ANGUS MACKIRK SLUICES - material classification

Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 9:48 pm

SamBurgin wrote:

With the advent of drop riffles, ramp riffles, double flared sluices, boiler boxes, hungarian riffles, dredge riffles and expanded metal riffles, a topic comes up enough to warrant at least an informed conversation among the proponents.

That being how small to classify, if at all.

In my opinion, tiny gold cannot compete with larger gangue in any environment needing water and gravity to recover values. Particularly when these large rocks are tumbling down the sluice causing turbulence while the gold is trying to find a low pressure area to land.

Here's my reasoning: If two similarly sized particles are are in a sluice bed, and one of them is gold, then the gold will always lag behind, and can easily find a low pressure area. But if a gold piece of a given weight is in the sluice with a rock of the same WEIGHT, and perhaps a bigger size, the rock will have more displacement, therefore more ability to displace the gold.

Keep classifying guys!

Sam

Sound advice there Sam. Another consideration is that it takes faster water to move that bigger rock. It has been proven many times over that you can catch smaller gold with a more gentle water action. When you classify out the bigger rocks, you can slow down your water, and increase your gold take.

Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 10:01 pm

with the size I am pulling...I am thinking about doing just 1/8" because it will make that clay alot more broke up and alow me to run more material.

I just wish I knew of a better way to classify clay other than taking your hands and rubbing it all over and around the classifier and rubbing it fast between the hands as well as using other bigger rocks to rub around and break it up.

Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 10:11 pm

I know you work the national forest, so you might need some clafification from a ranger to see if you could do this method, but,,,,,

If you have access to a battery operated drill, you can purchase a smaller size paint mixer that will fit in it. Use a 1 gallon bucket and put some clay in the bucket along with some water. You will probably need 3 times more water than clay. Mix away on high speed, but be carefull not to overload the bucket with too much clay. At least an 18 volt drill would be recommended. When you are done, just pour the material into your classifier.

Here is a link to the mixer that is designed for 5 gallon buckets, but they make a scaled down version for 1 gallon buckets.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_176765-16878-50616_0__?productId=3369306&Ntt=paint+mixer&pl=1&currentURL=%2Fpl__0__s%3FNtt%3Dpaint%2Bmixer

Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 10:18 pm

yeah, that is a great idear mark but not allowed Crying or Very sad

I would just take good dirt/mud home but I usually walk a good ways off road and the one time I tried to carry 2 buckets of material out it was only about 350ft to the car and damn it about killed me lol..of course I am alot more fit now then I was then but still. Also they frown on removing large ammounts of material....I wish the mixer thing was allowed.

I will just have to break it up the standard old fashioned way...rub rbu rub and spin and shake shake grind grind!

Thanks though for the tip mark.

Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 10:24 pm

take a deer cart with ya

Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 10:39 pm

yeah, could do that...gotta cross the creek sometimes though or go around ALOT of fallen trees, but a cart would be the best thing.

what about this weather we are suppose to be getting late tonight and tomorrow, I wonder how much rainful it will put down because I have no kept up with the forecast?

Dredger Joined: 22 May 2010 Posts: 605

Just a word about clay.

Clay can hold lots of gold, but it can rob your sluice as well. I put all the clay in a separate bucket, it simply isn't worth it to spend concentration time messing with it unless it holds values. Here's one suggestion: break up a couple of clay balls in a separate pan and mess with the pan while your waiting for the sluice to clear, or taking a break, or talking with your buddy, or whatever - the deal is to determine if the clay has gold to begin with.

When I do find gold bearing clay, I put it in a bucket with placer gravel and a little water and shake the hell out of it. Cleans it right up. A good place to find just the right sized gravel??? At the lower end of your sluice.

Sam

Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2011 7:35 pm

Hey Sam,

Did you get your Mckirk sluice?

How do you like it?

Bruce

Dredger Joined: 22 May 2010 Posts: 605

No Bruce.

Shay has been tied up at work, and we've been unable to connect.

Sam

Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2011 7:46 pm

i cant reach shay either whats up

Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2011 9:19 pm

I have been working down in Atlanta this week getting training on new products to sell for the company I work for. I have gotten 30 calls from you guys in the last few days but I have been in training all that time. The best time to reach me is after 6pm right now because of the pressure my day job is putting on me to save their asses!

Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2011 9:23 pm

Southern Prospector wrote:

I have been working down in Atlanta this week getting training on new products to sell for the company I work for. I have gotten 30 calls from you guys in the last few days but I have been in training all that time. The best time to reach me is after 6pm right now because of the pressure my day job is putting on me to save their asses!

dude, your like 20 minutes away from me in atlanta, we couldve hooked up and you brought my order down. Sad

Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2011 9:44 pm

Picker Pete wrote:

Southern Prospector wrote:

I have been working down in Atlanta this week getting training on new products to sell for the company I work for. I have gotten 30 calls from you guys in the last few days but I have been in training all that time. The best time to reach me is after 6pm right now because of the pressure my day job is putting on me to save their asses!

dude, your like 20 minutes away from me in atlanta, we couldve hooked up and you brought my order down. Sad

I thought about you while I was down but I had 0 free minutes to do anything which made the week hell!

Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2011 9:47 pm

Southern Prospector wrote:

Picker Pete wrote:

Southern Prospector wrote:

I have been working down in Atlanta this week getting training on new products to sell for the company I work for. I have gotten 30 calls from you guys in the last few days but I have been in training all that time. The best time to reach me is after 6pm right now because of the pressure my day job is putting on me to save their asses!

dude, your like 20 minutes away from me in atlanta, we couldve hooked up and you brought my order down. Sad

I thought about you while I was down but I had 0 free minutes to do anything which made the week hell!

well damn, guess ill get out to your neck of the woods one of these days.