Metal detectors for prospecting: the real difference between detector types

Metal detectors used for gold prospecting fall broadly into two real categories with genuinely different strengths. VLF (very low frequency) detectors are generally more affordable and excellent at discriminating between different metal types, useful for general prospecting and relic hunting, but they can struggle in highly mineralized ground, which is unfortunately common in many gold bearing regions. PI (pulse induction) detectors handle heavily mineralized ground much better and are generally more sensitive to small, deep gold, but typically offer less discrimination, meaning more trash targets get dug along the way. Serious gold prospectors often end up choosing PI detectors specifically because gold ground tends to be exactly the mineralized terrain that gives VLF detectors the most trouble.