Sackett said:
I realize that this is an old thread, but when I read it I knew that I had to reply...I tried this 2 bucket method and tested it...I placed 3 picker sized gold pieces in the bucket for testing...I ran the process, I did NOT recover any of my 3 pieces. I then tried this 3 more times, and never once did I get any of the 3 pieces back, nada 1!~!!! So in my opinion and from my testing the 2 bucket method is not worthy of use!!!
You watched the video? Did you notice "
Micron Gold Recovery?" The two bucket method is
not for pickers! It is for classified materials and captures the flour gold. Pickers would not be dead center in the test cap pickers would be touching the wall of the bucket.
You need to classify! 20 mesh works best! At 20 mesh it will capture from 20 mesh to -200 mesh.
Specific Gravity
Sand 1.44
Sand with gravel 2.00
10K GOLD 11.75
12K GOLD 12.65
14K GOLD 13.55
18K GOLD 15.47
22K GOLD 17.72
24K GOLD 19.29
Magnetite Solid 5.05
Magnetite Broken 3.29
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24k gold is 14 times heavier than sand.
24k gold is 3.94 times heavier than Magnetite.
18 mesh = 1000 microns
20 mesh = 841 microns
30 mesh = 595 microns
200 mesh = 74 microns
Roughly 50 microns is visible to the eye. (not my eyes)
Gold will begin to stay suspended (or even float) in water at about 74 microns
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Keep in mind that we are not working with 24k gold!
74 microns x 14 = 1036 microns so a 74 micron gold particle will weigh approximately the same as a 18 mesh (1000 micron) particle of sand but the gold will still drop faster as it is smaller and will offer less resistance.
74 microns x 5.05 = 373.7 microns so a 74 micron gold particle will weigh approximately the same as a 40 mesh (400 micron) particle of magnetite but the gold will still drop faster as it is smaller and will offer less resistance.
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The point I'm trying to make... use a 18 or 20 mesh classifier!
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18k Gold
18k gold is 10.75 times heavier than sand
18k gold is 3 times heavier than magnetite
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74 microns x 10.75 = 795 microns so a 74 micron gold particle will weigh approximately the same as a 22 mesh particle of sand.
8 mesh = 2380 microns
2380 microns x 10.75 = 25585 microns
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63 Micron = 230 mesh 18k gold = 15.47 specific gravity
18k gold is 10.74 times heavier than sand
18k gold is 3.06 times heavier than Magnetite Solid
63 microns x 10.74 = 677 microns (25 mesh = 707 microns)
63 microns x 3.06 = 193 microns (70 mesh = 210 microns)
63 micron gold weighs the same as 25 mesh sand
63 micron gold weighs the same as 70 mesh magnetite
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