"In mining, a trough made of boards, used for separating gold from the gravel and sand in which it occurs. Its bottom is lined with riffles, and these, with the help of quicksilver, arrest and detain the particles of gold as they are borne along by the current of water." —Whitney, 1889
<p>Illustration of miners working in a forest, shoveling material into the sluice.

A Sluice Box - Miners Work in the Forest

"In mining, a trough made of boards, used for separating gold from the gravel and sand in which it occurs.…