Running A Sluice On A Waterfall

[Goldgrabber]

Hi guys, I just got back from my second prospecting trip of the year, trying new creeks in the area I visit each time. This time I visited a very narrow creek with a lot of exposed bedrock, however, the creek was very narrow which made getting my sluice set up rather difficult. In the end, I managed to have my sluice sitting off a bedrock wall being fed with water from a waterfall above it. Admittedly the flow and angle are not 100% how I would have liked them, but it was the best I could get set up without having to walk a long distance carrying a heavy bucket of material. Anyway, have a look and let me know what you think:

https://youtu.be/tloHjnwx_Hc

 

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[spaghettigold]

looks like a good compromise with the given geology.maybe a tad lesser slope at the end of the sluice?

Good gravity sluicing creeks you have there ,are allowed to use a hose in uk?

 

[Goldgrabber]

I couldn't really adjust the angle as the sluice is sat on a bedrock slope and getting anything under the end would have destabilised the sluice.

The creeks are perfect for gravity dredging and some people do it, however, it is a grey area and frowned upon in the UK because although it's a manual technique, it's still deemed a more professional extraction method. It's not allowed where I prospect as only hand tools are allowed but may be allowed if on private land and the waterway is not protected in any way.

 

[spaghettigold]

yes, the bedrock is a slippery surface for the sluice,i understand,.

Funny how globalised the rulings are,based on...

Heavy pans grabber

 

[meMiner]

The kind of sluice you are using can be used aggressively, so I would not be worried too much about the angle and water. Only thing I would have done different is I would have put a big flat rock on top of the sluice so it does not float away expectantly. You sure found a pretty place to prospect.

 

[Hoser John]

Nothing in this life is 100% ,just do the best ya can and coveth them golden flakes for a lifetime-kudos over there on the island. John

 

[GoldpannerDave]

Beautiful, yet desolate-looking territory. And I didn't even see sheep on the hillsides. Other desolate-looking areas I have visited in the UK, like Wrynose Pass and parts of Wales still had sheep around. Looking forward to seeing the gold.

 

[Goldgrabber]

Cheers guys, yes there were plenty of sheep kicking about, they were just up the hillside as my dog kept them at distance as it's lambing season and they can be protective of their lambs. I would have put a rock on top, I usually do, however it just felt sturdy where it sat and didn't move if I gave it a wobble so felt comfortable it wasn't going to go flying down the stream and it made it easier removing it to clean out without a rock due to the angle it was sat at

 

[goldog]

I see no problem with the spot you chose. It looks like you could use something to direct more of the water through your sluice, as much is going under.

 

[et1955]

Here are a few mods you might want to add to your sluice, the first is to add a flap to the front of your sluice, not only will it create an instant dam increasing water flow but also it holds your sluice down, no more using rocks to hold it down. Next add black ribbed mat in the front area of the your sluice, this will instantly show if you are on the gold.

 

[Goldgrabber]

I've already bought some fine ribbed rubber matting which I've been thinking of putting at the top of my sluice, it does however already have ribbing in the mold of the sluice and it if catches any gold at the top, it's easily visible, they just aren't quite as deep as the rubber matting I've bought.

 

[Goldgrabber]

I think I'll make a gutter sluice for this area as well, should be able to get it set up where a standard size sluice will have no chance

 

[Duckwalk]

Love watching your videos! I was trying to figure out why the riffles were holding material so unevenly. The first riffle was holding, nothing in 2 and 3 and the rest were holding plenty. Any idea?

 

[Goldgrabber]

Cheers Duck, I think where the sluice retains the material all depends on the V flow going through the top flare and where they meet in the sluice channel. Because this water was quite fast flowing and I didn't have a perfect V, the water merged from either side of the flare further down the sluice, which was why it cleared out the first couple of steps. If the water was slowing more slowly or with less angle, the flare would create a better V formation closer to the top and that's when the top drop riffle steps hold more material. You can see this in some of my other videos where the sluice is running in different flows and it retains material at different places according to the flow