Prospecting Tips - Garrett AT Gold Owner's Manual

PrOSPeCTING TIPS

Gold and other precious metals can be found in various
forms with an AT Gold. you will most likely be searching for
nuggets, but gold can also be found as lode or hard rock
deposits in a vein, usually mixed with other minerals. The AT
Gold can be used to locate placer deposits in streams or dry
sand, with such gold then recovered by panning.
Gold is generally found in rock formations with a great
many other conductive and ferrous minerals. For best results
in mineralized ground, the AT Gold should be operated in the
All MeTAl Mode and should be precisely ground balanced.
This is particularly important when searching for tiny gold
nuggets.
Although some electronic prospectors may experience
success in using one of the AT Gold's two discrimination
modes to locate larger nuggets, the detector will not respond
as well to tiny nuggets in these modes as it will in its All
MeTAl Mode. Heavy ground mineralization could also limit
depth of detection in one of the discrimination modes.
Hot rocks are a common problem for electronic prospectors.
A "hot rock" can be described as a concentration of iron
mineral that causes a detector to recognize it as metal. (refer
to the "Advanced Tips and Techniques" section for details on
how to minimize the effects of hot rocks.)
Higher amounts of iron mineralization can often point
toward better gold-producing areas. Magnetite black sand
is often associated with gold deposits, so investigate black
sand areas knowing that the gold discovery potential is
greater in these locations.
expect to dig small pieces of nonferrous trash metal
items such as lead, brass, and aluminum while prospecting.
52 Garrett Metal Detectors
Finding these items while prospecting is reassurance that
your detector will also find gold targets of the same size.
Iron objects should be ignored only with extreme care, as
tiny pieces of gold can sometimes read like iron in highly
mineralized ground. The AT Gold's Iron Audio feature can
help to distinguish true iron targets in many cases.
Carry a magnet to help discriminate gold from iron and hot
rocks. Gold will not be attracted to a magnet but pieces of
iron and many hot rocks will be attracted.
Hard work, patience and research are three of the keys
to success in electronic prospecting. research is important
because it is vital that gold always be sought in areas where
it is known to exist. Consider joining a prospecting club
such as the Gold Prospector Association of America (GPAA)
in order to participate in sponsored group outings in gold
territories.
53
AT Gold ™