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Bucket sluice concentrator/xterra 70

Falcon		Posted : Tuesday, 31 January 2012 7:21:52 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Flake Groups: Registered Joined: 31/01/2012(UTC) Posts: 12 Location: Dunedin Thanks: 5 times		Hi there looking for some tips to get this thing to work, I have two buckets full in black sand with flour gold in it, when I have had tried to run this through it just seems to clog up and nothing gets sorted , any help would be appreciated... Also I have a xterra 70 mine lab with a dd coil. Been out quite a few times but never found any gold - not sure if I reading the signals wrong or in the wrong spots any advice once again would be appreciated or even a lesson ? By some one more experienced who wants to try a mine lab?

mineforgold.co.nz		Posted : Tuesday, 31 January 2012 11:40:41 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 14/11/2011(UTC) Posts: 299 Location: Nelson Thanks: 58 times Was thanked: 38 time(s) in 35 post(s)		Like all sluices if you have your water flow and feed right it should work. You can see a demonstration here http://youtu.be/ylEEu4jxTvs It sounds like you are trying to feed it too fast. Its not hard to make up an auto feeder, just mount a bucket over it with a small hole in the bottom and trickle some water into the bucket to help with the flow.
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Falcon		Posted : Wednesday, 1 February 2012 8:19:11 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Flake Groups: Registered Joined: 31/01/2012(UTC) Posts: 12 Location: Dunedin Thanks: 5 times		Thanks for the feedback, that is a good demonstration. I will try small amounts and see how it goes - I have a feeling it's the coarse-ness of the black sand that's in there - the light dirt goes straight out but the course sands just sink...

simon		Posted : Wednesday, 1 February 2012 9:07:26 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 7/01/2011(UTC) Posts: 789 Location: Central Otago Thanks: 33 times Was thanked: 239 time(s) in 150 post(s)		the heavy black sand was what caused me trouble also. just as in a normal sluice box you need to set the concentrator up so the black sand just starts to jump about. in this way the stuff doesn't clog up the little sunken riffles. failure to get this happening will see all further materials simply slide on over the top of the recesses. a bit of trial and error should set it right. run the waste through again and see if you're losing much.
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Falcon		Posted : Wednesday, 1 February 2012 9:50:10 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Flake Groups: Registered Joined: 31/01/2012(UTC) Posts: 12 Location: Dunedin Thanks: 5 times		What is they key to setting it to get the material to bounce? Is it just water flow or angle of the sluice?

mineforgold.co.nz		Posted : Wednesday, 1 February 2012 11:58:22 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 14/11/2011(UTC) Posts: 299 Location: Nelson Thanks: 58 times Was thanked: 38 time(s) in 35 post(s)		Increasing the water flow a little is preferable. If you increase the tilt too much you might find the riffles aren't as effective. I was using a gravity feed the other day that wasn't pushing out quite enough water so I increased the angle, but I did notice the gold working further down the sluice than it should. Mind you, it was sand straight out of the river and not concentrates, so it was coarse as well.
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Falcon		Posted : Wednesday, 1 February 2012 12:27:48 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Flake Groups: Registered Joined: 31/01/2012(UTC) Posts: 12 Location: Dunedin Thanks: 5 times		I will try tonight after work and let you know how I go! Thanks

kiwikeith		Posted : Wednesday, 1 February 2012 5:42:38 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Medals: Groups: Registered Joined: 28/06/2011(UTC) Posts: 648 Location: hector Thanks: 359 times Was thanked: 230 time(s) in 154 post(s)		when i get black sand i dry it all out spread out the sand and wrap a very strong magnet in cloth wave it over the sand , it will jump up to the magnet move over a plate or bowel and unwrap the magnet and remove it the black sand will then drop in to the plate not all black sand is magnetic one of my mates has a round thingy with a motor it turns round and all the gold goes down the hole in the center seems to work well if you have the money to buy one retort using mercury !!!!!!!

treeman		Posted : Wednesday, 1 February 2012 11:17:31 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Nugget Groups: Registered Joined: 1/02/2012(UTC) Posts: 32 Location: Arrowtown, Thanks: 10 times Was thanked: 16 time(s) in 11 post(s)		Black sand is hell, I use a small wooden box i made and put have a piece of wood at the start to spoon stuff onto. and a small pump supplying water. The gravel and sand and gold travel down box and across ribbed matting, as you can see the gold collects in the top. you can see the black sand bouncing and coming out as gold goes in. nearly 100 % of the gold is caught in the ribbed matting, get it at para rubber, the trick is to screen the gravel through something as fine as whitebait netting before you start. whats left in the matting is then put back into a pan and then you the magnet over it, I then pan down again what is left then dry it. Blow it to get rid of the rest of the small dust and fine gold. the sand and gold that blows I keep and will mercury and retort. In photo is 17 grams that came down to 10.3 grams of gold I could sell and 3 grams of fine stuff to mercury and retort the rest was black sand. But I am in real fine gold. sorry can't get photo in. will have ago and get one here. cheers Treeman treeman attached the following image(s):

mineforgold.co.nz		Posted : Thursday, 2 February 2012 7:05:20 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 14/11/2011(UTC) Posts: 299 Location: Nelson Thanks: 58 times Was thanked: 38 time(s) in 35 post(s)		I'd be interested in trialing a - thegoldlab.com - with your concentrates treeman. I think you would be impressed.
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treeman		Posted : Friday, 3 February 2012 8:52:48 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Nugget Groups: Registered Joined: 1/02/2012(UTC) Posts: 32 Location: Arrowtown, Thanks: 10 times Was thanked: 16 time(s) in 11 post(s)		Sent some away and just had the assay back 95.26%

Falcon		Posted : Monday, 20 February 2012 10:54:41 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Flake Groups: Registered Joined: 31/01/2012(UTC) Posts: 12 Location: Dunedin Thanks: 5 times		Originally Posted by: treeman Black sand is hell, I use a small wooden box i made and put have a piece of wood at the start to spoon stuff onto. and a small pump supplying water. The gravel and sand and gold travel down box and across ribbed matting, as you can see the gold collects in the top. you can see the black sand bouncing and coming out as gold goes in. nearly 100 % of the gold is caught in the ribbed matting, get it at para rubber, the trick is to screen the gravel through something as fine as whitebait netting before you start. whats left in the matting is then put back into a pan and then you the magnet over it, I then pan down again what is left then dry it. Blow it to get rid of the rest of the small dust and fine gold. the sand and gold that blows I keep and will mercury and retort. In photo is 17 grams that came down to 10.3 grams of gold I could sell and 3 grams of fine stuff to mercury and retort the rest was black sand. But I am in real fine gold. sorry can't get photo in. will have ago and get one here. cheers Treeman Treeman - how have you stuck the blue matting to the wood , small nails??

jafa		Posted : Monday, 20 February 2012 5:36:48 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 22/11/2011(UTC) Posts: 134 Location: auckland Thanks: 22 times Was thanked: 23 time(s) in 19 post(s)		Bucket sluice,s are crap they are really toylike and slow and not much good in blacksand at all id burn it but it probably dosnt even burn that great:(....that ribbed rubber matt of treemans is much better and you can make it your self no probs....id be scepticle of "thegoldlab" too like they say...back in the day the people who got rich were the one,s selling the pick,s n shovle,s lol and the minelab look,s like a glorafied blue bowl....thats what it is isnt it...? but with better instructions!!!
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mineforgold.co.nz		Posted : Monday, 20 February 2012 6:37:29 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 14/11/2011(UTC) Posts: 299 Location: Nelson Thanks: 58 times Was thanked: 38 time(s) in 35 post(s)		Glad you are such an authority on such things Jafa - where would we be without your valuable input. If you think there is so much money to be made in shop keeping you can buy my shop and make your millions.
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treeman		Posted : Monday, 20 February 2012 9:19:58 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Nugget Groups: Registered Joined: 1/02/2012(UTC) Posts: 32 Location: Arrowtown, Thanks: 10 times Was thanked: 16 time(s) in 11 post(s)		just lay it down in the box, it curves up as it is about an inch wider either side. so it makes a trough. ?? grams last week fine as hell, take it out of the mat and then run a magnet over it. then wash it slowly out of a bucket slowly and it ends up staying behind if you a slow and steady. dry, weigh and send it away, last lot assayed at 95.26% with 5.76% melt loss must be getting pretty clean. cheers Treeman

jafa		Posted : Monday, 20 February 2012 9:41:45 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 22/11/2011(UTC) Posts: 134 Location: auckland Thanks: 22 times Was thanked: 23 time(s) in 19 post(s)		Hi Falcon I reckon if i was gunna make 1 of those i would add a nice long alloy slickplate to the front of that and have most of the blacksands and other material washing away before most of the gold even gets to the rubbermatting....just an idea;)
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Karl McDowell		Posted : Monday, 20 February 2012 10:10:03 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Nugget Groups: Registered Joined: 11/07/2010(UTC) Posts: 47 Location: Auckland Thanks: 13 times Was thanked: 39 time(s) in 29 post(s)		Originally Posted by: jafa Bucket sluice,s are crap they are really toylike and slow and not much good in blacksand at all id burn it but it probably dosnt even burn that great:(....that ribbed rubber matt of treemans is much better and you can make it your self no probs....id be scepticle of "thegoldlab" too like they say...back in the day the people who got rich were the one,s selling the pick,s n shovle,s lol and the minelab look,s like a glorafied blue bowl....thats what it is isnt it...? but with better instructions!!! Tell us why you think the Bucket Sluice isn't up to it? Simply saying it's crap isn't helpful. Whether you're using a Bucket Sluice, Blue Bowl or any comparable home made system for gold recovery they all take some commitment and patience if you're going to use them to their fullest potential. Water flow, angle, material size, frequency and amount of feeding all have a bearing on how well they recover gold of any size. I'm yet to see a recovery system that doesn't require some reasonable skill to operate.

treeman		Posted : Monday, 20 February 2012 10:49:32 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Nugget Groups: Registered Joined: 1/02/2012(UTC) Posts: 32 Location: Arrowtown, Thanks: 10 times Was thanked: 16 time(s) in 11 post(s)		yes I would like it about a foot longer and yes a slick plate would make it better, I have wood and it works but am looking at six mil plastic as a slick plate about 300 long with a six mil drop onto mat about a meter long. whole thing about 120mm wide. water I am using a 360 bilge pump and its spot on. the slope is very very important. Must remember I just knocked it together with bits and pieces at the claim. You don't need anything fancy that is for sure. I built a blue bowl and its still sitting on the gorse bush I through it. it did work but you need to have the material will graded to size. meaning not just less that an 8th inch but in size classes. I have not the time to do that. Ribbed matting works great. Question.. I was at Stewart Island in the weekend and at the crib I was at they had a ribbed matting at the door that was courser than the stuff I use. does anyone no where I can get some of that. cheers Treeman

jafa		Posted : Monday, 20 February 2012 10:59:13 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 22/11/2011(UTC) Posts: 134 Location: auckland Thanks: 22 times Was thanked: 23 time(s) in 19 post(s)		Question.. I was at Stewart Island in the weekend and at the crib I was at they had a ribbed matting at the door that was courser than the stuff I use. does anyone no where I can get some of that. cheers Treeman Hi...not sure what type of matt you are meaning but some of the deepist v matting i have seen is mud flap that the truckys have on there rigs it,s expensive about $80 each but 1 would do it ...the v is about 5 or 6mm deep and it,s reasonably ridged i dont no were you would get it in dunedin but im sure a call to the local truck depo would set you straight....
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jafa		Posted : Monday, 20 February 2012 11:59:31 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 22/11/2011(UTC) Posts: 134 Location: auckland Thanks: 22 times Was thanked: 23 time(s) in 19 post(s)		Originally Posted by: Karl McDowell Originally Posted by: jafa Bucket sluice,s are crap they are really toylike and slow and not much good in blacksand at all id burn it but it probably dosnt even burn that great:(....that ribbed rubber matt of treemans is much better and you can make it your self no probs....id be scepticle of "thegoldlab" too like they say...back in the day the people who got rich were the one,s selling the pick,s n shovle,s lol and the minelab look,s like a glorafied blue bowl....thats what it is isnt it...? but with better instructions!!! Tell us why you think the Bucket Sluice isn't up to it? Simply saying it's crap isn't helpful. Whether you're using a Bucket Sluice, Blue Bowl or any comparable home made system for gold recovery they all take some commitment and patience if you're going to use them to their fullest potential. Water flow, angle, material size, frequency and amount of feeding all have a bearing on how well they recover gold of any size. I'm yet to see a recovery system that doesn't require some reasonable skill to operate. Hi Haha you do have a good point guess crap isnt very constructive so i guess i could start by saying what is good about it as it,s a shorter list than what is wrong with the bucketsluice! Good point,s for sum fella,s ...well it,s small and real light i mean supper light you could carry 50 of them in your pack and not even no they were there! but thats about it for the good points... a good all round decription i reckon would be sitting in a garrage with you elbow on your knee and your face in your hand watching black sand and gold go over the last little tiny riffle into the bucket and if you have more than 3 or 4 of leters of sand to put through be prepared to assume that possition for a good 2 or 3 or more hours:(
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