Tantalum

[605dano]

Does anyone know if a metal detector will detect tantalum. If so will it sound off as iron or some other metal?

 

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[Prospector70]

Yes google says. lol

No clue on the ping though.

Hope this helps!

 

[Professor of Engineering]

I believe it should since it is a highly conductive metal. It is used in the making of capacitors.

 

[woof!]

Tantalum - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Electrical conductivity is about 12% of that of silver, so it's going to be harder to detect than a highly conductive metal such as silver, copper, aluminum, or gold of similar size and shape. It's very slightly magnetic, not enough to throw target ID into the iron range. As with any metal, detectability depends on the size and shape of the piece as well as the characteristics of the metal detector itself.

Tantalum does not occur as free metal "nuggets" in nature, so I suppose you're talking about detecting tantalum manufactured products. The powder itself will be hard to detect because the electrical path has to go through small contact points and (depending on the material) the powder granules may have an oxide layer preventing electrical contact. Electrical conductivity of sintered material will be a lot lower than that of the pure bulk metal because of the lower density and the meandering paths necessary to support current flow. Also note that alloys in general will have electrical conductivity lower than that of the pure metal.

 

[605dano]

There are pegmatites around here where crystals and masses occur. Have seen nuggets off mine dumps where material is very heavy and mettallic. Was wondering if I could metal detect for them.

 

[woof!]

There are pegmatites around here where crystals and masses occur. Have seen nuggets off mine dumps where material is very heavy and mettallic. Was wondering if I could metal detect for them.

It depends on what the "them" are. All pegmatites have lots of crystals, mostly of silicate minerals. Off the top of my head I can't think of any actual metal that occurs as free masses in pegmatites.

 

[Hard Prospector]

woof,
Can you comment on anything new or improved from Fisher regarding gold prospecting detectors? Somebody had to ask, thanks.....Rob

 

[Jim Hemmingway]

Glad you asked Rob. I'm curious about forum rumors indicating Fisher is working on a PI unit suitable for prospecting. This much I'd like to know, prior to pulling a trigger elsewhere. Anything you could say Dave would be appreciated, although such would surprise me...

Jim.

 

[woof!]

Yep, I can confirm that rumors do exist, I've seen them myself.

 

[Hard Prospector]

Yep, I can confirm that rumors do exist, I've seen them myself.

OK, suppose I asked for that one

 

[605dano]

There are many minerals crystals in pegmatite that have a metal in thier composition. Casserite, coloumbite, uraninite,wolframite,sheelite,and many others but I wonder if any detectable with a metal detector?

 

[woof!]

Metal detectors don't detect metallic elements in a compound, they detect electrical conductive material (usually free metal) of sufficient size (typically about the size of a grain of rice or larger) that the signal can overcome the noise floor (sensitivity limit) of the metal detector. I am not aware of any occurrence of nodules of free metal in pegmatites.

A few minerals have sufficient electrical conductivity to be detectable, in particular several sulfide and related ores, and possibly several oxides. These materials are semiconductors and with the exception of several sulfide ores, small pieces of such will not be detectable. Ordinary iron pyrites are usually undetectable. To my knowledge sulfide and chemically related ores are not present in pegmatites inasmuch as these are mostly hydrothermal minerals.

Magnetite is present in some pegmatites and because of its magnetic susceptibility (not electrical conductivity) may be detected by a metal detector if the ground balance control is offset or if the piece of magnetite is large. However not many people are interested in collecting magnetite esp. using a metal detector to locate it. The eyeball usually works better.

Maghemite (gamma ferric oxide) is a soil and rock-weathering mineral detectable with metal detectors because its magnetic loss angle (imaginary component of magnetic susceptibility) makes it hard to knock out by ground balancing. It does not occur within pegmatite mass although it can form in weathered material. Nobody besides soil and rock scientists collects maghemite. And as a matter of fact, that's what several of us First Texas Products folks did on a field expedition yesterday.

 

[NeoTokyo]

HP I am going to assume that woof!'s answer is actually a good answer in disguise.
I would take that as a good sign that they are working on one because if they weren't I am sure he would have said "Nope."