Classifying Types of Dredges

Before we start to describe, classify the types of dredges that exist more, we should go back and review the background of the dredge and look into the principles on which it functions.

To begin with, the modern dredges do not function on the Venturi principle – this was a physical theorem that was given by Bernoulli who first gave suggestion to the fact that the pressure of a fluid would be slowed down when the velocity was increased. However we will look into this later on in more detail.

Lets start off by checking out the oldest dredge, which was the hydraulic elevator. This device was created during the days hydraulic mining was done. the idea on how they were used was talked about in scientific journals a long time before and hydraulic elevators were definitely being used at the ending of the 1800’s when hydraulic mining was in full operation.

The first development of the hydraulic elevator was done because of the need there was in a lot mines to raise the tailings to higher grounds.

Even though there are a lot of cases of the hydraulic elevator being utilized in hydraulic mines well into the 1930’s they actually did not fully develop into what is now known as modern portable dredges. This did not occur until there were dependable centrifugal pumps and trustworthy gasoline engines. Although these were already available, there was something else that brought this idea to completion. This was the quick development of scuba diving.

Around the middle of the 1950’s scuba diving pros that were also experts at mining were in on the game. The first person that achieved this prestigious label was the late Ernest Keene who quickly saw there were a good number of rich placer pockets buried in the depths that were simply out of the reach of the placer miners in the past.

Ernst Keene was able to use his knowledge of skin diving along with is ability as a miner and his vast understanding of hydraulics. After just a few seasons in the gold country of California, Keene turned into a legend because of his exploits in finding gold as well as in his skill in designing modern equipment that would help to get the job done quicker and more efficiently.