Advanced gold-recovery techniques: whos doing what?

[BurntBear]

Advanced gold-recovery techniques: who's doing what?

I've been interested in what types of advanced recovery people have been utilizing. Who is dredging, what kind of set-ups are being run, hand-dredging, sniping, power sluicing, hibankers etc. I'm particularly interested in any information anyone might have in dredges with diamond/gem recovery set-ups. Feel free to post any photos, links, info etc. It would be much appreciated!

 

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[SHoward]

We are set up for gold using Highbanker/Dredge combo's (Keene and Jobe), Earthquake classifier and a Gold cube.

 

[Jim in Idaho]

For gems, you can beat a jig. That's all I use. It also does well for gold, but takes a little tweaking to get the setup right. I've been doing some of that with my jig the last few days. Generally, for gold, it works the best to use the jig as a "rougher", and then change screen boxes and ragging and re-run the cons. As a rougher, you get about a 15 or 20 to one reduction, depending on size of the largest material being fed. I can get a 15 or 20 to one running nothing but sand.
For gems, it will literally catch 100%, when the material is no more than 1:2 ratio between the smallest and largest size run.
Jim

 

[bakergeol]

Well my project for about the last year was a small portable wave table. A photo of it is below.
Wave tables are the ultimate machine for very fine gold collection. Now the reason why no one
sees small miners with one is that store bought ones are expensive and heavy. A small store
bought one will run you about $4000 and will weight about 130lbs. Mine is about 25lbs and about
10% of the cost. Simple in operation and requires no machining - just a drill and hack saw.

Once you use one- there is no going back to other conventional gravity separators. You don't have
to teaspoon in material with all those different classifications. Actually for novices it would be great
BECAUSE- What are the two most common questions novices have on these forums.
1. Is this gold?-
So throw it on the table and if the stuff travels to the front of the sample line above black sand it is gold.
2. How do I separate out all of this very fine gold?
Classify to 30 mesh, throw it on the table and suck up the gold. Water velocities are not important as material is sorted by specific gravity. Water is NOT USED to remove particles from the table- the mechanical action of the table removes particles off the table. This is why wave tables are the ultimate in fine gold separation. I have actually used 1/4" classification to recover 300 mesh gold/mercury. George

 

[Jim in Idaho]

George...I gotta build one of those this winter. Maybe even smaller. Nice job!
Jim

 

[BurntBear]

Thanks for the photos everyone!

 

[fowledup]

I try to let the need or situation dictate my equipment. What will get the most gold the cheapest with the least amount of labor? Although it's a constant battle with myself as I'm an equipment junkie. I think most of us tend to over-equip ourselves buying far more than we need, thinking it will improve the gold take. But in reality we are eating away at our profits. We should always keep expense vs gain in our thoughts. I''ve always liked the saying "new lures catch far more fisherman then fish". First off, I'm not a spokesperson or sponsor or anything of the sort for any particular piece of equipment. Just an observer, take for instance fine gold recovery. I know folks who have spent far more on the machine then the gain of what additional gold it will ever help them recover. IMHO an $80 Blue bowl system will recover the most gold your average miner is going to get. The most important thing is to learn everything there is to know about operating whatever piece of equipment you buy and develop trust in your abilities to operate it.

 

[bakergeol]

I try to let the need or situation dictate my equipment. What will get the most gold the cheapest with the least amount of labor? Although it's a constant battle with myself as I'm an equipment junkie. I think most of us tend to over-equip ourselves buying far more than we need, thinking it will improve the gold take. But in reality we are eating away at our profits. We should always keep expense vs gain in our thoughts. I''ve always liked the saying "new lures catch far more fisherman then fish". First off, I'm not a spokesperson or sponsor or anything of the sort for any particular piece of equipment. Just an observer, take for instance fine gold recovery. I know folks who have spent far more on the machine then the gain of what additional gold it will ever help them recover. IMHO an $80 Blue bowl system will recover the most gold your average miner is going to get. The most important thing is to learn everything there is to know about operating whatever piece of equipment you buy and develop trust in your abilities to operate it.

Nice viewpoint. However, you probably can not use the term "profits" for most of the posters here. I think that the love of the "game" is what motivates most people here. If you can find enough to make some serious money- consider it a bonus. In a way metal detecting is similar- folks who buy detectors to make money move quickly out of the hobby.

I have always thought the real issue is time versus money for most of us who do not do this for a living. You use what you can afford. One does not need to buy a highbanker, bazooka or a blue bowl as a simple pan in time will eventually get the job done if time is not an issue.( By the way- Kudos for those who build their own equipment!!!) After all we do have a panning section here for the panners to get together.
You see the issue it is not really about profit but usage of your free time. How much is your free time worth? There are a lot of folks whose free time is simply more valuable that the extra money required to get the job done a lot quicker, easier and with better recovery with better equipment. I would rather be drinking beer that spending all those long hours classifying and spoon feeding a blue bowl. LOL

George

 

[Jim in Idaho]

Nice viewpoint. However, you probably can not use the term "profits" for most of the posters here. I think that the love of the "game" is what motivates most people here. If you can find enough to make some serious money- consider it a bonus. In a way metal detecting is similar- folks who buy detectors to make money move quickly out of the hobby.

I have always thought the real issue is time versus money for most of us who do not do this for a living. You use what you can afford. One does not need to buy a highbanker, bazooka or a blue bowl as a simple pan in time will eventually get the job done if time is not an issue.( By the way- Kudos for those who build their own equipment!!!) After all we do have a panning section here for the panners to get together.
You see the issue it is not really about profit but usage of your free time. How much is your free time worth? There are a lot of folks whose free time is simply more valuable that the extra money required to get the job done a lot quicker, easier and with better recovery with better equipment. I would rather be drinking beer that spending all those long hours classifying and spoon feeding a blue bowl. LOL

George

Yup....not to mention the pure fun of designing and building your own equipment....and then watching it perform.
Jim

 

[fowledup]

Not a fulltime miner either although that is the plan when I retire from my current profession. They say do something you love and you'll never work a day in your life. Well I've worked my hind end off for the last thirty something years so now I'm going to do what I love for the rest. I was essentially trying to say the same thing- use your money wisely, I used the term profits as right now I got a lot more time then profit, lol! Take care