How to Find Gold With a Metal Detector

Choose a metal detector with a high operating frequency. High operating frequency detectors can detect smaller pieces of gold and gold shavings easier than low frequency detectors.

Use a detector with automatic ground balance. Areas with different amounts of iron and many types of stones will require that metal detectors with manual controls be constantly adjusted. Automatic metal detectors are easier to use and more accurate.

Test out your metal detector at home before looking for gold. Turn on your metal detector and hover it over various sizes of gold, from a large piece to a small sliver. The metal detector will make a louder noise over the large piece and a more subtle noise over the small piece. Make sure you can recognize even the slightest change in the noise.

Wear headphones that connect to your metal detector. The frequencies for gold can be subtle, so this will help you focus on the specific sounds, especially in noisy areas.

Attach magnets to any digging or sorting tools, such as picks, shovels, and rakes. This will attract non-gold items, speeding up the process and letting you get back to searching for real gold.

Decide what type of gold you want to find. This will help you figure out where you want to go on your search. If you are looking for gold jewelry, beaches and property where houses and buildings have been torn down are a good start. However, if you are looking for gold nuggets, go to the surrounding areas of lakes, rivers, and streams to conduct your search.

Use your metal detector to search an entire area where you find gold or where you know others have found some. Even the smallest piece can mean that there's more nearby. Once you find a piece of gold, make a note of where you found it, and move your metal detector over the whole area, slowly and carefully. Be sure to get permission before hunting for gold on private property.