Hard rock sampling mill Without the hard work

gold tramp

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I have plans for a very easy to make rock grinder, I use this to grind very fine gold with excellent results.
its more of a sampleing mill, it runs a 5 gallon bucket of clasified ore each run. it will run 5 buckets a day.

To see pictures get me an email at [email protected] I cant figure out how to get pics on to this site.

This machine can be electric or gas for field use. I can get the intructions if anyone is intrested in making a unit like this.

good luck n happy hunting Cpt Herb
 

Oakview2

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In the bottom right click on go advanced. Scroll down and click on manage attachments. and upload your files. Here are some old workings up in the motherload we have been working. Would love to see your photos:icon_thumleft:
 

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Oakview2

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Are those metal balls in the mixer? How small or large of material do you start with, how long do you run it, and what size material do you end up with...
Thanks for the photos, i enjoy your web site and blog....
 

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gold tramp

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This has to be the best method ive found to grind ore down as fine as you need. Most large companys use a ball mill in there finishing plant. Ive used a rod mill,impact mill, but this is the best bet for fine grind.
Yes those are steel balls they are about 8lbs each i use 5 to grind a 5gallon bucket of 1/8 classified material.
I try to break the ore up as small as i can while mining. It will handle 1/2 inch clasified but its hard on the tool. so 1/8 is best.

Intructions
5 gallon bucket or smaller depends on sample size.
add water to cover ore not to much water. you want to end up making a slurry like a thin milk shake, thick enough to stay in your feeder.
grind at least 30 minutes, longer for harder ores, less for small lots or soft ores
No chunkys in finished product. check with fingers during grind. youll hear it in the machine when its done.

Its basic simple way of getting your ore down as fine as needed, nice and clean and ready for mercury.
If you have rich ore with sizable values, use gold wheel to concentrate then you dont have to use merc.
For micro fine I use rp4 wave table and almagamate my cons.

If you have any questions that i can help with let me know.
Good Luck n Happy Hunting Cpt Herb
 

Reed Lukens

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I have friends that use that exact same set up. It works great, back when we were running the 8" dredges when I was a kid that's how they would crush and amalgamate the gold out the drums of cons. I basically have the same set up but on a much smaller scale today. I have a rock tumbler with 2" and smaller to ½" steel balls in it. I fill it 1/3 full of cons, throw in the bearings, close the lid, then turn it on & come back in a day or so and it's powdered. Then throw it in the chosen separator of the day and take the gold out. It's easier than the mortar but I still like using Great Gramps Mortar & I can take it in the field anywhere.
 

Oakview2

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If I didn't know better, I would think they were cannon balls, but I was trying to find something that could be easily and cheaply found these days...
 

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gold tramp

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good guess try again

If I didn't know better, I would think they were cannon balls, but I was trying to find something that could be easily and cheaply found these days...

Have to be a big cannon, not even close, Oak
start asking around.

Cpt. Herb
 

Oakview2

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And eight pounder was a common size for cannon, a devastating shot especially before the exploding cannon balls. I am out of options. I have been looking for a good used cement mixer, but I was thinking about using some large hardened river rocks. We do have quite a few of those outside of the desert8-)
 

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gold tramp

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Dont give up so easy Oak.
Hint you would probably find one these out bleepin. And im sure lots folks have. and if you bleep long enough you probably will.

I have some in the 2 lb range if you need a few. They dont grind as quik but they grind.
as for river rocks you would just end up with smaller river rocks.

Good Luck n Happy Hunting Cpt Herb
 

Oakview2

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Done a fair amount of beepin, but I problably would have blown my head off with a chunk of iron the large...
 

oldbrundogg

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I would go with Chevy chase (as fletch and say ball bearings everything's done with ball bearings these days.
 

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gold tramp

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I would go with Chevy chase (as fletch and say ball bearings everything's done with ball bearings these days.

not yet, ball bearing that big would be solid stainless i think.
good luck n happy hunting Cpt Herb
 

oldbrundogg

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Ok Cpt. I do love a good guessing game showed the picture to a work mate . He said he saw these things on a much larger scale at mine in the Yuba river area at the ripe old age of fifteen so he didn't know the name. Are they connected to the mining industry or from another source . I'm asking for another clue please. Can't give up yet. Maybe train related??
 

Oakview2

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I'm out, just the thought of getting my coil over that hunk of iron makes my head hurt:BangHead::laughing7:
 

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gold tramp

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Ok Cpt. I do love a good guessing game showed the picture to a work mate . He said he saw these things on a much larger scale at mine in the Yuba river area at the ripe old age of fifteen so he didn't know the name. Are they connected to the mining industry or from another source . I'm asking for another clue please. Can't give up yet. Maybe train related??

Yuba river ball mill.
these are actuall mill balls they started out much bigger. this is the high tech stuff used by big mining companys to do finishing work.
I should of let you all keep going at train related. I got another mine device Im gonna post and see if we can find out what it is.

Im supprised know one has found one bleepin old mill sites ( cynanide )

Good Luck n Happy Hunting Cpt Herb
 

kuger

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.........................yea,I know where there is a pile probably 6' high of Mill balls.....under water now.Find them all the time,never heard them called Yuba River Balls....I am a long ways from the Yuba?????
 

Reed Lukens

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When we were kids we would walk down to an old building where they had a couple ball mills laying around in a junk pile. We would take the balls out & do anything from rolling them down the streets to throwing them off of cliffs just to watch them fly down the hills. We rolled one big one down main street in Auburn once back in the 60's and took off before we got caught. Man we were little hellians back in the day :hello:
 

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