Gold Cube Options

[ScottKS]

After seeing all 3 video's of this...i really think this could be the next thing in prospecting...i really think this could work better then a sluice because instead of a straight sluice this one breaks it up into 3 trays and takes a staircase effect going down giveing the gold and black sands a good time to slow down and get caught...hummm

Year of the Gold Cube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUmw0nV2Woo&feature=share
Gold Cube Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUlNNIxKjaQ
Gold Cube 8 buckets
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9xRn45gZIg&feature=share

Urban Prospecting in Denver
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CY0vyB6QEI&feature=share
Hey Jeff (Mt. Dew) how far do you think this spot is from the spot we prospected?? think that spot was more in the center of Denver...this spot would be closer to where you lived in Aurora right?? (east side)

[Miles H]

I have been looking all over for the vortex matting can any body pinpoint me in the right direction? I know this stuff is better then miners moss for catching the fines

[swizz]

I know this stuff is better then miners moss for catching the fines (referring to "vortex matting")

Then you know more than I do, haven't had a chance to test "vortex matting". I have no experience with the "Gold Cube" and am assuming that you are referring to "vortex matting" as sold by various individuals on eBay.
If that's the case... here's my take:
Hard to beat Miner's Moss with an underbed of Deep-V in a properly running field system (dredge, highbanker, or whatever). Maybe "vortex matting" for a cleanup system?
"Vortex matting" as advertised on eBay is nothing more than industrial conveyor belt material (and there are different grades).
At first glance, it looks to me like the "vortex matting" material (as sellers are renaming it on eBay) may work to some degree when processing very fine concentrate BUT it seems rather obvious that the "tiny vortex" features in the conveyor belt carpet is not going to trap or hold much material.... especially when compared to something like Miner's Moss. Even the most seasoned miner would overload that carpet in about two feeds and subsequently experience efficiency frustrations or recovery loss in a typical sluicing operation.
As I said... this is at first glance and I have not had the opportunity to legitimately test it for my mining purposes. I can almost guarantee you that these "tiny vortex" features in that conveyor belt would rapidly overload and become inefficient in most of my field operations.
Perhaps it is useful for a cleanup device which is designed purely for classified concentrates smaller than #50 mesh... even then, black sands and other heavies would quickly fill the tiny vortex(s) and reduce their effectiveness.
Miner's Moss is pretty much the "gold standard" of the industry and often used in conjunction with other collection mats in various configurations. When used properly, I think it's pretty hard to beat in terms of the collection and retention of heavies, especially for larger classifications.
The "vortex matting" may work well and have its applications, but the jury's still out for me personally. God bless entrepreneurs and all, hell this economy could use more at this time... but it's pretty tough to reinvent the wheel.
If you know more than I do... please share. I've only read the brief hype on a few of the other prospecting forums which seems to have died down quite a bit. Maybe there's a "magic carpet" out there somewhere that will help all of us small-scalers ride off into the sunset, but frankly this doesn't look like it to me.