Sluices are inclined, flat-bottomed troughs that are lined on the bottom with a trapping mechanism that can capture particles of gold and other heavy minerals. They can be used either for alluvial or for primary ore sluices are sometimes calledstrakes or blanket tables.Oreis mixed with water and the pulp poured down the trough. Sluice designs have utilized readily available materials for thousands of years, such as animal furs as trapping mechanisms--in the ancient Greek myths, the Argonaut hero Jason recovered the golden fleece, a sheepskin sluice lining, by  killing the dragon that guarded it.
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