Surface Suction Dredges

Surface dredges are devices that float or sit on the surface of the water. Suction on the other hand, refers to the fact that it uses some type of vacuum in order to accumulate or lift material to the surface, whether it is water, mud, gravel, coins, silver, gold, rocks etc. in a nutshell, anything that is small enough to fit through a suction hose. After it has been sucked up, the material is then discharged through or into a classifying device more commonly known as a sluice box.

The size of a dredge is determined by the diameter of the hose and its intake. Recreational and weekend prospectors often times prefer using the 1 ½ to 2 inch ones. The great thing about the dredges these days is that they are not heavy to carry around and are portable and they are made of very simple to use components all of which need to work well in order for the operation to be successful. Obviously whenever you acquire any sort of tool or instrument for prospecting, the first thing you should go after is quality. Some of the components that exist are motors and pumps, floats, sluice boxes, power jets or suction nozzles and suction hoses.