.

I've owned claims and have had partners in some of them. I really don't care if some guy swings through once in a while and picks up a gram'r here or there......good for him. A good haul these days requires processing lots of material (picks, shovels, highbankers, drywashers) which takes time and effort. Something detectors can't typically do.

Be great if this new engineer could take First Texas to the "next level". BTW; I don't just mean keeping the life support machine running.

Thought about getting one but like most prospectors these days; we're pretty content with either the Monster, Equinox or 24k to fill the VLF need. Still I'm open minded if (eventually) and when more info on the unit presents.

Actually, for reasons unknown to me, my SDC seems to do better than most detectors in the area. It will sometimes ignore the smaller pieces of andesite and basalt when going over my drywasher tailing piles. But the bigger volcanics....forget it!

Know the area well, volcanics are intense and drive detectors insane. Lots of old timer tramp trash too. Always have done best running my drywasher here, lots of grams of gold. Sometimes you just have to move dirt.

Been going down to Baja for over 40 years, fishing , diving, exploring and in recently prospecting. There is a lot of gold in Baja, especially the central peninsula region. Big nuggets too as much of the geology is made up of mineralized quartz reefs and schist. I've seen a specimen the size of a basketball, huge chunk of quartz marbled through with over a dozen ounces of gold. It was found by a prospector friend of mine who lives down there part time and has been very successful over the years. There are a handful of American prospectors in Baja swinging detectors and finding lots of gold. Part of their success is knowing how to stay off the radar and blend in........so to speak This type of prospecting isn't for most, as the dangers in Baja are many and I'm not just talking about desert survival. Violent crime and high value theft, once rare in Mexico, is becoming much more common. Never bring anything down you can't afford to loose. Speaking the language helps a lot especially if in a tricky situation. Having a Mexican prospecting partner or being married to a Mexican national is the best form of insurance to keep one out of trouble. This is a land of isolation, danger, adventure and raw natural beauty. And for that special breed of rugged intrepid prospector..........high risk stakes for the very real chance to find large gold nuggets

Careful with the SL in the marine environment. That control box is nothing more than a un sealed "patio cover" over the sensitive electronics.

Too many arrogant aloof people living in the comfort of first world nations, quick to pass judgement on those around the globe just trying to feed themselves day to day. Practical cost effective solutions (like sluice boxes of different sizes, elevations and flow rates for final clean up......Thanks Steve H) are the realistic way for those to get ahead while lessening impact

What a country; fantastic fishing, hunting, gold prospecting and just drop dead beautiful scenery. New Zealand is paradise on Earth. Too bad they disarmed their citizenry though.