3 Stack or 4 Stack?
Many gold prospectors with a typical sluice box witness very flat fine gold (glitter gold) that has the tendency to drift or “sail” over riffles. In a sluice box all small gold will migrate but flat gold lends itself to slight current manipulation and water surface tension that may allow it to float. The Gold Cube has changed that!
The Gold Cube design eliminates surface tension in what we call the “G-Force Separator”, which forces everything below water under a gate. This breaks the surface tension and forces the gold to the bottom of an axial trough. The combination of gravity and hydraulic pressure makes it impossible for the gold to float or sail.
To illustrate this — If you were to drop a flat washer and a steel bearing, both weighing the same, into a swimming pool at the same time, the steel bearing would hit bottom, first. In the same way, the flatter the gold; the more time it takes to settle.
Placer Location can be a factor in deciding which Gold Cube to use. Beach gold for example, can be very fine, flat and mixed with enormous amounts of black sand. Here a 4 stack would be a huge benefit. Creek and stream gold can be rounder but just a small. Keep in mind, it is all about the shape of the gold and many placer areas close to the source have chunky, roundish gold. If you plan to limit your mining to this type of area, then a 3 Stack may be your machine. You can add a tray, later, if you decide to go to the beach or find a tailings pile with super-fine gold.
The beauty of the Gold Cube is that you can always add a tray, trommel, or a Gold Banker when it becomes necessary. For more info on the Gold Cube, visit our How It Works page.
Our Gold Cube University provides step by step instructions on gold prospecting and cleanup. A must watch video series!