Gold recovery equipment is used to extract gold from ore, concentrates, or scrap materials. The type of equipment needed depends on the source of the gold (e.g., hard rock mining, placer deposits, electronic waste, or jewelry refining). Here are some common types of gold recovery equipment:
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1. Placer Gold Mining Equipment (Alluvial Deposits)
– Gold Pan – Simple tool for small-scale prospecting.
– Sluice Box – Uses flowing water to separate gold from gravel/sand.
– Highbanker – Combines a sluice box with a water pump for better efficiency.
– Dredge – Used underwater to suck up sediment and extract gold.
– Drywasher – For desert areas where water is scarce; uses air flow to separate gold.
2. Hard Rock Gold Mining Equipment
– Jaw Crusher & Hammer Mill – Crushes ore into smaller pieces.
– Ball Mill / Stamp Mill – Grinds ore into fine powder for processing.
– Shaker Table – Uses vibration to separate gold from other minerals.
– Centrifuge (Knelson / Falcon Concentrator) – Spins material to concentrate gold via centrifugal force.
– Flotation Machine – Uses chemicals to separate gold-bearing minerals.
3. Electronic Waste (E-Waste) & Jewelry Refining
– Aqua Regia Process – Dissolves gold from circuit boards/jewelry using nitric & hydrochloric acid.
– Electrolytic Refining (Wohlwill / Miller Process) – Purifies gold using electricity.
– Cupellation Furnace – Removes impurities from precious metals by melting them at high temperatures.
– Mercury Retort (for small-scale miners) – Safely recovers mercury after ama.jpg)
mation (though mercury use is discouraged due to toxicity).
4. General Gold Recovery Tools
– Metal Detectors – Helps locate gold nuggets in soil or riverbeds.
– Black Sand Separators (Magnetic) – Removes magnetite and other heavy minerals that interfere with gold recovery.
– Gold Cube / Blue Bowl Concentrator – Efficiently captures fine gold particles.
5. Chemical & Leaching Methods
– Cyanide Leaching (Heap Leaching / CIL/CIP Plants) – Industrial-scale method for extracting low-grade gold (requires proper