02-23-2008, 06:39 PM
[cool][#0000ff]I have done a lot of gold prospecting. I lived in Sacramento for quite a few years and did a lot of panning, sluicing and metal detecting. Even got some gold. Mostly a lot of exercise and fresh air, but still possible to find a bit of color.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Where are you planning to prospect? Metal detectors are best wherever there is the possibility of finding large flakes and small nuggets either in cracks in the rocks (dry streambeds) or close to the surface on bare ground. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]There was a place called "Rich Hill" down in Arizona that was popular with the metal detector fans because it has produced lots of nuggets over the years and still continues to do so. It was first discovered by some guys hunting for their horses and they discovered loose nuggets right on top of the ground over a large area. Of course you have to work a lot harder for the rare leftovers these days.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]While Utah has had a few areas that produced a bit of placer gold in the past, there are no areas I know of that have enough potential to make it worthwhile to use a metal detector. About the best you can hope for is a few fine flecks of color in the bottom of a gold pan...far too small to activate a metal detector.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]But, don't let that stop you from getting one. Utah is rich in old town sites where you can use the detector to find antiquities and coins. I once heard of a guy who drove up and down old rural roads and ran the detector around where mail boxes are...or used to be. People used to put unstamped letters in their mailboxes, with a few pennies to cover postage, and the mailman would sometimes accidently dump them into the snow or mud. Years later, a metal detector will find them and there are some valuable old dates on them...including indian head pennies.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]If you can find old dump sites, you can also find some great old bottles. Some glass items are worth more than gold but you find the sites with your metal detector first. Just be sure you have permission to search or dig...or you might be digging some metal (buckshot) out of your anatomy.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Where are you planning to prospect? Metal detectors are best wherever there is the possibility of finding large flakes and small nuggets either in cracks in the rocks (dry streambeds) or close to the surface on bare ground. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]There was a place called "Rich Hill" down in Arizona that was popular with the metal detector fans because it has produced lots of nuggets over the years and still continues to do so. It was first discovered by some guys hunting for their horses and they discovered loose nuggets right on top of the ground over a large area. Of course you have to work a lot harder for the rare leftovers these days.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]While Utah has had a few areas that produced a bit of placer gold in the past, there are no areas I know of that have enough potential to make it worthwhile to use a metal detector. About the best you can hope for is a few fine flecks of color in the bottom of a gold pan...far too small to activate a metal detector.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]But, don't let that stop you from getting one. Utah is rich in old town sites where you can use the detector to find antiquities and coins. I once heard of a guy who drove up and down old rural roads and ran the detector around where mail boxes are...or used to be. People used to put unstamped letters in their mailboxes, with a few pennies to cover postage, and the mailman would sometimes accidently dump them into the snow or mud. Years later, a metal detector will find them and there are some valuable old dates on them...including indian head pennies.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]If you can find old dump sites, you can also find some great old bottles. Some glass items are worth more than gold but you find the sites with your metal detector first. Just be sure you have permission to search or dig...or you might be digging some metal (buckshot) out of your anatomy.[/#0000ff]
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