Procedure for efficient recovery of diamonds, gold from tailings

摘要

The value-minerals are captured by gravity-separation, from a low-grade slurry. The ratio of liquids-to-solids in the slurry affects the efficiency of capture, and an ideal liquids/solids ratio is the ratio at which the efficiency of capture is at a maximum. The ideal ratio is different for different particle-sizes. The procedure includes dewatering the slurry, dividing the dry particles by particle-size, and feeding the several size-divided dry-streams into respective capture-stations. Prior to each dry-stream entering its respective capture-station, make-up water is added to the dry-stream in such quantity as to bring the liquids/solids ratio up to the ideal, for that particle-size. The procedure makes it simple to provide accurate measurement of, and accurate control of, the liquids/solids ratio.