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Gold Well Vortex Drop Riffle Sluice, By HM Research
swizz
post Dec 5 2014, 03:11 PM
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QUOTE (EMac @ Dec 5 2014, 01:32 PM) *
So far I've yet to see a suite of standardized tests used to compare apples to apples the various recovery methods.

Spend a romantic evening with this: Clarkson Study Fine gold Recovery


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Clay Diggins
post Dec 6 2014, 12:33 AM
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There are many who have tried to define standardized testing for placer gold recovery and several other materials. I have a library that easily has several tens of thousands of pages written on this very subject. From De Re Metallica, and well before, to the recent work of Gold Hog and many many others it is obviously a subject of great interest to prospectors and miners.

The real crux of the matter is there is no standardized placer deposit. Literally nearly identical deposits a few miles apart have enough different qualities that they may require very different methods to achieve the same recovery rate.

A simple example would be the one most touted by those who sell sluices. The claim often goes something like this - "will recover 98% of gold down to 400 mesh". Leave aside the percentage and size of the gold and concentrate on the other unspoken variable - the shape of the gold. When this factor is taken into account the numbers go out the door. Very thin flat 400 mesh gold will not be separated from it's mother material by any water based gravity separation method. Well formed chunks might be well separated.

Now add in all the other factors as found in the deposit like Ph of processed material and water source - clay content - percentage, composition and weight of vegetable oil content - size, shape and specific gravity of gangue materials or secondary ores - amagalmation and chemical bonding - encapsulated ore - and on and on ad infinitum and you start to get an idea of the real, on the ground, difficulty of defining the best recovery method for any particular material.

There are no two deposits alike. This is the reason equipment for larger water based gravity separation operations are always custom made. There are no simple equations that will fit a multitude of different placers perfectly. A good portion of mining history revolves around the success, or lack thereof, in solving the recovery problems encountered with any given mineral deposit.

In a sense this discussion itself is missing the mark for most operations. An example - In your Colorado gold placers recovery of smaller fractions of gold may well make the difference between success and failure economically speaking. Not too many miles south in our New Mexico operation 78% of our deposit consists of chunky gold particles greater than 1 grain in weight. The smaller fractions are bound up in gangue and require milling to release. As such our operation shows the best gold returns for hours worked /funds expended by ignoring that 22% of the gold that requires milling before recovery.

We can get a consistent, known, profitable return by running as much material as quickly as possible by simple sluicing with minimal classifying. The 22% we leave for the future. All we are interested in with a sluice is the ability to capture that 1 grain and up free gold with reliability, good separation and high volume. Just about any sluice can capture the 1 grain stuff but few can meet the volume and reliability requirements.

You might think I have now wandered off the mark and I'm pretty sure you are busy eying that 22% I just threw out. And that illustrates my point. We have different goals and standards for a successful day of sluice processing, which is at least as big a variable as all the other factors I mentioned in determining the effectiveness of any sluice in comparison to another.

What we have when considering the effectiveness of a sluice as a machine is a constantly moving target. There can be no "standard" of testing in the real world because in the real world the only constant is the sluice being tested. What works perfectly for me may be your worst option.

Gold Hog and several thousand others through the long history of mining have built up an admirable and useful body of information that can be of great assistance to miners needing to understand the dynamics of gold capture. Those resources, if used wisely, can be a great resource when determining the best way to get the greatest recovery by any given method on any given deposit. In the real world that amounts to solving the unique problems that arise when mining any given discovery.

There is no "perfect" sluice or sluice design but if you're lucky and clever you can take the knowledge you've gleaned from yours, and others, prior experiences to "get 'er done".

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Crusty
post Dec 6 2014, 07:43 AM
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Great discussion! Awesome to have so much smartiosity in one place, willing to share with us rookies!

On topic, Since I've still got a whole year until I retire and can get a little more serious about mining, I don't think I'll buy a new set-up; I'll just keep an eye out for some used gear that will give me the chance to get a little more experience over the next year. Then I can make a more educated decision on what system I want to invest in.


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Crusty
post Dec 6 2014, 08:51 AM
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Too bad this guy is all the way up near Salt Lake; he's looking to sell all this for less than $700!

"Is there any interest out there for a 2" dredge/high banker combo w/gold hog mats? I'm letting this go since every time we go dredging, we always use Rocky Mountain Prospector Ryan's 3" dredge. This one just doesn't get used. I put $700 into building this dredge, but will consider all reasonable offers. Pump works like new, everything works like new. Aside from being a dredge/high banker combo, it can be reassembled into an original keene A52 stream sluice. I will post a couple videos of the dredge in action in the comments below. Would make a fantastic Christmas for someone!"



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swizz
post Dec 6 2014, 09:45 AM
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I like your plan of getting used equip. happy088.gif I bet you can do even better if you keep an eye on Craigslist Denver.
That's a pretty good deal but the hopper looks a little questionable and I don't see a sluice stand for it in case you had plans to use it as a highbanker. Looks like he built it solely as a dredge.


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swizz
post Dec 6 2014, 09:51 AM
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Here's a decent setup for $800.... offer $600, maybe get it for $700? Sluice is 16" X 48"... hopper is 16" X 22".... it's a biggun, I like.
It cost me that much to convert my A52 into a banker and I think the one listed is a way better setup.
Would kick ass at the claims, CC, or wherever.
GH Highbanker Used


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Crusty
post Dec 6 2014, 10:24 AM
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QUOTE (swizz @ Dec 6 2014, 08:51 AM) *
Here's a decent setup for $800.... offer $600, maybe get it for $700? Sluice is 16" X 48"... hopper is 16" X 22".... it's a biggun, I like.
It cost me that much to convert my A52 into a banker and I think the one listed is a way better setup.
Would kick ass at the claims, CC, or wherever.
GH Highbanker Used


Nice find; shot him an email with a few questions. Only downside to buying one now would be the wait over winter to use it lol


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Crusty
post Dec 6 2014, 11:17 AM
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QUOTE (Crusty @ Dec 6 2014, 09:24 AM) *
Nice find; shot him an email with a few questions. Only downside to buying one now would be the wait over winter to use it lol


Here is a pic of the hopper


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swizz
post Dec 6 2014, 04:42 PM
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Interesting design or mod to the inside of that hopper. Looks like it would work well.


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Crusty
post Dec 6 2014, 05:21 PM
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QUOTE (swizz @ Dec 6 2014, 03:42 PM) *
Interesting design or mod to the inside of that hopper. Looks like it would work well.



So the top would classify the smaller stuff and then as it drops out, it would catch the 1/2" (?) stuff and drop it in to the sluice?

He's only for 25' of lay flat hose, with a quick disconnect. Haven't shot him an offer; just told him I didn't know if I wanted to spend that kind of cash this early in to winter, so I'd ponder it. With it only having 25' of hose, what do you think would be a good deal on this?


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swizz
post Dec 6 2014, 06:23 PM
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QUOTE (Crusty @ Dec 6 2014, 04:21 PM) *
So the top would classify the smaller stuff and then as it drops out, it would catch the 1/2" (?) stuff and drop it in to the sluice?

That's what I was thinking regarding the hopper. You could always reverse engineer it if you didn't like it... but it looks pretty dang functional like that.
Layflat hose is super cheap, I wouldn't worry about that... not a strong price deterrent. Quick couplers are nice.


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swizz
post Mar 8 2015, 01:44 PM
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Thought I would add a quick update to this Goldwell Sluice thread..... I think they recently went out of business.


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EMac
post Nov 2 2016, 01:12 PM
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I was wondering about this today, and saw the last post; they do not appear to be out of business.

The most expensive one ($1149 before tax and shipping) is 12" x 60", and HEAVY at 33lbs: HMResearch

Anyone seen one of these in action?


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swizz
post Nov 2 2016, 01:31 PM
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One of the crews on Bering Sea Gold was using it as a cleanup tool a few seasons back, that's the only one I've seen in use. They are out of business and I think they only lasted a year or two. Not sure if the concept and configuration were effective or not.


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EMac
post Nov 2 2016, 01:40 PM
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They're still selling them on the website with size, length and accessory options. Not sure I'd plop down that kind of cash or hump the heavy beasts around without seeing some amazing performance.


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