# Gold Tailings Processing



## jon1rene (Nov 9, 2012)

I am trying to get some information/advice in regard to a tailing processing project. The current issue is the the concentrate that is produced from the tailing is at 20g/ton. They need it to be at 30g/ton in order to have a buyer. They say they are capturing the gold at 200 mesh, but losing at 100 mesh. Do the tailings just need to be ground finer to get the concentrate to 30g/ton?

I have almost no knowledge when it comes to ore/tailings processing.

Thanks

Jon


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## shaftsinkerawc (Nov 9, 2012)

What kind of mining produced the tailings? 
What kind of processing have the tailings gone through? 
What kind of process is being used that is collecting the 200 mesh and losing the 100 mesh?
A system collecting 200 mesh should collect 100 mesh unless there is a shape/flattness factor variance. It may be they are losing more 200 mesh than they realize.
Grinding the tailings will not change the concentration unless you have gold bound up inside the tailings.


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## jon1rene (Nov 9, 2012)

I will see what I can find out...

Thanks


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## Lino1406 (Nov 15, 2012)

"They" sold you a story


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## solarsmith (Nov 18, 2012)

unless it a floatation system. smaller is better in that type of recovery.
My readings tell me that the older the tailings the more pgm content may be in it. if in the usa look a usgs reports for mines in that area (county)
they are a good guide for what the old timers were getting out of mines in there day in that area... thanks BRYAN IN DENVER COLORADO
I buy cats 303 503 4799


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## RGJohn (Nov 21, 2012)

jon1rene said:


> I am trying to get some information/advice in regard to a tailing processing project. The current issue is the the concentrate that is produced from the tailing is at 20g/ton. They need it to be at 30g/ton in order to have a buyer. They say they are capturing the gold at 200 mesh, but losing at 100 mesh. Do the tailings just need to be ground finer to get the concentrate to 30g/ton?
> 
> I have almost no knowledge when it comes to ore/tailings processing.
> 
> ...



Perhaps a second process, concerned only with the 20g/ton concentrate is what is wanted here. It would seem greatly easier to concentrate the existing concentrate by a factor of 50% to achieve the wanted 30g/ton.
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Also, are we also certain that this is ton (2000 pounds of 454 grams each and not tonne which is 1000 kilograms or 2200 pounds of 454 grams or grammes)? Which unit are you speaking of pray tell.
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Further, 20 grams per ton equals over $1000 per ton at today's $1700 per ounce gold price. I am wondering why you have trouble selling this 'tailing' (makes a body wonder what the 'heads' were) material at that price. I have many thousands of tons of tailing material, none of which begins to approach your values but which may be had for free for the removal of same.


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