Gravity Separation Method for Ore Concentration Explained

Gravity separation is a method of separating minerals according to their density or size.

According to the principle of operation and the different equipment used, re-selection can be divided into six types of operations.

1. Dense medium beneficiation

Gravity separation must be carried out in medium. The medium used is air, water, heavy liquid or heavy suspension. The most commonly used medium is water. When air is used, it is called wind beneficiation. When the density of heavy liquid or heavy suspension is greater than water, it is called heavy medium beneficiation. Heavy medium beneficiation is a method of separating mineral density strictly.

2. Grading

When crushed materials settle in air or water, particles of different sizes and shapes have different settling velocities because of the different resistance of the medium they are subjected to. At this time, they can be separated according to their sizes. This kind of gravity separation operation is called grading.

3. Washing

When ore is cemented by clay and interferes with subsequent operations, ore washing is used. It uses water flow impulse and mechanical force to separate clay from ore block.

4. Jigging Beneficiation

The process of gravity separation by periodic vertical variable velocity medium flow, which makes ore particles loose repeatedly and dense and stratified according to density, is called jigging beneficiation.

5. Shaking beneficiation

Using the inertia force and water flushing effect produced by the asymmetric reciprocating motion on the shaking table surface, the particles on the bed surface are loosely stratified and transported into zones, thus realizing the sorting operation.

6. Sluice beneficiation

It is a method of beneficiation by means of the flow of water in the inclined trough.