Nugget Shooting w/ MXT 300 ***Need advice***

[Sierra Kid]

Hello all. Maybe I'm dong something wrong here. I set my MXT up like instruction manual says to for prospecting mode, but it is just too noisy. I find myself going to "Relic" mode and having a better time. I am picking up small stuff so I know its working. Am I missing something by avoiding "Prospecting" mode? There is very high ground mineralization and hot rocks every few feet. Any info would be great. Thanks, Cork

 

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[Yellow Hammer]

Hi,

I'm not forgetting anything. The question was about tips for using the MXT, not what PI to use. I'm all for PI units and use a GPX-4500 myself. But if somebody wants tips on their MXT or whatever then that's what I'll offer. Alaska is far from a homogenous situation as it covers an area the size of the western United States. I own claims with hot rocks bad enough you can't tune them out with a Minelab SD (my GPX will do it) but I can still come up with gold there with an MXT. I'm not saying it is my preferred alternative for that situation but if it was all I had I'd still bring home some gold.

Steve Herschbach

Hey Steve,

Don't get me wrong I am not bagging on you guys up north. I know about you and Moore creek and am looking forward to getting up there. I am still on a learning curve with my PI's after using a VLF. Just suggesting that he trays a diffrent coil on the MXT. He may be able to tune out a little more with another coil. www.kellycodetectors.com/accessories/searchcoils.htm

 

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[Sierra Kid]

Jim,

Great info. I am appreciative of the time trying to figure out my issue. I will go with a DD coil and see how much that helps. I find myself having a more enjoyable experience in Relic mode and the MXT will correctly identify the hot rocks almost 100 percent of the time in this mode. I can actually see them and know they are hot even before I run my coil over it. The hot rocks all look volcanic, but are also pretty dense and heavy. This place is loaded with them. If you have ever hunted in the Mojave, you can relate! I dig up pretty much anything with a probability of Iron less than 70 percent and have found some odd stuff. The old timers left a ton of stuff behind. The advice in the forums is incredible. Thanks again!

Cork

 

[Sierra Kid]

Jim,

I have tried C&J, but it seems to act like like Prospecting mode---all over the place. The hot rocks don't really bother me in Relic because they make a soft grunt that I can distinguish pretty easy. I am finding small lead, 22 shells, and stuff like that, so hopefully I will finally find some gold. I think I expected too much from the GB function. White's should come down here and try it. They might design a whole new detector! Cork

 

[Steve Herschbach]

Hi Yellow Hammer,

I apologize, as I have developed a bit of a knee-jerk reaction. I've seen way too many people with VLF nugget detectors ask for help, only to be told "your machine can't find gold - get a Minelab." If I had to own only one detector it would be my GPX-4500. A truly incredible piece of technology. But if all I had was a good old original Gold Bug I'd go out and find some gold.

I might have to work harder, and I might not find as much gold. But I'd still find more gold than the next guy more often than not. The secret is to research good locations. Put yourself on ground where gold nuggets can be found. Know the basic techniques (coil to the ground, etc.) and be patient. And put in the hours!!!!!

Finding gold is not easy. It takes time, dedication, and knowledge. Along the way the detector you use can make a difference, but after watching hundreds of people detect for gold I can swear to you it is not as important as the sum of the other factors. The detectorist finds the gold, not the detector.

Cork, on coils? The worse the ground, the smaller the coil should be on a VLF. The coil "sees" the ground, and so it is about separating the volume of ground seen from the target. The old snow in the headlights effect. High beams suck in a snowstorm because you see too much snow. Go to low beams. Too much mineralization, go to lower sensitivity or gain levels and reduce coil size. When comparing coils, measure the width, not the length. A 5' X 10" elliptical is closer to a 5" coil for performance than a 10" coil. Think of it as a "stretched 5". True measure is actually square inches of ground coverage. Mono (concentric) coils "see" more ground than DD coils and so DD coils are better in severe mineral situations.

So taking a W.A.G. I'd say given your mineralization indications (by the way the GB number is TYPE of mineralization, not AMOUNT) a 5" x 10" DD would be a safe bet. For places I hunt a 10" round DD has me intrigued. But it is all about balancing out factors. You have to try things and see what works best where you are. If it was "use this detector, and this coil, and tune like this" there would be no challenge in the sport.

Once you learn your machine and put yourself on the right ground, it really is all about hours. At the end of the day I do well compared to some simply because I am up earlier than them, I'm still detecting while they take a break, and when they've quit for the day I'm still detecting. Nothing beats sheer determination and ground coverage. I do not employ magic tuning tricks. I just detect more hours than most.

Steve Herschbach

Secret Tip - Sometimes a $5 gold pan is better than a $5000 metal detector!

 

[Steve Herschbach]

Hi Jim,

I'd like to note I appreciate your very informative posts.

"I think any autotracking should include a manually adjustable override in terms of track offset...ie so that you could run it from one to five full GB units either positive or negative."

Like on the White's DFX!

"Plus I think they should also include a manual ground balance so that we have some way to check hot/suspect rocks, short of including a circuit as I described above."

Like on the White's GMT!

"There is always something would have been very useful that is not included on every model currently available. Is that by design too?"

Well, probably not. The designing process is very insular. But the fact is the pieces are out there, and suggestions like yours are too often overlooked. Go to the White's Forum and talk them up. Carl is listening. The idea of using the DFX autotracking offset on nugget hunting units is brilliant.

Steve Herschbach

 

[Sierra Kid]

Great inputs again! Thanks Steve.

Jim,

You are correct about finding gold. Research is the key. I'm a relative newbie but am learning as much as possible. Gold is where you find it, and if i'm not out there finding it, I will not have any! I am reading about geological formations and where to look. Knowing where to look can be tricky as I am finding out. I hope to invest more time in the near future looking for gold as well as learning my machine better. I'll have to order a 5 x 10 DD coil from Whites this week. Cheers, Cork

 

[Yellow Hammer]

Hey Cork,
A book you definitely want to get and read is (Follow the Drywashers by Jim Straight). Going to places where gold has been found before will speed up the process of you finding gold nuggets. Regardless of what detector you own if there's no past history of gold your screwed unless your lucky.

 

[Steve Herschbach]

Hi,

I was talking to a guy just the other day who has been out nugget hunting but had no success. Turns out he was not doing any research but just detecting wherever.

If you want to catch a salmon anyone with any sense will go to a stream known to have salmon in it. To do otherwise would be a waste of time. You are unlikely to discover some new stream with salmon in it that everyone else has overlooked.

You are just as unlikely to discover some area with large gold within inches of the surface (detectable gold) that eveyone has overlooked. The areas where gold is found in this country is pretty well nailed down. Now, in a given gold district there are certainly still new finds to be made. But to hunt in areas where nobody has found gold will reduce your chances almost to zero.

The truth is many of the best locations are on mining claims. This presents a huge opportunity to those willing to take the effort of contacting claim owners and gaining permission to hunt their claims.

Steve Herschbach

 

[arizonaames]

Very good advice, Steve.....jim

 

[Nullers]

Cork,

Check out Red Rock books in town, they have a few different books by Jim Straight. They all look like good reading.

I think I got the last copy of this one

 

[extractor]

Good thread!

 

[49erjohn]

STEVE , how is you prospecting going for you in alaska? john

 

[kuger]

I'll 2nd what Steve said. Run in Relic, turn the gain all the way up, and set the disc at 2. The machine will either grunt or chirp at you. Dig the chirps....

I second that and what Steve said....he should know!!!

 

[Sierra Kid]

Tried the settings as recommended by Steve. Worked pretty good. If there was any gold, I would have found it. Thanks!