Hard Prospector

This is the first year (since I started detecting) that I've found more jewelry at the beach than nuggets in the desert. A possible trend? Time and effort will tell.

Silence is golden..........pun intended

I'd get your SDC2300 back and also pick up an F19

The specimens I've found have all been fine gold in milky quartz with virtually no signs of any sulfides. Still, I can't help but think that somebody has been successful at it to a certain degree, especially with the right detector.

I was just curious how much luck some of you have had detecting gold/quartz specimens which also contained substantial sulfides.

It seems like all of the woes at White's began with the tragic loss of senior engineer Dan Geyer (god rest his soul).

Very well put John, Nokta is a detector company "on steroids" these days and I'm sure US companies are feeling some heat. As for now, I'm still a White's, Fisher and Tesoro guy (I love that sand shark)

Its worth sharing that what gold I have found in old workings came beneath or near old stopes. The 4 nice ore specimens were all kicked off to the side just below stopes and the F19 nailed em. All showed some free gold once hit with a crack hammer. Many of the ore veins the GB2 would sound on happened to be near stopes. I'd break and pull material out of the stringer ti'l the detector stopped chirping. Sometimes having to comeback with a 4-6 lbs. sledge and bigger chisel. Taking the material home, I would crush in a large mortar and pestle (man I really need to get an impact mill) Pushing in a stope must have hard dangerous work so the material had to be really good to be worth the effort. Most of these old mines are hazardous places and there have only been a few I've felt comfortable working in. Play it safe and good luck!

The floor of old gold mines are full of metal trash. In my limited experience detecting in them; F19 over the floor (great discrimination) with the ultra high frequency GB2 over good looking vein material in foot or hang wall. Don't forget a crack hammer, couple stout chisels and bucket

I don't think this was the kind of help he was looking for............

With PI's, the coils are very specific to the electronics and tuning (including the length of wire from loop to control box) Your creating a "zombie PI", I wouldn't go there. BTW, I would keep any TDI far away from water. Even a quick dunk and its done.

No worries guy, I'm sure its covered under warranty and not worth getting pissed off and irritable over.

I have two GB2's; made one into a pinpointer and the other is still my bedrock sniper. They have become "task specific tools", and when prospecting in the desert where water is scarce, its amazing what that machine can do with just a bit of creativity. I know they're finally on the cusp of being over-taken by newer machines but I will always have one.

White's and Jimmy Sierra used to be "two peas in a pod" so to speak, but White's has seen some big shake-ups lately at the highest levels. Miner John has been making Jimmy's TDI coils for over 2 years now, contact; Comstock Metal Detectors ("Digger Bob" Vancamp) as he should have the info. you need. Good Luck....Rob

Those were the two I was leaning towards, just looking for a "co-sign" I suppose......Thanks!

I'm want to buy some NEL coils and am looking for recommendations for online retailers. Thanks.......Rob

Looks like a good spot to drywash later this summer........nice gold

I bought a F75 Ltd. for the sole purpose of nugget shooting in the trashiest areas. That being said, my F19 has proven itself time again to where I have yet to even use my F75 in the trashy diggs. My T2 is also a capable nugget shooter with very good discrimination. Had I known how effective these machines were for swinging through the o'l timer dumps I never would have spent the $1200. on the F75 Ltd. This is what I paid for these machines; * T2....$450 (Kellyco) *F19....$675 (last years Vegas gold show after "intense" negotiations") *F75Ltd...$1200 (mom n' pop prospecting shop) The F75Ltd is likely the best of the bunch for this purpose, but these are my experiences with all three machines....good luck! BTW, Kellyco will deal so don't hesitate to ask!

Someone once said; "when oblivious to danger your living life to its fullest". Good story and thanks for sharing.

Very well put Jason. I would pay $10,000.00 for a XRF but not a GPZ but that's just me and my program.

Its a little known secret that Whites still makes the Goldmaster 6x10 concentric coil but only for export. No matter how hard I pressed they wouldn't sell me one, At first they wouldn't even fess-up to still making them. That was a couple years back and I hear their under new management or ownership.now. They could learn a thing or two in customer relations from Nokta........ .that's for sure.

The GMT with concentric coil increases its sensitivity substantially (when you can find a used one). Good write up and thanks for sharing.

Find a promising vein or good looking float; with a crack hammer bust all pieces up as uniform as possible(golf ball size is ideal) and fill a large mortar tub about one layer deep of choice pieces. Run the GB2 w/sniper coil over material from several directions, shuffle and do it once more. If you get a hit, pull that piece, wash it with water and look for free gold. No free gold then check with the Falcon or go right to crush and pan. Although requiring patience it is the most efficient system I know for finding gold in quartz, I use it and it works. A "snowbird prospector" showed me this several years ago out in Quartzite. Honestly I would rather do this than dig trash all day.

I also have a T-2 and thats good to hear.

Good post, I would sure like to see it done.