The power sluice, or highbanker, allows the sluice box to be placed near the material to be mined.
Water is pumped from the nearest water source to feed the washing system.
In very dry areas, water can also be recirculated from a settling pond back to the power sluice. The hopper design washes clay and debris with a spray bar. All washed material is then classified for selective recovery. Screening off the oversized material results in better fine gold recovery. The hopper design washes clay and debris with a high pressure washing spray bar.