Many questions arise when getting started in the Metal Detecting Hobby. We try and answer some of the many questions we get asked regularly. We will continue to add more metal detecting questions to this article, so be sure to bookmark and visit back regularly.

A good place to start learning more about Metal Detecting or getting to know your metal detector is YouTube. A quick search for “Metal Detecting tips” shows a load of excellent videos which give great metal detecting advice.

Metal Detecting questions we get asked regularly

How deep can a metal detector detect?

This is probably the most common question we get. The answer is not obvious as it varies based on a number of external factors including: soil type, mineralisation of the soil, size of the target, depth of the target, metal type of the target, the type of detector, the search coil in use.

As you can see the answer is not obvious. A rule of thumb answer we like to give is double the length of your search coil, with a caveat that you need to also take into account the above mentioned external factors that can influence this depth.

Taking the typical search coil used on the Garrett AT range of Metal Detectors such as the Garrett AT Max, the search coil is 27cm long. Multiply this length by 2 = 54cm. This gives an estimate of the typical depth you can expect to detect objects. With of course taking into account the above external factors.

Read our article which covers in more depth how deep How Deep a Metal Detector Can Find Targets.

Can I detect diamonds?

No. Diamonds contain no metal, and metal detectors can only detect objects containing metal. The same applies to gemstones and pearls.

Do I need a license to detect?

No. However, this does not mean you may detect just anywhere. You may typically detect on all beaches without permission. You will need to seek permission when detecting on private property. Detecting on historical sites / heritage sites is off limits.

Remember the golden rule when detecting, leave the site in a better condition than you found it. That means taking the time to fill all your holes leaving no sign that you were there. Remove any and all junk you detect.