The questions we get most
FIG. 12 — 39 STRAIGHT ANSWERS
Getting started
What is GoldBelt Africa?
A subscription map and intelligence service for prospecting in Africa: documented gold, mineral, gemstone and rare earth districts across all 54 countries, plus each country's mines, companies, laws and permit routes — all from named public sources.
Who is it for?
Detectorists planning African trips, small-scale and artisanal miners, diaspora prospectors returning home, mineral collectors, students of geology and anyone who wants to understand what lies under African ground before spending money on it.
Do I need experience to use it?
No. The "Know your ground" guide teaches what ore actually looks like, the dossiers explain each country in plain English, and the AI briefings turn dense geology into a page you can read over breakfast.
Does it work on my phone?
Yes. It's built mobile-first, and you can install it to your home screen on iOS and Android so it opens like an app — no app store needed.
Does it work offline?
The app shell, your pins and district data keep working offline once loaded. Fresh satellite tiles need signal, so load your target area before you leave coverage. Full offline map packs are on the roadmap.
Which countries are covered?
All 54 African countries have a dossier. District map density is deepest where the geology is richest — Zimbabwe, Ghana, Mali, Tanzania, South Africa, DRC — and grows every month.
Is the site available 24/7?
Yes — it runs on globally distributed infrastructure with no single server to go down, so the map is live around the clock, worldwide.
Do you have iOS and Android apps?
GoldBelt installs as an app on both from your browser (Add to Home Screen). Native app-store versions are on the roadmap.
Maps & data
Where does the map data come from?
Named public sources only: the USGS Mineral Resources Data System, national geological surveys, the BGS archive, official mining cadastres, filed JORC/NI 43-101 company reports and NASA/ESA satellite data. See the Sources section — every layer is traceable.
How accurate are the coordinates?
Markers show district centres from the geological record — accurate to the district, not to a nugget. They put you on the right ground; your detector, pan and eyes do the last hundred metres.
How often is the map updated?
Continuously, with new districts and dossier refreshes logged monthly. The MAP UPDATED stamp above the map shows the date of the latest release.
What does the "MAP UPDATED" stamp mean?
The date the current data release went live. If it's recent, the dossiers, laws and layers reflect the latest information we hold.
What do the coloured layers mean?
Gold (gold markers), base metals (green), gemstones (rust) and rare earths (violet). Toggle each with the chips above the map.
Why are some markers faded with a lock?
Those districts belong to a higher tier than the free preview. The popup tells you which plan unlocks the full coordinates and notes.
Can I download coordinates to my GPS?
Yes — Master Prospector includes GPX waypoint downloads that load straight into Garmin units and phone apps. A free sample GPX of the preview districts is available above the map.
Can I add my own pins and notes?
Yes. Turn on "Drop a pin", tap the map, type a note. Pins save instantly and reload every visit.
Are my pins private?
Completely. They're stored on your own device and never uploaded. Nobody — including us — sees your spots. Encrypted sync across your devices is coming as an option.
What are AI district briefings?
Pick a district and the AI assembles what the geological record says — deposit style, host rocks, history, approach and the legal position — into a plain-English report. Included with Master Prospector.
Can I request a district or region?
Yes — Master members vote monthly on which region we digitise next, and any member can email a request.
Do you show live mining claims and tenements?
We link every country's official cadastre portal so you can check claims against the government record — always the final word. Colour-coded live claim layers on our own map are on the roadmap.
What is a greenstone belt?
Ancient belts of altered volcanic rock — the classic host of African reef gold. Zimbabwe alone has dozens, which is why it records more small gold workings than any other African country.
What's the difference between reef and alluvial gold?
Reef (lode) gold sits in solid rock, usually quartz veins — hammer and crusher territory. Alluvial (placer) gold has been washed into river gravels — pan, sluice and detector territory. The map notes which type each district carries.
What are rare earths, and why should a prospector care?
Seventeen metals that power magnets, EVs and turbines. Africa holds some of the highest-grade occurrences on Earth (Kangankunde, Gakara). Prices and demand are rising — knowing where they occur is tomorrow's advantage.
In the field: law & safety
Does a marker guarantee I'll find gold?
No — and be suspicious of anyone who promises that. A marker means documented mineralisation and production history: the right ground to try. Skill, permits, access and hours in the field decide the rest.
Is it legal to prospect at these locations?
Only with the correct permit. Every African country regulates prospecting. The dossiers give each country's law and permit route; never work someone else's claim or a protected area.
How do I get a prospecting permit?
Through the national mining authority or cadastre named in the country dossier — for example Zimbabwe's Ministry of Mines for a prospecting licence, or Ghana's Minerals Commission. Fees are usually modest; the dossier tells you where to start.
Can foreigners prospect in Africa?
It varies. Some countries welcome licensed foreign prospectors; others reserve small-scale licences for citizens (Ghana, Tanzania), making a local partnership the legal route. Each dossier states the position plainly.
Is metal detecting legal in Africa?
In most countries a detector is simply a tool — it's the digging and taking of minerals that's licensed. Mauritania even legalised detector prospecting in designated zones. Check the dossier and never detect on archaeological sites.
Is it safe to travel to these districts?
Security varies enormously — from very safe (Botswana, Namibia) to no-go (parts of the Sahel, Sudan). Dossiers flag known risk regions, but always check your government's current travel advice before booking anything.
What about private land and protected areas?
National parks, heritage sites and active claims are off-limits everywhere. On communal or private land, permission from the owner or chief plus your permit is the standard. When in doubt, ask first — it also earns local knowledge no map can give.
Can I sell what I find?
Only through legal channels, which differ by country — in Zimbabwe all gold must be sold to Fidelity Gold Refinery; in Rwanda tin and tantalite must be tagged and traceable. Each dossier covers the export and sale rules.
Any health and safety basics?
Never enter old shafts or adits — bad air and collapse kill experienced miners every year. Work with a partner, carry water and a first-aid kit, tell someone your plan, and treat mercury as the poison it is: we never endorse its use.
What detector should I buy?
For African gold country, a pulse-induction or high-frequency VLF machine built for mineralised ground is the usual choice. We don't sell gear — see our gear partners, and ask the community what works on ground like yours.
Account & billing
Can I cancel anytime?
Yes. Subscriptions run through Stripe and cancel in one click from your receipt email. No contracts, no minimum term, no phone calls.
Is there a lifetime option?
Yes — the Founder plan: one payment of $149.99 for lifetime access to everything, including every future layer and feature. Limited to the first 500 founders.
How do payments work?
Stripe handles checkout — cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay. We never see or store your card details.
Which plan should I start with?
Only chasing gold? Prospector at $4.99. Want gemstones, metals and the 54 country dossiers? Explorer. Master adds rare earths, AI briefings, GPX and field sheets. Never want a subscription? Founder — one payment, yours for life.
Can I upgrade or downgrade later?
Yes, anytime — the change takes effect on your next billing date, and upgrades unlock instantly.
Do you offer refunds?
If something's wrong in your first 14 days, email us and we'll make it right or refund you. After that, cancelling stops all future charges.
Will I get a receipt for VAT/tax?
Yes — Stripe emails a receipt for every payment, suitable for your records.
How fast is support?
Within 24 hours by email, usually much faster. Master members jump the queue.
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