Enhancing Soil Dissolution in Gold Recovery Sluices with Optimized Water Spray Bars

Spray bars for gold‑recovery sluices can be fabricated from readily available PVC pipe by first selecting a length of schedule‑40 PVC that matches the width of the sluice box and then cutting it to the desired size, after which a series of evenly spaced holes—typically ¼‑inch to ⅜‑inch in diameter—are drilled along the top side of the pipe using a drill press or hand drill to ensure uniform spacing and consistent flow; the pipe’s ends are sealed with PVC end caps, a inlet fitting is glued on one side, and a outlet (or simple drain) is installed on the opposite side, allowing water to be forced through the pipe under pressure from a pump or gravity feed; once assembled, the bar is mounted above the sluice’s riffle deck with the drilled side facing downward, and the water flow is regulated with a ball valve or flow‑control device to create a fine, evenly distributed spray that loosens and dissolves compacted soil, clay, and fine gangue material, thereby improving the liberation of gold particles and enhancing overall recovery efficiency while keeping construction costs low and the system easily maintainable with basic hand tools and locally sourced PVC components.