Metal Detecting & Prospecting

One of the most popular devices for separating fine placer from black sand concentrates is the famous Blue Bowl Concentrator. It is a type of gravity dam—the black sand is washed up and over a hollow plastic cone leaving only fine gold along the base of the cone and the bottom of the bowl.

So, you want to search for gold ore. How do you identify good gold prospects? If your strategy involves crushing any and every rock you come across, you'll be crushing for the rest of your life and won't find a flake. Here are some simple field tests you can perform to help you narrow your search.

While you should always check your local laws before you go metal detecting anywhere, there are several places you can typically metal detect without permission.

The AT Pro metal detector is capable of locating deep silver coins in the ground. Check out my tips for using this machine to find those deeper coins that others have missed.

The grass between the curb and the sidewalk is a good place to go metal detecting for coins and rings. Check out my tips for metal detecting sidewalk grass.

The sluice (usually a wood, metal or plastic channel) allows water in a running creek to pass through with the heaviest of material (gold) settling behind riffles. Here's why setup and cleaning are crucial.

Asking a homeowner for permission to metal detect their yard might sound scary, but it's a lot easier than you think. With most public places already being hunted out, it's a lot easier to find rare coins and relics on private property.

Old swimming holes are great places to find rare coins and antique rings. Check out my tips for finding forgotten swimming holes and recovering cool stuff from them.

Finding old coins with a metal detector is a bit more challenging than finding modern coins that are often buried right below the surface. Check out my tips to help you find more old coins for your collection.

Digging holes responsibly when metal detecting is respectful to both the property owner and the hobby itself. Learn how to recover objects from the ground without ruining grass and making a mess.

New gold prospectors have a problem on their first gold club outing. They've heard about panning for gold, and maybe how to use recovery equipment, but on claim arrival finding a spot is a new story.

If you want to try panning for gold, you might want to practice the techniques at home in your own yard.

Using the right digging tools for metal detecting makes cutting open dirt plugs a lot easier. Check out my recommendations for the best metal detecting digging tools that I personally use.

Finding gold in the wild is hard. Where to to pan for gold is of paramount importance. Whether placer gold deposits or hard rock gold, you need an edge. Here are some gold geological considerations.

Some basic gold prospecting supplies are essential for large mining companies and the recreational gold-miner. Dry washers are a type of equipment useful in the dry southwest, particularly Arizona.

What most don't realize is that you can find gold, silver and gemstones near your own home. But there are a few reasons you probably won't.