building a small scale suction gold dredge

The gravels are run over a series of riffles, lighter material is discharged out the back and the heavier materials (concentrates) are retained.Īt the end of the day, the miner washes out the concentrates from the sluices riffles and carpeting for further processing. This material is then pulled up the suction hose to the surface where it is processed through a sluice box. The pump creates pressure in the suction hose to vacuum up the gravels from the streambed. Generally speaking, the more material you can process the better, so it is a good idea to use the largest sized dredge you can legally use in a waterway to recover the most gold.Ī dredges basic setup involves a sluice box mounted between two pontoons, with a motor and pump system and suction hose. The diameter of the suction tip (or nozzle) will be the limiting factor on how much material you can process, thus most dredging restrictions are based on the tip diameter, not the main hose diameter.

Common sizes include 2', 2.5', 3', 4', 5', 6' and larger, but be aware that the manufacturer generally measures the diameter of the main suction hose. Suction dredges are rated into different sizes based on the inside diameter of the suction hose, but the end of the hose should have a suction tip that has a slightly reduced diameter to help prevent rocks and other material from clogs in the main hose.ĭifferent states will have different regulations and restrictions on how big a gold dredge can be. etc.) and discharges the lighter materials (rocks, sand, and gravels) out the back of the sluice. The recovery system separates and retains the heavier materials (gold, black sands. It sucks up the streambed materials using a suction hose and processes it through a recovery system floating on the surface of the water. A suction dredge essentially works like an underwater vacuum cleaner. There have been many advances in modern gold mining methods over the past 150 years, and today the suction dredge is one of the most efficient and effective gold recovery tools used by the modern day gold prospector.

Building a small scale suction gold dredge