How to Compare Metal Detectors for Gold

Beaches are popular destinations for metal hunters.

Gold metal detectors work the same way any other types of metal detectors work. All metal detectors work by emitting an electromagnetic field to detect objects that are capable of conducting electricity. But there are a few features you should look for that are particular to gold metal detectors to ensure that you get the metal detector that fits your needs best.

Instructions

1. Compare prospective gold metal detectors by their sensitivity. Metal detectors with high operating frequencies are great for finding flakes of gold near the surface of the ground, while detectors with lower frequencies penetrate further into the ground to find larger gold nuggets. According to AKMining's website, most gold metal detector frequencies range between 6.4kHz and 71kHz.

2. Compare size of the headphone jacks on your prospective gold metal detectors. Headphone jacks may come in 1/4 inch and 1/8 inch sizes. And if you already have a nice set of headphones, selecting a metal detector with a compatible audio jack can save you money.

3. Check each of your prospective gold metal detectors for a "discrimination" feature to help differentiate between gold and other metals in the ground. While all gold metal detectors should have some form of discrimination, it is still a good idea to compare modes of discrimination offered by each gold metal detector.

4. Compare the sizes of the search coils on the gold metal detectors that you are considering. The search coil beams a conical, electromagnetic beam into the ground to scan for metal. Look for smaller search coils if you will focus on smaller gold items near the surface or check for larger coils for deeper and wider scans.

References

• Alaska Mining: Metal Detecting for Gold Nuggets
• KellyCo Detectors: Compare Features
• Metal Detector: Metal Detectors Buying Guide