The short answer is “no”, however, for some prospectors, having a metal detector in their repertoire has proven quite useful. The use of a metal detector for prospecting differs from the panning method however.
The Pan or Sluice It should be noted that a pan can be used to help with metal detecting gold discovery as well, but that will be discussed below. The more traditional panning method seeks to find gold along the banks, and within the bed of moving water, where it might have collected in the soil and rock beds. By digging into the soil in these locations and sifting through it, one can use the pan to toss the unwanted earth, while keeping the heavier gold particles and nuggets. A sluice operates on a similar notion, but with the movement of the water managing the sifting.
The Metal Detector Ever since they were first developed, mankind has been intrigued with the metal detector. They can be used to find all sorts of different buried treasures, including nuggets of gold. Typically prospectors using a metal detecting wand, research high probability areas in advance, such as those where gold was once dredged, before going out to scan the earth. These areas are places where nuggets might have been accidentally dropped or misplaced. The detector allows the prospector to find the gold and dig it up without digging a lot of unnecessary holes. A pan can then be used to separate the soil or clay from the gold.
With that said, you will not need a metal detector at Roaring Camp Gold for gold mining. At the camp, you will use the panning, and possibly sluicing methods of gold discovery. As for your other gold prospecting trips, a great metal detector can be a lot of fun and you may just find that it adds to the exciting of searching for gold. The decision is yours to make. Happy Gold Mining!