Part 2 - Dig, Shovel, Rake & Metal Detecting For Gold Nuggets - Video

[Rob Allison]

Hey Guys,

  Been getting a lot of questions on this method of digging, raking and metal detecting.   Some have asked if you can do it anywhere and the answer would be Yes, but you might not find anything.  I normally only use this method when we have found some nuggets concentrated in a small area, normally in a dry wash bottom.  We have dug out nugget patches on the sides of the hills and benches also, but normally when mother nature does the work for you in the washes, you could have better luck in the right spots.  

We normally use two metal detectors, one for depth due to pockets and deeper crevices and a very sensitive detector like a VLF or now the GPX 6000.  In our case we normally use the following tools -

• Minelab GPZ 7000 with the Nugget Finder Z Search coil 12"
• Minelab GPX 6000 Metal Detector with the 11" Mono coil
• Garrett AT Pinpointer (find this one to be the most sensitive to small gold)
• A couple of good digging picks, we use Apex and Doc's pick with super magnets 
• Large metal rake with metal handle, any other rake is junk and will break quickly
• Plastic Scoops for recovery
• Small crevices tools like screwdrivers
• Plastic straw or narrow hose to blow out cracks/crevices
• Battery Powered Hammer Drill with Chisel Bit 
• Also, whatever PPE, but we recommend eye glasses, good gloves and even hearing protection if you are using the hammer drill a bunch

Hope you all enjoy.  Keep in mind, this method has been using since the beginning of placer mining.  It's not something we came up with, we just customized it with more modern day tools and technology to make it profitable in some areas to recover more gold.  

You can also add a good Drywasher and Vac-Pac to the mix if you want to work the gravels for smaller gold.  In some areas you might be tossing out ounces of small gold you can't even see. 

 

[oldmancoyote1]

Nice gold.  Consider making one of Two Toe's hooked probes (see his youtube videos) made from a windshield wiper arm.  I find it gives a lot more control than a screwdriver tool when extracting gold from cemented gravel adjacent to bedrock.

[Randy Lunn]

Rob, when you get this pocket cleaned out I would enjoy seeing a video clip or photo of all the nuggets. What an amazing pocket!

[beatup]

well done Rob keep em coming.

 

[dig4gold]

My kind of detecting. So much fun & usually very rewarding when you find those hot spots. Thanks for sharing.

Greg :)

[Rob Allison]

Hey Guys,

   Oldmancoyote - TwoToes sent me one of his crevice tools months back and I use it all the time.  I had it in a few videos and actually always have it with me.  

Randy, Beatup and dig4gold - Thanks for the comments.  I will do what I can to get a final video of what we have done.  I think it's starting to lean out, the pockets only stay so good once they are cleaned out you have to move on.  The gravel and overburden is now getting deeper and requires much more man power to get down.  

Rob

[flakmagnet]

7 minutes ago, Rob Allison said:

The gravel and overburden is now getting deeper and requires much more man power to get down. 

…and that's where the heavier stuff hides. Good luck guys, you'll find it if it's in there.

 

[Valens Legacy]

Great work on the nice nuggets, see people can learn things from the people on this forum.

Now if only I can afford the equipment and training to get out there.

Good luck on your next hunt.

[Norvic]

Aye

14 hours ago, Rob Allison said:

Keep in mind, this method has been using since the beginning of placer mining.

Aye we are a lucky generation we have the gold detector to take a lot of the work out of the job, but regardless you certainly deserve the rewards Rob for putting the effort in. Our detectors are without doubt the best method of loaming where the overburden depth allows, especially the sensitive Z and now the even more sensitive 6K.

[Rob Allison]

Hey Guys,

  Thanks for the comments.  To add to Valens comments, actually you don't need to spend a fortune to get over some gold.  First, make sure you're going to known or near known areas where gold nuggets have been found, if you're targeting nugget gold.  Secondly, a good VLF detector will be fine to start with along with basic hand tools (good pick with magnet, scoop).  With a high end VLF, White's, Garrett, Fisher, Minelab, Tesoro and others, search for shallow areas or exposed bedrock to find that first gold nugget.  From there, if you start finding a decent concentration of gold, you can start placering the area to get down into the deeper areas.  

Once you collect a decent about of gold, you can look into a used or new Pulse Induction metal detector.  

Many think you need to invest thousands of dollars to find nuggets, when actually if you have a plan and some areas in mind, you might just surprise yourself.  

Hope this helps a bit,

Rob