Good practice in the design and use of large sluice boxes

Small-scale gold mining is an important
\nsource of livelihood for many poor people
\nin the developing world. The gold recoveries
\nby small-scale miners are notoriously
\npoor but a scoping study, (Styles et al 1999)
\nshowed that there was considerable
\npotential to improve the situation. The
\nmain way of recovering gold from alluvial
\ngold ores is sluicing, but the small-scale
\nminers often have a poor understanding of
\nthe principles of the operation of a sluice
\nbox or how to make it work better. This
\nreport contains information to give Mining
\nEngineers, Mines Officers and Mining
\nTechnicians in developing countries a good
\nunderstanding of the design and operating
\nprinciples of sluice boxes. This will enable
\nthem to give good advice to small-scale
\nminers about ways to make their mining
\noperations more efficient and improve
\ntheir gold recoveries.
\nThe report is aimed at alluvial miners in
\nareas where water is readily available and
\nrelatively large sluice boxes are used. It is
\nbased on experience in Guyana and is particularly
\nrelevant to gold mining in south
\nAmerica and south-east Asia. The gold
\nrecovery process is described from the
\ndelivery of ore to the box through to
\nextraction of gold from final concentrates.
\nAt all stages of the process the principles
\nare explained and recommendations given
\non the best practice. This covers the
\ndesign, construction and operation of the
\nvarious components of a sluice box.
\nParticular attention is paid to the gold
\ntrapping system in the box; the riffle system
\nand the mats. This is an aspect that often
\nreceives little attention but has profound
\neffects on the gold recovery and can be relatively
\neasily improved. A system of mats and
\nriffles developed in Canada is readily applicable
\nto small-scale mining has been
\ndemonstrated and is described in the report.
\nIt is important to have the correct water flow
\nconditions in the box for the gold trapping
\nsystem to work efficiently. Ways to test the
\nconditions are given and the design features
\nthat need to be modified to achieve
\noptimum flow are described.
\nIn addition advice is given on ways of minimising
\nthe adverse environmental impact
\nof alluvial gold mining, both on decreasing
\nthe use and release of mercury and
\nspoiling of water resources.
\nThe importance of testing both the alluvial
\nores and the products of the mining operations
\nis stressed. This helps to ensure that
\nappropriate gold recovery methods are
\nbeing used for the type of ore being
\nmined. It also keeps a check on the efficiency
\nof the gold recovery and gives
\nimmediate warning of problems.

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