Independence Day Dredging In Idaho

[IdahoPeg]

First time out dredging this season with my partner Jeff. He cleared alot of rocks and got down to some hard pack on bedrock. While he’s working I’m tending to the dredge, clearing tailings, and cleaning some of the copious amount of black sands from the riffles…otherwise they fill & we lose gold. My pup was supposed to be supervising, but I think she was snoozing on the job! Ran the concentrates on my small recirculating sluice at home then panned(now that was work!). Ended up with 8.8 grams total(7g fines, 1.8 nuggies)…not bad for about 8 hours run time! I think I’m going to invest in a decent wetsuit etc so I can play underwater too!😊

[phrunt]

That's great Peg, thanks for the post, you make me want to rust off my sluice and get to work.

The pooch staring at me in the final gold photo is kinda creepy 🙂 what is that you've put your gold bottles on? 

[Valens Legacy]

Nice work Peg with some nice results to show for it. I use a strong magnet above the water to catch the black sand and then clean it off every so often. That keeps it from building up the sand and causing the gold to flow out the end.

Good luck on your next outing and I love the area that you in, it's beautiful.

[IdahoPeg]

4 hours ago, phrunt said:

That's great Peg, thanks for the post, you make me want to rust off my sluice and get to work.

The pooch staring at me in the final gold photo is kinda creepy 🙂 what is that you've put your gold bottles on? 

It’s a drink coaster with Jeff’s pups picture in it. Yeah, does look a bit ghostly doesn’t it!

[IdahoPeg]

3 hours ago, Valens Legacy said:

Nice work Peg with some nice results to show for it. I use a strong magnet above the water to catch the black sand and then clean it off every so often. That keeps it from building up the sand and causing the gold to flow out the end.

Good luck on your next outing and I love the area that you in, it's beautiful.

Thanks! I’d like to see a pic of your magnet setup. I’m currently using a handheld one that just fits between the riffles…there’s so much black sand I’m running it over the material every several minutes to keep it from building too much!

[MSC]

Nice haul of gold Peg. 

[Valens Legacy]

20 hours ago, IdahoPeg said:

Thanks! I’d like to see a pic of your magnet setup. I’m currently using a handheld one that just fits between the riffles…there’s so much black sand I’m running it over the material every several minutes to keep it from building too much!

Peg,

Sorry that I am out of town working and won't get a chance to take a picture of it any time soon.

However I can tell you how to do it and provide you with the supplier that I get them from.

At the black mat or just before it make a holder from some sheet metal (steel ) so that it fits onto the top edge of the sluice, and then simply place the magnet on the metal. When it starts holding to much black sand lift off the magnet and bracket to remove most of what is on it and then place it back on. I always set the magnet in a freezer bag to make it easier to clean up.

Here is the link and remember that these will pick up over 200 pounds, but they are only 4x1x1 in size. My sluice is 6in wide and it works great for me when I place it in the middle of the sluice bracket.

https://appliedmagnets.com/4-in-x-1-in-x-1-in-n42-neodymium-block-a-strong-rare-earth-magnet/

I made my bracket from some sheet metal and used my needle nose pliers to make the bends. Your sluice looks like it is also a 6in wide at the black mat.

Hope this helps.

[Bohemia Miner]

What are you running in your sluice, Peg?  Gold Hog Talon mat is self-cleaning.  Water moves through there so quickly the multi-level riffles stop the Gold long before it reaches the end. 

[IdahoPeg]

8 hours ago, Bohemia Miner said:

What are you running in your sluice, Peg?  Gold Hog Talon mat is self-cleaning.  Water moves through there so quickly the multi-level riffles stop the Gold long before it reaches the end. 

My partner thinks with the amount of heavy black sands(tons!) it would also fill up. But definitely worth looking into more, thanks!