Equipped with large nozzles, the hydraulic monitor, also known as the “Little Giant” would spray large quantities of water in a constant stream against rocky hillsides. The stream of water was often powerful enough to remove overburden, exposing valuable minerals such as gold.
The monitor was equipped with a single nozzle that would receive water from a tank. Water was normally collected from ponds and other sources of water. Once contained, a steady stream of water would be relayed from its three- to eight-inch (7.6- to 20-cm) diameter pipe. The hydraulic monitor exposed small amounts of gold after turning a hillside into a slew of mud. When the dirt from the overburden was removed, a series of sluice boxes were used to collect the gold.
The hydraulic monitor worked best when placed close to the hillside. If placed too far back, it would not be as effective. Another problem that arose with the hydraulic monitor was the viscous mud it produced as a result of the water stream. The soil and water mixture often polluted waterways and roadways.
The use of hydraulic monitoring became illegal in 1884 in California but continued in other states until the 1940s.[1]
Hydraulic monitors were later replaced with water trucks, which are still in use today.
[edit] References
- ↑ Pearson, David W. and Bommarito, Ron. Antique Mining Equipment and Collectibles. Schiffer Publishing: Atglen, 2002.
