Tweaking an A52 Keene sluice for fine gold and fine black sands?

Okay. I'm messing with my prospecting equipment again.

This time I'm tweaking my A52 Keene sluice for fine gold and fine black sands. The Bradshaw Mountains around Prescott, AZ are loaded with this stuff.

I tried replacing the carpet with that thick dark blue miner's moss stuff. The fine gold and ultra fine black sand just blows thru it and it also plugs up quickly if there's too much clays. Messed around with angles and flows, still the same.

I tried replacing the carpet with various types, ribbed, veranda, smooth, etc. The Veranda pattern, unbacked seems to provide enough room for the blacks and fines without washing out or plugging up.

Gold Hog matting seems okay but maybe works better without the riffles, but then how would I hold the matting in the sluice?

I've presently got it setup with half Veranda unbacked carpet and half ribbed, then expanded mesh then the riffle bar. Got to test that more.

Next up is vortex matting, the same type as in the Gold Cube which works great for fine gold and fine black sands. Any suggestions on how to keep it in the sluice without gluing it down if I use it without the riffle bar, or is it better with the riffle bar? With or without the expanded metal mesh?

Anyone else have suggestions on fine gold and fine black sand capture?

Thanks fer the tips.

Replies

Jeff baraglia July 26, 2014 at 2:54am

I run deep v matting in the flare and have it glued to gold hog matting. I have also run just goldhog matting.Goldhog matting is heavy and if cut tite will stay can also fill in gap with rolled gorilla tape. I ran my sluice in very fast water on feather river and matting didn't move. I also ran a second sluice behind this one It had miner moss under expanded metal and riffle. All gold found was in first sluice. I did this to test matting, to see if any loss very impressed with gold hog matting.
AlohaJim July 24, 2014 at 11:01pm

I wonder if a combination Gold Hogg Mat in one section and vortex matting in another would allow the sluice a broader range of capture? Thoughts anyone?
- joseph jensen > AlohaJim July 25, 2014 at 12:57am
  
  The vortex alone beats out the gold hog. I recently tuned my a52 banker/ dredge combo by adding vortex and making some changes for the banker. my fine gold recovery is incredible. raised expanded metal is a good idea also.
  - AlohaJim > joseph jensen July 25, 2014 at 4:39pm
    
    Thanks for the advice. Do you think the slope should be reduced with the vortex mat to prevent any blow through of good material?
Tim G (Creator) July 24, 2014 at 8:42pm

I agree with bob I did the same thing and had great improvements on fine gold recovery
- AlohaJim > Tim G (Creator) July 24, 2014 at 9:31pm
  
  Thanks Tim. I was going to head out next week with a change to Veranda Carpet and Rib combo. I just got the Vortex mat in. Gonna take your advice and put it on instead. This thing'll be like a Gold Cube sluice. Cool.
Bob Drake July 24, 2014 at 5:24pm

I have an A52 with vortex in it. Just use the stock riffles and expanded metal to hold the mat in place.
- AlohaJim > Bob Drake July 24, 2014 at 6:49pm
  
  Thanks Bob. Have you tested it on fine black sands and fine gold?
  
  What would happen if the expanded metal were left out? Would it scrub and exchange too much or plug up less?
  
  jim
  - Bob Drake > AlohaJim July 24, 2014 at 7:40pm
    
    All I find is fine gold. I never done any measured tests with it. Went from green carpet to mat and saw big increase in fines. And so much easier to clean.

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