Unleashing The Power Of The Minelab Manticore: Gold Prospecting With The M8 Coil

[abenson]

I've owned the Minelab Manticore since release and have owned the M8 coil since last Fall. I'm fairly new to using a metal detector for gold prospecting. But I've done it long enough and used a fair amount of different detectors (both PI and VLF) to recognize when something special comes along.  For gold prospecting enthusiasts seeking a powerful tool to uncover gold nuggets, the Minelab Manticore equipped with the M8 coil stands out as a excellent choice. Slightly different from Multi IQ, the Minelab Manticore uses Multi-IQ+ technology. Similar to Multi IQ, Multi IQ+ simultaneously utilizes multiple frequencies, ranging from low to high, this technology is particularly advantageous in gold prospecting, where varying ground conditions and target sizes demand precision and adaptability. I'm not going to pretend I know what the difference is between Multi IQ and Multi IQ+ is, but there's definitely something different going on inside the Manticore vs the Equinox 800/900. I think one obvious advantage of Multi IQ+ is ground handling and the ability to separate targets from ground signal. Equipped with the M8 coil, the Minelab Manticore is finely tuned for gold prospecting in challenging terrains. The compact size of the coil allows for exceptional maneuverability in tight spaces, such as rocky crevices and densely vegetated areas where gold nuggets may hide. At the same time you have fairy good ground coverage with the M8 coil. Also, the M8's sensitivity allows a person to find even the smallest gold nuggets with confidence.

One of the greatest challenges in gold prospecting is overcoming the effects of highly mineralized or alkaline soils, which can mask small gold nuggets and produce false signals. The Minelab Manticore offers a range of ground balancing options, including automatic, manual and tracking modes, allowing you to adapt to changing soil conditions and maintain maximum sensitivity to small gold nuggets. I'm not a big fan of tracking ground balance because I've experienced both small and deep targets being tracked out on previous metal detectors. However, with the Manticore I've had little issues with either of the above and use ground tracking with confidence. In the places I hunt, alkaline soil and hot rocks offer unique challenges for VLF metal detectors. Coil knock and constant ground noise are some of the most common. The Manticore is still challenged with coil knock, so coil control is essential when using it in rocky terrain. Ground noise on the other hand, the Manticore seems to handle quite well compared to the Equinox and other SMF detectors I've used in the past. With the Manticore ground noise is more of a background annoyance that's easily decerned from a gold nugget or other small target.  

Identifying gold targets amidst a sea of hot rocks and other metal objects is essential for successful prospecting. The Manticore offers precise target identification capabilities, thanks to its customizable discrimination settings, expanded target ID range and 2D target trace. By fine-tuning discrimination levels and analyzing both target ID and 2D screen readings, you can easily distinguish between hot rocks, ferrous and non-ferrous targets, prioritizing ferrous signals for efficient recovery. A person wouldn't think the 2D screen would be much use when gold nugget hunting. But on the contrary it's become one of my favorite features of the Manticore. Shallow targets generally trace right on the center line, deeper targets trace just above the lower ferrous limits or just below the upper ferrous limits depending on depth and soil mineralization.  The expanded target ID range is another welcome improvement over the Equinox 800. With the 800 most small gold had a target ID of 1 or 2 which also encompassed small foil and other tiny non ferrous targets. The Manticore on the other hand with it's expanded target ID range makes it easier to decern between small gold and other unwanted small items such as foil and small bird shot. That being said I've had nuggets under .20 grams come in anywhere from 1-9 so you still need to be carful. But with an area loaded with an item such as small foil that generally ID's at 1-2, you can cherry pick to some extent and still find small nuggets.

I've really enjoyed the Manticore the 100 or so hours I've had it out gold prospecting and feel like it's the perfect companion to your favorite PI. The settings on the Manticore I start out with when I get to a site are: Gold prospecting mode, prospecting theme, sensitivity 19, recovery 6, stock ferrous limits, stock disc pattern (horseshoe off), ground balance tracking. I then make adjustments when necessary which can include raising/lowering sensitivity, raising/lowing recovery, using fixed ground balance, notching out hot rocks or running the horseshoe on.

Below are a few videos I've done using the Manticore gold prospecting. Enjoy

 

 

 

[Gerry in Idaho]

Glad to hear and see you are enjoying the Manticore as a true VLF type gold capable detector.  I feel the same way about it and a few of my customers are also seeing the benefits.  To me the BIG 3 things that make it shine over the others.  1 - the target Identification, 2- ability to switch from Manual to Auto GB and 3- adjustable Threshold.

Your time in the videos, and writing is well earned and appreciated my friend.

[abenson]

Thanks Gerry. I did forget to mention the threshold, which is another great feature of the Manticore.

[Hunterjunk]

Abenson , I 100 percent agree with your summation . My Equinox is fully retired . One other factor for me is the superb Emi handling of the Manticore . It runs silently in places here that drive the Nox nuts .

[mn90403]

I'm going to Rye Patch tomorrow.  I've read your post and adjusted my settings to match yours.  I've watched your videos.  Hopefully I'll have some success.

Where you hunt is sometimes more important than what you hunt with.  I hope I'm not going back behind you because you are pretty thorough.  I'm going to have some fun with 3 new platforms.

Mitchel

[Goldseeker5000]

Andrew, I totally agree on the Manticore. I've found two nuggets with it. The first one was within a few minutes of turning it on and swinging it to compliment the Gpx5000 in a dig and detect scenario. I had a very faint target the 5000 hit on but was so faint, it would not rise up to an apex to decern where in the ground it was exactly. I turned the 5000 off, picked up and turned on the Manticore and it had the nugget quick. It turned out to be deeper than I expected. It handles hot rocks way better than the 800 and the Monster. I knew at that point this was going to be a special detector to compliment a PI. I just found a 1.2 grain piece on my claim a few days ago after I accepted a skunk with my 5000 for the day. I cleared away some forest floor fluff and decaying organic material and proceeded to dig down to bedrock. Each layer I pulled out of the hole and spread out was hit with the Manticore and when I hit bedrock I scanned the last dirt to be spread out and I got a solid hit of 01,02 and the numbers were in black, not red indicating a good target. The tight blob showed up right on the conductivity line and this told me it was either going to be a nugget or a very small shard of lead. A lead pellet shows up at 06,07 and a pellet is much louder. So I knew I likely had a nugget. It was in fact! The Manticore saved me from a skunk day and I am looking forward to hitting more gold with it. The  Manticore is, to date, the most perfect vlf to compliment a PI. It is far more stable than the Monster and especially the 800. Target ID is far more precise. The M8 coil is a joy to swing, compared to the small coil for the 800 or monster. Setting the ferrous indicator setting to red will let you know more accurately, each target being trash red, or black for a good target. If you have a monster or any other vlf and then get a Manticore, after using it and seeing the advantage of it, one of  two things will take place. You will stop using the monster  or other detector, taking them with you or you will sell them. I already have my Manticore set up in the all terrain high conductive target mode to hit on all of my silver coins and small and various gold targets- jewelry. Everything else is completely blocked out. You can extend the ferrous limits all the way over to the end of the screen and then swing each coin or jewelry you want to hit on to open up those notches. It works great and talk about cherry picking! This thing is a beauty when it comes to cherry picking good coins and targets from ground with a lot of targets in it. The necklace pendant I found with it is 12k black hills gold with a sapphire in it. I found each style of silver dimes had a different TID number. Mercury, seated, barber were all slightly different numbers.

[Goldseeker5000]

I will have some videos coming soon on the Manticore in action in a dig & detect operation on my claim as soon as forest service clears our NOI. He wanted to make us file a Plan of Operation despite that we are digging with hand tools. He said in all his years as a reclamation geologist he has never seen anyone move more dirt by hand as me and my claim partners. We had to scale back our digging ventures to stay out of being forced to file a Plan of Operation as opposed to an NOI.