Minelab

What Minelab does

Minelab Electronics Pty Limited, founded in 1985 and headquartered in Adelaide, Australia, designs and manufactures metal detection devices for three end-markets: consumer treasure hunting, gold prospecting, and professional/defense applications. The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Codan Limited (ASX:CDA) and operates regional entities in the UK (Minelab Electronics UK Limited) and India (Minelab India Private Limited). Its product portfolio is organized into distinct families spanning entry-level through professional price points: GO-FIND (~$99), X-TERRA, VANQUISH, EQUINOX, GOLD MONSTER ($1,999), MANTICORE ($1,499), GPZ, GPX ($6,999+), CTX 3030, SDC 2300, and EXCALIBUR II, supplemented by the PRO-FIND pinpointer series, wireless audio, coils, and other accessories. Core technologies are proprietary and patented, including Multi-IQ and Multi-IQ+ simultaneous multi-frequency operation, Zero Voltage Transmission (ZVT) for extreme depth in mineralized ground, GeoSense-PI pulse induction for gold prospecting, and a 2D ID Map on the MANTICORE that visualizes targets by conductivity and ferrous properties.

Minelab's business model is hardware-driven: it sells one-time/perpetual-license detector units direct-to-consumer via seven regional e-commerce storefronts (USA, UK, Germany, Brazil, India, Mexico, EU) and through a global authorized dealer network, with accessories, replacement coils, pinpointers, and software (XChange 2, Realm app) forming secondary recurring streams. Go-to-market combines direct e-commerce, multi-tier channel partners, and event-driven community engagement through competitions like Goldfields of Fortune (prize pools up to $25,000) and the Detectival community event. The customer base spans hobbyist detectorists (entry-to-advanced), gold prospectors and artisanal miners (driven by record gold prices), defense forces worldwide, and a growing industrial/commercial safety operator segment.

Commercially, Minelab benefits from strong category tailwinds: Codan's share price doubled in one year on robust detector sales across Australia, Africa, and the Americas, while record gold prices above $4,500 per troy ounce and surging Victorian miner permits (~16,000) are driving prospecting demand. The company is expanding its addressable market with an April 2026 launch of industrial safety detectors targeting mining, agriculture, forestry, and infrastructure. Compliance registrations (WEEE, EPR) across France, Italy, Germany, UK, and India, combined with localized regional storefronts, support its global distribution footprint. Marketed as the "#1 in metal detection globally" with 35+ years of heritage, Minelab's competitive position rests on proprietary signal-processing IP, a broad product ladder, and a tightly integrated accessory and community ecosystem.

Name

Minelab

Legal name

Minelab Electronics Pty Limited

Website

https://minelab.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Minelab designs and manufactures metal detection devices for consumer treasure hunting, gold prospecting, defense, and industrial safety applications. Founded in 1985 and headquartered in Adelaide, Australia, it operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Codan Limited (ASX:CDA).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Metal Detection Equipment

NAICS

Mining Machinery and Equipment Manufacturing (333131)

SIC

Mining Machinery & Equip (No Oil & Gas Field Mach & Equip) (3532)

akta.pro primary industry

Inspection, Checkweighing & Detection Systems (Vision, Metal, X-ray) (IMALAOAH)

Keywords

• Metal detection devices
• Gold prospecting equipment
• Treasure hunting detectors
• Multi-frequency detectors
• Pinpointer detectors

Headquarters

HQ city

Adelaide

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Metal Detector Hardware Sales: Minelab generates primary revenue from selling metal detectors across multiple product families ranging from beginner entry-level ($99.99) to professional-grade ($6,999+) units. Products are sold directly through e-commerce and through authorized dealer networks globally.
2. Accessories and Consumables: Secondary revenue stream from accessories including pinpointers (PRO-FIND series), coils, audio equipment, batteries, chargers, bags, gold pans, shafts, and other detector accessories and replacement parts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Minelab designs and manufactures handheld metal detection devices for consumer treasure hunting, gold prospecting, humanitarian demining, and military applications. The company sells a tiered portfolio of detectors ranging from beginner entry-level units (GO-FIND at $99.99) to professional-grade gold prospecting systems (GPX 6000 at $6,999+), alongside accessories, pinpointers, and digital community platforms.

Product overview

Minelab is a global leader in metal detection technology, operating as a subsidiary of Codan Limited (ASX:CDA). The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of metal detectors spanning entry-level hobbyist devices to professional-grade exploration equipment. The product lineup is organized into distinct families: GO-FIND (entry-level), X-TERRA (beginner to intermediate), VANQUISH (beginner to intermediate with Multi-IQ), EQUINOX (intermediate to advanced), GOLD MONSTER (dedicated gold prospecting), MANTICORE (advanced flagship with Multi-IQ+), GPZ/GPX (professional gold detection with ZVT/GeoSense-PI), CTX 3030 (advanced treasure hunting with GPS), and SDC 2300 (compact waterproof gold prospecting). Core technologies include Multi-IQ multi-frequency simultaneous operation, Multi-IQ+ (next-generation with lower EMI), ZVT (extreme depth in mineralized ground), GeoSense-PI (ground signal analysis), and 2D ID mapping (visual target classification). Supporting accessories include PRO-FIND pinpointers, wireless audio modules, specialized coils, and the Realm digital community platform. The company also provides XChange 2 desktop software for data management on select detectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Realm: A platform/app built for detectorists and gold prospectors to log and track finds, connect with a global community, learn through videos and courses, and get advice from experts.
• Detexperts

Products and services

• GO-FIND Series Entry-level metal detectors for beginners and casual hobbyists featuring waterproof coils, target ID display, and simple controls.
• X-TERRA Series Versatile detectors for beginner to intermediate users with Multi-IQ technology, waterproof design up to 5m, and configurable settings.
• VANQUISH Series Beginner to intermediate multi-frequency detectors using Multi-IQ technology for all-terrain performance, available in VANQUISH 60 Series (360, 460, 560, PRO-PACK) and original 340, 440, 540 models.
• EQUINOX Series Intermediate to advanced multi-frequency detectors with Multi-IQ technology, IP68 waterproof rating, carbon-fiber shafts, and 50-119 target ID range depending on model.
• GOLD MONSTER Series Dedicated gold prospecting detectors with automatic ground balance and high sensitivity to small nuggets, including GOLD MONSTER 2000 ($1,999) and GOLD MONSTER 1000 with GM05 coil.
• MANTICORE Advanced flagship multi-frequency detector featuring Multi-IQ+ technology for superior depth and 2D Target ID Map with conductivity and ferrous property visualization, priced at $1,499.
• GPZ Series Professional gold detectors using Zero Voltage Transmission (ZVT) technology for extreme depth detection in mineralized ground, including GPZ 8000 and GPZ 7000 with Super-D coils.
• GPX Series Professional gold prospecting detectors including GPX 6000 with GeoSense-PI technology for variable ground conditions and legacy GPX 5000/4800/4500 models.
• CTX 3030 Advanced treasure and coin detector with FBS multi-frequency technology, GPS tracking, waterproof design, and Combined Audio, priced at $1,999.
• SDC 2300 Compact waterproof gold prospecting detector using MPF Pulse Induction technology, waterproof to 3m including control box, designed for sensitive small-to-medium nugget detection in mineralized ground.
• EXCALIBUR II Professional beach and deep-water metal detector designed for extreme saltwater and mineralized sand conditions with 20+ year production history.
• PRO-FIND Series Pinpointers Handheld pinpointer detectors for precise target location available in PRO-FIND 15, 35, and 40 models with varying waterproof ratings and sensitivity settings.
• Realm App Digital community platform and mobile app for detectorists and gold prospectors to log finds, track discoveries, connect with the global community, and access learning content.
• XChange 2 Desktop Software Desktop software for CTX 3030 and GPZ 7000/8000 detectors enabling mode sharing, data management, and GPS data extraction via SQLite database.
• Minelab Accessories Comprehensive range of detector accessories including pinpointers, wireless audio modules, headphones, coils, batteries, chargers, gold pans, bags, covers, and shafts.
• New Generation Safety Series Metal Detectors New generation of metal detectors designed for safety and operational efficiency in mining, agriculture, forestry, and infrastructure industries, with up to 1.5m depth detection and integration with satellite-based mineral detection platforms.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 30% faster detection speeds compared to previous models
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

AI capability7 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Codan LimitedcoreOthersCodan Limited is the Adelaide-headquartered parent company of Minelab. Codan is described as the world's largest maker of handheld metal detectors. The partnership represents a parent-subsidiary relationship with Minelab operating as a division of Codan.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks2 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/minelab
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/MinelabDetecting
• Facebookfacebook.com/MinelabMetalDetectors
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/minelab
• Instagraminstagram.com/minelabdetecting

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Minelab