Abstract: The sluicebox is still the most popular placer gold recovery device in the Yukon because of its simplicity, reliability, low cost and very high concentration ratio. A sluicebox is a rectangular flume containing riffles on matting, through which a dilute slurry of water and alluvial gravel flows.

Two field sampling programs sponsored by the Klondike Placer Miners Association (Clarkson, 1989, 1990) provided valuable data regarding the gold recovery efficiency of a variety of sluiceboxes. However, they also posed many questions which could not be answered without resorting to testing under more controlled pilot-scale conditions.

A pilot scale testing facility was constructed at the Yukon College in Whitehorse. It used a gravel pump and cyclone to continuously cycle -1/2 inch placer gravel through an 8 feet by 6 inch wide sluice run. The sluice run was constructed with Plexiglass sides to allow visual interpretation. Several sizes, types, spacings and orientations of riffles were tested under a variety of feed rates, water rates and sluice run slopes to determine the optimal scour and deposition patterns.

Once the optimum conditions had been observed, the feed was salted with irradiated gold particles to confirm the riffle's effectiveness. In addition, the effects of Monsanto matting, suspended punch plate and the screening efficiency of stationary punch plate were also investigated.

Authors: Clarkson, R. and Peer, O.

Map Scale: 1 : 0

Citation: Clarkson, R. and Peer, O., 1990. An Analysis of Sluicebox Riffle Performance. Klondike Placer Miners Association, 31 p.

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