Which is best conveyor style mat (vortex) and how to use?

[Joel1316]

I'm building a recirculating mini sluice that is 6"x24" with a 1100GPH pump.
I want to use conveyor type (vortex) matting in this sluice box and most of the gold I find is very fine and maybe a picker here and there. I like the idea of using vortex style matting as it looks like it will be easy to clean out, simple(?) and inexpensive (about $25 shipped).

I see "vortex" matting on ebay, but not too much information on what type of flow (low or high) works the best?
Most of the vendors state that it catches and holds fine gold, but will it catch and hold pickers?

I would appreciate any information, links, suggestions, sources. Thank you in advance.

 

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[KevinInColorado]

Hi Joel, it will catch pickers up to about 8 mesh. With vortex mat you should:
1. Classify to 8 mesh ( if you have possibility of nuggets bigger than that, lucky you but process the larger material separately).
2. Run the vortex at a 15 degree angle to maximize gold recovery without quickly filling the mat with black sand...as you would at a shallower angle.
3. Get all the air bubbles out of the mat before you start running. Dip in water and brush is one good way, read posts about using the Gold Cube to learn more about working with vortex mats.
4. As to flow, it will depend on the width of your sluice. The Gold Cube is about a foot wide as I recall and uses 1100 gph. That's a very small pump really! My friend Don's cube runs all day on a single car battery.
5. Have fun and good luck!!

 

[arizau]

Check this link out on the Goldhog site. Vortex Mat
I read somewhere that the Gold Cube is set at 15 degrees so that could be a good starting point. I think Gold Cube likes minus 1/8" feed so that might be a good starting point also. With proper screening, any pickers above this size should be easily panned. Make sure there are no bubbles on the mat before adding feed. Test your tails for recovery issues and make adjustments if necessary.
Good luck.

I guess we were typing at the same time and Kevin beat me to some of the answers but there is still a potential source for the material shown above.

 

[Joel1316]

Thanks guys, I have a starting point now : )
My sluice will be 6" wide, I'm hoping that my 1100gph can power the sluice using "vortex" or "ebay" mat just fine.
Not sure what the term is, but is "vortex" matting "active"; meaning will lighter (blonde sand) material bay replaced with heavier (black sand) material as you process?

 

[KevinInColorado]

Thanks guys, I have a starting point now : )
My sluice will be 6" wide, I'm hoping that my 1100gph can power the sluice using "vortex" or "ebay" mat just fine.
Not sure what the term is, but is "vortex" matting "active"; meaning will lighter (blonde sand) material bay replaced with heavier (black sand) material as you process?

Yes, exactly. You will get about 1/2 cup of cons per square foot of mat. The longer you run, the richer it will be but the same total volume. Cool huh?

 

[GoldpannerDave]

Yes, exactly. You will get about 1/2 cup of cons per square foot of mat. The longer you run, the richer it will be but the same total volume. Cool huh?

That is a nice number to know. Of course, since I am running a Bazooka, it does not directly apply, but the same thing happens with a Bazooka (as you well know). I am not sure how much cons I get with the 48" Miner, but it is quite a bit for each clean up; perhaps a quart or more. With all your experience with multiple models, do you have a guess for the 36" Prospector or Sniper (or other models if you have enough experience to make a reasonable estimates)?


Input other Bazooka users?

TIA.

 

[yotaboy86]

The bubbles on the vortex mat is a pain most of the time..on my gold cube i just poor some jet dry right on the top of the mat and by the time the water makes it to the bottom there is not a single bubble

 

[russau]

OR go by Mike Pungs directions for using the Gold Cube!.

 

[yotaboy86]

I have tried the spraying and brushing technique and by the time i have it all stacked and ready to go it has bubbles again

 

[mike(swWash)]

Mike Pung found the 1' wide mats(Cube size) like 1100min. to 1800max gph to do their best exchange without blowing everything out. At 6" width I would put a valve inline to control flow amount or use a 700-900gph pump.
When set up at 15* the mats won't blow out anything when you aren't feeding and each vortex square will remain about 1/2-3/4 full and you can see the sand dancing on the matting and will actively exchange lighter particles for the heavies.
8 mesh is a must for classification as anything larger will either disrupt the flow causing the material to not hold in the vortex's as they roll down the mat. You easily pan the +1/8 oversize for pickers later.

Put 12" of slick plate before the mats to allow the small gold a chance to stratify before hitting the mat and I'd estimate 90% of the gold will be in the 1st 3 inches.
I have a 12"x36" highbanker with this setup and it works like magic at catching the finest of fine gold every time.

 

[Doug Watson]

I've had better luck with ribbed deep v mat without all the hassle of the bubbles. Also a lot lighter.

 

[KevinInColorado]

...and Doug really knows fine gold! All that -100 to -200 gold in his area has driven weaker men insane

 

[Joel1316]

Thanks for all the information everyone : )
Actually I'm planning to make the sluice 6" wide X 36" long = 24" Vortex(conveyor belt), 6" V matting and 6" of slick plate.

Mike, I do have a valve after the pump to control the flow when needed. Thank you for the flow information.

 

[mike(swWash)]

Anything to help out a fellow fine gold victim.
That's about all I have around here, and the stuff from the beach is the "bigger" stuff you see in the above picture. Vortex will catch color that'll make you insane......and a better panner from doing final cleanup a few times. I use a miller table after I get it panned to get the super-super micro stuff I can't see in the pan or able to get a picture of.
Here's a video from a beach run using my Cube and you'll get an idea of what I mean by insane small.