Gravity separation is widely adopted in placer gold beneficiation due to its low cost, high efficiency, and environmental friendliness. This article introduces the key equipment used in the gravity separation of placer gold.
I. Jig machine
The jig machine is the core equipment for the roughing stage of placer gold. It utilizes a pulsed water flow to stratify particles by density. High-density gold particles quickly settle to form concentrate, while low-density gangue is carried away by the water flow. This equipment offers large processing capacity and high recovery rates, making it suitable for placer gold operations of various scales.
II. Sluice Box
The vibrating sluice box is an efficient device for recovering fine gold. It uses mechanical vibration to create continuous undulating water flow, making it particularly suitable for processing viscous placer gold deposits. The vibrating sluice box accelerates the settlement of fine gold particles within the riffles and features simple operation and low maintenance costs.
III. Centrifugal Concentrator
The centrifugal concentrator specializes in treating tailings from jigs and vibrating sluice boxes. It utilizes the centrifugal force generated by high-speed rotation to concentrate fine gold particles against the inner wall of the rotating drum. The centrifugal concentrator is highly effective in recovering very fine gold particles (finer than 200 mesh), significantly reducing gold loss and improving overall recovery.
IV. Shaking Table
The gold concentrating shaking table serves as the final cleaning equipment. Through its unique deck design and asymmetrical reciprocating motion, it further purifies the gold concentrate, producing a high-grade final product.
In placer gold beneficiation flowsheets, a combination of the above gravity separation equipment is often employed. This approach ensures high recovery rates while achieving a high-grade concentrate.