Designed primarily as a density separator for diamonds, this device works equally well for separating garnets, sapphires and especially gold nuggets from creek bed gravel. As a prospector, one learns not to draw attention from the curiosity of other prospectors. By labeling the device a sapphire separator, less attention is drawn. In reality, a good clear sapphire of equal carat weight to a diamond, can be worth more than the diamond.
The battery operated device forces water up into the gravel hopper located on top of the bucket; causing, for a short period of time, all the gravel to float in the forced water. During the remaing half cycle, the water is drawn down into the bucket an an equally fast rate. The heavier pieces of gravel, gemstones, gold, etc., fall neatly to the bottom of the hopper where a removable screen cup is located. The cup is removed, inverted and the heavier minerals, plainely visible in the center are removed. The device operates at about one cycle per second. see garnet and diopside cystals in screen cup
