Always wondered if you could construct a cement sluice box into the bed rock of a river during the dry then clean it out after the wet season ? I have heard stories of people doing well by drilling lots of little holes and cleaning them out later.
Cement sluice box idea
- Thread starter Goldfreak
- Start date
Help Support Prospecting Australia:
Anolphart
Zol Straub
Funny you should say that, I was actually wondering today whether you could build a huge sluice in a river and clean it out after a flood. I guess you'd want a place that wouldn't be accessible to the general public though.
The only possible disadvantage would be that the gold you get in a riverbed was commonly deposited over a very long time - you might find that you mostly only got minor fine gold. However you probably would get some. A lot of river gold is where the water flow slows, so not in the middle but on gravel bars such as the inner side of bends - not sure a lot is mobilized over a short time at high flow (i.e. the gold concentrates where the flow slows down so the gold cant stay in suspension but drops out). At times of high flow it would be more likely to travel farther downstream in suspension.
- Joined
- Jun 18, 2013
- Messages
- 677
- Reaction score
- 478
You could in theory...
But thats the catch isnt it
Itd have to be on the bedrock in a place where gravel normally accumulates in the normal flow of the river so it catches the passing heavies.
Next problem is having a trap of some sort that gold just can't get out of, then it'd have to be anchored somehow (dnya bolts or similar) so it doesnt get blasted downstream by the torrential water we get up here from time to time.
As you probably know we had a good drenching some weeks back, a mate and I had been out to a spot that he'd been working for sometime (3 or 4 years).
We went back recently after giving the water a week or two to recede, the entire creek had changed dramatically so much so that we were a little disoriented until we found some familiar bedrock formations. Every rock in the creek was like it had been pressure cleaned - none of that horrible brown algae that sticks to rocks was left. Gravel bars appeared 150m downstream that had previously been lining the bottom of deep pools .
There was enough water force to shift 100+kg boulders 25m downstream which had its own benefit, though we lost the spot we'd been working to massive overburden it uncovered some new holes to check and clean out.
I can see what yout getting at with the idea, itd be great to just come along to a stretch of river and dig up your sluices to see what theyve caught
Youd want to be sure that if there was a deluge coming you got your gear out first otherwise itd be gone.
The last problem would be that unless you were on private property theres no way to be sure your gear isnt being poached from and even then im not sure that they mines dept wouldn't look on the whole thing in an unfriendly way
So all in all not saying it cant be done but would be a hell of a challenge!
But thats the catch isnt it
Itd have to be on the bedrock in a place where gravel normally accumulates in the normal flow of the river so it catches the passing heavies.
Next problem is having a trap of some sort that gold just can't get out of, then it'd have to be anchored somehow (dnya bolts or similar) so it doesnt get blasted downstream by the torrential water we get up here from time to time.
As you probably know we had a good drenching some weeks back, a mate and I had been out to a spot that he'd been working for sometime (3 or 4 years).
We went back recently after giving the water a week or two to recede, the entire creek had changed dramatically so much so that we were a little disoriented until we found some familiar bedrock formations. Every rock in the creek was like it had been pressure cleaned - none of that horrible brown algae that sticks to rocks was left. Gravel bars appeared 150m downstream that had previously been lining the bottom of deep pools .
There was enough water force to shift 100+kg boulders 25m downstream which had its own benefit, though we lost the spot we'd been working to massive overburden it uncovered some new holes to check and clean out.
I can see what yout getting at with the idea, itd be great to just come along to a stretch of river and dig up your sluices to see what theyve caught
Youd want to be sure that if there was a deluge coming you got your gear out first otherwise itd be gone.
The last problem would be that unless you were on private property theres no way to be sure your gear isnt being poached from
and even then im not sure that they mines dept wouldn't look on the whole thing in an unfriendly way So all in all not saying it cant be done but would be a hell of a challenge!
The Green Wanderer said:You could in theory...
But thats the catch isnt it
It also happens to be highly illegal......
That being said I did find one on the Turon River and yeah it held gold.
Apparently, they have a lot of trouble with it being done in the USA. They let them go all through the cold months and clean them out after the Spring thaw.
AussieChris said:
Of course it's illegal, that's what Australia has become. Everything that used to fun is now illegal. The fun police reign supreme.
Won't be able to sneeze soon without the fun police getting involved.
- Joined
- Mar 10, 2016
- Messages
- 7,954
- Reaction score
- 16,055
Doubt it offended more so just a heads up I'd say. Good thought bubble though :Y: so are you legal if you expand an existing natural trap.
unfortunately whisp every time they outlaw something they don't at the same time make something else legal so the end result is that as time goes on there are more and more things you can't do and less things you can until you can't do anything.
Matt80
Matthew
It would be illegal to do it in a watercourse/river, however lm not entirely sure it would be illegal in a place considered a gully as the rules tend to be polar opposites (at least here in Qld). I'm not saying it is legal, just saying lm not quite sure it would be illegal.
The better bet would probably be to use or alter a natural feature slightly to get a similar effect(theory only, not suggesting anyone do it). Like a thin log or two of appropriate size locked in place across the flow should give a decent dead spot.
The better bet would probably be to use or alter a natural feature slightly to get a similar effect(theory only, not suggesting anyone do it). Like a thin log or two of appropriate size locked in place across the flow should give a decent dead spot.
Goldfreak said:
Nope, no offence, I was just making the observation that these days you are allowed to do less and less and even the things you are still allowed to do will no doubt offend some till they get that banned too.
Would it work? Most definitely, providing the riffles were put in the right location so as to cause low pressure areas where the flood gold flows.
Oh, I was not offended? although I'm not sure why Whisp got worked up? It seems like the idea sits on the fringe like carbide bomb fishing, you know it's not right even if it works really well. I don't think Fun Police figure into it in any way.
They certainly work, but I don't think we should promote the idea. It's enough we have to put up with dredges and they work really well. If people started placing permanent sluices in our rivers and creeks every few hundred metres I'm pretty sure someone is going to get jack of it pretty fast.
Fisheries came down on me because my tailings were making a wash 10-15 metres below me, trying to tell me it could cause a fish kill, what would they say if I was down my favourite spots with formwork pouring a cement slab into the river, that understandably would be an environmental hazard, and really I don't want all the gold, I'm happy to leave some for you and your kids and their kids.
They certainly work, but I don't think we should promote the idea. It's enough we have to put up with dredges and they work really well. If people started placing permanent sluices in our rivers and creeks every few hundred metres I'm pretty sure someone is going to get jack of it pretty fast.
Fisheries came down on me because my tailings were making a wash 10-15 metres below me, trying to tell me it could cause a fish kill, what would they say if I was down my favourite spots with formwork pouring a cement slab into the river, that understandably would be an environmental hazard, and really I don't want all the gold, I'm happy to leave some for you and your kids and their kids.
SWright
Steve Wright
G'Day all
Not a bad idea, but also not a new one. Old timers called it Dry-Stacking. You would clean out a dry creek to bedrock and pile wash dirt from elsewhere above an area that has been lined with box riffles or even just woven branches. Cover with clean rocks and wait for the flood rains. Go back and take out the rocks and pan the bedrock. This idea is so old it has become legend. One lot of people did the above but then lined the section of creek suitable to trapping gold with sheep skins. Weighed them down with rocks and stacked wash dirt at the head. When they pulled one lot out a particularly rich area the fleece was covered in gold because the gold sticks to the fleece because of the lanolin in the wool. Bloke who discovered this and raided the place was a Greek called Jason.
Araluen
Not a bad idea, but also not a new one. Old timers called it Dry-Stacking. You would clean out a dry creek to bedrock and pile wash dirt from elsewhere above an area that has been lined with box riffles or even just woven branches. Cover with clean rocks and wait for the flood rains. Go back and take out the rocks and pan the bedrock. This idea is so old it has become legend. One lot of people did the above but then lined the section of creek suitable to trapping gold with sheep skins. Weighed them down with rocks and stacked wash dirt at the head. When they pulled one lot out a particularly rich area the fleece was covered in gold because the gold sticks to the fleece because of the lanolin in the wool. Bloke who discovered this and raided the place was a Greek called Jason.
Araluen
- Joined
- Jun 18, 2013
- Messages
- 677
- Reaction score
- 478
I agree AussieChris,
it would under the Qld (and probably every other state) regulations be illegal. I would assume assume anyone that tried it in the real world to cop the same fines as those that dredge or hydraulicly mine illegally.
As for the other part of your question Goldfreak, I think drilling holes in the bedrock would come under the above catergories 8)
it would under the Qld (and probably every other state) regulations be illegal. I would assume assume anyone that tried it in the real world to cop the same fines as those that dredge or hydraulicly mine illegally.
As for the other part of your question Goldfreak, I think drilling holes in the bedrock would come under the above catergories 8)
Matt80
Matthew
While anyone using a dredge is making things worse for the rest of us, there is a point to be made that they are not inherently bad for the environment, indeed if used well they are good for the environment and for fisheries.
Pity they couldn't have done what they did with drones and rather than outright ban dredges, see that they could be useful, implement legislation about where they couldn't be used and make sure people were trained and qualified before using them(a simple one day course would probably do). Then if people used them in ways or areas they shouldn't then come down like a tonne of bricks on them, because it would be harder for them to claim they didn't know.
AussieChris as for fisheries complaining about sediment on the water for 10-15 metres, wow, just wow, it truly amazes me how utterly stupid/ignorant some of these guys are. Like seriously where do they think all the fish go when it floods and all of the river will be drenched in sediments?
Pity they couldn't have done what they did with drones and rather than outright ban dredges, see that they could be useful, implement legislation about where they couldn't be used and make sure people were trained and qualified before using them(a simple one day course would probably do). Then if people used them in ways or areas they shouldn't then come down like a tonne of bricks on them, because it would be harder for them to claim they didn't know.
AussieChris as for fisheries complaining about sediment on the water for 10-15 metres, wow, just wow, it truly amazes me how utterly stupid/ignorant some of these guys are. Like seriously where do they think all the fish go when it floods and all of the river will be drenched in sediments?
AussieChris said:
Bloody hell, I was not upset nor was I offended. Jesus wept! Does one need to put smiley faces and lots of thumbs ups in order to convey the nuances more clearly.
Sorry Whisp, I probably misread or looked too much into your comment, no offence mate.
I tend to jump on a soapbox over this stuff as lately, I have been catching tons of dredgers and also people doing the hole drilling, and also these permanent sluices out at Mitchells Creek, Sunny Corner. That place has turned into the Wild West. It's all new faces too, I tend to remember most people I see out there and the people taking advantage of the place I have never seen around before. Total disregard for the place, smashing bottles in the creek and leaving rubbish everywhere. Last time I was out there someone had dumped a full porta-potty into the creek along with dozens of beer bottles and cans. I spent more time out there cleaning up rubbish than I did prospecting what turned out to be a vacuumed creek bed.
Sorry again.
I tend to jump on a soapbox over this stuff as lately, I have been catching tons of dredgers and also people doing the hole drilling, and also these permanent sluices out at Mitchells Creek, Sunny Corner. That place has turned into the Wild West. It's all new faces too, I tend to remember most people I see out there and the people taking advantage of the place I have never seen around before. Total disregard for the place, smashing bottles in the creek and leaving rubbish everywhere. Last time I was out there someone had dumped a full porta-potty into the creek along with dozens of beer bottles and cans. I spent more time out there cleaning up rubbish than I did prospecting what turned out to be a vacuumed creek bed.
Sorry again.
AussieChris said:
Chris it's OK, thanks mate
Matt80
Matthew
I think one of the few things that all prospectors can agree on is a hatred of any ******* that leaves a mess, especially things like broken glass. Most of us are out there because we love the environment, not just the gold. So to see how some people treat the place just makes you wonder at times, wonder how to kill the buggers so they don't do it again.
