Discover Gold, Black Opals and Outdoor Fun with Metal Detectors

Denio Junction, Humboldt County, Nevada. Virgin Valley lies 30 miles southwest from here. Photo Courtesy: Ken Lund

Virgin Valley in Humboldt County, Nevada is famous as one of only two places in the world were you can find the rare black opal – the other is New South Wales, Australia. It is a little known fact that part of the history of this area is also in gold mining.  This makes bringing a gold prospecting metal detector along on your trip to Virgin Valley, NV a great idea!

Here are some tips to help you make the most of your experience mining for gold with your metal detector in this unique and very special place.

The Basics on Gold Prospecting Metal Detectors

First, let’s take a quick look at the types of gold metal detectors currently on the market.  There are a variety of brands and models available but they basically fall into two distinct categories – VLF detectors and Pulse Induction models.

VLF circuits are a bit more sensitive to gold, but also to other metals in the ground so they require a bit of fine tuning in order to filter out this mineral interference.  Pulse Induction Circuits on the other hand aren’t quite as sensitive but are good at tuning out other ground minerals to locate large gold nuggets at deep depths.

How Deep Can They Go?

No matter which type of gold prospecting metal detector you choose, there is a basic principal for how deep down into the ground the machine will be able to detect gold.  Essentially, the bigger the piece of gold is, the deeper into the ground it can be detected.

Ground Balancing is Essential

When prospecting for gold with your metal detector in Virgin Valley or anywhere else, ground balancing is essential in order to filter out the iron content in the soil and allow your machine to focus on finding the nuggets.  Gold metal detectors can be found with automatic or manual ground balancing features.  Which you choose really comes down to your personal preference.

Do Your Research

Always do your research before you choose your gold mining site.  You’ll find the best treasure when you visit locations known for their history of producing gold.  Putting in a bit of time before your trip researching the area and the best sites to go mining for gold there will pay off in the long run.

We hope these tips help you have a successful gold mining trip with your metal detector.  Most importantly though, our best tip we could offer is to have fun, stay safe, and enjoy your trip to Virgin Valley!

Michael Bernzweig manages MetalDetector.com in Southborough, MA. He has written extensively on the subject of metal detecting since the mid 1980’s. He has traveled world-wide in his pursuit of educating, exploring and advising others in the proper use of metal detectors. Outside of the business he enjoys mentoring students, being involved in the community and spending time with his family.