How to Find Your First Gold Nugget With a Metal Detector - What you need to know

[@allansgoldmining]

I like your sound effects vocabulary ! That Gold Monster says "Whop Pop" when on a nugget ! 😂 It took me several years before I found my first nugget. A friend showed me what I was doing wrong, and that changed everything !! Having a successful coach is a big help. Thanks for sharing Chris ! 🤠⚒⛏👍

[@ChrisRalph]

Just having some fun. I really like your new desert sluice set up. I'd like to get you to write an article for the ICMJ on it.

[@GSProspecting]

what a great lesson in class today. taking my MD out for the first time this month. GOLD SQUAD OUT!!!

[@ChrisRalph]

First time this month? But its August first, so today is everybody's first time this month!

[@sonecasim]

certainly the pioneers, people like you who share information deserve all respect.

[@ChrisRalph]

Thank you. Glad you enjoyed the video.

[@mychannel321]

Gday Chris hello from Victoria Australia love the sound effects made me laugh and my day and it's great to hear the truth about how it's really is prospecting you don't always hear that. what you said is spot on through my experience in prospecting. Love all your videos and always look forward to your next thank you.

[@ChrisRalph]

Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for the kind words.

[@thisvagabondlife7132]

I’m a finder I love finding anything antiques, rockhounding, herbs for medicine, metal detecting and now prospecting for gold!. As a finder I find (does that qualify as a pun) the art of finding always follows the same rules you imparted to us so eloquently. Thank you! I hit the road Tuesday heading to NC for my first prospecting adventure. Tenacity rules!

[@ChrisRalph]

I'll bet you hunt for crystals too.

[@davidboerner2677]

Chris, thanks to you I am now learning to use my gold bug 2. The adventure is just starting.

[@ChrisRalph]

Best of luck to you in your prospecting.

[@moonlitacres7130]

Metal detecting is something you must enjoy to get good at. It takes time to learn and as time goes you find more good stuff and you learn more every time you go out.

[@ChrisRalph]

Well said and very true - its the message I try to get across.

[@rickmessina5396]

Glad you said it is a learning skill. Know your machine and some geology will help. Your book was one of the textbooks when I taught courses at Casper College on prospecting and detecting that I recommend. Great info for all skill levels......Thanks.....

[@ChrisRalph]

Thanks for the kind words!

[@anotherrant6688]

I can't help but to keep going out over and over again because I'm obsessed. It's officially out of my control. :) It took me two years before I saw gold but it didn't stop me. I read, I dig, I sift, I detect, I spend hours with the detector and I finally found a great rock last week. There was probably 6 grams in that rock. I wish I could post a picture here. I have the book BTW. Heading out again today with my mosquito and bear repellents and going to go upriver looking for where those rocks are coming from.

[@ChrisRalph]

Glad you enjoyed it, and I hope you are soon out finding some good gold.

[@anotherrant6688]

@@ChrisRalph Just got back. I'm beyond exhausted. I drove home with a car load of rocks. We broke some of them up. Looking very good so far.

[@anotherrant6688]

@@ChrisRalph I have a question if I may, Chris. I found two sizable rocks that made the metal detector scream - actually scream and they are loaded with what might be electrum but also gold. They are ridiculously heavy. I have an electric rock crusher coming in the mail but I believe there is a serious amount of gold in these things. Are there places where you can send ore/rocks to be processed? Much of this is visible free mill but I believe there is a lot of disseminated that would need to be handled properly and the silver parted.

[@IBRAKEFORBEDROCK]

Another Great Video Chris !

[@ChrisRalph]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@tomheater6149]

Thanks Mr. Chris. I've been lookin for gold and finding it but not as much as i think i should. 1/2 gram in 2 months. It's been making me a little down but this video helped me out. Thanks again

[@ChrisRalph]

Some places are a lot better than others. Gold is rare, that is why its so expensive. Best of luck!

[@creeksidechris3384]

I'm in a bit of winter slump... Desperate for decent ground to work.. Or detect.. My spots are seeming to slow down a lot... Driving home I was a bit discouraged and I thought.. How perfect.. Time to find new spots..work harder on prospecting..before mining.. And I truly believe that is the key to finding more gold than we are used to.. I hope things got good for u since 7 months ago! Lol.. I may be down..but no way at all out... Ready for next level of learning.😀🔆🌄

[@mininhawaiian2911]

Everything was well said.... Your words are those of a true detectorist! Dirt fishing is a trade that takes time.. I still look forward to my thousand dollar gold day.... :D Until then perseverance and hard work and lots of trash targets 🤩

[@ChrisRalph]

Perseverance and the right attitude are so important!

[@DigDougDig]

Just keep digging. Took me nine months before I found my first nugget, that nugget was the first of many pounds to come. Gotta love digging. Happy hunting!

[@mininhawaiian2911]

mORE Mining Products INC I won’t ever stop digging if I can help it... I’ll find some good stuff very soon just as you said :D

[@kurtak9452]

Thanks from Alaska, this is perfect for the beginner. Keep up the good work Chris.

[@ChrisRalph]

Glad it was helpful!

[@DaleDuffy]

Excellent video, Chris...thanks again...!

[@ChrisRalph]

Glad you enjoyed it, hope you are out finding some good gold.

[@davidvilla3243]

Can't thank you enough for all that you have taught me in detecting,prospecting ,research,and just plainly getting my brain on the right track.Eliminate the negative,I'll stick to the positive best way to start out any adventure,Am I right professor? David out

[@ChrisRalph]

Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for the kind words and I hope you are soon out finding some good gold.

[@glentimmins7560]

Well I am getting my first ever detector the GM 1000, can't wait!

[@ChrisRalph]

Its an excellent detector.

[@IBRAKEFORBEDROCK]

Good choice in a detector.

[@sonecasim]

for sure, I also, carry all my garbage. and I teach my children to do the same. this tip of paying attention to small beeps is very valuable. I am learning a lot.

[@ChrisRalph]

Very Good.

[@hansonlife9465]

My GM 1000 should come on Tuesday next week! I'm pumped! I'm only a few months into prospecting, and I'm loving it. I've spent multiple days hiking deep into the Sierras to access hard to reach waters. Some days are really good and I've been skunked some too. Thanks for the reminder that the metal detecting doesn't change that. Still have to be where the gold is :)

[@ChrisRalph]

Yep. Glad the video was helpful and I wish the very best of luck to you in your 2021 prospecting.

[@allenknight555]

Great advice Chris . Any target that repeats should be dug. Take the trash put . And not all treasure is gold . Old picks ,pans, coins left by the old timers is always fun to find.

[@ChrisRalph]

Some trash can be fun. Glad you enjoyed the video.

[@b.a.hartfield1784]

I found your video very helpful and believe anyone can learn a lot about prospecting from you. Thank you.

[@ChrisRalph]

Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for the kind words and I hope you are soon out finding some good gold.

[@Notellemkrik1776]

I found gold nugget on my first outing with my gold monster 1000. In the form of and old gold ring. Thanks Chris for all your professional prospecting advice. And like be your book.

[@ChrisRalph]

Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for the kind words about the book and I hope you are soon out finding some good gold.

[@billybl22]

Metal detecting for gold sounds a lot like fishing, and I've been skunked doing that, more than I care to remember. I took the new gold bug pro out to gold basin yesterday. Didn't find any gold, but I did find the smallest piece of copper jacket from a bullet, it was about the size of a bird shot pellet, so I'm sure that If I get in the right places, I can and will find gold. It's just looking in the right places.. Which is one of the reasons I ordered Fists full of gold today. Thank you Chris!

[@ChrisRalph]

glad you enjoyed the video.

[@WildernessMedic]

"I have what it takes, I can do this" is what keeps me hiking up and down wilderness mountains 5-6 years later still not having found a single tiny picker of gold when I could have been getting far more sluicing or sniping 😂

[@ChrisRalph]

I wish I could offer you some thoughts, but I am unsure where the problem is. I assume you have a good metal detector designed for nugget hunting. The other problem is that a lot of folks hunt the most obvious places - where detector prospectors have been hunting for 30 years. The gold does not grow back (except along streams) and once an area is beat up and the gold removed, its gone. I just found a new patch in July and its already yielded over an ounce - just found one nearly half an ounce a few days ago ( to be shown in a video shortly). If you are finding small shot, you would be finding gold if it were there. Best of luck to you - try some more new places.

[@jlj209]

Excellent advice that this newbie will put into play. Thanks for the inspiration.

[@ChrisRalph]

Glad it was helpful!

[@Me-jk3km]

uuuuuuuuuuwweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Haha love it! Patience is key and learning the sounds of the detector. In my experience for both the Gold Monster and the Gold Bug 2.

[@ChrisRalph]

Patience and persistence - an learning to hear those faint targets..

[@dallassams6427]

A really great informative video Chris! Was hoping to see you finding some nuggets but that’s alright because I still got to learn some great detecting info. Take care and stay safe and gold luck and heavy pans.

[@ChrisRalph]

Glad you enjoyed it, hope you are soon out finding some good gold.

[@pauljacobs8073]

As always, solid insight. Your book is a great resource for when I need to change my approach to hunting. Or try to understand how and why the old timers spent time there. I have a tendency to get in a rut. Doing or approaching hunting the same way. Kind of a one size fits all approach. This video prompts me to adapt, pause and consider surroundings before starting. Just a few minutes of investigation can be wise. Have a great day!

[@ChrisRalph]

Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for the kind words about the book and I hope you are soon out finding some good gold.

[@laskartrece]

You are inspirational and realistic! Thank you Sir.

[@ChrisRalph]

I appreciate that! I try to keep it real.

[@shanelocke237]

Thanks for your video I've learnt a hell of a lot from them and now subscribed. You really do know the prospecting go alright.with watching and learning heaps and am proud to say I found my first nugget last weekend and I didn't give me that much of a tone but was there enough to make me dig . thanks for your help mate. BATHURST N.S.W AUSTRALIA

[@ChrisRalph]

Thanks for the sub!, glad you enjoyed the video. I have many detecting videos.

[@garylawlor2288]

Thanks Chris, it is nice to to know that even people with your knowledge level still have blank days. I am very new to prospecting and to be honest I find it daunting that I am not finding anything more than a few specs now and again but then again I never thought it would be easy and I never walk away without enjoying myself whether I find some gold or not. I enjoy being outside and learning about geology and how minerals are formed and deposited. To me it is a bit like fishing, something I have done for over 30 years, in that even if I catch nothing it does not mean they are not there and I take positives away with me each and every time, be it seeing cool wildlife or interest landscapes and geology. Thanks again for your great videos

[@ChrisRalph]

It takes time to learn and get the hang of it.

[@garylawlor2288]

@@ChrisRalph I know Chris, I will keep learning and developing my skills. But the main thing is I will never just give up just because it is not easy. Nothing in life worth doing is easy ☺. Knowledge is key to everything.

[@gjacobson76]

Hey Chris, I just got your book today. I can't wait to dive in to it.

[@ChrisRalph]

Hope you enjoy it!

[@chuckthuemler6077]

Thanks Ralph , great reminder listen to all signals, and dig those tin cans nuggets could be hiding under them .

[@ChrisRalph]

You bet - I did talk about trash being all over - just gotta dig the faint signal.

[@debralaforest4281]

I really appreciate your wisdom and experience. You are an excellent teacher! I am just beginning and researching metal detectors. May I ask what you would recommend?

[@ChrisRalph]

Glad it was helpful. Choosing the best metal detector for you is something that you need to consider for yourself - your budget, what you want to do with your detector, etc. I did a video on how to choose the best metal detector for you - you can find it here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/e3eXoHmsiK2VgNE

[@debralaforest4281]

@@ChrisRalph Thanks so much! I will watch it!

[@fritzschwanserhauser2266]

Man those are beautiful woods! Is that Arizona? Such bird life! Magpie, chickadee, cowbird, jay, Super good birds! Useful information! Thanks Chris!

[@ChrisRalph]

Not Arizona - Foothill gold country of the Sierra Nevada in Northern California.

[@fritzschwanserhauser2266]

@@ChrisRalph Man I hope some of those trees made it through the fires!

[@savagestacker]

I just bought your book and I’m reading like crazy . I bought a metal detector but was sent a cheaper model kind of bummed but was so excited I just asked for the money back for the difference my question is can I find good gold with the Garrett AT pro or should I just put out the cash and get at least a gold bug pro ?????????? Thank you for your insight always enjoy your shows

[@ChrisRalph]

The AT Pro is a great machine for coins and relics, but not so much for gold nuggets as nuggets tend to be small. The AT Gold is made for nuggets and you should use it with the small coil. You lose a lot of sensitivity to small targets with the big coils.

[@savagestacker]

10/4 thank you . I’m probably going to nab up the gold bug 2 or pro . I I was on the fence about it before and when I ordered the wrong one I just said oh well . I was super busy with work at the time . I got time . Don’t think all the gold will disappear over night . This is going to be my retirement fun . So I don’t get old to quick and keep me in shape lol 😂 and maybe find some gold while I’m at it . Hey thank you for the reply I really appreciate it

[@j.walker6845]

Nice pep talk with some wise insight

[@ChrisRalph]

Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for the kind words.

[@paulconnell2385]

Still looking for 1st piece, will not give up....but real hard lock down just occured, so it's another 6 months of not being able to get to country........ :(

[@ChrisRalph]

Glad you enjoyed it, and I hope you are soon out finding some good gold.

[@charlesherring9323]

Hello Chris I have two questions for you my first question is 19 minutes into your video while you were talking about listening to faint targets was that a bird in the background or was that somebody with a detector going over a Target. My second question is I am a detecting chairman at one of our local small prospecting clubs Shasta Miners and prospecting I was wondering if I could have permission to use this video in one of our meetings for the new beginners this is an excellent description on understanding your machine and. Searching for gold I think the other club members new and experienced would get a lot of good information from this video thank you for all your time that you put into making these great instructional videos PS love the book long subscriber to magazine

[@ChrisRalph]

1. It is a bird. 2. anyone can watch a KZbin video.

[@frankrizzi5312]

One thing Is very noticeable about your videos is that you look like you are really enjoying every moment. It seems to me that those getting into it for the money often just don’t love those rocks! There’s guys making KZbin videos, experts with mining degrees etc. that it just sounds like they’re pulling teeth as they speak. 😀😀😀

[@ChrisRalph]

I do enjoy what I do.

[@etrandomcollection]

Hi Chris, Christmas greetings from Papua New Guinea. Great presentation I just bought a new Gold Monster 1000 from Australia and I can wait to utilize what I learned from you videos to go out there and find some nugget.

[@ChrisRalph]

Best of luck to you, go find some nuggets!

[@karolyferenc3184]

Your sound effects vocabulary is funny AF I can't stop laughing 🤣🤣

[@ChrisRalph]

Glad you enjoyed he video.

[@rexbalag-ey6059]

Thank you so much sir Chris!.. I learned a lot from videos and realized 2 things, hard efforts and great understanding must goes 2gether..

[@ChrisRalph]

Excellent! I'm glad you enjoyed the video.

[@navagatingthroughthebeasts2908]

You sure are a great teacher my friend , thank you

[@ChrisRalph]

You are very welcome. I'm glad you enjoyed the video.

[@FRANKKKKYYYY]

Hey Chris Frank from Québec here! they say in life you have to be honest in a way that it is constructive! I most of watch by now 15 of your videos all interesting and great! But this 1 i was expecting more then the philosophy on finding gold with metal detector! I was hoping of picture of diffrent sites where there could be gold, visual instructions , not to see you find nuggets but at least seing you with technics of how you work the metal detector with all of your experience giving hints not seing only a pile of rocks the hole video! Anyway thanks for mentaly preparing me for gold hunting, like fishing, you will get skunked but i remember the big 12 pounds pike i caught around there! Keep up the good work going to your next video right now! Sincerely Frank!

[@ChrisRalph]

I have found gold in many very different types of places - and just because a place has a certain "look" does not mean you will find gold there. Its way more complex than that.

[@lindsaymason3854]

Hi Chris, I really enjoy your videos, I am from Victoria Australia, about an hour and a half drive from the Golden Triangle gold area and have just recently purchased a Whites Goldmaster 24K to hit these fields. have been using the Whites MXT for a number of years now and have finally retired and now have the time to chase the gold. My question is will your Book relate to the Australian conditions or are the California conditions too different to help me. Please keep up the good work that you do, stay safe in these trying times and a big cheers from Down Under Mate.

[@ChrisRalph]

The book is general and relates in an overall way to everywhere - I have a limited number of goldfield maps, but one is for Queensland. Its not intended to be a book about hunting gold in any specific place - but about hunting gold in general.

[@lindsaymason3854]

@@ChrisRalph Thanks for the reply Chris, am I best to purchase your book through Amazon?

[@scottk1525]

Thanks for this. What are your thought on the Gold Monster as a patch hunting detector? Seems to be a very popular detector, but I can't help but notice the small-ish coils. Do you feel like it hinders your ability to cover lots of ground efficiently? Cheers.

[@ChrisRalph]

Large coils miss small gold. Check out my video on coils.

[@prestonblackburn8600]

I really appreciate your positive words for having "sticktoitism" sir. I have been digging my face off all summer and the few tiny pieces of gold I have found are small but they are very beautiful and give me fuel to keep at it! I found a really "wirey" piece last weekend and it was the only decent piece I found, but gave me a new appreciation for gold because i know I'm getting closer to a deposit! Anyways, this was a great video in my opinion bc you were so adamant about sticking to it and not wanting something for nothing. Take care.

[@ChrisRalph]

Glad you enjoyed it, hope you are out finding some good gold.

[@SandhillCrane42]

Thank you for preparing me, finally paid up for the thing and nabbed a little specimen in a sort of brecciated vein the second day. Yee haw! Beginner's luck, but the big bits are more fun by weight.

[@ChrisRalph]

Excellent! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@bravobob1]

As a beach metal detectorst , youll find 100's of pulltabs for one gold ring.

[@ChrisRalph]

Yep, but at least rings are good solid signals.

[@bravobob1]

@@ChrisRalph Depends on how deep they are ! We get whisper signals also. But like you said , gotta keep your ears open for those repeated signals.

[@michaelbrick9730]

dog gone it, I fell asleep and have to watch again...thanks Chris...late night viewing always puts me to sleep...

[@ChrisRalph]

Late night viewing is an issue....

[@sonecasim]

here in my region it has many springs (river springs) and other rivers that are already dry. Are these 2 good places to start? , already answered in the video very good, 15:00´

[@ChrisRalph]

I cannot tell you, you must explore and see.

[@darinjohnson1725]

You might want to watch your back for Bigfoot with some of your sound affects. Another very informative video. Thanks Chris.

[@ChrisRalph]

Hey, I am Big Foot!

[@willdetect3705]

Great video Mr Ralph!!! I just got a GPX 4500 and have been struggling with it!! Your video will help!! Do you remember the name of the show you are referring to?? I would love to watch that episode!!!

[@ChrisRalph]

No, sorry I don't remember.

[@cliffynelson5017]

Hey Chris, Love your videos thanks so much. I am currently reading your book and it too is great. Very thorough. I had a question and did not know where to ask it so I will ask it here. I am currently in Colombia working with some of my miner friends and we have been finding some gold in some of the rivers here. When you talk about Mercury contaminating the gold in the rivers, gold amalgam, are we getting exposed to Mercury handling the gold that we find? Or is it not like the liquid form? Thanks for your response Chris. I hope to meet you one of these days!

[@ChrisRalph]

If you are heating the amalgam to drive off the mercury, then yes you are being exposed. There is lots of info on this on the internet.

[@monkeyslap]

You weren’t at Mineral Bar yesterday, were you? Saw some guy that looked like you walking along the river. Had maybe a couple buckets and a shovel with him, and he confirmed he was going prospecting. Could also be your style is becoming popular among prospectors :)

[@ChrisRalph]

Wasn't me. I was in Reno most of the day. That $2000 gold is catching the attention of some people.

[@monkeyslap]

Chris Ralph, Professional Prospector I’m new to prospecting and gem hunting, but it feels great to go out and see what can be found. The variety of minerals and combinations on the riverbed seems endless. Although, I can’t identify even half of it, LOL! I’m turning 40 next month, but being out there on the bank or with the snorkel doing some hunting kind of makes me feel like a kid again. Great fun to be had, whether I find something or not. Last find looks like maybe jade. Ever find jade out there in the California hills and waters?

[@ChrisRalph]

I have found jade in California, but not there. Years ago I picked up some jade at Jade cover along the coast near Highway 1.

[@creeksidechris3384]

Got my monster...got the best teacher alive.. You sir...lol..Got the never ever quit attitude and gas $.. My goal is to find my first real detecting area. I've been a few times to my digging spots and sniping spots but rivers are high and just closed one from fire damages.. Yet I got some very small trash targets that excited me.. I was keeping my hopes up and getting a feel for my new tool. I brought down some small nuggets I found sniping I believe a big flat .2 gram tooth looking piece...and two tiny pickers hard to pick up. The detector picks them up on surface wonderfully.. I will bury them deeper and practice faint reapeatables for sure.. Thank u so much for the most important tip I've seen yet.. By anyone.. I'm in Oregon.. I know there is undiscovered patches due to overgrowth and plenty old diggins just quite a drive from me. Leaving less time to explore each trip. Well.. Guess I'm going to work harder to save for a few days trip and achieve this goal once and for all!!! Thank u for your efforts and I pray u find a fatty.. Or a patch of smalls.. Just gotta be Disneyland for adults to be in an area that produces.⛺🌄🔆🔆🔑

[@ChrisRalph]

Be persistent. Learning to find nuggets detecting takes time and is not easy.

[@working.on.it.2852]

Got the gm 1000 the other day no gold yet, thanks for all the tips.

[@ChrisRalph]

It make take some time to learn the skills of prospecting, stick with the task of learning.

[@gordjensen8649]

morning i found this video very informative it add to the knowledge i been learning

[@ChrisRalph]

Glad it was helpful!

[@MannyScoot]

The modern day of doing it is, you find no gold whip out your AR rifle and Glock and fill the place up with lead and copper jackets. I learned with DOC from Doc's detectors that you have to learn and find the force, this is when you are listening to faint breaks in the threshold..... Most are faint and very quiet, once you learn what a break in the threshold is, you will find more gold. You have to remember that most nuggets are small (.30 grams to maybe 5 grams) ..... and once they are buried under 5" to 8" inches of decomposed bedrock and dirt that's collected on top of the nuggets for millions of years they become faint targets until you clean some dirt from above.

[@ChrisRalph]

Usually surface bullets and brass casings are pretty loud targets.

[@paulbegley1464]

No worries Chris, I also talk/yell at my TV also. Exspeacly when just about any California politician is on the screen, mainly our Govenor, gun grabbing Gavin. Enough said there Great videos, I love watching all of them. And I'm hoping to be physical better soon so I can go out and try before they ban prospecting also.

[@ChrisRalph]

I hope your state of health improves so you can get out into the hills.

[@Notellemkrik1776]

How do we fight back to the crooked government taking our rights away. I feel Government needs to be taught that they were implemented to manage our great states and they seem to forget that they work for US. Instead they think they were implemented to rule us.

[@paulbegley1464]

@@Notellemkrik1776 At the moment we have to vote. And vote them out and not replace them with the same. Talk to anyone who will listen and let them know about there higher taxes and there un American behavior. People who bought guns should know how they voted may be the cause of their problems getting a firearm. And finally there is a proposal to separate from California form a new state and get away from the liberal BS. let them eat there own and not us anymore.

[@samsonian]

@5:12 careful there Chris, pretty sure I’ve heard that call in a heated Sasquatch serenade...😳😬🤫😁🦍👀🤣🤣 🖖😎👍

[@ChrisRalph]

It was a cold sasquatch....

[@norcaltreasurehunters2380]

Been to Northern California lately? Butte, Plumas, Lassen, Tehama, Shasta?

[@ChrisRalph]

Been stuck at home due to smoke and fire.

[@chrisstrobel3439]

When I was swinging a Goldmaster V-Sat in the 90’s, out in the Mojave Desert, there was birdshot EVERYWHERE! The problem was the stuff sounded the same as my test nuggets .. frustrating, wasn’t till I finally went up to the N.Cal. hydraulic pits that the targets turned from birdshot to gold, I went to very remote hard to get to unknown pits that weren’t all shot up, it was to the point that when I got a signal I knew it was a nugget unless it was a huge signal like a nail. Unfortunately with today’s gas prices in 2022 .. by the time I drive from South to North Calif., drive around to the spots, buy food, stay in a motel a night or two to shower and rejuvenate like I use too .. it’s cheaper to just buy a nice crystallized gold on quartz specimen from somebody like Kristalle in Laguna Beach, CA 🙄 Anyway guys still doing this .. I can’t emphasize enough using test nuggets, get yourself a few different sizes and put em individually in their own small plastic vials .. or glue em on a poker chip, then when you get to a piece of ground grid it off, get your ground balance, bury your test nugget and swing over it to get an idea of what a nugget is going to sound like in that piece of ground (don’t forget to pull your test nugget out of the ground before you start .. I forgot to do that more than once thus loosing my test nugget lol, putting a string on your vial or poker chip aids greatly in recovering your test nugget. Reading all three of Larry Sallee’s Zip Zip books and watching his videos helped a lot when I started, I even called him on my analog cell phone once from the Alpha Diggings and his wife Sue walked me over to the spots while I was on the phone with her .. you can’t get a signal from there with modern digital phones now days I’ve been told, good people Larry and Sue Sallee .. wonder what ever happened to them .. this was 25 years ago. A mentor or taking lessons can be very helpful when starting out .. especially when they are using the same machine as you.

[@ChrisRalph]

I've found gold at Alpha and several other pits around there.

[@THEDRAGONBOOSTER8]

Well were do I start. I am from Australia ,Tassie to be precise, Please listen to this Bloke as what he is saying ,it is all true.I have just stumbled across this video and it is right .My detector is very cheep and it has real trouble to pick up Gold ..I find relics and I hunt for Copper and Silver .I mainly use my detector in Tone mode and I have learned to recognize the sound of Silver and Copper.I can't afford a gold detector but I have found more in silver coins .,to pay for it and as this Bloke says it's the enjoyment of getting out ,TRUE . I am 54 ,and have never found any Gold ..Only Silver .Listen learn and respect the country and you are ,one step in front..Cheers from Tassie..

[@ChrisRalph]

Thanks for the kind words. I've been to Australia - on the continent, but not to Tasmania.

[@THEDRAGONBOOSTER8]

@@ChrisRalph. That's nice.

[@Smithsgold]

Well said all very true !!!!!!

[@ChrisRalph]

Thanks.

[@56chevy11]

Hi Chris, thanks for your valuable videos. How/where would you start metal detecting in an area like you were at when you made this video?

[@ChrisRalph]

There is gravel sitting on weathered bedrock, I was searching at places with shallow gravel sitting on bedrock.

[@56chevy11]

@@ChrisRalph thank you......

[@stephenpendegraph7209]

Super inspirational man, Thanks!

[@ChrisRalph]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@hajikhan6742]

Respected sir I am Rasheed Khan from Pakistan . I get a lot from your informative lecture. Is your any resurch for Pakistan rich gold areas from where we can pining for gold in small scale

[@ChrisRalph]

There are gold rich areas in Pakistan. Research on the internet to find places in your country.

[@GoldPanDan]

"The TV isn't listening" I laughed the TV laughed, I threw out my TV!! LOL

[@ChrisRalph]

I keep talking at the TV anyway......

[@jeremycanterohioprospecting]

Around here we have Shale sediment that acts like a bedrock but there is also bedrock in some areas

[@jeremycanterohioprospecting]

They don't work too good for flour gold though but I use it to find heavy targets just to see if there's any flower gold sitting around them I've never metal detected but one time I'd like to learn some more though and I do like watching your videos you're a good teacher just as much as a good video maker good job Chris👍🤴 you're the king of prospecting man

[@ChrisRalph]

Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for the kind words and I hope you are soon out finding some good gold.

[@josecaipa4365]

Thank you for the knowledge it helps to learn 💝💝💝

[@ChrisRalph]

You are welcome.

[@mcjohnsonsgirl]

I'm on a river in gold country, but there's 80 ft of overburden. Would you hit that?

[@ChrisRalph]

80 feet is more than 75 feet too deep. perhaps side drainages or further upstream you can find places with a only a foot or two of overburden.

[@kevinpantera4429]

Thanks again for all the tips. I guess I'm just not doing something right. Have not found my 1st nugget yet. Have not been digging the faint signals. Now letting loud one s go. Dug enough horse shoes and shot gun shells from 1904. They r nice but not gold. Lead bullets and nails, have found a asteroid definitely not of this earth and a few other things. Need to get my detector over gold for those faint signals. Working some washes here in Tucson proper for practice. Found a gold cap from a tooth. Old musket ball rifle shells etc. NO GOLD nuggets yet. The washes here look kind of promising but no known gold finds per se. Stumpted

[@ChrisRalph]

Gotta be in the right place to find a nugget. Its all about the right spot - just any nearby location won't do.

[@maxsands3861]

I'm 6 minutes in, very entertaining I think you just scared the hell out of bigfoot! Haha! I'll shut up now and enjoy the rest of the video.

[@ChrisRalph]

Those dang Big Foots are always bugging me.

[@wayne-oo]

A great video !! If not just for the sound effects !!!!!

[@ChrisRalph]

Glad you liked the entertainment sound Effects!

[@auassassin787]

🤣🤣😅

[@HALIYALBETAGERIVLOG2024]

Hi sir I learn your GM 1000 all video. I love Minelab gold monster 1000. super.

[@ChrisRalph]

Cool, thanks. good luck in finding gold.

[@richardbeee]

As always another great video. Stopped detecting years ago to pursue other work. Moved back east to raise my daughters (twins) by myself because my wife passed,metals were down,but I'm an excellent trim carpenter and got paid well in the 'burbs of the windy city. Have been back out west now for a few years and I don't like "retirement". So tho I no longer have my 'ole Lobo am going up to the "Gold lady and am going to get a Gold monster and a drywasher. Have a friend that owns 160 ac.s in Franconia wash. Any information you may have or suggested reading you can point me to would be great. I live in Lake Havasu, Jeff has my tel.#,and I'm going out to get some gold. If nothing else it gets me out of goverment fake news media.Also writing a book about my life as a miner. Sent Jeff a sample. Until we meet "May all your days be Golden".

[@ChrisRalph]

Best of luck to you. I dont know much detail about the Franconia area beyond the fact that some meteorites have been found there.

[@mohamadsiddig9666]

Hi What is the best metal detector for natural gold like gold nuggets and gold veins ? Help please !!!

[@ChrisRalph]

You need a sensitive detector - see this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pYWlepaorNiqkLc

[@mohamadsiddig9666]

@@ChrisRalph Thank you for your collaboration.

[@mohamadsiddig9666]

@@ChrisRalph The Minelab gpz 7000 the best of the best I think?

[@ChrisRalph]

The 7000 us an amazing metal detector, but it is expensive.

[@pauly51]

Great video Chris. It looks like gold spot price has been going up every day!!! Vleew I loved your sound effect for old timers trash. Lol

[@ChrisRalph]

Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for the kind words and I hope you are soon out finding some good gold.

[@pauly51]

@@ChrisRalph i have many pans and a new Keene A52S self classifying. No detecter but I'm finding color, mostly flakes

[@hajikhan6742]

Sir when I test aqua regia with staniouscloride it's color change dark brown but after a few minutes it turn again its original color why so hapen

[@ChrisRalph]

Many elements can contaminate that test and make it not work.

[@oddball8758]

Hi Chris, I don't have a machine yet but I do have a question about them. If I were to swing over a chunk of Quartz in the stream and it has a nugget or string of Gold that hasn't smashed out yet still inside of it, Will these machines pick it up through rocks or minerals like that on the ground or stream?

[@ChrisRalph]

Yes, they can see through water, rock, quartz, air - whatever.

[@DigDougDig]

Yesterday I found a little nugget, maybe one grain, the nugget is in quartz in slate. Seam gold very thin. Obvious tone, using sdc2300 set to max threshold, max sensitivity, with headphones. Happy hunting!

[@eckk7405]

Sweet matie, is hard goin finding ya first nug ya definatly need paticance n determination, lol i still havnt found my first nug yet.

[@ChrisRalph]

Glad you enjoyed it, and I hope you are soon out finding some good gold.

[@daveylocker8]

Thank you for sharing your obvious vast knowledge on metals and geology. Subbed right away. Are you a geologist?

[@ChrisRalph]

I have a lot of geology background, but my degree is in Mining Engineering, a related field to geology.

[@aakniazi253]

Thanks teacher more info more excited

[@ChrisRalph]

You are welcome, Glad I could help!

[@coinzilla833]

i was wondering if the Gold bug pro is a good unit? there's one i can buy for $220 or i can get a garret at gold for $380 i live in wa state i hope you are able to get this message in a timely manner cause i am hoping to buy one asap i have a fever and the only cure is gold the dose dr recommends that sluice and pan 4 times a day with food.

[@ChrisRalph]

Both are good units. Maybe the cheaper one would be a better deal?

[@TheFrog767]

Excellent advice stay with it 😊👏👏👏🥂

[@ChrisRalph]

Yep.

[@joshuaadrian8225]

Your my gold-guru thanks for the knowledge...

[@joshuaadrian8225]

Couldnt think of a question before just did... do you find panning still valuable if you detect? Can panning help you find places to detect?

[@auassassin787]

In select scenarios, detecting can aid you in deciding on a spot to possibly pan. Due to the fact that your detector may hear some nuggets/small nuggets but miss the small flour gold even if there may be a decent deposit. So depending on the terrain, location of the discovered Au, your detector may help in finding a spot to further prospect.

[@ChrisRalph]

Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for the kind words and I hope you are soon out finding some good gold.

[@ChrisRalph]

I do both panning and detecting - some places panning is better, others the detecting is better.

[@auassassin787]

@@ChrisRalph For sure. A prospector that's worth his salt definitely stays well rounded and puts in his/her best effort to be prepared on a prospecting trip. Detector, pan(s) & classifiers, digging and crevicing tools, etc, and like you always emphasize in your videos, You Gotta Do Your Research!! Thanks again for another great watch Chris.

[@landonburke2772]

I argue with tv too, and thanks this will be helpful to me

[@ChrisRalph]

I'm glad you enjoyed the video.

[@DigDougDig]

True story, i dug up everything in the patch, except for the big double negative tone, obvious nail. Well that negative nail sounding tone, to my complete surprise was a double lobe thick flat figure Eight shaped exactly one ounce nugget. And then there was another this one was 19 gram same shape and double tone, I couldn't believe it! I think I dug up about two thousand nails. LoL

[@ChrisRalph]

If you find gold, all nearby targets must be dug. Some really loud signals are gold but most are trash.

[@treasurehuntingnewyork5979]

Hi sir I recently wanted to try my hand at prospecting the state I live in now as your aware New York is not know for any gold deposits of any kind other then glacial flour gold and any information on the topic is almost devoid of anything factual other then what I Just stated but I have seen a few cases of ppl dedicating there time and effort and were successful at finding flour gold and some very very small nuggets I can’t stress enough how I’m not tryin to rewrite history or start a new “rush” and I really don’t expect to be successful other then by pure luck or a miracle I did choose the route of the makro gold kruzer I found a good dealer that gave me a significant discount so I hope everything works out and I look forward to any further knowledge you have to share

[@ChrisRalph]

There are some pickers and small nuggets in the glacial gravels too.

[@treasurehuntingnewyork5979]

Smokey Bear it would actually be due east from me I’m in the Adirondacks myself 40 miles or so from the Canadian border doesn’t fit the New York big city narrative but there’s quite a vast area wilderness here in “the north country” as we call it

[@libraryfiles4470]

So where do you metal detect in a place like this?

[@ChrisRalph]

Where the gold is located.....

[@sonecasim]

you made me laugh at 17:10` very good hahahahah

[@ChrisRalph]

I try to be a little entertaining.

[@domsprospectingadventures9737]

took me 8 months every weekend every day of work out digging targets its hard work but hard work pays off

[@ChrisRalph]

That's the secret - stick to it.

[@domsprospectingadventures9737]

@@ChrisRalph i had a great run ended up with just over 3 grams then i walked off the gold for about month then went into lockdown now we just got another 6weeks stage4 will be loving your videos even more now lol

[@oddball8758]

That's a rather shallow grade scree slope you are at, I seen very steep grade scree in the White Mountains move for 5 minutes,...can't walk around or on them either. If there's Gold in them, it is not worth going after.

[@ChrisRalph]

I guarentee that you are not looking at a skree slope. The overall terrain there is nearly flat.

[@hajikhan6742]

Sir what is the price of your book for gold

[@ChrisRalph]

Go to Amazon and buy the book there, they will tell you the price in the money of your country.

[@greedygringoprospecting6941]

I copied the settings from the one guy who is a pres of a club on my gold monster the first time I used it you should have seen how small the piece of aluminum was on the end of my finger (just a spot of trash) but lets me know MY gold monster is bad ass I will find my first nugget soon just have to get used to it or when I was out at the east fork (beer caps with aluminum foil on them) GOLD !!!!!!!!!!! just bs and a good laugh jumping from ferris to non ferris metal I have .38 of a gram from panning gold that works just getting in better shape to walk back a ways helps where no on goes great video !!!!!!

[@ChrisRalph]

East Fork San Gabriel River in So. Calif.

[@ChrisRalph]

The Gold Monster is very sensitive.

[@greedygringoprospecting6941]

east fork the san gabriel river. in california

[@manishachandawat1996]

Hello sir uses white and 24k gold master machine, but I have not even got 1 nuggat yet. Is this machine good

[@greedygringoprospecting6941]

Manisha Chandawat yes you have to get around some one who knows the machine chris has a new video out about getting your first nugget. watch it. please. you'll get it.

[@patdenney7046]

Chris you forgot to tell everybody how dangerous it is to find your first nugget! You can catch Gold Fever and it's worse than the Coronavirus.

[@ChrisRalph]

Gold fever is a real thing that has been around for centuries.

[@DigDougDig]

I caught it bad, find myself hiking straight down into remote canyons. Lol

[@navagatingthroughthebeasts2908]

@@DigDougDig 😁😁😁

[@saleebanaxmedorshe9322]

Saleeba ahmed orshe I will not forget your good teach never thanks

[@ChrisRalph]

best of luck to you in your prospecting.

[@vossierebel]

Thought I heard the echo of an old-timer tossing a nugget into that pile of rock! 👍😁

[@ChrisRalph]

no, the old timer was tossing a chunk of trash.

[@vossierebel]

@@ChrisRalph Echoes...

[@thisvagabondlife7132]

Girls like prospecting too!

[@ChrisRalph]

No question about it.