Gold mining and the Teknetics 4000?

[Wishbone]

I have a chance to buy a "like new" Teknetics 4000 (only used twice) for about the third of the price of a new one. I am waiting to hear back from the owner as we speak, it's to good of a deal to pass up!

It will be my first detector and I plan on using it on my placer gold claim, and that's where I need some help please? It's a dry placer claim (no water or creeks). It has LOT'S of minerals on it though, because I have the original assay report done on the property by the previous owner.
There is some good stuff under the ground, like: gold, silver, copper, nickel, cobalt and others. But it also has some of the not so good stuff, like: iron, lead, aluminium, zinc, and others (the minerals tested added up to 29 in all).
Now I'd like to spend my money on some more conventional mining equipment, but like I said earlier, the price and condition is just to good to ignore.
And that is my question, if you were a total rookie, going to the "Woodstock for minerals" with nothing but the Teknetics 4000, what coil would you use, what settings do you think would be best? Is there any links to prospecting with the 4000?
ANY and ALL help would be appreciated because I don't know nuth'in...lol.
Thanks

 

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[Phantasman]

Metal detecting technologies for gold prospecting

 

[Wishbone]

Metal detecting technologies for gold prospecting

Thanks Phantasman, the detector comes with 8" coil, but I know they sell a DD coil for it. Are those the only coils for the 4000?

 

[Terry Soloman]

I have a chance to buy a "like new" Teknetics 4000 (only used twice) for about the third of the price of a new one. I am waiting to hear back from the owner as we speak, it's to good of a deal to pass up!

It will be my first detector and I plan on using it on my placer gold claim, and that's where I need some help please? It's a dry placer claim (no water or creeks). It has LOT'S of minerals on it though, because I have the original assay report done on the property by the previous owner.
There is some good stuff under the ground, like: gold, silver, copper, nickel, cobalt and others. But it also has some of the not so good stuff, like: iron, lead, aluminium, zinc, and others (the minerals tested added up to 29 in all).
Now I'd like to spend my money on some more conventional mining equipment, but like I said earlier, the price and condition is just to good to ignore.
And that is my question, if you were a total rookie, going to the "Woodstock for minerals" with nothing but the Teknetics 4000, what coil would you use, what settings do you think would be best? Is there any links to prospecting with the 4000?
ANY and ALL help would be appreciated because I don't know nuth'in...lol.
Thanks

At 7.8kHz with no manual ground balance, this is NOT the machine you need for a placer gold claim. Whites GMT; Fisher Goldbug Pro; Tesoro Lobo Super Traq; Garrett AT Gold; Teknetics G2; Minelab 705..

 

[Wishbone]

I know that for sure Terry, it wasn't built for mining. But it's all I have and can afford, so it will have to do for now. at least it will help me find Iron. And there is lots of iron in black sand, and black sand sometimes holds gold.
I'm a new miner and metal detectorist so I am to naive to NOT try...lol.

 

[Terry Soloman]

I know that for sure Terry, it wasn't built for mining. But it's all I have and can afford, so it will have to do for now. at least it will help me find Iron. And there is lots of iron in black sand, and black sand sometimes holds gold.
I'm a new miner and metal detectorist so I am to naive to NOT try...lol.

Don't throw your money into the wrong machine. Take Your Time, and think about this. Nuggets are more rare than diamonds. If you don't have the right machine, you do not stand a chance in hot rocks and iron rich soils. Get a pan.

 

[Wishbone]

Don't throw your money into the wrong machine. Take Your Time, and think about this. Nuggets are more rare than diamonds. If you don't have the right machine, you do not stand a chance in hot rocks and iron rich soils. Get a pan.

LOL...I have 4 pans, a high banker and a Gold Cube, this is just a new toy that my friends and I can play with at the claim. There was a lot of prospecting and exploration that occurred on my claim in the 1900's, so I expect to find all sorts of artefacts and possessions too.
And you must admit, $100 is the price of a pin pointer, I get the whole Delta 4000. If my money tree blooms tomorrow, I can get the AT Gold, but for now, I'm Delta bound.

 

[vferrari]

If your mind was made up not sure why you posted. You got some sound advice. In highly mineralized ground don't expect much more than a $100 noise maker. The point is that you will likely not be sure what is setting it off under truly nasty black sand conditons since it can't be rebalanced from default. It may work for your modest needs at the claim or as something to get started with under less challenging soil conditions where it's excellent for the price but don't set you expectations too high at the claim.

 

[Wishbone]

If your mind was made up not sure why you posted. You got some sound advice. In highly mineralized ground don't expect much more than a $100 noise maker. The point is that you will likely not be sure what is setting it off under truly nasty black sand conditons since it can't be rebalanced from default. It may work for your modest needs at the claim or as something to get started with under less challenging soil conditions where it's excellent for the price but don't set you expectations too high at the claim.

Yeah, your right vferrari, I'll save it for the beach, or the stock car track after the weekend (I know the owner), that should be a gold mine.

 

[Garrett424]

The Delta is a great little detector for the money and if you can get it cheap it's probably a great buy.

That being said, I agree that it's no nugget hunter in highly mineralized ground. You may get lucky but if you want a nugget detector save up and get a nugget detector.

In the meantime if you want a great detector for the money the Delta is a great little detector for the money. For what it's worth, I'm also biased. I own a Delta and I love it so I'm not trying to shoot your idea down or anything. I just know from experience that using a detector that's not up to the task can get pretty frustrating at at times. You'll always walk away and wonder if you swung over a great target and missed it. Then you'll picture it lying in the ground and maybe even someone else coming along with the right equipment and picking up YOUR GOLD. It's not a pleasant feeling; trust me.

Just trying to give you a bit of perspective. But again, if you just want an all around detector the Delta will do the job until that time comes when you decide you've outgrown it. It will definitely locate lots of treasure, but maybe not exactly the type of treasure you have in mind.

Whatever you decide, good luck. I hope you find lots of gold.

 

[Wishbone]

The Delta is a great little detector for the money and if you can get it cheap it's probably a great buy.

That being said, I agree that it's no nugget hunter in highly mineralized ground. You may get lucky but if you want a nugget detector save up and get a nugget detector.

In the meantime if you want a great detector for the money the Delta is a great little detector for the money. For what it's worth, I'm also biased. I own a Delta and I love it so I'm not trying to shoot your idea down or anything. I just know from experience that using a detector that's not up to the task can get pretty frustrating at at times. You'll always wonder if you swung over a great target and missed. Then you'll picture it lying in the ground and maybe even someone else coming along with the right equipment and picking up YOUR GOLD.

Just trying to give you a bit of perspective. But again, if you just want an all around detector the Delta will do the job until that time comes when you decide you've outgrown it.

Whatever you decide, good luck. I hope you find lots of gold.

Thanks Garrett424, I look forward to learning detecting. There are lots of old mine sites in my area, maybe I could find a pocket watch, or maybe some old miner stashed his poke in an old tin can, I know the 4000 can find those.

 

[vferrari]

Like I said, great detector for the $ and a great learning detector if you are getting started because the interface is straight forward (my first "real" detector). You may indeed get lucky or find some good targets that the Delta can pull out of the mineralization muck, but it can be frustrating under those conditons and don't want a bad experience to dissuade you from the hobby. Suggest you get to know the Delta under more ideal soil conditions, use some test targets, then when you are comfortable with it see what it can do when challenged ( use some test targets in the mineralized soil to see how the signal and depth sre affected). Most of all have fun and you never know what might turn up. Oh and if you do use it at the beach, stay on the dry sand, wet sand will make it chirp as bad as with highly mineralized soil. The limitations at the extremes of soil conditions are what intice folks to eventually upgrade to a detector that csn be ground balanced under those conditions, though even the highest end single frequency detectors have trouble with extremely high mineralization. Best of luck.

 

[steve1357]

I know that for sure Terry, it wasn't built for mining. But it's all I have and can afford, so it will have to do for now. at least it will help me find Iron. And there is lots of iron in black sand, and black sand sometimes holds gold.
I'm a new miner and metal detectorist so I am to naive to NOT try...lol.

I think the opinion is to not even take it with you.

Have you tested at home to see if your hypothesis is correct?

 

[Wishbone]

I think the opinion is to not even take it with you.

Have you tested at home to see if your hypothesis is correct?

I'll be picking it up today Steve, and I'm going to start my training out at the local soccer field. I can understand the concern about getting frustrated by getting false or no signals up at the claim. But I think everyone is forgetting that us miners are used to digging "test" holes and finding nothing. As a rookie miner, that is just part of learning. I have 4 - 5 gallon bucket's of nothing but dirt at home to prove it...lol.
The good thing is the old time miner's and prospector's had change in their pocket's just like we do. But their change was actually made out of real silver, or copper, not the cheap stamped out coins we have now.

 

[steve1357]

I'll be picking it up today Steve, and I'm going to start my training out at the local soccer field. I can understand the concern about getting frustrated by getting false or no signals up at the claim. But I think everyone is forgetting that us miners are used to digging "test" holes and finding nothing. As a rookie miner, that is just part of learning. I have 4 - 5 gallon bucket's of nothing but dirt at home to prove it...lol.
The good thing is the old time miner's and prospector's had change in their pocket's just like we do. But their change was actually made out of real silver, or copper, not the cheap stamped out coins we have now.

Just saying, I wouldnt have wasted any money on a detector that will not work. Keep scrapping for a used gold detector.

Then again, you can probably get your money out of the 4000 later.

 

[Wishbone]

Just saying, I wouldnt have wasted any money on a detector that will not work. Keep scrapping for a used gold detector.

Then again, you can probably get your money out of the 4000 later.

I just bought a Teknetics Delta 4000 and headphones and a pinpointer, that is selling for $400 new (where I live), and only paid $100 for everything (she only used it twice, not even scratches)! That's not a waste of money in my books.

If I get that kind of deal on a AT Gold or Gold Bug, then I will jump all over that it too, because that is what I need! But for now, they were only giving away Delta's.

 

[steve1357]

I just bought a Teknetics Delta 4000 and headphones and a pinpointer, that is selling for $400 new (where I live), and only paid $100 for everything (she only used it twice, not even scratches)! That's not a waste of money in my books.

If I get that kind of deal on a AT Gold or Gold Bug, then I will jump all over that it too, because that is what I need! But for now, they were only giving away Delta's.

You've strayed from what you outlined in your original post.

The 4000 remains a waste of money in working a gold claim.

Good luck

 

[vferrari]

Steve1357 pretty much summed up why you got the response you did from the posters, since you pretty much stated from the get go that you wanted it exclusively for hunting at a highly mineralized claim site. I will add that if you intend to primarily use the Delta under the conditions for which it will work, then you got a really, really good deal. Otherwise, good deal or not, you will not find it was worth the $100 you could have spent for other tools of better use at the claim. Oh, and to answer your other question in the OP, I don't think it is worth it to spend full price to accessorize that detector with accessory coils (the coils new run $100 and up). The stock coil is good for that detector based on its other performance limitations (i.e., lack of adjustable ground balancing). Happy hunting.

 

[Wishbone]

Steve1357 pretty much summed up why you got the response you did from the posters, since you pretty much stated from the get go that you wanted it exclusively for hunting at a highly mineralized claim site. I will add that if you intend to primarily use the Delta under the conditions for which it will work, then you got a really, really good deal. Otherwise, good deal or not, you will not find it was worth the $100 you could have spent for other tools of better use at the claim. Oh, and to answer your other question in the OP, I don't think it is worth it to spend full price to accessorize that detector with accessory coils (the coils new run $100 and up). The stock coil is good for that detector based on its other performance limitations (i.e., lack of adjustable ground balancing). Happy hunting.

Got it, thanks!

 

[supertraq]

You can always use the Delta for coinshooting or to learn with and trade it in on a gold machine later,who knows you might make a good fnd with the Delta and be able to buy a new Tek G2+ or Racer gold.