Frequently Asked Questions
    How large a sluice is required?  We recommend that you anticipate the greatest
    amount of people who would use it at the same time and plan for 2 feet per person.  
    Example: if you think 12 people will use it at any given time, we recommend you
    purchase at least a 24’ sluice.  The 24’ sluice is our most popular size.

    How much does a sluice cost?  Refer to our gemstone panning link.  The price
    includes holding tank, pump, whiskey barrel or hand pump, setup, a shovel, a scoop,
    and all wiring and tubing.  

    Where does the dirt go?  We're created a baffle technology on our sluice that keeps
    excess mining rough from depositing inside the holding tank.  It stays in the trough and
    can easily be shovelled out with the provided plastic shovel.

    Can I put my sluice inside?  Yes, we build sluices to go either indoors, outdoors, or
    on a trailer.  

    Who can we anticipate will use the sluice?  It is a great kid’s activity.  However, we
    find that once a child buys a bag, the parents tend to reach over their shoulder and pick
    into their kid’s screen.  When we see this, we recommend the parent buy their own bag.  
    Our experience shows that there are families who have purchased as many as 15 bags
    in one weekend.

    Is it difficult to learn the names of the gemstones and fossils?  No.  After just a
    few days and very little training, you will know them all.  Every bag will come with an ID
    brochure that makes the rocks easily identifiable.  We highly recommend you make
    these brochures available to your miners because they will definitely increase the sales.  
    Once your customers start collecting the gems, they will want the whole Dr. Rocks
    collection before they go home.

    Isn't the mining rough expensive to transport?  Yes and No.  The weight of the
    mining rough does make transportation expensive.  To combat this, when you purchase
    a sluice, we bring enough bags to hopefully get you through a complete season.  After
    you run out, we try to schedule many deliveries at one time to service several customers
    in an area.  This makes delivery very inexpensive for you and for us.

    Are sluices portable?  Many customers have asked us to make sluices portable.  We
    can now put any size sluice on wheels.  There is an additional charge, but now wheeling
    your sluice around at an event is no problem.        

    If I order my sluice today, when can I expect it at my location?  A sluice usually
    takes approximately 3 weeks to build.  A deposit of 50% down is required to begin
    construction.  When you know when you would like yours, please do not wait until the
    spring time when we are in the midst of our busiest part of the season.  

    Any other Questions?  Contact us today and we will do our best to answer any additional
    questions you might have.
Cold River Mining Company
246 Silver St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Cold River Mining
Company
Your Premier Source for Gemstone Panning
Sluices and Mining Attractions