Perfection on sluice set up

[BoulderTroll]

If you scour the internet for "how to set up a sluice" you'll get thousands of opinions and everyone saying "do this or you'll lose gold!!" Set to this angle, have this speed, use this mat... I have found that it's damn near impossible to get it perfect, or I'm spending way too long fiddling with it. Sometimes I'm happy if I can even find a spot to set one up.

When setting one up now, I just aim for getting smooth flow that clears at a decent pace, and the largest rocks I classify to can easily roll down the riffles. When I'm testing my tailings, I occasionally will find a spec.

I'm sure the tiny details of setting up the sluice perfectly can result in a better capture rate. But honestly, if I'm not running a big operation.... how much do these really matter?

 

[Assembler]

If you scour the internet for "how to set up a sluice" you'll get thousands of opinions and everyone saying "do this or you'll lose gold!!" Set to this angle, have this speed, use this mat... I have found that it's damn near impossible to get it perfect, or I'm spending way too long fiddling with it. Sometimes I'm happy if I can even find a spot to set one up.

When setting one up now, I just aim for getting smooth flow that clears at a decent pace, and the largest rocks I classify to can easily roll down the riffles. When I'm testing my tailings, I occasionally will find a spec.

I'm sure the tiny details of setting up the sluice perfectly can result in a better capture rate. But honestly, if I'm not running a big operation.... how much do these really matter?

For sampling having a number of specs of color in the tailings does not really matter.
For a better recovery changing the water inlet to gravity feed line could make a difference. The length of the box will also help however much harder to set up.

 

[BoulderTroll]

I usually sample by pan, set up a sluice if it's good enough. I don't mind a few specs in tailings if I'm getting an estimated 98% recovery.

For a better recovery changing the water inlet to gravity feed line could make a difference.

I'm pretty sure that is not legal in WA state.

The length of the box will also help however much harder to set up.

I have two sluices that I usually use. A 6x24 with a dream mat for the harder to reach/ harder to set up areas. And a 10x36 carpet over expanded metal if I can get it set up.

 

[Assembler]

I usually sample by pan, set up a sluice if it's good enough. I don't mind a few specs in tailings if I'm getting an estimated 98% recovery.

I'm pretty sure that is not legal in WA state.

I have two sluices that I usually use. A 6x24 with a dream mat for the harder to reach/ harder to set up areas. And a 10x36 carpet over expanded metal if I can get it set up.

Not aware of running plastic pipe or vinal water line being illegal for water input in the same drainage system.
Some people will use a sluice box that is around 20' - 30' long for recovery and reduce the colors going out in the tailings.

 

[BoulderTroll]

Not aware of running plastic pipe or vinal water line being illegal for water input in the same drainage system.

"Water may be supplied to the mini high-banker or concentrator only from natural stream flow or from hand-held buckets or containers and may not be supplied through a gravity siphon"
-WA Gold and Fish Pamphlet
There are other areas in there that say under certain circumstances you can use it with an HPA.

These laws are great. No wonder why everyone follows them religiously 🙃

 

[Assembler]

"Water may be supplied to the mini high-banker or concentrator only from natural stream flow or from hand-held buckets or containers and may not be supplied through a gravity siphon"
-WA Gold and Fish Pamphlet
There are other areas in there that say under certain circumstances you can use it with an HPA.

These laws are great. No wonder why everyone follows them religiously 🙃

The key you may find is not being above the high-water line of a given water flow.
Be sure you do not drain into another water system in the process.

 

[Assembler]

Research the legislative intent of the laws could find some real gems to follow.

 

[Assembler]

"Water may be supplied to the mini high-banker or concentrator only from natural stream flow or from hand-held buckets or containers and may not be supplied through a gravity siphon"
-WA Gold and Fish Pamphlet
There are other areas in there that say under certain circumstances you can use it with an HPA.

These laws are great. No wonder why everyone follows them religiously 🙃

Mining laws are not generally covered in a Fish pamphlet......Just saying.

 

[N-Lionberger]

Not aware of running plastic pipe or vinal water line being illegal for water input in the same drainage system.
Some people will use a sluice box that is around 20' - 30' long for recovery and reduce the colors going out in the tailings.

He’s running a stream sluice not a freaking 20+ foot long gravity fed highbanker…

 

[Assembler]

He’s running a stream sluice not a freaking 20+ foot long gravity fed highbanker…

Expect colors in the tailings is the comparison of short vs. much longer set up.

 

[Assembler]

"Water may be supplied to the mini high-banker or concentrator only from natural stream flow or from hand-held buckets or containers and may not be supplied through a gravity siphon"
-WA Gold and Fish Pamphlet
There are other areas in there that say under certain circumstances you can use it with an HPA.

These laws are great. No wonder why everyone follows them religiously 🙃

In Washington there is legislative difference intent between the words "May" and "Shall".

 

[BoulderTroll]

Assembler... you're going a bit off the rails here.
Have you ever set up a 20-30 ft stream sluice?
Are you willing to try and convince a judge "It said I may not, it didn't say I shall not"?
Or are you just trying to say something, no matter how relevant it is (or isn't) to the conversation?

 

[Assembler]

Assembler... you're going a bit off the rails here.
Have you ever set up a 20-30 ft stream sluice?
Are you willing to try and convince a judge "It said I may not, it didn't say I shall not"?
Or are you just trying to say something, no matter how relevant it is (or isn't) to the conversation?

Is the only question to ask is just about how the sluice box is set up?
What are the confines of the rails?

What I have set up is not related to the comparison of some colors in the tailing of a short box vs. a much longer box.
Are you pointing out that an officer of the State is going to contradict the legislative body of the State?
Are you 'working a mining claim' compared to some other activity?

The topic is expectable losses of a non-perfect sluice box. The box may be just a few inches long to many feet long. The principal of the set-up of both boxes is similar.

 

[BoulderTroll]

Is the only question to ask is just about how the sluice box is set up?

The real question is how much do you all worry about having the sluice set up "perfectly" on the river?
Cause I just make sure it's behaving how I want, I don't worry about measuring angles and all that.

I'm not asking for recommendations or help, only opinions on the matter.

 

[Assembler]

The real question is how much do you all worry about having the sluice set up "perfectly" on the river?
Cause I just make sure it's behaving how I want, I don't worry about measuring angles and all that.

I'm not asking for recommendations or help, only opinions on the matter.

Most will just worry about level as possible across and not worry about the fines going out the back.

Perhaps a side question is there a stand that could help with the process in most streams?

 

[Assembler]

"Water may be supplied to the mini high-banker or concentrator only from natural stream flow or from hand-held buckets or containers and may not be supplied through a gravity siphon"
-WA Gold and Fish Pamphlet
There are other areas in there that say under certain circumstances you can use it with an HPA.

These laws are great. No wonder why everyone follows them religiously 🙃

What are the "certain circumstances" you can use it with an HPA?
By the way I'm not asking for an opinion answer.

How does Washington define what a "Natural stream flow" is?
Again, not asking for an opinion.

 

[Assembler]

Most people just are willing to make as cross level as possible for their sluice box for the time and effort of each setup day of working the sluice box. Perhaps not very concerned about the losses.
Just my opinion.

 

[Mine Shaft]

I run a 6" X 28" Sluice 1" Diamond expanded metal over ribbed carpet I do my best to get a good flow that cleans out the light stuff in about 10-15 seconds even running at a higher flow as long as I see small pebbles getting trapped by the 1/8" metal I am happy. My Sluice catches pickers and extra fine Gold so I don't even worry about Gold not getting trapped in the ribbed carpet. Most of the time I pan out 18-25 colors just wish I could feed the sluice more then 3 hours lol. Good luck BT. ⛏️

 

[N-Lionberger]

My main river sluices are a Keene A52 with the riffles swapped with heavy expanded, a 48” Bazooka Prospector and an original Canadian made LeTrap sluice. They all need different conditions and feeding. My opinion is that conditions out in the wild are constantly changing and it’s almost impossible to get it perfect. Up in my high up spots the flow changes based on the heat of the day and snow runoff. I have also worked locations below dams where the flow would change. Assembler has been giving weird feedback for years, he’s actually driven people away from the forum by blowing up their posts with off the wall and sometimes outright dangerous suggestions.

 

[N-Lionberger]

Assembler what kind of sluice do you use and what river do you mainly work? I have a Keene, a Bazooka and a LeTrap and I work a feeder to the Middle Yuba and a feeder to the Trinity.