Can Metal Detectors Detect Palladium?

Ever wondered if your metal detector can spot palladium treasures? Dive in, and let’s unearth the truth together!

can metal detectors detect Palladium

I still remember how curious I was when I started to explore new metals 15 years ago. Well, it’s completely fine to have a lot of questions when you first start metal detecting. 

One of the questions that I was always interested in was about detecting palladium treasures with my metal detector.

First, I wanted to understand my detector’s capability to detect palladium so did deep research to find it out.

Now with years of experience, Here’s what I know about, Can metal detectors detect palladium?

Yes, metal detectors can detect palladium due to its conductivity. However, the sensitivity and depth of detection depend on the type and quality of the metal detector. High-quality detectors are more adept at identifying palladium objects, even at greater depths.

I loved doing research on my little questions a lot. So I’ll be sharing everything I know about palladium with you including the detection method with tips.

Furthermore, I’ll answer some frequently asked questions as well.

Let’s jump in!

Palladium items found when metal detecting
Palladium items found when metal detecting

Will Metal Detectors Detect Palladium?

Palladium will be detected by metal detectors since it is a conductive metal.

But however, the detection depends on the type and sensitivity of the metal detector.

Palladium is a non-ferrous metal and all the non-ferrous metal can be detected by metal detectors.

Metal detectors functioning depends on an electromagnetic field. 

When these waves are sent into the ground, they will be disturbed and changed when they come across metals. 

Then it creates a signal which is picked up by the coil. The detector analyzes this signal and displays it on the screen with information on the type of metal and the depth.

Sensitivity and accuracy play a significant role in finding palladium. High-end metal detectors are perfect for finding small amounts of palladium in greater depths. 

Other effects such as the soil type and the moisture content will also affect the detection. 

Adjusting the settings of the metal detector is crucial in order to optimize the performance of filtering signals given by palladium from other unwanted signals.

Characteristics of Palladium metal
Characteristics of Palladium metal

What Does Palladium Look Like In The Ground? 

In its natural state, palladium is a silver-white metal that looks exactly like platinum. It can be found on the ground in the form of an ore or a metallic deposit. 

These ores appear as dark rock that slightly looks like metal. Palladium is often found together with other metals such as platinum, gold, and silver. 

Since palladium is found in ores, it will be quite hard to find out in the ground. But a simple scratch test can help out. 

When it is scratched on the surface, the metal will move from one place to another over time and the scratch will be covered with a patina. 

Read to know the Best Places to Find Palladium when Metal Detecting!

Did you know fact about Palladium treasures
Did you know fact about Palladium treasures

Best Metal Detectors For Palladium 

Here are some of the best detectors that I’ve come across in the past years that are best for detecting palladium,

  • Bounty Hunter Tracker 4
  • Minelab GPZ 7000
  • Garrett AT Max
  • Whites TDI SL
  • Fisher Gold Bug Pro
  • Minelab Equinox 800
  • Garrett ATX
  • XP Deus
  • Minelab E-Trac

Consider factors such as sensitivity, depth, and reliability when searching for the best metal detector to detect palladium. 

Palladium relic found when metal detecting
Palladium relic found when metal detecting

How To Identify Palladium?

Identifying palladium is quite difficult since it has a similar color to platinum and white gold. 

But there are a few characteristics that are unique to palladium which will help to identify it. 

Color

Palladium is a silvery-white metal. It is quite lighter in color than platinum. 

The bright white color which reflects from the metal is similar to white gold. 

Weight

Palladium is a light-weighted metal compared to other precious metals. It is less dense compared to the density of platinum. 

Palladium is also similar in weight to that of 14-carat gold.

Markings

If you find a piece of jewelry made with palladium and struggle to find the metal type, there are always markings on them. 

Palladium is usually marked as Pd with the percentage of the metal’s purity.

Magnetic Properties 

Palladium has no magnetic properties. So if you get the metal near a magnet, it will not get attached.

Acid Test

Palladium does not react with acids except for concentrated nitric acid. 

Therefore an acid test can be performed in order to distinguish palladium from other metals.

How to detect Palladium
How to detect Palladium

How Deep Can A Metal Detector Detect Palladium?

The depth that a metal detector is able to detect palladium depends on many reasons. 

Some of them are the size of the object, the quality of the metal detector, and the soil conditions.

If this is taken in general, high-quality metal detectors that are specifically designed to detect valuable metals can detect a quite small object made out of palladium at a depth range of 6-10 inches. 

For larger objects such as large pieces of jewelry or ore deposits, the above-mentioned type of detector is able to find them within several feet below or at greater depths.

If you’re interested to know the detention depths, read How Deep Can a Metal Detector Detect?

Tip for detecting Palladium
Tip for detecting Palladium

Valuable Palladium Findings 

There are a few findings of palladium that can be considered valuables.

Rings

Palladium is commonly used in jewelry making. These have been a trend since ancient times. So most of the rings will be valuable ones. 

Coins

Palladium coins are another valuable find. These are significantly considered precious among coin collectors.

Palladium coin found when metal detecting
Palladium coin found when metal detecting

Military Artifacts 

Palladium has also been used in different military applications such as sensors and aircraft parts.

The artifacts from world war ll and the cold war era are historically important and valuable.

Historical Artifacts 

Palladium artifacts like ornaments and coins that belonged to ancient civilizations are highly valuable. 

Palladium artifact found when metal detecting
Palladium artifact found when metal detecting

Electric Scraps 

There are some electronic components that are made with the use of a little amount of palladium as the metal is conductive and has low resistance. 

It is used in computer chips, circuit boards, and capacitors. 

The old electronic scraps are named as valuable findings since they cannot be seen nowadays. 

How To Clean Palladium Finds?

There are a few ways to clean palladium without loosening its value.

Warm Water and Mild Soap

This method can be used for a simple and light cleanup. Mix warm water and a mild soap type in a bowl. 

Soak in the metal inside the mixture for a few minutes. 

Scrub it gently with a very thin brush if necessary. Rinse thoroughly and dry with a soft cloth.

Jewelry Cleaner

There are jewelry cleaners in the market that are specially made for palladium. 

Read the instructions on the bottle before using it. 

Most of the time it’s a liquid that you can soak the metal for a while and dry with a cloth. 

Baking Soda and Water

Mix baking soda into a little amount of water and foam a thick paste. Rub the paste over the metal and scrub it well. 

Then rinse it off with warm water.

Ammonia

Mix together one part of ammonia with six parts of water. Soak the item for not more than a minute. 

Then rinse it well with warm water and dry it with a cloth.

Ultrasonic Jewelry Cleaner

This equipment uses sound waves with high frequency to remove dirt from palladium pieces. 

But some items might not be able to be cleaned using this method. So carefully read the instructions before using. 

Tip for detecting Palladium treasures
Tip for detecting Palladium treasures

How To Preserve Palladium Finds?

I’m writing down some of the methods that I came across by myself and learned from fellow hobbyists that can be used to preserve palladium-based items and ensure that they will remain valuable for years. 

  1. Store the items in a safe place like a safe locker to prevent theft or damage.
  2. Though palladium is a durable and corrosion-resistant metal, it can be damaged by exposure to some of harsh metals. Avoid exposing them to bleach, chlorine, or other household chemicals.
  3. Clean the items once in a while on a regular basis. It will help to maintain the luster of the metal and to prevent dirt residue on the metal. Use mild soap and water or a professional palladium cleaner solution. 
  4. Get help from a professional jeweler to repair or clean the items as they know how to handle them with care.
Palladium jewelry found when metal detecting
Palladium jewelry found when metal detecting

Is Palladium Considered As A Valuable Metal?

Well of course yes! Palladium is a valuable metal that is specially used in the making of jewelry. 

People love palladium jewelry embedded with diamonds and other valuable stones because of the bright white color of the metal. It adds extra sparkle to the pieces.

The value of palladium has significantly increased over the past few years. 

Palladium is also used in several industries including automobile, electronics and medical equipment manufacturing. 

The reason for using palladium in these industries is because of its unique physical and chemical properties such as high melting point, corrosion resistance, and catalytic capabilities. 

Palladium is used in making catalytic converters, electronics, jewelry, dentistry equipment, fuel cells, and chemical-based equipment because of its special properties. 

Palladium is also considered a rare metal with an estimated global reserve of only around 6 million ounces. 

Therefore the production of palladium is limited. Only a few places including Russia, South Africa, and Canada do the mining of palladium. 

This is a limited price compared to the high demand and this is the reason behind its high price.

Palladium ring found when metal detecting
Palladium ring found when metal detecting

Tips For Using Metal Detectors To Find Palladium

Here are some tips that you can use to specifically identify palladium during metal detecting.

  1. Choose the right metal detector: every metal detector is unique and made for different purposes. Make sure to buy a detector that is sensitive to smaller and deeper targets of palladium. It is often rare and found at the depths.
  2. Look for potential locations: look for locations with a history associated with palladium. Most of the oldest homes and historical places will have palladium. And palladium is often deposited with platinum. So look for mining areas related to platinum. 
  3. Adjust the settings of the detector: adjust the sensitivity, discrimination, soil composition, and target metal settings on the detector to maximize the chance of finding palladium. 
  4. Select the perfect search coil: use a search coil that has the capability of detecting palladium. Using deep search coils is the perfect way to get the work done. 
  5. Be careful while digging: palladium is usually located at deeper levels or a few inches below the ground. So be careful while digging and keep it clean to avoid missing the target.

Apart from these steps, make sure that you always get permission before doing any detection. 

Follow all the rules and regulations that are related to metal detecting around the area or the province. 

Always leave the place clean once you finish doing things and inform the people who own the place that you’re done with the place.

Does Palladium Set Off Metal Detectors At Airport?

Yes. Palladium has the ability to set off the airport metal detectors. 

An airport detector is designed to detect any metal object once someone passes through it. All the bags are also scanned in the same way. 

Palladium is among the various precious metals that can trigger an airport metal detector.

If you carry or wear any item that is made from palladium, it is likely to set off the airport metal detector. 

It can lead you to additional screenings like a pat down or an X-ray scanning inspection. 

Remember that there are restrictions on precious metals. Only a limited amount of these could be transported in baggage while traveling. 

If there are excess amounts present, they will consider it a suspicious event and seize or confiscate the items.

It is therefore advised to go through TSA guidelines and regulations before you travel in order to avoid any issues and hassles at the airport. 

Palladium finds that can be found when metal detecting
Palladium finds that can be found when metal detecting

That’s it, folks! Now you know can metal detectors detect Palladium and how to detect it using the right techniques.

Palladium prices surged by over 300% between 2016 and 2020, making it one of the most sought-after precious metals for investors and treasure hunters alike.

www.bloomberg.com

So, let’s answer some frequently asked questions.

FAQs

Why is palladium hard to distinguish from other metals in the ground?

Palladium, in its natural state, looks like silver-white platinum, making it challenging to differentiate from other similar metals such as platinum and white gold.

Is palladium reactive to magnets?

No, palladium possesses no magnetic properties, so it won’t attach to a magnet when brought near.

How should palladium finds be cleaned?

Cleaning palladium can involve using warm water and mild soap, commercial jewelry cleaners designed for palladium, or home remedies like a baking soda-water paste. Always follow instructions and ensure gentle handling.

Are there any restrictions on traveling with palladium items?

Yes, there may be restrictions on the amount of precious metal, including palladium, you can carry during air travel. It’s advisable to consult TSA guidelines before traveling with significant amounts of palladium to avoid confiscation or other issues at the airport.

Did I cover all you wanted to know about: Can Metal Detectors Detect Palladium?

In this article, I’ve deeply discussed can metal detectors detect palladium wt the right detection technique. Plus, I’ve mentioned the tips and tricks that I’ve learned over the years to find valuable palladium treasures.

Metal detectors can detect palladium. It is a metal that has conductivity and therefore it can be detected by metal detectors. The detection will also depend on the type of the metal detector. High-frequency metal detectors can even find small amounts of palladium.

Furthermore, I’ve answered some frequently asked questions as well.

Hope you were able to learn everything you wanted to know about, can metal detectors detect palladium with practical examples.

So, next time when you go for metal detection, don’t forget to look for palladium treasures as well. Happy hunting!

Hi! I’m the treasure hunter and adventurer behind DetectingTreasures.com. I'm here to share my knowledge, inspire your adventures, and provide practical guides to help you succeed in your own treasure hunting journey. Read More...

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