Minelab target size question?

[machineman]

I posted this in the Minlabe SD,GP,GPX forum and got no response so I am going to try here. How small of gold will these detectors find? Which one was the first to consistantly find sub .1 gram nuggets? Also there is a guy in town that has a good condition GP3000 for $1900. Is this a good price and how does this detector do on the abouve mentioned question? Thanks

 

[steve herschbach]

Yikes! Consistently under 0.1 gram? Consistently under 2 grains?

There are people who are very good with the Minelab PI detectors who might be able to consistently get gold that small with them. I am NOT one of them! In general I would say units starting at the GP Extreme and since have the best shot at gold that small.

Me, I am using a VLF for gold that small, a White's Goldmaster series or Fisher Gold Bug 2. Way less money, and way more consistently able to perform on gold like that without needing to be a magician of an operator.

Steve Herschbach

 

[machineman]

I guess I was over estamating the minelab PI detectors. Most people say the Infinium is not all that good because it will only go down to about .3g. I figured that the minelabs must be getting much better than that. Or is it a depth thing? Thanks for the answer Steve. What do you think of the GP3000? I have my GM2 and Infinium. I am thinking my next detector will be a GB pro. I like the versitility of it.

 

[Reno Chris]

With a smaller coil I think you'd get that size - around 2 grains - fairly consistently with a GPX 5000 if its right near the surface, but with not much depth at all. Much smaller and you start having issues with the GPX. As Steve said, if you are going after tiny near surface tiny gold you'd be better off with a VLF like your GM2.The newer GPX series do better with the smaller gold than the earlier units like the 3000. Other than for general coin shooting in parks or cutting through real trashy areas, I dont think you'd find the GB Pro a huge improvement over the GM2.

The problem with asking questions like this is they ignore the mineralization of the ground. Recently, I was detecting at a claim I own in the Sierras. A friend found a nice 6 gram nugget essentially on the surface with a GB Pro, and after doing so he carefully detected all around it. After he was done and told me to have at it, I took my GPX to the spot. The ground at this particular place was very noisy and mineralized. I found two half gram nuggets within 18 inches of the spot where the 6 grammer was found - one on either side. Neither was at a depth of more than 2 inches. Can the GB Pro see a half gram nugget within 2 inches of the surface? Of course - however if the ground is noisy enough, the answer is no, it will not. The strength of the Minelab PI machines is in dealing with mineralized ground that VLFs have difficulty with.

 

[machineman]

Thanks chris. I was just kind of cirous aobut the target sizes on the minelabs asuming ideal conditions. I am looking at the GB pro as more of a general purpose machine. I have machines to cover my bases, Infinium, GM2, and Tesoro Outlaw. Problem is I dont really like taking 3 detectors every where I go. I figure I can use the GB pro for most hunting that I dont need the Infinium for. I use my Outlaw at home all the time but when I travel I dont always want to take more than one detector. I would love to have a Minelab PI but cant really justify the price right now. If I can turn up a few places where I am finding gold with the Infinium then I might but a Minelab to clean it out.

 

[steve herschbach]

The GP 3000 is an excellent detector. Better machine than the Infinium. Detecting is a game of an inch here and a few grains there. Much as I like the Infinium I would trade it for just about any Minelab made in a heartbeat.

Steve Herschbach

 

[fredm]

Just as a reference point I have set some small gold in the center of this photo. The scale is a centimeter cube over a dime (USA)...the gold left center are all smaller than .2 of a gram and some are to light to weigh on my digital scale...the gold center right are between .2 and .3 of a gram....the reast go up to about 6 grams max...I haven't found any big gold for a long time (weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth)...
Some of this gold was near the surface and some was not...some was found with 11 inch mono or DD and some was found with coils upto 18 inch...
Some was found in fairly easy ground and most was found under extremely unfriendly conditions...
All but one were found with my Minelab 3500...the littlest ones were found after I returned my Minelab to Oz and the guys downunder finally repaired it...my old GP Extreme was as sensitive as this detector and I would be happy to have it again but not the 2200 or 2000...
I don't always find gold but I am fairly consistent...for what it is worth...
Fred

 

[machineman]

Thanks thats more of what I was looking for. One of the GP machines is on my list when I can afford it. I wonder how good they are with the mods that I have seen on youtube? I have heard that the smaller mono coils are hot on smaller gold.

 

[fredm]

You can find a modded detector on the nugget hunting forums and on Find's classifieds from time to time...BUYER BEWARE! If you buy a 3000 or 3500 and send it to a Modder you will have a lot of money invested in a used machine with no warrenty...
Minelab apparently will not mess with modded machines...so, who you gonna call-when it breaks?

In my opinion, a fully functional GP EXtreme, 3000, 3500, 4000 or 4500 is your best bet for getting value for used equipment...the newer the better!

If your concern is mostly gold smaller than I find you really are better off with the Fishers and Whites nugget hunting machines...
I have an xterra-70 that will find gold but I love my 3500 and it finds gold that is getting too small for me to see...if I can't see it there is no fun in finding it...and if I can't pick it up between my stubby little digits it isn't any fun...and if I wanted to find every speck possible in the dirt I would wet-process it...that is work not fun...
The smallest coil I use is the 11 inch round commander or stock dd coils...I may some day get a small round commander coil...no doubt it would be a hot coil...but you won't cover much ground...give and take...
Also, the 11 inch dd makes avery sensitive psuedo-mono on the 3000 and newer...
I guess this horse is well tenderized now so...
good luck
fred