Gold Mining Methods/Equipment

By: Shravan

The Cradle
The cradle used a handle to rock it back and forth. Gravel and mud were dumped on top of the cradle with water. The miner then rocks the cradle back and forth. After that the heavy metals would go through the screen. Riffles and slats then caught the heavy mud with the gold in it. The miner then used a gold pan to separate the gold from the mud.

Panning

Panning was a manual technique of sorting gold. Water and dirt are put in the pan and the pan is shaken. Since gold was the heaviest metal it would sink to the bottom. It was also the easiest technique of gold prospecting in the Gold Rush period.

The Stamper Battery

The Stamper Battery was a large machine. It extracted gold from rocks by crushing them. The Stamper Battery was very expensive and had a series of heavy weights attached to it. The Stamper Battery was powered by an engine.

Sluicing
Sluicing was a common mining method during the Gold Rush period. The sluice box is placed in a stream to catch the water-flow and gold bearing material or a screen is placed on top of the box. As the water passed through the screen gold and other heavy metals would settle behind the riffles or slats. Other light metals would float away.

Puddling
Puddling tubs were larger versions of gold pans. The tub was usually a round barrel made of wood or metal. The miner would add clay and fill the tub with water. The miner would then stir the tub and this would separate the gold from the clay.

The Windlass
Windlasses were used in shallow shaft to lift the dirt to the surface. The windlass was a very slow method of mining and only worked for about 40 metres. The windlass required little skill to build and is made from simple materials and could be easily moved. Over the windlass a windsail would be attached to provide ventilation to the shaft.

The Dolly Pot/Dolly

The Dolly Pot/Dolly was a small hand operated mortar and pestle. The Dolly Pot was also a rock crusher used to sample for ores and especially gold. Most Dolly Pots were made from mercury bottle.

The Long Tom

The Long Tom looked like sluice box but much bigger. The Long Tom measured 12 to 15 feet long. It was mainly made of wood and had a metal bottom with riffles and slats.

Shaft Mining

Shaft mining was used to source the veins of gold that apparently went down. Miners dug a shaft that was 50 metres deep. Digging this shaft was hard work as most miners only had a pick or shovel.

Thank you for watching my Slideshow on gold! By: Shravan