My post was a response-to a post by Tom Glenn, (although it did not show up under his post, as I wanted it to).  He stated:   

"In side by side field comparison the garret ATX smokes them all in both price and performance. 1900 in the regular package and about 2500 in the deluxe package, not 4000 to 7000 base price and it is made in AMERICA. Tom"

 

So, it was not my intention to imply that my GP3000 was, nor is superior -to the Minelabs: 3500, the 4000, the 4500, the 5000, nor the 7000.  I was simply indicating that he is wrong about garret ATX smoking all other detectors in both price and performance.  As my post states, even a GP3000 (which obviously does not have "all the bells and whistles" that the newer version Minelabs have from the 3500 up to the 7000 models) can be purchased for between $1200 to $1500.  And my photos of freshly-found-nuggets should have indicated what is "Realistic" about the reliability and performance of this series of Minelab detector.  QUESTION 2:   I was using the Nugget Finder Evolution 14" Elliptical coil; and YES, I found "EACH-AND-EVERY-ONE" of the nuggets that I photo'd with that same coil.  QUESTION 3:  The three smaller nuggets where "each" down approx. 5" deep in "different"-bedrock cracks, which I had to dig out with a small icepick.  This actually amazed me when I found the smallest nugget (about .14 of a gram wt.) --that this large of a coil would actually pick up a sub-gram nugget with a fairly noticeable signal at a depth of 5"!!  Normally I would us a Coiltek Joey for open and exposed bedrock.        The two large nuggets where laying (each one) deep in a "separate"-pocket where the ridge of one hill met up with the ridge of an adjacent hill forming a "V" at the bottom.  They where both sunk deep in cracks in the bedrock  bottom, which was roughly 18" to 24" deep (I didn't have a tape measure, so that's approx.).  And it definitely took some hard-ass digging to get to them, but each signal was strong and definite.  There was actually no sand in the wash at all; it was literally full of rocks of all shapes and sizes, some boulders, dark brown mud (dried) dirt, all of which had been "compacted" over time and due (I'm sure) to the mechanics of the many monsoon rains over time.  If I wouldn't have had a good pick, I wouldn't have been able to even get close-to these.  Hope this answers your questions.  Gary   

 

 

 

I have to ask are you missing  the type of material on the left of my photo that leads to the pieces in the center that were 3 ft. deep and the Dore that was produced on the right by finding the mineralized soil in the beginning and all by using a 1990 gold bug. Sorry but looks like a sales pitch to me to meet that $5,000.00 deductible for being a mine lab dealer and I don't know but for some reason I think I have seen those pieces before, maybe my imagination.  My claim owning neighbor that has a $7,000.00 mine lab he basically finds useless in our heavy mineralized soil be cause he does not know what signal, whistle or bell to follow. Missing a whole mountain of gold seems fruitless and digging a 20" hole and throwing that material behind you for one little nugget well sounds fruitless as well. So to all of you that have that detector that cost less than a grand and especially those old gold bug owners which is now the new gold bug 2 just get your magnifier out, your walking over a fortune. 

 

I guess you answered my question, will the mine lab detect the fine gold in heavy mineralized soil and the answer is no. But the Tessoro Lobo, Gold Bug 2 and the AT Gold and some others  will up to 12" deep with out special coils  all costing $800.00 or less, especially the Lobo. I consider myself a purest in that I believe all you need is a pan, pick and shovel to prospect but don't get me wrong my wife is the detectorist but its about a lot more especially the geology and formations that she can read like the back of her hand. I on the other hand can smell it out just by the look of soils, and by literally smelling the soil to see if it has large amounts of organic matter that tells you whether the ground has been worked before or is  new deposited by new flood waters slides or what ever mother nature through at it, an old 49'er trick. This year there will be more than ever enough to go around especially in calif. Tom

 

The 5-nuggets that I posted (on my 1st post on this forum) I had "just-found" a day-or-two before I posted the photos.  And the only way you would have seen them before?? is "IF"  you where a member of two-gold forums, which I had also posted them on (Arizonaoutback, and Nuggetfinder (Bill Southern's gold forum) here in Arizona.  Secondly, I am not a dealer in mining equipment of any type, so my comments where not a sales pitch.  I swing a Minelab detector, and have been successfully finding gold nuggets for well over 15-years down here In ARIZONA where the ground mineralization is "well known" to not only exist, but to be the plague of anyone who runs a VLF detector, or any other detector that is not set up to handle and overcome our heavy mineralized ground.    

 

As for your claim owning neighbor, he's most likely like "many" who purchase detectors and Not-really-know-how-to-use-them, nor take the time to learn the machine.  But instead blame the detector.   

 

You answered my question completely, you can not find fine gold that leads to bigger pieces that leads to mother lode deposits and if the piece is of a certain size and below you don't pick it up. Your back pack must be big to carry all those extra coils and maybe a laptop to reprogram every time the ground changes. Tom

C'mon guys, I have just started posting here to gain knowledge from both Tom and Bill and others. Not read about pissing matches. Stop and smell the roses... or sage brush... or trumpet plants... whatever your fancy. I have been posting on Treasurenet (metaldetecting.com) since the early '70s. Yet I still troll these forums for more info. Take care, guys.  TTC