Searching archives $ nugget shooting in Alaska

[mwaynebennett]

I tried to use the "SEARCH" function to search the BH forum for "VLF" and got no results.

I want to know what Very Low Frequency means in the family of BH machines. Most likely the "Bounty Hunter VLF" model of Very Low Frequency machines would indeed be Very Low Frequency. How about the BH Gold Digger model? How about all the others on up... Elite, Discovery, Pioneer, Platinum etc.? Are they VLF machines? What is the definition of VLF when applied to metal detectors?

I mention this because I MAY get the opportunity to visit Gains Mines in Alaska in 2012 and from what I have read is that any VLF machine would do well. At Gains Mines, bulldozers spread out tailings from past mining operations of 50-120 years ago and then people use their own metal detectors to look for nuggets. A number of folks come out of there after a week or two with about $50,000 dollars in gold. In order to MD there, you must pay to do so and that costs $3000 per week and includes board and room. To get there and back from the Pacific NW costs about $1000 and three different plane rides each way. One article I read said that any MD that was good at finding coins and jewelry would also do well. The main criteria is that the amount of iron discrimination must be adjustable because over the years, much ferrous trash such as cans and nails is among the tailings and that if you discriminate that region too much, you will miss part of the gold spectrum.

Do any of you have any experience with gold nugget hunting and perhaps doing so in Alaska?

Mark
Elite 2200
Pioneer 505

 

[BDCC13]

Let's not be shy about this folks, I too am interested in this topic.

 

[Dave J.]

Any VLF machine will pick up a gold nugget that's big enough and shallow enough, but there aren't a whole of big shallow nuggets laying around. When it comes to coinshooting in the park, inexpensive machines can do a good job, in the same league as the big guns if you know what you're doing. However when it comes to gold prospecting, there is no comparison between a machine designed to gold prospecting, and an inexpensive coinshooter.

In the Bounty Hunter lineup there is nothing designed specifically with gold prospecting in mind. There are several models in both the Teknetics and Fisher lineup which are designed with gold prospecting in mind. (I can get away with saying that on a Bounty Hunter forum because they all come out of the same factory designed by the same engineers.)

--Dave J.

 

[Jackpine Savage]

but from what I understand the ground is okay, it's mostly the ferrous trash you have to contend with. The MXT is very popular there and most are using it equipped with bigger than stock coils. Problem is the MXT gives good signals on the deeper iron which wastes time digging. Just guessing but the new Gold Bug or G2 with the 11"DD in disc mode could do very well there. The all metal mode is very sensitive to small nuggets and has basic target ID that is effective at eliminating a lot of the iron. Softer hits beyond the depth they are capable of producing a target ID on will still have to be checked out same as with the MXT. Now the disc mode with its adjustable tone break should be ideal for the conditions at Gaines and the best to use in the worst iron areas. It's less sensitive on the smaller stuff compared to all metal but will hunt iron very effectively and with the 11" DD coil should get down there depthwise on the big nuggets Gaines is noted for.

Good luck on your trip!

Tom Z

 

[mwaynebennett]

Hey TZ, from what I gather, the people who go to Ganes ignore the smaller nuggets and only go for the larger ones. I have a question regarding the purity of the nuggets found there. They are not likely 100% pure gold but some alloy of copper and or silver. I have some smaller 14k gold jewelry that I thought I would test with my BH machines to see at what depth they can be detected. If I 'm going to spend $4k on a trip up there, I don't want to show up with an inadequate detector.

Thanks for the info.

Mark
Elite 2200
Pioneer 505

 

[Jackpine Savage]

Mark check with the owners on the nugget purity as I have no idea. If you strictly want to go after the bigger nuggets give the Fisher F75 some thouggt. It has gotten very good reports from users up there.

Tom

 

[mwaynebennett]

If there is so much gold at Ganes mine, when who don't the owners simply extract it themselves? If there is more money to be made from people paying to go metal detecting there, then perhaps I should buy a bunch of gold nuggets and sprinkle them on my property and have people pay me to go looking for them.

Fore some reason, the Ganes mine thing seem a little bit fishy. About 15 years ago, a fellow near Eatonville WA claimed there was gold on his land. A local prospecting club paid him money so members could go panning there. Long story short, the owner had been salting the area with gold. He got paid more from the club than the value of the gold.

Mark