Wafting for easier gold

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Joined
Jan 11, 2019
Messages
27
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Location
Western Riverina, NSW
Panning sluicing or digging holes in a creek bed can be back breaking work. I was shown a technique from a bloke now in his 80s to get the alluvial gold with little effort. Maybe you use a similar method yourself but if you dont heres what we did.

The creek has to be in the right condition, flowing, low in depth and clear. After a flood is ideal when the gold resettles. Wait a few days for the water to clear and lower.

We would work in two feet of water and look down through a pipe with a glass bottom that would break the light reflecting off the water and so we could see the bottom. Then with one hand holding the viewing glass we would waft our other hand gently in the creek and allow the gentle flow of water to carry the light sediment and gravel away. The pieces of gold would be left and be visible to be sucked up. I used an adapted sump pump for a sucker and an in-line fuel filter to stop the gold going into the pump body. My older friend used one of those pump insect sprayers hed adapted.

I used a 100mm pvc pipe with a round piece of glass made up and siliconed in. A handle on the side to hold it. Wear a glove on your wafting hand as your finger tips will get raw from the gravel. A rough creviced creek bottom was the best.

Work smarter not harder.

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Thanks for sharing that BHM :perfect:

I love the idea of being able to clearly see the creek bed.
 
This idea works really well and is a very pleasant way to prospect. It works so well infact that I once attempted to make a powered version of it. This thing originally had a usb camera attached to the end which sent pictures to my phone. The bilge pump pushed the gavel and sand out of the way for the camera to veiw. Didnt work as well as the original bathyscope though as it was hard not to drop my phone into the water lol. Its tempting to only post things I made that worked but in this case it was a failure :playful: :8
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