High banker water dampner

[Dogmatic]

I have been prowling the internet looking at different hopper designs on high bankers with the intent of making one for my river sluice. I came across
one that has a rubber water dampner attached as per the picture which lays down on the sluice itself. What exactly is this designed to do? would
it make the sluice more efficient. I guess once I know the answers to these questions I will know if it is worthwhile doing something similar. Looking at
the pic the rubber must be nearly half way down the sluice.

 

[joe]

Hi Dogmatic, they are design to reduce bubles that are created from the spray bars, fine gold can be caried away hence that is why they use damper.

 

[Dogmatic]

Thanks Joe. Makes sense. Probably wouldn't hurt to add one on then when I build. No need to let any of the precious get away.
With the amount of gold I find I cannot afford to let one speck go.

 

[Ag Man]

Yep, it helps "smooth" the water out.
An other way is to have similar to a large paint brush that goes the width of the sluice. Supposedly minimizing bubbles.

 

[Dogmatic]

Thanks Ag Man. Same concept I guess, just a different material. I wonder if gold would get stuck in the bristles or if it would just fall off with the water motion.

 

[joe]

In the picture you've posted rubber seems little too long .You would have to have high water flow to push all the rocks out as they tend to build up with damper. Now using expanded mesh as per picture above you wouldn't want to have high water flow or steep angle either. I guess it's fine tuning and depends on what material you're running - if too much iron stone in the area more frequent cleanup with this setup. I think ... But I'm only a newbie to HBs

 

[Gold miner]

Nah, I agree with you Joe, we use the same in the big plant, and we are pumping 3000 ltrs a minute..
Our good miner mates up here with the big trommel, dont use rubber, but steel!! With a big wieght on it...
but they are pumping 8-10,000 ltrs a minute...

I call it a 'calmer'.... the dirt still drops into the top bin, very turbulent in there.....then a bit of gravity and pressure takes over and everything starts to head for the launder...under the rubber (or steel)
Boosh!!! this big heavy thing spreads me out and gets me real close to those riffle tips......am I gonna fall in??? I think so.....

 

[joe]

10000lpm boy that must be some beast GM, how long is it? The sluice I mean

 

[Gold miner]

Umm they would be running 8 inch hard hose, from a 6 cylinder pump to the trommel... the trommel has two screens, and feeds two prolly 20-25 foot by 4 foot launders?

 

[joe]

That's the length of my living room . Serious business I see- wow thanks mate

 

[Tommtb7]

I used a dampener on my hb design, I used a thicker rubber so It was more rigid and it actually worked like a bit of a boiler box to break up the clay that made it through the grizzly. I'd like to say I meant for it to be that way but really it was the only rubber sheet laying around haha