Question on Minelab 705 detector and standard coil for finding gold

[bjgiff]

I have a Minelab xterra 705 detector. It has the standard 9" coil vs the one that comes in the gold package. I am going to pan some streams this weekend with friends and family. The area is known for some pockets of fine gold along tree roots in streams, rocks and other areas of that catch run off. Overall fairly scarce on the gold end. Can I set up the 705 with the standard coil to help find any pockets of fine gold in the streams or am I better to wait until I get the coil that comes with the gold package? If the standard coil can be used, any suggestions of how to set up the detector? Being in streams there shouldn't be any trash to speak of.

 

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[meMiner]

No trash? LOL

My best advise is as follows: The coil size will not matter -you likely won't find fine gold with it, unless there are nuggets. Instead, what you might find is some "heavies" such as old nails, boot tacks, bits of other stuff that will accumulate in the same spots as gold that the detector will give a signal. Otherwise, save the effort and just pan/sample in the places that gold tends to accumulate on the "gold path".

Good luck. I was not trying to be insulting. It is just that I have never found a spot ever (wet or dry) that did not have trash.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

You need the 18.75khz coil, you want find it with the 3.5 or 7.5 khz coils...

 

[nuggetshooter323]

An Xterra 705 even with the correct 18.75khz, might detect a 1gn. nugget right on top. But it wouldn't detect anything smaller at all or anything at depth, you would need a GB2, GMT or a F75 with a 6" coil to even have prayer. For fine gold in a stream it's much easier to sample with a pan, then run a sluice box in your best area.

 

[Grumpie]

How big does a piece of gold have to be to be considered a nugget.
To me, one grn of anything is closer to dust then a nugget. Slucing for sure

 

[nuggetshooter323]

How big does a piece of gold have to be to be considered a nugget.
To me, one grn of anything is closer to dust then a nugget. Slucing for sure

It's a matter of opinion, some people might call a 1gn nugget a picker.

 

[Grumpie]

An Xterra 705 even with the correct 18.75khz, might detect a 1gn. nugget right on top. But it wouldn't detect anything smaller at all or anything at depth, you would need a GB2, GMT or a F75 with a 6" coil to even have prayer. For fine gold in a stream it's much easier to sample with a pan, then run a sluice box in your best area.[/QUOTE

Take a poker chip put a dab of glue on it and place a # 9 bird shot on it. And keep it handy for when you're out in the field. I'm sure your detector will pick it up with the 18 khz coil. If the machine picks up the shot it will get the gold on the surface/ bedrock sprinkle some dirt over it as well just to see if it can pick it up. Just use it to listen to the change in threshold. Good headphones will help. Try different size nuggets. If you don't have any eBay will.
This will help build your confidence in the detector.
I don't know if it's a good comparison but my TSL and fors gold + will pick up the shot. The TSL is a 17 khz. FyI the shot doesn't have to touch the tesoro lobo's coil for it to pick it up.
I'm new at this as well and mastering your detector is the only way to find gold. I think a lot of people sale there detectors before they master it thinking the next one they buy will be better not the case. Keep it and master it.

 

[Goldwasher]

you can't find " pockets" of fine gold with a detector. Even a vial with fine gold in the corner of it doesn't give off the same signal as a nugget of the same weight.

 

[bug]

Stream placer gold is generally sitting on the bedrock, and in the cracks. That's where you need to detect. If the creek is all overburden city and not known for nuggets, your probably better off looking for another stream that is detector friendly.

 

[kiwi jw]

No trash? LOL

My best advise is as follows: The coil size will not matter -you likely won't find fine gold with it, unless there are nuggets. Instead, what you might find is some "heavies" such as old nails, boot tacks, bits of other stuff that will accumulate in the same spots as gold that the detector will give a signal. Otherwise, save the effort and just pan/sample in the places that gold tends to accumulate on the "gold path".

Good luck. I was not trying to be insulting. It is just that I have never found a spot ever (wet or dry) that did not have trash.

Very sound advise.
You could use your detector to locate the highest concentrations of black sand in the stream. If it is there you will find it will follow a path & any fine gold, flood gold, should be within the same path. Then just process that line through your sluice box. It more than likely wont run very deep if it is just a flood line deposit. Probably no more than 6" if even that.
Good luck

JW