Minelab GPZ 7000 All Terrain Gold Metal Detector with PRO-FIND 40

The Minelab GPZ 7000 with a Minelab PRO-FIND 40 pinpointer is built for experienced prospectors chasing deep natural gold in mineralized ground, with a waterproof pinpointer for the recovery. The GPZ 7000 pairs Minelab Zero Voltage Transmission with the GPZ14 14 inch round Super-D coil, three Ground Types, three Gold Modes and built-in GPS, and Minelab rates the GPZ14 coil waterproof to 1 meter (3.3 feet).

What is in the box with this Minelab GPZ 7000 bundle

Minelab's standard contents for the GPZ 7000 (Minelab part 3301-0003)

• Minelab GPZ 7000 detector
• GPZ14 14 inch round Super-D search coil with skidplate
• Rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack, 7.2 V, 72 Wh
• BC 10 battery charger
• Universal charging cable kit
• Car battery charging cable
• WM 12 wireless audio module
• KOSS UR-30 wired headphones, 100 ohm, 6.35 mm (1/4 inch) plug
• PRO-SWING 45 harness
• Swing arm

This Minelab GPZ 7000 bundle also includes

• Minelab PRO-FIND 40 pinpointer with holster, lanyard and 9V battery (Minelab part 3226-0005)

What the add-ons in this Minelab GPZ 7000 bundle do

PRO-FIND 40 pinpointer: once the GPZ 7000 has put you over a target, a handheld pinpointer narrows it down in the hole or in loose gravel. Minelab gives the PRO-FIND 40 5 sensitivity levels, Ferrous Tone ID, vibration, Rapid Re-tune, an LED flashlight and a 24-month warranty, rates it waterproof to 3 meters (10 feet) and lists up to 20 hours on its 9V battery. See our Minelab pinpointers.

About the Minelab GPZ 7000

We see the GPZ 7000 as a specialized system built around one of the hardest jobs in natural gold prospecting: finding gold at depth in mineralized ground. Many goldfields have been worked for decades and the easy targets are gone, yet larger nuggets can still sit beyond the reach of the equipment used there before. Minelab built the GPZ 7000 around Zero Voltage Transmission (ZVT), the GPZ14 Super-D coil and precision ground balance for exactly that kind of ground. It is more than a detector with a big coil, but we would not claim it finds every nugget deeper than every other Minelab detector; target size, ground conditions, coil and technique decide the result.

Minelab states that ZVT gives up to 40 percent more depth than its earlier GPX Series detectors. Read that as Minelab's own comparison, not a promise for every nugget: the size, shape and orientation of the gold and the mineralization between coil and target all change the response. Minelab's Getting Started Guide pairs the Extra Deep mode with deep, large nuggets, and medium and larger nuggets are where we think the GPZ 7000 is most interesting.

Minelab GPZ 7000 Ground Type, Gold Mode and key settings

• Ground Type: Minelab matches Normal to low soil mineralization, Difficult to high mineralization and Severe to severe mineralization. Normal can give more depth on mild soil; when the detector turns unstable on hot ground, Difficult may give more usable operation. We would not pick Severe by default, because more aggressive ground handling can cost target response.
• Gold Mode: High Yield for small and medium nuggets, General for general nuggets and Extra Deep for deep, large nuggets. Extra Deep is not automatically the right mode because of its name; a setting aimed at large, deep targets may not suit small gold, so we would choose the mode by expected target size and ground.
• Ground balance: automatic tracking plus manual options, and the Quick-Trak trigger rebalances without interrupting your search. Tracking will not silence every hot rock, so follow Minelab's ground balance procedure when you walk into noticeably different ground.
• Sensitivity, noise and audio: sensitivity and volume each run from 1 to 20, Noise Cancel works automatically or manually across 256 channels, and audio reaches you through the supplied KOSS UR-30 headphones on the 6.35 mm socket or wirelessly through the WM 12 module.
• GPSi: the built-in GPS logs WayPoints, FindPoints and GeoHunt paths, and Minelab's XChange 2 software for PC shows them on Google Maps, which helps you return to a productive patch and see what you have already covered. It does not replace proper maps, navigation tools and safety planning on remote ground.

Using the Minelab GPZ 7000 around water

Minelab rates the GPZ14 coil waterproof to 1 meter (3.3 feet), while the GPZ 7000 detector itself is weatherproof only, built for rain and wet conditions. According to Minelab, the detector, the WM 12 and the headphones must not be immersed. In a shallow creek or wet wash, put the coil in the water within its rating and keep the control box above the waterline; a waterproof coil does not make the whole detector waterproof.

Minelab GPZ 7000 weight, battery and harness

Minelab lists the GPZ 7000 at 3.32 kg (7.32 lb) with the GPZ14 coil, skidplate and 72 Wh battery, which is substantial for a handheld detector. Over a long day swinging uphill across rocky ground, weight and balance matter, so we treat the PRO-SWING 45 harness in the box as part of the system; someone used to a lightweight detector may need time to adjust. The removable 7.2 V, 72 Wh lithium-ion pack runs at least eight hours with GPS, backlight and wireless switched on, and the BC 10 charger runs from the supplied AC plug pack or from a 12 V car or 24 V truck system.

Where the Minelab GPZ 7000 works well, and who should look elsewhere

The GPZ 7000 makes the most sense to us on a goldfield that has already produced substantial gold, where the shallow targets have been taken but larger nuggets may remain deeper. Historical production records, geology and knowledge of earlier finds still matter, and searching at random because the detector is advanced rarely pays. For someone who plans to prospect a few weekends a year and is still learning where productive ground lies, the Minelab GOLD MONSTER 2000 is a more approachable start, light and focused on small natural gold. We would recommend the GPZ 7000 on prospecting experience and expected targets rather than on price or reputation.

One mistake to avoid with the Minelab GPZ 7000

The mistake we warn new owners about is reaching for the most aggressive settings straight away. On mineralized ground the detector gets unstable, the operator raises sensitivity and picks the mode meant for maximum depth, and the machine gets noisier still, burying the faint genuine signals. Begin with Minelab's suggested settings, get the detector stable, then change one setting at a time. A stable detector is usually more useful than one at maximum sensitivity producing constant false signals.

Minelab GPZ 7000 or GPZ 8000

The Minelab GPZ 8000 is Minelab's newer flagship, built on GeoZVT technology with ground-optimized detection, Echo Sonic Pro audio, concentric toroidal coils and a lighter weight of 2.78 kg (6.1 lb) with the Z18 coil. For anyone buying a flagship gold detector now, those differences deserve serious thought. We would not say the GPZ 8000 finds every nugget deeper than the GPZ 7000: the two use different systems and coils, and the prospecting conditions decide.

Getting started with the Minelab GPZ 7000

Charge the battery pack fully before the first trip; Minelab supplies it partially charged and advises charging for up to eight hours the first time. Fit the PRO-SWING 45 harness and swing arm, begin on known ground with Minelab's suggested settings, and learn how Ground Type and Gold Mode change what you hear before you adjust anything else.

Minelab GPZ 7000 specifications

Minelab covers the GPZ 7000 control box and coil with a 3-year warranty in the USA.

Serious Detecting bundle (added free at checkout):

• Lil' Digger Double Serrated Shovel
• Serious Detecting Finds Bag with 42 inch Waist Belt
• Serious Detecting Carry Bag
• Serious Detecting Cap
• Double Serrated Hand Digger with Belt Holster

For our full GPZ 7000 guide, settings advice and comparisons, see the Minelab GPZ 7000 collection.