The West Qinling Orogen (WQO) is a critical region for China's gold reserves. However, as exploration progresses, the search for exposed orebodies or shallow deposits has become increasingly challenging. Various overburden materials (e.g., loess, grassland, sedimentary rocks) obscure mineralization signals, leading to high exploration costs. To address this challenge, deep-penetrating geochemistry (DPG) methods, including soil gas geochemical surveys (SGGS), the fine-grained soil prospecting method (FGSPM), and leaching of mobile forms of metals in overburden (MOMEO), were performed at the Zhaishang concealed Au deposit in the semi-arid region to evaluate their applicability. The results showed that all three DPG methods correlated well with gold deposits and alteration zones beneath the loess cover. SGGS were the most sensitive, particularly for H2S and SO2, displaying extensive gas responses. In contrast, the FGSPM and MOMEO methods produced more stable but fewer geochemical peaks, with a sampling grain size of <75 mu m. MOMEO was especially effective in enhancing weak Au signals from thin gold layers, with active Au primarily absorbed in clay minerals and organic matter (e.g., nanoparticles). However, the spatial locations of geochemical anomalies varied among the DPG methods due to distinct mechanisms and influences such as biological activity, landforms, or extraction procedures, etc. In conclusion, while DPG methods are effective for identifying concealed deposits despite their inherent limitations, an integrated DPG strategy is proposed to enhance prospecting reliability and reduce costs in loess-covered regions.