Metal Detector or Panning & Sluicing, or both?

[Greyfox08]

Metal Detector or Panning & Sluicing, or both?

I've got some good suggestions from members of the forum about which nugget hunter to buy. But the more research I do the more questions I have. I'm going with the GB-II. Aafter reading everything I've read it's appears to be the goods. It doesn't have Auto Balance, but it meets my price range and does the job.

BUT! ..... now I'd like some input about Metal Detecting verses Panning & Sluicing. With all the snow we've had in northeastern Oregon the run-off is going to move more material down creek and rivers this spring than in years past. With a limited income I'd like to hear from those in the know, is the metal detector, panning & sluicing or both the way to go this spring and summer?

 

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[UncleVinnys]

Re: Metal Detector or Panning & Sluicing, or both?

Hard to say - those two methods may just be opposite sides of the same coin.
I would think it depends on the size of the nuggets in your area.
The sluice may just pick up smaller specs that the detector would miss.

And hoping not to rain on your parade, but from what I've read gold is
OFTEN found in mineralized soil, which means you really do need a good
ground balance for a detector. My 2-cents.
Good luck. Hey nice truck too!

 

[golddigger14s]

Re: Metal Detector or Panning & Sluicing, or both?

I think most OR stuff is small so I would be "sluicin" and detecting. If you can find something big enough to detect there is probably smaller stuff that can't be detected around it to run through the sluice. PS. I like my GB2 also.

 

[kuger]

Re: Metal Detector or Panning & Sluicing, or both?

When he said it doesnt have auto ground balance (that is a good thing)you still ground balance the machine you just do it manually,auto ground balance has a tendency to balance out small gold.The GB,is no slouch and thousands and thousands of ounces of gold has been found with them.As far as what to get you cant have too many tools in your arsenal(within reason)use your detecter and sluice together if practical,or if you get tired of detecting or vice versa go sluicing for a while.Panning is the basis to all prospecting,you should first scout an area by panning before sluicing and you will have to pan your concentrates from your sluice at the end of the day.Its all hard tedious work though,good luck!

 

[Eu_citzen]

Re: Metal Detector or Panning & Sluicing, or both?

I agree with Kuger MD and sluice and Pan is an excellent combo!

 

[Hoser John]

Re: Metal Detector or Panning & Sluicing, or both?

BOTH OF COARSE. Whenever possible I use the sluice to facilitate my detecting(TLST & GB2). You'll get 10x the gold too. Set up the sluice and detect using a couple a dozen poker chips to mark spots. Then simply use a small shovel and bucket and dump the hits into the sluice and get back to work!! By stopping and playing the insane game of trying to find the target you absolutely kill your production AND you get ALL the gold and not just the largest nuggets. Of coarse in dry conditions it's not a option---drywasher anyone?? When your a weekend warrior or eating outta your gold finds TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE. Work smarter,move more dirt,and prosper -Tons a au 2 u 2-John

 

[Eu_citzen]

Re: Metal Detector or Panning & Sluicing, or both?

BOTH OF COARSE. Whenever possible I use the sluice to facilitate my detecting(TLST & GB2). You'll get 10x the gold too. Set up the sluice and detect using a couple a dozen poker chips to mark spots. Then simply use a small shovel and bucket and dump the hits into the sluice and get back to work!! By stopping and playing the insane game of trying to find the target you absolutely kill your production AND you get ALL the gold and not just the largest nuggets. Of coarse in dry conditions it's not a option---drywasher anyone?? When your a weekend warrior or eating outta your gold finds TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE. Work smarter,move more dirt,and prosper -Tons a au 2 u 2-John

Amen to that John!

 

[dmc161]

Re: Metal Detector or Panning & Sluicing, or both?

We do both, my husband metal detects while I do the panning, and he just bought me a sluice so now we're good to go. We've been up to a couple claims with with me only panning while he detects, neither of us having any luck thus far but having the sluice will be a big help, at least for me. The next item on our list will probably be another detector since we also go out and hunt the beaches & parks, which I get stuck with the digging since we only have one detector. He'll probably upgrade from the MXT and give me that one to use.

 

[Strikefleet5326s]

Re: Metal Detector or Panning & Sluicing, or both?

BOTH OF COARSE. Whenever possible I use the sluice to facilitate my detecting(TLST & GB2). You'll get 10x the gold too. Set up the sluice and detect using a couple a dozen poker chips to mark spots. Then simply use a small shovel and bucket and dump the hits into the sluice and get back to work!! By stopping and playing the insane game of trying to find the target you absolutely kill your production AND you get ALL the gold and not just the largest nuggets. Of coarse in dry conditions it's not a option---drywasher anyone?? When your a weekend warrior or eating outta your gold finds TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE. Work smarter,move more dirt,and prosper -Tons a au 2 u 2-John

Good advice.

 

[Urban Prospector]

Re: Metal Detector or Panning & Sluicing, or both?

Use the detector to locate the mineralized soil. When you locate iron in the soil IE black sand dig it and pan or sluice. Put the gold in a vial and go wee wee wee all the way home. ( make it sound easy huh)