How To Use A River Sluice Box To Fully Capture The Gold - Methods and Techniques

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  • Опубліковано 16 чер 2023
  • How to use a sluice box to recover gold. In this video I will explain various features and techniques used in sluicing for gold. Sluicing is much faster than panning - you let the flowing water do all the work! A sluice is often the second piece of equipment after a pan - it was for me. You can process perhaps 10 to 20 times as much gravel with a sluice that you can with a pan in the same time. A sluice box is inexpensive and you can even make your own - see my video about that here:
    • How to Make a Gold Cat...
    THe other option is to purchase one. You can get a good sluice similar to mine at High Plains prospectors. See: highplainsprospectors.com/pro...
    For those who want to learn more about Prospecting and finding gold check out my book, Fists full of Gold. It’s an encyclopedia of everything on the topic of prospecting. It’s available on from High Plans Prospectors. (Affiliate) You can find it at:
    highplainsprospectors.com/pro...
    For even more information on prospecting, minerals, gems and other related information you can also check out my website at:
    nevada-outback-gems.com/prospe...
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КОМЕНТАРІ • 106

  • @whiteglovestudio
    @whiteglovestudio Рік тому +3

    Love the thorough educational videos you have on your channel, so much useful knowledge!

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Рік тому +1

      Glad you like them!

    • @whiteglovestudio
      @whiteglovestudio Рік тому

      @@ChrisRalph How do you feel about drop riffle sluices for fine gold recovery? My understanding is they require less water flow than conventional riffles like the one in this video, any drawbacks?

  • @alvinuselton912
    @alvinuselton912 Рік тому +1

    I really enjoy your video’s. Thanks for passing on your professional skills. Very classy and informative. Can’t wait for the next one.

  • @DeenanTheKemon1
    @DeenanTheKemon1 7 місяців тому +1

    I got a sluicebox for xmas and I'm super excited to try it this spring. Thanks for the info 👍

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  7 місяців тому +1

      Best of luck to you.

  • @michaelbrick9730
    @michaelbrick9730 Рік тому +1

    Nice creek area. that area looks like the fire came through there last year...Great tutorial on the method use of the sluice box...your time showing us the method on the use has given me the bug, the itch, the get up and go to head out and do some prospecting to some my favorite area's...thanks again Chris...

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Рік тому

      It was a little further back than last year, but it was not many years ago.

  • @Smithsgold
    @Smithsgold Рік тому +2

    Nice finds !!!!!

  • @TROTS1
    @TROTS1 Рік тому +2

    Awesome video! 👍

  • @kamaldaher1670
    @kamaldaher1670 Місяць тому

    Good job! Very clear and full with Informations! Keep on this good work! 💪

  • @gregsanderson2470
    @gregsanderson2470 Рік тому

    I use a basket of 1/2 inch hardware cloth to size the material. it sits in the apron . I watched edie currents clean out behind the riffles.
    I also paint the apron a flat green to reduce the glare.
    The pan bought the sluice which bought the dredge . Lots of fun. Thanks for the videos.

  • @shanelocke237
    @shanelocke237 8 місяців тому

    "ONYA CHRIS"I LEAŔNT ALOT IN THIS UPLOAD,THANKYOU FOR YOUR KNOWLEDGE AS I'VE LEARNT HEAPS FROM YOU.ONCE AGAIN THANKYOU VERY VERY MUCH CHRIS WELL DONE YOU ARE A LEGEND IN MY VIEW.SHANE LOCKE FROM BATHURST AUSTRALIA

  • @jeffkeller9009
    @jeffkeller9009 10 місяців тому

    You make me want to go out prospecting for gold and treasue !🤠

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  10 місяців тому

      That's a good idea. Go out and prospect

  • @seymourrivers6169
    @seymourrivers6169 Рік тому

    I enjoyed this episode 🎉 and highly recommend your book to anyone interested in learning more about this hobby. The book could be compared to an encyclopedia on the subject

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Рік тому

      Awesome, thank you for the kind words!

  • @danbosch-
    @danbosch- Рік тому

    If the water just barely dances over the riffles from your angle and water flow the sluice will clean itself out very well. The gold will always flow to underneath the riffles and the gravel will flow out. I know you didn't have a steep enough drop available at that site. When I was able to go sluicing if the creek was that flat and narrow I used to build a small dam I could rest the flare on to achieve a better drop angle. Love your videos. Cheers mate!

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Рік тому +3

      The steepness and the flow determine how fast the gravels will clear.

  • @GSProspecting
    @GSProspecting Рік тому +2

    What a blast. Great job all around fam. Keep on having fun getting that au and living the dream. Thanks for the class. Gold Squad Out!!!

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Рік тому

      Thanks! Will do!

    • @myrnaporras4123
      @myrnaporras4123 Рік тому

      Hi sir, i need buyer of diamond stone but here in Philippines only gold they can accept

    • @davidwalker8359
      @davidwalker8359 5 місяців тому

      Why do you only have the option in biying it in gold?
      ​@myrnaporras4123

  • @seanb3516
    @seanb3516 Рік тому

    I'm enjoying the Fists Full of Dirt (and a bit of Gold) currently. It's got a HUGE amount of information.
    This is the only book that I have seen that mentions the Blue Bowl,,,which is a truly frustrating piece of Analytical Equipment. Argghh!

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Рік тому

      What problems are you having with the blue bowl? You know I also have videos that demonstrate it, right?

  • @azau79
    @azau79 Рік тому

    Great idea to do the narration afterwards.

  • @tj6193
    @tj6193 Рік тому

    Thanks for all the information. After watching your vids for almost a year I think I'm ready to start dirt fishing.
    I joined the GPAA. They have a special, buy a Garrett Axiom and get a Lifetime GPAA Membership.
    I ordered a copy of Fist Full of Gold and I have a spot picked out to prospect in July.
    I don't think I would have the guts to actually give this a try if it wasn't for you taking the time to provide this information.
    Wish me luck.

    • @paulbegley1464
      @paulbegley1464 Рік тому +1

      He knows what he's talking about. And he's easy to listen to.

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Рік тому +1

      I wish you the very best of luck, but I also wish for you persistence. It takes work and time to learn when you want to acquire a new skill. You will become good at finding gold if you stick to it.

  • @michaeldonovan6076
    @michaeldonovan6076 8 місяців тому

    Thanks Chris, very educational video.
    Em, using a battery operated pump would dramatically increase water volume at that pitch,
    However this further supports getting more done with a battery operated pump, you can measure the widnes of the Y where the water feeds,
    You can then use a predrilled pvc pipe predrillled 1/4 inch apart in single or two varied lines,,connecting to the pump hose with a pvc T connection,,this will create a faned pressure ofcwater from the creak through the pump intovthe fan chamber wochvwill feed the required water at volume this method allowed you to run 5 to 10 buckets an hour,
    At the end of the sluice if you make a a tray with minors moss incerted this will allow to catch lost gold particles,
    So technicaly your feeding the sluice and checking residue increasing and retrieving lost gold at the end of the process.

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  8 місяців тому

      Sounds interesting. Give your theories a try and let us know how it all works out.

  • @affordablewebsiterescue
    @affordablewebsiterescue Рік тому

    I have 3 of them!!!

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Рік тому

      A sluice is not an expensive item and even cheaper if you make your own.

  • @dirtypawsgoldadventures
    @dirtypawsgoldadventures Рік тому

    Looking good. Seems like a nice easy spot to work. See any morrels in that burn scar?

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Рік тому

      No I did not see any, but parts of that area would be good for looking. I have only very rarely seen morels in the Sierra Nevada, but I will keep my eyes open.

  • @michaelarmbrust8415
    @michaelarmbrust8415 7 місяців тому

    Great video. Could you show how the water should look running through the sluice

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  7 місяців тому

      its supposed to be smooth but enough to move the sand and pebbles through the box. You can see it in this video. Perhaps you watching on a cell phone? If so you need a bigger screen to see the sluice flow.

  • @seanb3516
    @seanb3516 Рік тому +2

    One of the ideas I am trying with my sluice is to use a water 'calmer'.
    Basically a sheet of plastic that lays over most of the water flow that is supposed to calm the turbulence and allow the riffles to work.
    Not sure yet if this is a good idea however the results are somewhat positive so far.

    • @danbosch-
      @danbosch- Рік тому +1

      I used to use two sluices. One for calm water flow, and one for faster flow. The faster flow sluice had steeper angled rifles on it. If you don't have that available, yes, a header skirt will help.

    • @gregsanderson2470
      @gregsanderson2470 Рік тому

      ​@@danbosch- can you explain this skirt. Thankx

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Рік тому +1

      I used to use that type of skirt / cover with my dredge, but never with a river sluice - they are usually much calmer already compared to a dredge.

    • @danbosch-
      @danbosch- Рік тому +1

      @@gregsanderson2470 its just a flap of soft rubber or plastic that touches the top surface of the water for several inches up at the top of the sluice that calms down the water if it is too turbulent. people who dredge sometimes have them on their dredge sluices.
      i only ever used one if i had my sluice in crazy fast water. it helped to keep my sluice from cleaning gold out of it.
      95% of the time you shouldn't need one for a manual sluice

    • @gregsanderson2470
      @gregsanderson2470 Рік тому

      @@danbosch- thankyou

  • @alesp6552
    @alesp6552 6 місяців тому

    Nice gold learned new things thank you. What creek is that. Do u know Where can I find not claimed hydraulic pits to prospect or access to them ?any club or something

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  6 місяців тому

      Try a club. If you are interested in claims, check out the two videos I made on staking a claim.

  • @KhairulNizamBakar
    @KhairulNizamBakar 10 місяців тому

    I glad to find your channel when starting my journey in metal detecting. Keep up a great content!

  • @paulbegley1464
    @paulbegley1464 Рік тому +1

    From the looks of those trees I'm going to guess your in California but maybe your on the Nevada side. At least there's not so much brush on the ground.

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Рік тому +2

      Its northern California - literally millions of acres have been burned in recent years.

  • @Ravenraps
    @Ravenraps 11 місяців тому

    East Belt? Looks like Murray. Thanks for the content you're doing great. I appreciate you. #skullcounty #goldprospecting #sluiceboxmod #placermining

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  11 місяців тому

      Eastern gold belts of the Sierra Nevada in California - but I could see why it looks similar to other places too.

    • @Ravenraps
      @Ravenraps 11 місяців тому

      @@ChrisRalph oh I see now my comment was vague. I grew up in Railroad Flat and have spent much of my time digging around the area. Treasures come in many forms in the area, clusters, bottles, artifacts as well as nuggets.

  • @sparks4025
    @sparks4025 Рік тому

    I've prospected the WC drainage area recently, it's nice to easily hike through those burned out areas, but the vegetation is starting to come back. I heard a large crash then later came back to my car to see a tree burned at the base had fallen 6 feet in front of my car.

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Рік тому

      Those trees are going to begin to fall and access in the back country will be tough.

  • @toddeftsadams5909
    @toddeftsadams5909 Рік тому

    The one thing I have learned lately is that the outlet of the sluce needs to be out of the water. Then the last ripples clean out better. But I do find super fine gold with my keen sluce. In Wyoming we can't highbank or dredge until July 1st so I use my sluce until July.

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Рік тому +1

      I would not say that is always true. In flat streams like the one I was on, if the end would out of the water, the end would have been higher than the entrance and no water would have flowed.

    • @mattnelson4387
      @mattnelson4387 Рік тому

      Isn't it about water flow and slope, not sluice box end placement?

  • @douglasbrown4775
    @douglasbrown4775 15 днів тому

    Try Gold Phenoms gravity panning give it a view

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  15 днів тому

      I watched some and was not impressed at all. Just regular panning done fast without shaking the gold down. Guaranteed he is losing fine gold. Just because you get some does not mean you are not losing some too.

  • @paulbegley1464
    @paulbegley1464 Рік тому

    I was thinking that if you can put a couple of straps on the back or even the front. You can put it on your back to carry it and leave your hands free for other stuff. Or even just to keep your balance as you walk to the creek. Were not getting any younger you know. Might even want to get a walking stick or two.

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Рік тому +2

      That would work great if you needed to carry the sluice a long ways. That spot was only about 50 feet from my car.

  • @TheDSP1970
    @TheDSP1970 Рік тому

    I think the design & methods are dated back to the early 1900's. Gold recovery has move forward since this.

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Рік тому

      Where in this video did I say that the sluice was state of the art for placer gold recovery? Yet they are still used by millions of small scale miners across the globe - so no, you are wrong, gold recovery has not moved on from the sluice.

    • @TheDSP1970
      @TheDSP1970 Рік тому

      @@ChrisRalph not the box, whats in the box.

  • @jeffinphx517
    @jeffinphx517 Рік тому

    Thanks, Chris. Excellent video, Fists Full of Gold is a great book, well worth the price. I think it would be really cool if you also did a campfire series, gold prospecting, and gold finding stories. In fact, that would make an excellent book. I'd buy it. Peace.

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Рік тому +1

      My website has a lot of stories like that - and they are free to read.

    • @jeffinphx517
      @jeffinphx517 Рік тому

      @@ChrisRalph Cool, thanks.

  • @NikolaiGordeev-wb7kb
    @NikolaiGordeev-wb7kb 6 місяців тому +1

    Hi friend

  • @EM-ig7ib
    @EM-ig7ib Рік тому

    I'm a real novice where sluicing is concerned. As green as they come.
    I really enjoy your videos and I was going to request that you do a sluicing instructional. But you beat me to it.
    I have a Keene River Sluice set up pretty much like the one you used in this video only its about 1ft shorter and I have miners moss on the deck instead of the black matting you use.
    The one thing I have to ask is this...
    I noticed that my test pans tend to capture some really fine even micro gold that can only been seen under magnification.
    But when I run my sluice with the same material that I know has fine and micro gold, I cannot seem to capture them in my sluice. Only flakes and a rare picker the size of a pin head seems to end up in my concentrates.
    I tried slowing the rate of material feed and changing the water velocity to a point where its barely able to clear the small gravels.
    I'm just not capturing the fines that I know are there.
    I've watched several videos by pros some of whom you know and now your video.
    So my question is ...
    Is sluicing just inferior to using a good pan for capturing fine and ultra fine gold? Am I wasting my time sluicing areas where only flour gold exists and flakes and nuggets are rare or non existent?

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Рік тому

      Its hard for me to say as you are, by your own admission, a new and green prospector. So real hard for me to say where the problem is. Yes, for the very finest of gold, a sluice is not the best recovery device. Commercial operators will use shaker tables, centrifugal concentrators or jigs as their primary gold catcher. Could you do better with your sluice than you are now? - its possible but I just don't know.

    • @EM-ig7ib
      @EM-ig7ib Рік тому

      @@ChrisRalph
      Well. . .I think its a combination of problems with the most problematic being "User Error"
      But I did find one of your videos from 3 yrs ago where you ran some different materials through your sluice attempting to recover fines.
      I learned a few things by watching that one.
      I really appreciate you taking the time to answer these comments.
      Thanks!

  • @karlfonner7589
    @karlfonner7589 9 місяців тому

    Was that a public place where you sluiced? Can you give me a hint as to where it is?

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  9 місяців тому

      Yes, see my other reply.

  • @greedygringoprospecting6941
    @greedygringoprospecting6941 Рік тому +1

    i have a a52 (free). supposed to go to the east fork ,but got a equinox 700. go to the beach ,start learning. the 700. the surfing championship is at the end of july. (google us open of surfing huntington beach). like 300,000 to 400,000 people in the course of a week. i've only seen a few people with detectors there. great video. have a good day boss.

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Рік тому

      I grew up in the LA area, but man, crowds of hundreds of thousands of people make me want to go to someplace with solitude and where the thousands upon thousands are not around. I was disappointed the other day when I was out prospecting because I saw 6 other people........

    • @greedygringoprospecting6941
      @greedygringoprospecting6941 Рік тому +1

      @@ChrisRalph to hot to go by myself. get jacked up from the heat. or a rattle snake. but end of september go back look for the rhyolite i saw exposed from the rains. always good to talk to you. have a good day.

  • @alwayslearning8365
    @alwayslearning8365 Рік тому

    I wish we could use small sluice boxes in BC, but the BC government makes mining of any sort very difficult. They want people to just look at the trees and rocks.

    • @tradermunky1998
      @tradermunky1998 Рік тому

      Can't have you moving some pebbles around in the streams, why do you hate the planet!? 🤣

    • @tedritchie7252
      @tedritchie7252 Рік тому

      Sooner or later people are just going to ignore what these government technocrats impose. Any day now would be fine by me

    • @paulbegley1464
      @paulbegley1464 Рік тому

      That sucks. And I'll bet it's Trudeau that came up with that decision or one of his fellow liberals. But he signed it into law I bet. What a little tyrant.

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Рік тому +2

      Sorry mate. Big brother government knows what is best for you, and you must obey their orders. The US is just a bit more conservative, but we will catch up with the more left leaning and socialist UK, Australia and Canada.

  • @israelgabriel1989
    @israelgabriel1989 3 місяці тому

    You should get knee pads saves the back

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  3 місяці тому

      I have them and use them sometimes.

  • @eugen-m
    @eugen-m Рік тому

    Great material . Thank you ❤❤❤
    I think it's a stupid idea to use a metal detector specially adapted to be used in water and detect metals or to use a detector in the washing process only in the final stage....
    🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔
    Ok , stupid , sorry ☺

  • @123Goldhunter11
    @123Goldhunter11 3 місяці тому

    I found that any Hungarian riffles lose you fine gold.

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  3 місяці тому

      That's why you need a good material under the Hungarian riffles, like miners moss or something similar.

  • @mikesorenson5505
    @mikesorenson5505 9 місяців тому

    Cris woulx you allow me go go with you

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  9 місяців тому

      Sorry. I get many requests like yours and I don't offer individual training.

  • @tradermunky1998
    @tradermunky1998 Рік тому +1

    Looks like bikini weather, but no bikini? You have to show some skin to make it on UA-cam 😉🤣

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Рік тому +2

      That only works for cute young girls. Fat old men should keep all their clothes on and avoid sunburn and skin cancer.

  • @jbowerman50
    @jbowerman50 Рік тому

    Chris, I built my sluice from a stainless steel steam table insert. Yes I know, heavier than aluminum. When I tested it, I found the riffles I welded to expanded metal, (with miners moss underneath) were All wrong, to tall, wrong angle. So I cut them out. So without riffles, I ran all my panning tailings (I setup a recirculating system) and found gold I lost from my pan. So, the question is just how essential are riffles, I trapped fine gold that I lost in panning without riffles. I'm headed for the desert with my drywasher and detector and expect to bring my DW cons home and run them in the recirculating sluice. As a side note, I've saved all my tailings from everything so I can run it again just to be sure.

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  Рік тому +2

      If you screen all your gravel to less than a quarter of an inch, you don't need the riffles. If you run gravel with larger stuff, you need riffles.

  • @karlfonner7589
    @karlfonner7589 9 місяців тому

    Was that a public place where you sluiced? Can you give me a hint as to where it is?

    • @ChrisRalph
      @ChrisRalph  9 місяців тому

      Yes, it's in a part of the Plumas National Forest that burned 🔥 in the fires of the last few years.

    • @karlfonner7589
      @karlfonner7589 9 місяців тому

      @@ChrisRalph thank you very much sir. I’m looking forward to purchasing your book and keeping you happy.