Goldfields police say lives and resources could be saved if amateur prospectors were made to carry emergency beacons.
An inquest is being held into the suspected death of New South Wales prospector Michael Graham, who sparked a 15-day air and land search when he disappeared in Menzies in January.
Esperance District Superintendent Darren Sievwright said police have conducted 20 searches for missing prospectors since January 2012, and only one person was carrying an EPIRB device.
