What is a Gold Detector?

Gold Detectors are simply metal detectors designed for the goldfields, and they're often optimised to either find small shallow gold or large deep gold other metal detectors can miss. This is thanks in part to their ability to 'see through' mineralised soils found in many goldfields.

Contrary to a common misconception "gold detectors" don't only find gold, they will detect all types of metals. Gold detectors are often unsuitable for targeting specific metals which means you will have to dig everything. This means many gold detectors are unsuitable for coin, relic and beach detecting.

Can all Metal Detectors find Gold?

All metal detectors can find gold in the same way that all cars can race. Some metal detectors are specifically designed to find gold nuggets and we often refer to these as gold detectors whilst other detectors are better at searching for coins, relics and jewellery which are often classified as "Treasure Detectors".

What makes gold detectors more suited to finding gold is primarily their ability to handle and 'see through' the highly mineralised soils which are common to the goldfields.

Are there Metal Detectors which only find Gold?

At this point in time there are no metal detectors in the world which will only find gold.

Some metal detectors are better at finding gold nuggets in difficult soil than others which makes them great gold detectors and. They're are more suitable for finding gold nuggets because these detectors are developed to 'see through' the mineralised soils where gold nuggets are typically found, but they will detect all types of metals. However other metal detectors are better for searching out coins and jewellery because they can ignore (discriminate) trash.

What makes the best Gold Detectors?

As mentioned, while all detectors can find gold, the best Gold Detectors are extremely good at ‘seeing’ gold and all types of metal through the mineralised soils we frequently encounter in Australia. 

Less specialised metal detectors can be greatly affected by these minerals found in the goldfield soils. Gold detectors are also generally very sensitive to either very small or very deep metal targets. Australia has some of the richest gold fields in the world but gold prospecting is just one of the many ways you can use a metal detector to find rare and valuable items in Australia!

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