On your gold prospecting outings, you might have experienced the excitement of seeing a gold nugget in your sluice box concentrate. However, in most cases, the results of such hard work come in the form of sand-like gold particles or fine gold. While it can be profitable, the type of equipment used to retrieve it is essential to avoid losing the particles in the process.
The best sluice boxes for fine gold recovery are:
- Gold Mining Fine Gold Recovery Mini Sluice Box
- 53″ Sluice Box Gold Panning Supply Kit
- Sluice Fox 12″ Mini Pocket Sluice Box
- Black Magic Fine Gold Recovery System
- Gold Cube 3 Stack Deluxe Gold Sluice
These models boast essential features to help you recover the finest particles of gold, but some prospecting skills are still required for the best results. Find out what is the best sluice box for you below.
Table of Contents
How Does a Sluice Box Recover Fine Gold?
A sluice box is one of the most useful devices to process large quantities of streambed material and the preferred one by small-scale miners and recreational prospectors. Sluice boxes are affordable and allow gold hunters to streamline the process of examining the placer, making it up to 200 times faster than just using a gold pan.
Prospecting With a Sluice Box
A sluice box is a three-sided device that boasts baffles – or riffles – along its bottom edge. They are placed along the course of a river or stream or get water pumped into them to control its velocity better.
As the collected streambed material runs through the body of the sluice box, the gold particles – being more substantial than surrounding materials – fall through the mesh screen through the riffles. Once sedimented on the bottom of the sluice box, the gold particles remain trapped, as here, the current is not strong enough to carry them along.
The concentrates – usually gold particles and heavy black sand – will then need to be processed through other gold prospecting methods, such as pans.
What Is Fine Gold?
While sluice boxes are excellent pieces of equipment, recovering fine gold comes with associated challenges that prospectors should consider before investing in a sluice box.
Fine gold[2] are among the smallest particles of gold prospectors will be able to recover through standard mining tools and methods. When measuring the size of gold, several scales could be used, such as weight or carats, but the most common system is “mesh.”
The “mesh” [3] measures the number of entrances in a 1 squared inch (2.5cm) screen or wire cloth. For example, larger pieces of gold – such as nuggets – will be able to run through a 10 to 20 mesh system: fewer entrances in the same-size screen will mean that the openings are more extensive.
Oppositely, fine gold, or flour or dust, will be able to run through smaller entrances, such as 20 to 40 mesh sizes.
Recovering such tiny particles can be challenging without the right equipment, knowledge, and tools set-up. Indeed, when using a sluice box, if the water velocity[4] is too high, prospectors will run the risk of losing smaller – and, therefore, lighter – gold particles.
The sluice boxes mentioned in this article will either boast an efficient trapping system – such as nets and matting, or control the water velocity. In some cases, both systems apply.
The Features to Look for in a Sluice Box for Fine Gold
As we have seen above, recovering fine gold particles might be more challenging than simply find nuggets in a gold-bearing location. Indeed, sand-like gold can easily be lost when panning or sluicing without the right equipment and skills. Below you can find the features that your sluice box for fine gold recovery cannot lack.
Adequate Riffles
The riffles of your sluice box are the primary tool responsible for the recovery of gold, from larger nuggets to smaller particles. However, not all of them are adequate to prospect for fine gold.
Hungarian riffles
Also called “lazy L” riffles, these baffles are gently curved[5] and usually made of steel. They are the preferred types of riffles in medium-sized mining operations, as they can process high quantities of material at once. These riffles not only trap in the gold, but they also create an eddy or swirl, just behind the crest of the riffle. This system allows the heavy materials to remain on the sluice box, while the lighter ones are washed away.
Right angle riffles
Usually made of iron, these riffles take the shape of a 90-degree angle[6] and are the preferred types of riffles used in more extensive operations. Their material and form allow them to be extremely resistant, no matter the kind of streambed material inserted in the sluice box. Tilting them slightly forward can increase their ability to capture fine gold.
Expanded metal
Expanded-metal riffles are the most common ones used in modern, commercial sluice boxes. They are composed of small metal panels inserted at an angle along the bottom edge of the sluice box. These are ideal for capturing fine gold since they create an eddy similar to the one caused by Hungarian Riffles, concentrating any heavy, sand-like particles.
Ultimately, expanded-metal riffles make up the preferable riffle system for the recovery of fine gold[7]. However, prospectors need to keep in mind that these riffles work best when the material fed to the sluice box has already been processed through other screening methods. Concentrates are ideal.
Water Flow Control
Setting an adequate water velocity through a sluice box is something that can take some practice and skills. However, mastering this ability can make a massive difference in the amount of fine gold you will be able to recover.
Generally, sluice boxes work by leveraging the characteristic of gold of being up to six times heavier than surrounding streambed materials. Therefore, when feeding the material through the sluice box, dense nuggets and flakes will rapidly fall to the bottom edge, where they remain trapped in the riffles.
However, in the case of fine gold, while it will still be more substantial than other particles, a too high water velocity can contribute to the loss of the particles[8]. The right water velocity changes depending on the location, inclination, amount of material inserted in the sluice box, and type of content.
Ultimately, after recovering from fine gold, you should opt for a sluice box that boasts a valve or other water velocity control system. While this feature might not seem necessary at first, you might need to process small quantities of concentrates through your box. In this case, adjusting the speed of the flow is paramount to avoid losing precious particles.
Matting
Aside from the riffles, sluice boxes boast another gold-recovery system along their bottom edge: porous matting or carpet. Also called miner’s cloth[9], this material covers the base of the sluice box and the space underneath the riffles. Indeed, as the riffles create an eddy, the water will swirl within them.
The function of the underlying carpet is to trap in the small particles and prevent them from escaping the riffles when pushed along by the current. This type of recovery system is sometimes unnecessary in some sluice boxes designed for more significant operations.
However, when it comes down to searching for fine gold, this feature is essential to ensure that the particles will not flow off due to too-high water velocity.
Additionally, when using Mini Sluice Boxes in a controlled environment, the matting might be the main component responsible for the recovery of fine gold. Instead, you will need to ensure that the box’s set-up and the water velocity are adequate when sluicing for gold on river banks.
5 Best Sluice Boxes for Fine Gold Recovery
Before diving into the different possibilities a prospector has when it comes down to investing in a sluice box, it is essential to keep in mind that the same device might not be ideal for different gold hunters.
Indeed, some of them will require you to have more profound knowledge regarding water speed and inclinations. Others are much simpler to use but might yield not as excellent results.
Gold Mining Fine Gold Recovery Mini Sluice Box
This micro sluice box is the perfect tool for any prospector looking at processing the concentrates recovered from other devices, such as larger sluice boxed and pans. This sluice box is designed primarily to recover fine gold since it is equipped with a valve and fine matting.
Indeed, the water velocity setting system allows you to pick at what speed to send the flow through the body of the box. This characteristic is paramount when you are dealing with such tiny particles as the gold dust can be.
Additionally, the low flow ensures that any potential particle of gold in the concentrates remains within the body of the device, without being swept off by the current. This micro sluice box is also perfect for the processing of concentrates in a controlled environment, without having to worry about losing particles or finding the right water velocity in a stream or creek.
53″ Sluice Box Gold Panning Supply Kit
If you are looking for a prospecting kit that will cover all your needs, this sluice box can get you started searching for gold right away. The kit includes three green pans and a six-piece crevice hand-pick kit aside from the 3-piece, 53in (134cm) long sluice box.
What makes this sluice box ideal for the recovery of fine gold is the modular sluice box that will filter all the material collected through the several sections of mesh and riffles. Additionally, prospectors can configure the device to fit the environment they are examining best, as this could require different operation sizes, angles, or water flow.
While not exclusively for the processing of concentrates, this expandable sluice box allows you to examine large portions of material while trapping the smallest gold particles.
3. Sluice Fox 12″ Mini Pocket Sluice Box
While prospectors might need to process the material collected at home again, this micro sluice box is ideal for sampling a specific location or terrain. With a total length of 12in (30cm), this device is portable, lightweight, and versatile.
Additionally, the expanded metal riffles at the bottom edge of the box are ideal for the collection of fine gold, while the matting increases the chances of retention. Prospectors can also choose between adding a layer of miner’s moss or v-trapping just below the riffles.
However, to increase your chances of obtaining a concentration rich in fine gold, you can also use both matting types and the riffles. This 3-layer set-up is what makes this small sluice box an ideal choice for fine gold prospecting.
4. Black Magic Fine Gold Recovery System
The Black Magic Fine Recovery System is not your standard sluice box, but it can be highly efficient in sand-like gold recovery operations. Indeed, the device includes a table, valve, and bucket system that allows any prospector – experts or novice – to attempt to recover fine gold in all safety.
Additionally, the water velocity adjustment system is beneficial when processing concentrates rich in heavy black sand. Ultimately, this alternative device is a better choice than a standard sluice box if you are prospecting in an area that boasts high quantities of black sand.
5. Gold Cube 3 Stack Deluxe Gold Sluice and Accessories
Undeniably, the Gold Cube device can represent a significant investment for many prospectors. However, if you are becoming more knowledgeable about this activity and looking to make your hobby more profitable, there is no better device for the recovery of fine gold.
The Gold Cube includes all the features that contribute to increasing the chances of sluicing all gold particles in the material. These characteristics include:
- Two separator trays
- A pump to regulate the water flow and velocity
- A hose and a hose adapter
- One slick plate
This device is a little different than a standard sluice box. While the principle and system behind it are similar, the Gold Cube makes the most out of the centrifugal and gravitational forces to recover all the gold particles in a given amount of streambed material.
While the Gold Cube is among the most efficient gold-recovery devices on the market, it is better suited for expert prospectors that are looking at processing tons of concentrates within short timeframes.
Other Pieces of Equipment to Consider
While not strictly fitting into the sluice boxes’ category, other prospecting methods can be just as useful to recover fine gold from concentrates.
Naturally, the first that comes to mind is to use a gold pan. However, this tool can require the prospector to acquire refined skills to avoid losing the smallest gold particles in the panning and cleaning process.
Instead, the two tools below allow you to operate in a controlled and safe environment while recovering the finest gold particles.
The Blue Bowl Kit uses centrifugal forces to reduce any concentrate to just eventual gold particles. The process is relatively straightforward, and it only requires the prospector to set the right water flow and velocity.
The concentration kit includes the bowl, levelers, vials, a 12V pump, a hose, and buttery clips. Of course, you will also benefit from the manufacturer’s manual included in the package.
While the blue bowl is portable and easy to use, it is ideal for processing large quantities of streambed material in a controlled environment rather than on the prospecting site. As an indication of how fine the gold retrieved by this machine is, the device includes mesh classifiers in sizes ranging from 30 to 100. Standard fine gold is considered 30-40 mesh in size.
Miller tables come in different sizes and names, but they are among the best devices to recover flour-like gold. With classifiers of sizes up to 400 mesh, the machine can separate the gold from the black sand and other surrounding materials.
Everything the prospector will need to do is add water and plug in the machine. Since it is also self-contained, portable, and recirculating, this Miller table is ideal for fine gold recovery operations conducted in all safety.
Unlike other devices, Miller tables work through magnetic charges: as the water moves, the table becomes positively charged, while the gold negatively. Therefore, the gold and the table will attract each other. This event will cause the particles to remain attached to the table rather than flowing away from it.
Conclusion
While some sluice boxes are better suited for the recovery of fine gold than others, every prospector might have different needs when it comes down to selecting the right equipment. Undoubtedly, budget and ease-to-use are two pressing factors. However, prospectors should also consider the importance of extended metal riffles and adequate matting.
While your choice of equipment is essential, it is vital not to underestimate the impact that different water velocities can have on your chances of recovering fine gold. These factors, alongside your prospecting skills, will allow you to make the most out of any concentrate.