What is the correct name of a person(s) who hunt for treasure that may or may not exist their whole lives ?

'Treasure hunter' I think...

I read a story somewhere about a guy who spent 26 years trying to find a buried treasure back in the 17th/18th century. He even tried to build a settlement and got the government to fund it. But he never did find the treasure.

A pirate?

Obsessed

Booty chaser

I think cretin is probably the technical term for that