What Metals Cannot Be Detected by metal detector

 

If you’ve ever been intrigued by the idea of treasure hunting, you’ve probably encountered metal detectors.

While these devices may appear to be foolproof tools for uncovering valuable items hidden beneath the ground, it’s important to understand that they have their limitations.

Let’s delve into what metal detectors are, how they operate, and the types of metals they are unable to detect.

 

What Is A Metal Detector

Metal detectors are electronic devices that utilize a sizeable coil of wire, referred to as a transmit coil, along with a second coil of wire known as a receive coil.

These coils work in tandem to alert you to the presence of buried metals by emitting an audible signal.

However, it’s crucial to recognize that metal detectors are not capable of detecting every type of material concealed underground.

 

What Metals Cannot Be Detected by metal detector

Metal detectors operate based on the principles of electromagnetism, meaning they emit electromagnetic fields and listen for any returning waves from objects exhibiting electrical conductivity.

Metal detectors encounter difficulties when attempting to detect metals with very low electrical conductivity, such as stainless steel.

Stainless steel possesses minimal magnetic permeability, which results in it not generating a signal strong enough to be detected.

Other items that metal detectors are unable to locate include:

Gemstones
Paper
Pearls
Bone
Stone figures

 

Metals Easily Detected by Metal Detectors

Ferrous metals are the most straightforward for metal detectors to locate due to their magnetic properties.

If a metal is conductive, then the likelihood of a metal detector detecting it is high.

 

Using the Discrimination Feature

While metal detectors cannot be precisely set to find specific types of metals and alloys, they do offer a useful feature to help avoid detecting unwanted items.

Metal detectors typically come with a discrimination setting that can differentiate between various metallic alloys.

As different metal objects have distinct characteristic phase shifts, it’s possible to distinguish between them.

For example, silver dimes will generally cause a larger phase shift compared to aluminum.

 

Exchange Your Precious Metal Scrap

If you happen to discover precious metals like gold or silver during your treasure-hunting adventures, it’s advisable to exchange them with a reputable refiner like Manhattan Gold & Silver. They offer swift and equitable payouts based on the latest London Fixing prices.