Gravity Separation

Separating minerals by density alone, with no chemistry involved.

Definition

A mineral processing technique that uses differences in specific gravity to separate heavy valuable minerals from lighter waste minerals. Common methods include jigs, spirals, and shaking tables, often used as a first stage in gold recovery.

Why it matters

Where it works it is the cheapest recovery there is, and coarse free gold responds to it well. A gravity circuit recovering a meaningful share of the gold ahead of leaching materially improves overall economics.

See also

  • Flotation A mineral processing method that uses chemical reagents and air bubbles to separate valuable minerals from was
  • Metallurgical Recovery The percentage of valuable metal that can be extracted from ore during processing. For example, 90% gold recov
  • Placer Deposit A surficial mineral deposit formed by the concentration of heavy minerals through weathering and sedimentary p
  • Mill A facility where ore is crushed, ground, and processed to extract valuable minerals. Gold mills typically use

More operations terms