What Is a Long Tom Sluice

The long tom is a small sluice that uses less water than a regular sluice. It consists of a sloping trough 12 feet long, 15 to 20 inches wide at the upper end, flaring to 24 to 30 inches at the lower end. … The long tom uses much less water than a sluice but requires more labor.

What was the longest gold rush?

Witwatersrand Gold Rush (1886), Johannesburg, South Africa. South Africa has always been known as a place of abundant minerals, but with the discovery of gold in the Witwatersrand Basin in 1885, the most massive gold rush in world history took place.

How does a sluice box work for gold?

Sluice boxes work by essentially creating a straight, consistent channel, with regularly spaced slow spots created by riffles. Each riffle creates an eddy, a backflow of water that allows the gold to settle out. Material is placed at the top of the box and carried in suspension down the channel.