Lead and gold.

[Goldfield Joe]

I dig lots of lead as well, seems it goes with the territory. In fact when I found my first nugget a few weeks back I thought, "here goes, another piece of lead" but I was so wrong! I agree and look at it as a good thing even if it gets a bit annoying, the area most likely hasn't been badly flogged after all.

 

[loamer]

There was an article in the last GG&T magazine - the author recommended aluminium as a test piece and gave some instructions on how to make test pieces. (Basically melt drink cans). He explains the rationale etc etc.

 

[nuggetino]

I take finding lead (especially old corroded lead) as a good sign I'm running over undetected or at least poorly detected ground. More often than not turned up a nugget or two in these areas. Anyone that would leave lead in the ground will have left the gold behind also.

 

[Metamorphic]

Yes its all about electrical conductivity.
Gold is 3 on the scale and aluminum 4.
Lead is down around 10

Out in the goldfields at camp on any night, we normally have a roaring fire of mugga wood during the cooler months.

The dead soldiers (empty beer cans) get tossed in.

The next day I usually dig out the molten (cooled) aluminum nuggets and use those for depth testing at various depths and signal verification etc.

Most detectorists aren't digging lead for the tone, but rather the fact that it won't discriminate as ferrous.

Still, I would never leave one behind either....

Regards

 

[Goldtarget]

There was an article in the last GG&T magazine - the author recommended aluminium as a test piece and gave some instructions on how to make test pieces. (Basically melt drink cans). He explains the rationale etc etc.

Played that game accidently a few times. The ultimate FUGGET.

 

[flashinthepan]

I always thought lead was a comparable replacement for gold as a test piece until I did a test with a .15 gm gold nugget and a same weight and size lead piece, with a 10x5 dd on the 3500
the gold was clear at 3 inches ,the lead had to be virtually touching the coil for a signal
didn't know aluminium was a better choice ,thanks for the info will check it out
flash

 

[sususydney]

lead is poisons so becareful when you smelt.. VERY poisonous! it can harm your unborn child too. research more before you do smelt and with proper masks and gloves, in well ventilated area(outside) is preferable.

 

[isolation]

So is most shotgun shot made out of lead?

 

[Billy]

So is most shotgun shot made out of lead?

I would hazard a guess that most shotty pellets we dig up will be made of lead, but there is a bit of a push these days to using shot made out of steel.
Cheers,
Billy.

 

[nuggetino]

Yeah, I've never found any steel shot but plenty of guys I know are using the stuff now so some steel pellets will inevitablyturn up in my junk pile soon I think

 

[isolation]

Thanks, good to know