DREDGING The Bible
Suction dredging is the most efficient method of gold recovery ever devised for individual prospectors. It allows you to move cubic yards of material from the riverbed and process it in a single pass.
Suction Dredging
Moving the material through a hose using a water jet (Venturi). Best for processing deep river gravels and cleaning bedrock underwater.
- PRO: Extreme material movement.
- PRO: Bedrock cleaning efficiency.
- CON: High initial cost and logistics.
High-Banking
Pumping water to a land-based sluice box. Best for processing dry banks, terrace gold, and ancient riverbeds above current water lines.
- PRO: Allows processing away from rivers.
- PRO: Easier permit access in many regions.
- CON: Requires manual shoveling of material.
The Secret: Fluid Dynamics
Dredging success isn't about suction power—it's about **entrapment logic**. Gold stays in your box because of its **Specific Gravity (19.3)**. To recover it, you must create "low-pressure zones" behind your riffles where the heavy gold can drop out of the fast-flowing slurry.
Angle
Set your box to a 1-inch drop per foot. Start level and adjust based on sand buildup.
Flow
Water should be fast enough to move rocks but slow enough to leave black sand.
Feed Rate
Do not overload the box. Overfeeding leads to "scouring" and lost gold.
Legal Compliance
Dredging is highly regulated. In the US, states like California have moratoriums, while Idaho and Montana have strict seasonal windows. In Australia, dredging is generally prohibited in most states except for specific circumstances. **Always check regional mining laws before firing up a pump.**
The Loot Bag
Strategic weight valuation. Calculate the spot yield of your discovery and bridge the target gap to a physical ounce.
"The gap to a full ounce is only 30.10 grams..."
Gold Knowledge Resources
Optional gold-culture references for readers curious about bars, coins, purity and storage language after prospecting. These are third-party resources, not financial advice.
BullionVault
Third-party resource for learning how vaulted physical gold services describe storage, fees and custody.
BullionStar
Useful for comparing bars, coins, premiums and purity language after learning field testing basics.
APMEX
Browse mainstream bullion product formats and premiums as gold-culture background, not prospecting advice.
JM Bullion
Reference catalogue for seeing common retail names, weights and purity markings used on coins and bars.
The Digger's Code
- Backfill all holes before you leave.
- Pack out all your trash.
- Respect fence lines and gates.
Legal Disclaimer
Land access rights, safety conditions, and public fossicking zones change. You are solely responsible for verifying regulations with local authorities (DOC/Council/BLM) and assessing river safety before visiting. Paystreak.io accepts no liability for injury, fines, or trespassing. Never dig on private land without explicit permission.
✓ Information last verified: January 2026
Professional Pumping Gear
Our recommended high-output pumps and suction nozzles for commercial-grade recovery.