The metal detector was first developed in the 1960s in industrial and military fields to search for mines. It is a device used to detect metals and materials buried underground, and it is a technical tool used in many different fields and applications. It is used in the archaeological context to search for tombs and artifacts buried long ago. This helps in discovering many gold, ancient coins and jewelry on beaches and parks.
What is a metal detector
A metal detector is a device used to search for gold, metals or metal objects buried underground. It is an electrical device that can identify the metal materials present in its operating environment. The device contains one or more induction coils that send magnetic waves, and when these waves interact with metal, a change occurs in them. When the electromagnetic waves bounce back to the device, an audible tone is emitted to indicate the presence of metal. Its depth and location are accurately determined based on the change in the wave.
Uses of a metal detector
The uses of metal detectors are multiple in many applications; Including:
- Detecting metals such as gold, buried treasures, jewelry, silver, and ancient coins on beaches and parks.
- In the field of security, it is used to detect weapons in public places and in the field of construction, it is used to detect metals underground to avoid digging and demolition.
- It is used in geological research to detect geological formations and mineral ores found underground.
- It is also used in the field of industry to detect the presence of metal materials inside products and to detect their quality and safety.
- The metal detector is used in military fields to detect mine locations and other multiple uses of the metal detector.
Components of the metal detectors
Despite the many types of metal detectors, they all share the basic components, which are:
- Search coil: It is a circular or oval structure and is the part responsible for determining the locations of metals underground and detecting their presence. The idea of its operation depends on the passage of an electric current in it, generating a magnetic field whose frequency changes.
- Column: The column is one of the basic components of metal detectors and is the part that connects the search coil to the main control unit and is usually lightweight and its length and angle can be controlled to facilitate its use.
- Stabilizer: The stabilizer in the metal detector keeps the device steady and stable and avoids vibrations that may affect the device’s reading while moving it back and forth.
- Control box: The control box is the basic unit in the metal detector and it controls the device completely and contains the screen, battery, buttons, speaker, and accurate sensor.
How to use the metal detector
The following steps must be followed when using the metal detector:
- Install the parts of the metal detector after fully charging the battery.
- Then choose the appropriate place to search for coins and buried treasures.
- Make sure that searching in these places is legal in the country in which you live, as there are some places where searching is prohibited.
- Install some accessories such as headphones and a bag and bring some digging tools to extract metals.
- When you start searching, press the start button for the device to work.
- Move the search coil right and left around the area you are searching in after testing the device by passing a small piece of metal.
- It is recommended to reduce the sensitivity of the device at the beginning of the search and then you can increase the sensitivity in soil full of minerals.
- You have to move slowly with the search coil set flat so that the distance between it and the soil is one to two inches.
- You must learn some basic techniques to differentiate between precious metals and unwanted metal debris.
The best metal detector
There are different types of metal detectors that rely on modern and advanced technologies in detecting metals. The quality of the device depends on the systems it contains as well as the programming used in the device and the quality of the basic components, which vary from one device to another. Below we explain some of the best types of metal detectors, which are:
Mega Scan Pro

The Mega Scan Pro is one of the latest metal detectors, and this device works with the sensor system. This device is characterized by a search range of up to 3000 meters and a depth of up to 50 meters below the surface of the earth. It is used to detect antiquities, precious metals,
coins, tunnels and caves.
Specifications
The Mega Scan Pro device is designed to meet the needs of researchers. Its features include:
- The device contains six search systems: 3D ground search system, Pin Pointer target locating system, manual long-range scanning system, automatic long-range scanning system, ionic scanning system, and bionic system.
- The device contains a color LCD screen and supports 12 languages including English, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Russian, Arabic, Chinese, Turkish, Urdu, Persian, and Hebrew.
- The device contains a 12-volt rechargeable lithium battery that lasts a very long time.
Gold Vision

The Gold Vision device is the latest version of the German Geo Ground. This device contains many features, as its search range reaches 3000 meters on the surface of the earth and a depth of 40 meters below the surface of the earth. It is a metal detector from the imaging sensor devices.
Specifications
- The device works with several systems, which are: the 3D ground scanning system, the long-range scanning system in Gold Vision, the free mode system, the smart depth system, and the electronic system.
- The Gold Vision device is used to search for all types of metals, including gold, silver, copper, and bronze, detect bracelets and rings, and detect ancient artifacts such as statues, daggers, and metal swords.
- It can be used on beaches to search for lost coins, jewelry, and more.



