First Gold

[P.K.]

Hi Folks,

Bought my self a GPX5000 last year after many years away from detecting and headed for Victoria.
I based myself in Avoca for a few days and researched several areas around there. This was to be my first use of the detector after my GPX training.
I had used it several times before but for no gold, so this time I was confident of finding the yellow...
After a late start, I headed for a spot in the Pyrenees which had no doubt seen the odd detectorist wander by, I tuned in my machine and walked about 3 metres to my first signal. I had a quick wave around the area and went back to the signal and unearthed my first nugget at just over half a gram, pretty chuffed with myself I was. After a heap of junk and an hour later, another one around the same size. Later after a heap more junk and about another hour I got myself another piece, smaller than the first two, but I didn't care, I was very pleased with myself.
I had some lunch and continued around the area, checked out the creek bed and further way, but came back to the same area to pick up a small piece of quartz that you could just make out some colour in, I broke it up to reveal 5 little pieces of ironstone with some gold attached.
As the day drew to a close I was pretty happy with myself.
I explored some other places that I wanted to see, and pulled a .13 grammer amongst about 30 shotgun pellets, but it was good to know how many targets I could recover in about 5 hours, and I was pretty happy knowing I could find stuff that small, although it wasn't very deep.
I went back to my first place for a few hours on my last day before driving home and I dug up my biggest at 1.2 grams.
I think I spent more time driving and exploring than actually detecting but, it was time well spent.
Although I'm not quiet ready to retire off these finds, it certainly made me feel good, gold fever has well and truly taken hold of me now...
And if anyone has some tips on cleaning this stuff up I'd like to know too, I've tried a small ultrasonic cleaner but there is some really packed in clay I want to get rid of.

 

[Wally69]

I hit mine with the ultra sonic and then soak in Alibrite and finish off with the ultrasonic. They generally come up a treat.

If they are covered heavily in ironstone I soak in hydrocloric acid to break it down first.

 

[Chuky boy]

Sounds like a great day out PK. Congrats

 

[Ridge Runner]

Well Done P.K. what ever settings you are using seems to be pretty Hot on the Smallish ones So the Bug'uns Haven't Got A Chance with you waving that thing About,

Thanks for Posting them, Good Luck.

John

 

[Bjay]

P.k
Can I borrow your gold magnet.
Best product I've used for cleaning up gold is pickle paste, higher concentration of hydro flouric acid than all brite but would not recommend it unless used to using it. It can be really nasty stuff if you don't know what you r dealing with. All welders will know the product don't mess around with it unles you know someone familiar with it.

 

[Guest]

Well done P.k.

They should come up a treat after a bath.
Did you get onto much Gold back when you used to detect?

 

[P.K.]

Thanks for the feed back folks.

RR, I have all factory settings except for the target volume which is up a tad, found them all with my standard 11 inch commander coil.

BJ, its taken me along time to find some gold, so I'm still using my gold magnet...went back to Avoca again not after with a mate and his lad, swinging two 5000s and a white, only got one little speck between us all. If it was easy, it would be so much fun. I'm familiar with pickling paste, either way I would prefer to keep away from harsh chemicals.

NeoGeo, never found any gold back in the 80s/90s...but if I could turn back time and use the knowledge (and equipment) I have today...