Far North Qld - thinking of starting up a small wet plant

[Gregupnorth]

I am thinking of starting up a small wet plant up in FNQ. I have access to a mining lease where we have detected quite a few small nuggets. We started test panning and there is also a lot of fines that the detectors do not see. So I am thinking of buying or making a small wet plant about the size that would fit on a double axle trailer and be able to be fed buy a small excavator or loader. If any one has any plants like this or any ideas out there I would be interested. Cheers Greg

 

[Keen Ken]

Check out mobile wash plants on youtube, there are some rippers, some are only half the size of a standard 6 x 4 box trailer, loaded with a backhoe. They might give you some ideas.
Very impressive, Check that the lease owner gets EPA approval as there could be fines for operating with out an Environmental Authority (AE).
You would probably need to find 2 to 3 ounces a week to make it worth your while.

 

[Gregupnorth]

Thanks Ken I will check out youtube again and you are right there is some nice plants on there but their mostly all in the US.
As far as the EPA all go's its all good it has been mined before but not very well. The way I am planning on doing it would will leave it a lot better then it is now and then it will be able to rehabilitate really good . Cheers Greg

 

[kuskus]

ATV wash plant, youtube it.

 

[Wintersnake]

Trommel over sluice is the way to go IMO

 

[Guest]

Trommel over a jig then a sluice.

 

[Keen Ken]

Way to go Greg, If more people did the right thing and rehabilitate their diggings things would go a lot better for fossickers.
It should be quite simple to build or have something built to similar specs as the American machines. There is a mag I think called "Machinery", it's similar to "earth movers and excavators" I have seen some small plants listed now and then, some of the prices are okay.
I have and old sapphire jig sitting out on a property out west, the guy before me tried to convert it to a power screen for opal. He added excessive weights to the vibrator and the resultant vibrations did some damage.
I purchased that for $800 I will convert it to a vibrating screen (not for gold though). Wouldn't take too much work to change the design and add a trommel and a sluice. It has a rather large hopper that would hold about 1.5 cubic meters and a conveyor feed. You might be able to pick something up for much less.

Check out "prospecting with grand pa" on youtube, bit of a laugh but watch for the fluid bed he puts at the end of his latest sluice. So simple but it looks effective.

 

[Gregupnorth]

Thanks to those who replied. Have spent some time now looking on youtube and there are some good machines out there and if I have to build one from scratch I would incorporate some of these features. It would have to be big enough to load with a backhoe and be able to break up some clay. I was hoping to find a second hand machine out there or parts of. But if all fails I will build one. Cheers Greg

 

[XIV]

Thanks to those who replied. Have spent some time now looking on youtube and there are some good machines out there and if I have to build one from scratch I would incorporate some of these features. It would have to be big enough to load with a backhoe and be able to break up some clay. I was hoping to find a second hand machine out there or parts of. But if all fails I will build one. Cheers Greg

When my neighbor gets home i will have a chat with him about building one
I will need your input on what you are looking for in a wash plant
will let youknow what he comes up with