Another newbie who has read bugger all but thinks he’s on to it big….ok - that was a lie…except the newbie bit.

[TassieTiger]

Hello all, hope your well and finding stuff…but not all the stuff.
I’m Si from Tassie.
After passing on my addiction of sapphire hunting to others, I’m now getting too old to stand in rivers with bent back and besides, how many does a person want ? (Happy to learn others in the deep blues finding and locals)
I decided to start researching metal detectors.
I knew a pulse would be best for real gold but my $2k budget all in, had to include a good pointer, pick, etc - so the equinox 800 was the best of the rest for me. I’ve read some great things about these all rounders but I’ve also read them akin to divining rods which I thought was a little bit elitist lolz but ya pays ya money for the ride ya want lol.
Anyways - I’m lucky enough to live on a few acres and the kids and myself have already found some very interesting things - including coins, hinges, and an unfired training bullet. (See member find).

Looking forward to learning more from the knowledge trust and learning this 800 machine a bit more and then maybe doing a trip to a local gold field and see what we might discover.

 

[WalnLiz]

Welcome to the Forum Si.

 

[Dave79]

G'day Si, what area in tassie are you in?
I'm North of Launceston, had an equinox for a couple of years and managed to pick up some small gold with it. Suggest you try and stretch your budget to get a 6" coil if you want a chance at finding gold with it.
Also check out the PMAT, usually plenty of equinox users at their meet ups.

 

[TassieTiger]

I’m in the south - not sure if that’s good or bad lol. A LOT to learn - finding a LOT of unfired bullets at moment in certain public area north suburbs - but concerning…a slasher could easily hit one.
Thinking of doing an over nighter soon to Queenstown areas - will no doubt learn a lot more then.

 

[Dave79]

Dig carefully if live rounds are in the ground!
I haven't done much prospecting around Queenstown, know someone who has done alright somewhere up on the Darwin Plateau, but might be a bit cold up there at this time of year!
If the ground is very mineralized, I've found that the 11" coil is very noisy in gold mode and switching to field mode 2 is much quieter and will still pick up small gold/lead. Or you can use the tick/cross button to reject the target ID numbers that keep coming up for hot rocks.

 

[Hawkear]

Have read that Catalyst minerals (ASX CYL) are encountering very high gold grades (approx 50 gr/t) in their Henty Gold mine in the Queenstown area. Grades that high should be an indicator of nuggetty gold is to be found nearby.
I have no idea where that mine is situated (I only hold shares in them and read their announcements) and definitely not suggesting you go onto their mining ground but possibly researching where that mine is might help as a starting point.
Then check out your local Govt geological dept for geology maps and look for areas that have the same type of gold bearing rocks or geologic features as where the gold mines are situated.
Locating some public accessible ground in those areas could be a good use of your time until the weather improves.