Magnetometer

[njoseph22]

Hello friends
Did he/she want to know which the best form is of locating minerals in the underground, specifically gold; that such the magnetometer works?
On the images satellital, do they know about some that is economic? Or if there is some gratuitous better.

Thank you for their help

[Geophyz]

Magnetometer will not find gold.

[J_Player]

Satellites and Magnetometers

Satellites contain many instruments to measure the earth and cosmos beyond. The magnetometers on satellites do not find any gold, They only find magnetic fields which are affected by space bodies and magnetic substances like iron and nickel. The satellites have been mapping many minerals on the earth by using gamma spectroscopy methods coupled with scintillators that are capable of finding trace amounts of natural occurring isotopes of these minerals. The satellites are capable of pinpointing large ore or oil deposits up to 10,000 feet deep, but are not able to find a nugget or a small gold bar.

Magnetometers are most useful for finding iron objects under the ground (sometimes treasures are placed in iron boxes before burying them). The more sensitive magnetometers are able to locate brick walls and other structures that have been covered by overburden. They are measuring very small differences in the magnetic properties of ferric content in the clays of the bricks and other architectural features of buried cities. These expensive sensitive magnetometers are usually used for anthropological studies, but could also be used effectively for treasure hunters.

[njoseph22]

Magnetometers

Thank you J_Player for your answer,
I have a question for you. In case that the treasure is of more size, a trunk you the satellite believes it detects it?

[J_Player]

For a treasure chest full of gold, maybe 1 meter cube size, I do not believe a satellite will find it. I may be wrong, but I think it will not find it. For a very large size like Fort Knox, I think the satellite will find very easily even through the steel containers and armor. The satellites have never carried instruments designed to locate lost treasure chests. The satellite instruments are for mapping the minerals of the earth, and other physical properties of the earth and cosmos. These instruments can sometimes be helpful for a treasure hunter. The photo images from satellites can show evidence of old buildings and roads that no longer exist, and are no longer seen from the walking in the area.

The best tools to locate a treasure chest with gold will depend on how deep the chest is buried. For not too deep, then maybe a 2-box metal detector. If deeper, maybe we need to use a bigger coil to find it. Also ground penetrating radar, or resistivity methods can help to find a buried treasure chest. If the chest has iron parts, then a magnetometer could also be used to locate the chest. But the magnetometer will not tell you if there is gold inside the chest.