Gold Prospecting - Metal Detecting

One of the most popular methods of prospecting for gold is using a metal detector. As the name implies a metal detector will alert you when you pass the coil (flat piece at the end) over something metallic on or in the ground. It normally make a high pitched whine sort of like a mosquito but when it detects metal it shrieks. We usually use headphones with it to pick up some of the softer "returns" that could indicate a more deeply buried object.

Armed with our metal detector, RRPC membership and maps we headed out to our first prospecting adventure. We chose the "Lucky Strike" claim (all claims have names, some descriptive, some cute) north of Phoenix. Nobody else was out there when we arrived. We learned very quickly that almost all of the targets you find are going to be worthless. If you're lucky they will be at or near the surface so you won't waste too much time on them. Several times we ended up digging quite deep only to find a bullet or shell. Our effort that first day didn't produce anything of value but we did have fun!

Since then we've been out "nugget shooting" (as metal detecting for gold is called) quite a few times. So far, no luck. But if bullets, shells and beer can pull tabs ever become valuable we'll be rich! We'll keep trying and we've also branched out into another method of gold prospecting - dry washing. More on that later.

Karen metal detecting for gold at the "Lucky Strike" claim. We didn't find any gold but we had fun and the scenery sure is nice!