Gold Basin Arizona Questions

[XTerraman]

I am planning a trip to Gold Basin Arizona to search for meteorites with the kids. Believe me, I'd rather be hunting for nuggets. But, the kids love the Meteorite Men show and want to give this a try for a couple of days. I have never been to Gold Basin, so I would like to ask others here for tips and advice for having a good chance of finding a meteorite at Gold Basin. I will be bringing my X-Terra 70 with three coils. (3, 7.5 and 18.75khz 9" concentric coils) Any recommendations on best setup for Gold Basin would be appreciated. And, if you have been there and would be willing to share advice on where to search would be appreciated. Are any fees or permits required to search Gold Basin?

Thanks,

X-Terraman

 

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[LuckyDragon]

I advise you to contact the U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
here is their website http://www.blm.gov/az/st/en.html
you can get maps there and important imformation.
You don't need to be on state land.
thier be glad to help you out.

 

[Reg]

Hi X,

Gold Basin has been hit hard, but there is still both gold and meteorites to be found there.

It is a good idea to get a BLM map of the area and learn to use the Geocommunicator so you can look at the area and even print out a map showing active mining claims as well as what is private and public land.

Armed with both, when you drive in to the Gold Basin area, you will make a very sharp S curve and immediately see where they have cut roads to your left for property sales. From that point north clear to the National park boundary, meteorites have been found on both sides of the main road. On the west side I have found them as far as 4 to 5 miles from the road. On the east side of the main road, I have found them maybe a half mile from the main road.

I have attached a map copied from the Geocommunicator showing BLM (yellow) and private (white) sections. The blocked yellow areas with gold colored diagonal lines indicated areas are under active claim. The purple area is the Federal Park area and is off limits to metal detecting of any kind. This map and any other showing roads can give you an idea of the area.

Follow the road starting at the lower right and going through the private section with the lines that sort of look like a lined sheet of paper and from that point north is the area where most of the meteorites were found that I know of.

Reg

 

[Reg]

Hi X,

I didn't mention the best setup for your detector since I am not familiar with it. Now, with that said, I used several detectors and all in the all metal mode, not the disc mode or even the all metal setting in the disc mode. Instead, I was using a gold machine, a PI, or a good coin machine in the all metal mode and ground balanced to minimize any response from hotrocks since there are a bunch of hotrocks there in certain places out on the flats.

The meteorites normally found are stony types that respond with a weak signal when compared to a metal object. BTW, there are what appears to be meteorites from a couple of different meteorite finds since some different type of stony's have been found there.

If you have never hunted meteorites there and want something that sort of signals somewhat like the meteorites, one could use a piece of basalt that generates a strong signal or an old red clay fired brick from the turn of the century used in old houses. Some of them can give a reasonably strong response for a rock type signal. These two type test targets usually have a lesser response than the local meteorite, but not by that much, so if you can detect the brick or the basalt, you should be able to detect the meteorites found at Gold Basin.

Good luck and have fun.

Reg