Different types of Minelab detectors

Australian firm Minelab broke new boundaries in gold prospecting in 1995 by introducing its very own made in Australia pulse induction (PI) technology. This advancement not only allowed ordinary prospectors and hobby gold hunters to go deeper for gold, it also outperformed the very low frequency (VLF) metal detectors that had been in use for decades. 

With PI, suddenly all the former mines – particularly in the rich fields of Western Australian and the Victorian Golden Triangle - were alive with individual prospectors, many of whom struck gold. PI works by sending electrical pulses punching deeper into the highly mineralised soil that often characterises Australia’s gold mines and successfully detects gold amidst all the other metals and ferrous minerals in the ground, but VLF is still available for entry-level detection capabilities.

Therefore, choosing a Minelab detector of the many available depends on the type of hunting you plan to do and where you are going to go prospecting. There are five main types of detectors offered by Minelab and they are: adventure detectors, treasure detectors, underwaterdetectors, gold detectors and Pro-Find. First off, VLF adventure detectors are for those who are prospecting mainly for fun, and are thus great for entry-level coin or relic hunting by the beach. Besides being lightweight and easy to use guide screen, adventure models start retailing at around $400.

Treasure detectors like the Safari pack take gold hunting to the next level with high trash density settings to sift through loads of junk and specific detecting modes for coins, jewellery, relics and all metal. Next up are the underwater detectors like the Excalibur II that utilises broad band spectrum technology to allow effective detection up to 200 feet underwater. This amphibious Minelab detector is also coated in fluorescent bodywork for high visibility in the dark depths.

Meanwhile, serious gold hunters can look to a range of dedicated gold detectors like the mid-level VLF detector Eureka Gold for finds in shallow depths, as well as the PI-powered GPX 4800 and GPX 5000 models that can unearth precious gold nuggets and bullions using a variety of soil sensitivity settings. Add this more focused automatic ground balance settings, and these detectors make the most thorough searchers irrespective of terrain.  

Even after you have chosen a detector, your set will not be complete without Minelab’s Pro-Find 25 handheld pin pointer does exactly that: it pinpoints the location of buried treasure using both noise and vibrations. In addition, it is equipped with a flashlight for increased visibility in deep holes or in low light.  Used in conjunction with larger more powerful detectors, the Pro-Find is helpful for zero-ing in on very small targets as it uses the highly discriminatory VLF technology.