Metal detectors are an essential part of any plan to look for gold. There are many different kinds of metal detectors available on the market, at a wide range of price points, making shopping for a metal detector that will work for you a tricky proposition.

Before considering specific models of metal detectors, it is important to understand exactly how a metal detector works. They all work on the same basic principle, in that they feature a coil on the wand that becomes an electromagnet when the metal detector is turned on. The kind of gold you are planning to search for determines what specific kind of metal detector you need, as the ones required to find gold nuggets tend to be more expensive than those that would find buried jewelry.

There are two basic kinds of metal detectors. One is induction balance, also known as a VLF model. This version works by moving the energy up and down through the coil, which makes the machine more sensitive, triggering the discovery of smaller amounts of minerals than other detectors will.

The other kind of metal detector is a pulse induction, or PI, model. In these machines, the metal detector works by pushing pulses of energy through the coil in short bursts. They are less sensitive to small amounts of minerals than the induction balance detectors but can detect minerals that are deeper in the ground than the induction balance detectors.

The flagship metal detector for most serious gold-hunters is the Fisher Gold Bug 2. This highly powerful induction detector has a wide range of special features and coil sizes to make it versatile enough for any mineral searcher. Field tests indicate that this metal detector can find very small gold nuggets, down to half a gram, at a distance of 1.5 inches.

Another popular choice is the Goldmaster GMT, which is said to be the best in the VLF, or very low frequency, class. One unique feature of the Goldmaster GMT is the ability to “follow the streak” to track gold deposits more easily and effectively.

Simply buying a metal detector is not enough to make a person into a gold prospector. Metal detectors are valuable tools, that are best used in conjunction with traditional mineral finding techniques. Understanding the kind of rocks and mineral content in the soil of the area where you are prospecting, as well as the history of gold discovery in the area, is essential to know before you take your metal detector out to hunt for gold.

Gold metal detectors are not inexpensive items and extensive research into your needs is recommended before purchasing anything. However, having a good metal detector can make finding gold a feasible option for you.

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