According to Wikipedia gold prospecting is “the act of searching for new gold deposits. Methods used vary with the type of deposit sought and the resources of the prospector.
For some, you may prefer to go gold panning in a river or stream. For others it may be an exciting land camping adventure packing the trusty metal detector and other prospecting gear.
You don’t have to be an expert to begin gold prospecting, beginners are welcome! Just do a little research (as well as reading through this website) before embarking on your prospecting career.
We touch on what to look for in a metal detector, popular brands of metal detectors as well as introducing the option of buying a 2nd hand metal detector.
Gold prospecting is a great way to see some of our great planet and who knows you may even make some money from it!
Is Gold Prospecting Legal?
In most locations gold prospecting is legal however before looking to start your gold prospecting hobby please do your research in your location to determine the legality of gold prospecting in particular research the land that you are prospecting on.
Where Can I Prospect?
Essentially anywhere where it is legal, safe and preferably in a region where gold has been found previously.
Places such as old towns or even ghost towns, places where gold has been found before or even abandoned gold mines or sites though be extremely careful around old mines.
Make sure that you have experience with the area that you are going to prospect, make sure that there are no hazards and it’s highly recommended that you go prospecting with a companion.
Reach out to others who have prospected previous or look to see if there are any local groups or even a Facebook or a Reddit group for local prospecting that you can join.
What Can I Find When Prospecting?
Hopefully some gold or treasure or maybe some other ores or even gems depending on the area you prospect in! You may also go prospecting at a beach or park and may find coins, rings or jewelry in your prospecting adventures.
How Strong are the Metal Detectors that are used in Gold Prospecting?
Beginner metal detectors tend to reach a depth of about 15-20cm while the top of the range detectors can reach a depth of up to 20m.
What Equipment Do I Need To Begin Gold Prospecting?
Depending on where you are prospecting will determine your equipment. If you are looking for gold near water then you will need a gold pan or gold panning kit, while if you are prospecting on land you will need some form of metal detector.
Check out our Gold Prospecting Beginners Kit recommendations below.
How Do I Maintain and Clean My Gold Prospecting Equipment?
After each prospecting trip thoroughly wash your equipment. With your metal detector a damp cloth should remove most dirt.
How Long Does My Gold Prospecting Equipment Last For?
The gold panning equipment (depending on the quality) should last you quite a long time. Depending on the quality of the metal detector the battery should last several years and the better the detector the batteries should be replacing allowing long use.
Other equipment such as gold panning equipment or safety equipment should last you a long time particularly if you invest in quality products.
Gold Prospecting Beginners Kit
Depending on the location that you intend to go gold prospecting will determine the kit that you will use for your gold prospecting expedition. If you are going to a river or water stream that has a history of finding gold then you will be looking to use gold panning equipment. If you are going more inland where your potential treasure is underground then a metal detector is your choice. Recommended kits for both types of gold prospecting are:
Gold Panning Beginner’s Kit
For the beginners gold panning kit, we recommend Minelab and their Pro-Gold Complete Accessory Kit
This kit features a 15-inch dual riffle pan and a 10-inch single riffle pan along with a hex-mesh classifier. There is also a convertible carry bag as well as an accessory kit that includes an iron-separator magnet, double-loupe magnifier (3x, 5x magnification), vacuum suction bottle, gold transfer pipette, micro-gold storage vials and a getting started guide.
Gold Prospecting Metal Detector Beginners Kit
The beginners metal detector that we recommend is the Garrett Ace 300i.
This model comes with a 8kHz frequency, 3 Audio Tone ID Levels, a 7″x10″ (18×25 cm) standard searchcoil, 4 AA batteries and a 2 year limited parts/labour warranty.
This detector comes with easy to stow headphones with volume control, ACE environmental cover-up and searchcoil cover.
Whatever your level of experience gold prospecting is an exciting way to see the land and spend some time in nature and who knows you might find some treasure along the way!