Using a Highbanker/Sluice for processing sapphires/zircons

[Michaelmoller1]

Good morning All,

Can anyone advise if its possible to use a highbanker/sluice for processing gemstones?

I will be running my wash through a dry trommel to screen out all the fine sand. I would then like to run 25-50 of the 20 litre buckets of wash through a highbanker/sluice to catch all the sapphires/zircons.

Can anyone provide any information on this please?

Ideally I would love a pulsator but they are quite expensive and out of my budget that's why I thought a highbanker/sluice as they are much cheaper.

Look forward to hearing your comments.

cheers Mike

[MakkyBrown]

I'd be tempted to use a large willoughby(spelling?) to concentrate(even automate it). Scrape off the gravel on top and add more wash. 25 buckets is not alot,  just work on methods/design to save water, remove waste and build a concentrate to go though at end of day.

Cheers
MB

[Jimnyjerry]

Mike forget about a highbanker for putting your mines 25 buckets a day through.
Besides the sapphires would mainly fall out in the waste and have to be reprocessed.
They also use a fair bit of water even if you recycle it.

A walbanker would be a cheap option but still very time consuming and really aimed at 2 fossickers who wants to catch some sapphires as well as heavy gold.
I will send you a pm with a link to how to make one on another forum.

A second hand pulsator or a 2nd 'wet' trommel to do your buckets would be the way to go.

[Michaelmoller1]

I'd be tempted to use a large willoughby(spelling?) to concentrate(even automate it). Scrape off the gravel on top and add more wash. 25 buckets is not alot,  just work on methods/design to save water, remove waste and build a concentrate to go though at end of day.

Cheers
MB

Thanks MB,

I do have a Willoughby but its just normal size and takes a 33cm sieve.

So if I build a decent amount of concentrate do you think it would be suitable to run through a highbanker/sluice at the end of the day?

I'd assume the biggest size stone would be 10mm to run through the highbanker/sluice? I would pick out anything bigger and sort them by hand.

cheers Mike

[Aussie Sapphire]

Mike forget about a highbanker for putting your mines 25 buckets a day through.
Besides the sapphires would mainly fall out in the waste and have to be reprocessed.

Particularly the larger ones which are the ones you really want to find/keep efficiently - they can roll over the top of the riffles if you are not careful. 

Hopefully you are getting some good ideas to come up with a practical solution.

cheers
Leah

[Michaelmoller1]

Mike forget about a highbanker for putting your mines 25 buckets a day through.
Besides the sapphires would mainly fall out in the waste and have to be reprocessed.
They also use a fir bit of water even if you recycle it.

A walbanker would be a cheap option but still very time consuming and really aimed at 2 fossickers who wants to catch some sapphires as well as heavy gold.
I will send you a pm with a link to how to make one on another forum.

A second hand pulsator or a 2nd 'wet' trommel to do your buckets would be the way to go.

Thanks JimnyJerry,

A pulsator is definitely on the wish list but a bit pricey. Not sure how cheaply one could be made.

What would be the benefits of a 2nd we trommel?

If you could send the link that would be great as there will be 2 of us so a walbanker might work just fine and I do know there is gold up here as well.

cheers mike

[Michaelmoller1]

Mike forget about a highbanker for putting your mines 25 buckets a day through.
Besides the sapphires would mainly fall out in the waste and have to be reprocessed.

Particularly the larger ones which are the ones you really want to find/keep efficiently - they can roll over the top of the riffles if you are not careful. 

Hopefully you are getting some good ideas to come up with a practical solution.

cheers
Leah

Thanks Leah,

Yeah don't want to be losing to many of the big ones.

Hopefully I can come up with a solution. Will see how this thread pans out.

cheers mike

[Jimnyjerry]

The pm is sent look for it under My Messages on ALF, a copy also gets emailed to you. 

[MakkyBrown]

I'd be tempted to use a large willoughby(spelling?) to concentrate(even automate it). Scrape off the gravel on top and add more wash. 25 buckets is not alot,  just work on methods/design to save water, remove waste and build a concentrate to go though at end of day.

Cheers
MB

I build a concentrate that is that rich I take it home and go though it with a head lamp on a white plate. It would be 80% heavies and I don't reckon you'd have much luck processing it further.

[Michaelmoller1]

I'd be tempted to use a large willoughby(spelling?) to concentrate(even automate it). Scrape off the gravel on top and add more wash. 25 buckets is not alot,  just work on methods/design to save water, remove waste and build a concentrate to go though at end of day.

Cheers
MB

I build a concentrate that is that rich I take it home and go though it with a head lamp on a white plate. It would be 80% heavies and I don't reckon you'd have much luck processing it further.

Thanks MB,

Are we talking about gemstones here or Gold as well?

cheers Mike

[Michaelmoller1]

Hi All,

Could anyone recommend some dimensions for the Highbanker/Sluice to get me started?

Can anyone confirm if it would be more beneficial to have a longer Sluice Box say 1500-2400mm long to ensure no gemstone run out the end of the box.

Cheers Mike