This section features types, description, use, tips, etc. on prospecting equipment. The emphasis is on showing the equipment actually in use by DGD members with discussions of their use in a desert environment. Members of the club use a wide variety of equipment. You can learn a lot by attending the monthly outings and observing the equipment in use. Club members are usually very good at answering questions about their equipment. Almost every type of gold placer equipment can be seen at the outings, even dredges occasionally though there is seldom enough water for their use. All mechanical gold equipment use some form of gravity separation which depend on the fact that gold has a higher specific gravity than most other minerals (see Gold Facts for more details). Some sections have links that provide more detailed information. For additional information, as well as plans for building some of the equipment, see the references section in the menu below. The simple sluice box is not used much in the desert since these are placed in a stream with running water.

However these form an integral part of other equipment such as rockers, high bankers and dry washers. The material to be run is usually passed through a classifier before putting it in the sluice. The type, size, shape, angle and spacing of the riffles depend on the usage and manufacturer. There has been some research into riffle design, for instance “An Analysis of Sluicebox Riffle Performance”, 1990 – by R. Clarkson, P. Eng. – New Era Engineering Corp., can be downloaded from the Yukon Geological Survey Publications page or ordered as a reprint. Several other publications are also available for download. Also called a Broad Tom , this is a modified sluice box. In its simplest form, it consists of two sections. The upper section, called a tom, is a long trough in which the dirt is placed and acts as a large hopper. At the down slope end is a grating or screen set at a 45 degree angle. The second section is a riffle box, with the upper end set under the lower end of the tom.

This receives the classified dirt that passes the screen on the tom. While water is directed into the upper end of the tom, the dirt is worked with a rake to break up any lumps of clay, clean off organic matter and knock any dirt from the rocks. echo 770t backpack blowerThe fine material flows through the screen and into the riffle box. evoc backpack 6lThis is usually a two or three man operation. backpack used in ncis new orleansThis type of equipment is little used these days, especially in the desert, and is not used by club members.backpack literature mla citation

A dredge is basically a suction hose powered by a pump and attached to a sluice box, usually floating on a tube or pontoons. The suction hose acts like a large vacuum cleaner to extract material from the bottom of a stream or pond and deliver it to a sluice box usually floating on the surface of the water. stm aero small laptop backpackThis makes it much more efficient than other methods as one can have a continuous stream of material being worked. vera bradley laptop backpack baroqueSeveral sizes are produced from 1 1/2 or 2 inch to 8 inch with the smaller ones also produced as a backpack unit, the size referring to the diameter of the suction hose. The Rocker Box has a good description and information on dredging at what is Dredging?, especially as concerns state laws. The Schmidt Gold Trap (nicknamed the BAZOOKA) is a new and different type of dredge that looks interesting.

It is shaped like a bazooka and does not use a sluice box and riffle tray. It is also lighter than a conventional dredge. See The Gold Trap & Schmidt Enterprises’ Bazookafor more information. Dredges will process the most material of all methods but need lots of running water so find less use in desert areas. Occasionally an earthen dam is constructed and when the impound area has filled with water during a rainy spell, a dredge can be profitably worked. Owned and used by a few members but not seen much at outings due to their large water requirements. These are variations on other equipment but instead of relying on an external water source, they use a recirculating water system. Water is better at separating out gold than dry methods but also requires more equipment and time to set up. Rockers, high bankers, trommels and any other equipment that use water for separation can be altered to recirculate the water. These are very common in desert areas where water is scarce. Several club members have these and many are either handmade or altered after purchase.

See specific types of equipment for examples. GETTING TO MONTANA IS EASIER THAN EVER From Belt, Sluice Boxes State Park is located 15 miles south on U.S. Highway 89, then 1/2 mile west on county road. Signs off of Highway 89 will direct you to the Riceville Bridge trailhead, the only developed access point for the Sluice Boxes. You can fish, picnic, or begin a hike at the area which has a parking lot, latrine and trailhead.These mountains also provide habitat for over 120 species of birds and mammals. The Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest manages much of this land in order to continue to provide these remarkable resources and opportunities. The heart of the mountains is the backcountry, that undeveloped and surprisingly fragile land away from roads and picnic areas. The combination of dramatic scenery and easy access makes the backcountry both popular and highly vulnerable. The steep, rugged terrain attracts and concentrates over 300,00 visitors per year into narrow canyon corridors.

Your actions can guarantee the next generation will benefit from the same backcountry resources and opportunities available to you today. By becoming aware of backcountry concerns and adopting the following practices you are taking the first steps toward backcountry preservation. The Forest Service constructs and maintains trails for the enjoyment of forest visitors. Trails vary in difficulty from easy to extreme. A few simple guidelines will help make your trip a safe and pleasant experience. take time to plan your outing. Stop by or call the Salt Lake Ranger District office or our Outdoor Recreation Information Center for trail information (or check out the web site). In addition, your trip will be more enjoyable and safer if you obtain and learn to read a map of the area you plan to visit. Inexpensive maps and books of local trails are available from area retailers and the U.S. Geological Survey. Don't forget to check trailhead bulletin boards for up-to-the-minute news.

please remember to stay on the trail. Traveling off trail can kill delicate vegetation and lead to erosion. When you encounter switchbacks -the zig zags in a trail- remember that they are there to reduce erosion and make travel easier. Short cutting trails at switchbacks shortens trail life and increases maintenance costs. It is also possible to receive a citation for damaging vegetation and causing erosion. some trails are shared by hikers, horses, and bicyclists, so please be courteous. Horses always have the right of way and bicyclists must slow down or stop to permit the safe passage of foot traffic. Also, please respect private land located throughout the canyons. lakes and streams along the trail look cool and refreshing, but the water may be unfit for drinking. Giardia and Cryptosporidia -water borne parasites- are common in mountain streams and may require medical treatment to cure. Remember to bring a minimum of one quart of water per person for a four to six mile hike.

Consider investing in a water purification filter if you frequently hike the backcountry. Learning Leave No Trace -minimum impact- camping techniques is one of the best ways you can help protect the backcountry. Camping activities are potentially very damaging and require special skills. Many beautiful backcountry areas have been irreparably damaged by poorly skilled hikers and campers. The Forest Service can help you or your group with your camping questions. Here are a few rules and Leave No Trace ideas to get you started. have a game plan before you reach your destination. Familiarize yourself with the area you plan to visit by checking maps, talking with the Forest Service, and taking time for first-hand inspection. Check trailhead bulletin boards for important information and regulations. limit your group size to ten or less, four to six is even better. Large groups trample vegetation, contribute to erosion, and disturb others. The Forest Service can help groups develop plans to minimize their impact.

always camp at least 200 feet (70 to 80 paces) from alpine streams and lakes. You'll be protecting water quality, fragile vegetation, and wildlife areas. You can respect the solitude of other visitors by camping at least 100 feet from other campers and 200 feet from trails. Leave No Trace campers always carry a stove and know when to use it. Lightweight stoves don't leave black scars or otherwise damage the land, and are more reliable than fires for cooking. If you must have a fire, use a properly located existing fire site and burn only dead wood from the forest floor. Never cut down trees or branches from live trees; Avoid building fires at high elevations where growing seasons are short and wood is scarce. Never put foil, can, bottles, or plastic in your fire and always drench it with water when you are finished. Some areas are closed to fires. the "cat hole" method of digging a shallow 6 to 8 inch hole to serve as a toilet for feces helps prevent water pollution and exposure to other people.

A small garden tool works well for digging cat holes. Locate your cat hole at least 200 feet from any water source and cover with soil. Pack out used toilet paper in a plastic bag or (when fires are permitted and it's safe to do so) burn it in a campfire. The mountains of the Wasatch Front are natural water reservoirs for people living in the Salt Lake Valley. Over half of the drinking water for area residents comes from the surrounding canyons. Mountain lakes and streams are amazingly pristine, but are easily polluted. Big Cottonwood, Little Cottonwood, and Lamb's Canyon are protected Salt Lake City watersheds. It is vital that these, and other local canyon watersheds, remain clean to ensure an unpolluted water supply. Regulations have been enacted to help the people of the Salt Lake metropolitan area care for this priceless water resource. Please be aware of these regulations and help keep your water clean. Regulations are necessary to minimize the cumulative effects of thousands of backcountry visitors.

These regulations may appear confusing, but are easier to understand if you know what each law is designed to do. Some regulations protect watershed areas, some apply to wilderness, and others focus on canyon road corridors. Visitors are often responsible for following several regulations at the same time. Please observe all backcountry regulations and be aware that these laws are strictly enforced. Please observe these restrictions within the Big Cottonwood, Little Cottonwood, and Lamb's Canyon watersheds. Help keep your water clean. Wilderness regulations vary across the country. The following acts are prohibited within the Mount Olympus, Twin Peaks, and Deseret Peak Wildernesses and the portion of the Lone Peak Wilderness located within the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest. Please observe the following prohibitions when visiting these local wildernesses. The following acts are prohibited: Please observe these special restrictions if you are visiting one of the Tri-Canyons: Little Cottonwood Canyon, Big Cottonwood Canyon, or Mill Creek Canyon.

These regulations reduce the effects of people concentrating activities along canyon road corridors. Other Forest Service and County regulations also apply to local canyons. Contact the Forest Service, Salt Lake County, Davis County, or Tooele County Sheriff's office for more information. Congress passed the Wilderness Preservation Act of 1964 ". . . to secure for the American people of present and future generations the benefits of an enduring resource of wilderness." Wilderness designation shelters primitive habitat, water resources and other characteristics of special backcountry areas from an ever expanding civilization. The Salt Lake Ranger District of the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest manages four federally designated wilderness areas. Lone Peak Wilderness, created by Congress in 1978, is located between American Fork Canyon and Little Cottonwood Canyon. Lone Peak Wilderness is co-managed by the Twin Peaks Wilderness, created in 1984, is located between Little Cottonwood Canyon and Big Cottonwood Canyon.