Newbie question: Proper steps to run concentrates?

Fossil4Life

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TerryC

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Classify down to #20. Pan the stuff in the #20 basket. Then to #50. Pan that stuff. Run the stuff that passed through the #50 on the Miller table. TTC
 

arizau

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Classifier screens are pretty much essential to recovering gold smaller than 20-30 mesh. Process the concentrates in separate batches according to mesh sizing. Gold is much easier to recover when it is processed with other material of approximately the same size since then it is more likely to be heavier than the other material. 20 or 30, then 50 and 100 mesh will help you maximize recovery by what ever means you use be it panning, blue bowl, miller table or what ever. Good luck.
 

CApicker

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Yep the easy way would be to stack classifier's one on top of the other over a 5 gallon bucket. You'll have to dump the classifiers when they get filled but this should go fast enough to keep up with the Miller table?
 

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Fossil4Life

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Thank you all for the help! Would someone be kind enough to put together a sort of step-by-step procedure on how to go from 1/4" concentrate to finishing with a Miller table?
 

DizzyDigger

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Thank you all for the help! Would someone be kind enough
to put together a sort of step-by-step procedure on how to go from 1/4" concentrate to
finishing with a Miller table?

Take your material and run it through a 1/8" classifier.

Pan down what would not pass through.

Take the remaining material and run that through a 20 or 30 mesh classifier.

Pan down what doesn't go through the classifier.

Then, take and run the remaining material through a 50 or 60 mesh classifier.
Take what passes through the 50 mesh and run it through an 80 or 100 mesh
classifier.

Now you're classified properly. Keep each size of material separate, and run them
separately on the miller table.

Add up the gold you get...:occasion14:
 

Goodyguy

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First, I'm very green to gold prospecting, and any help would be appreciated. :thumbsup:

I'm getting ready to run my first batch of concentrates; they are sized to about 1/4". I intend to use a Miller table as my finisher.

What steps do I need to take to get from 1/4" concentrate to using the Miller table?

Classification is the key.... the miller table will run any size classification, even the 1/4" provided all the material being run is 1/4" nothing larger and nothing smaller. Of course it would be silly to run 1/4" as it's easy to spot 1/4" nuggets during classification.

As you go down in particle size the table needs to run flatter/slower flow.

I typically separate my material into 4 classifications before running on the miller table. 8 mesh, 16 mesh, 30 mesh, everything below 30 mesh. Sometimes I get lazy and just run two classifications 1/8" to 1/16" and then anything smaller than 1/16" (Not Recommended)

The reason I start with 1/8" (8mesh) is because I run all my material through a gold cube to reduce the amount of concentrates to about 2 cups of super concentrate before I run it on the miller table. I usually wait until I have around 10 or so 5 gallon buckets full before I run it through the cube. The whole process from cube to miller table to snuffer to vial only takes about an hour and a half to 2 hours.

Running close to the same size particles at the same time makes it easier to recover the gold due to it's greater density than any other particle it's size. Also a larger particle setting on the table will create a faster flow around it and that will wash away any tiny gold in it's path.

If you mess up you can always run the tailings again.

*Just remember classification is the key. Run as close to the same size particles together as you can. Adjust angle and flow as necessary, smaller particles require slower flow.

Go for the gold
GG~
 

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Prospector70

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Magnifier-1.jpg

If you're close to 40 you may need one of these too.

(The magnifiers, you wolves!) LoL
 

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