Miner shovels dirt into the long tom. Another removes large rocks and keeps dirt moving through the trough and across an iron plate with holes in its bottom. Sand and gold drops through holes. Particles of gold lodge in the riffles of a lower box while sand washes away. The final separation is done by panning.
Wooden flume widens at one end.
A downward slope allowed water to run through it continuously. Introduced by the Chinese, it could be placed in a bypass flume. The water- driven wheel powered various mining operations. It powered the bailers needed to keep the working area dry. Water and paydirt are lifted into the sluicing flume.