Processing Black Sands

[SchoolOfHardRocks]

I've heard that prospector's "would be surprised, & never discard black sands again if they knew how much gold is in it"...Well, with my 2nd season coming to a close I think I have stock piled enough to think about processing it.

I have about 2 gallons of black sands and am wondering, what's the most efficient way to process it? I've heard about the crushing method & the heat & freeze method...but what is the best way? Are there other ways??

My plan is to document this process from beginning to end on this thread once I have determined which processing method will work best for me..who knows someone else may benefit from seeing my trial and error with black sands. Plus it will keep me busy while I'm patiently waiting for spring

 

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[KevinInColorado]

As said before, the problem with balls of whatever size is that they tend to break the gold into smaller pieces which the rods DO NOT do. Go with rods to get bigger gold...easier to see and pan!!

 

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[johnedoe]

As said before, the problem with balls of whatever size is that they tend to break the gold into smaller pieces which the rods DO NOT do. Go with rods to get bigger gold...easier to see and pan!!

Actually they are easier to recover with classifying screens since they are now bigger than the ground/pulverized middling cons.

 

[KevinInColorado]

That too.

 

[goldenIrishman]

Well I've already started fabricating up the rods to go into my tumbler and will have them finished up tomorrow. Then I'll start running some controlled experiments with the cons from todays' little foray to the club claim in Gold Basin. I've got 50 gallons of materials to run so I should have PLENTY of black sands to use for the experiments.

 

[johnedoe]

Easier to sieve them when they are that flat than it is to pan them....

 

[johnedoe]

Well I've already started fabricating up the rods to go into my tumbler and will have them finished up tomorrow. Then I'll start running some controlled experiments with the cons from todays' little foray to the club claim in Gold Basin. I've got 50 gallons of materials to run so I should have PLENTY of black sands to use for the experiments.

Looks like you have your winter pretty well taken care of.....

 

[goldenIrishman]

Oh!!! BTW guys I found a supplier for CERAMIC rods. Man is that stuff EXPENSIVE! I think I'll deal with a tiny amount of steel and save my $$$$ on this project. I can always remove the steel with the magnet. The steel rods will last a long time and the ceramic ones would cost as much for two rods sized to fit the drum as I paid for all the steel to make them up.

 

[goldenIrishman]

Looks like you have your winter pretty well taken care of.....

LOL We're just starting our digging season down here John. Summer is our off time because of the heat. I can dress warm but since it's not advisable to prospect in the buff here summer digging will get you heat stroke.

 

[johnedoe]

Oh.. that's right , your in AZ....... I spent a little time in Apache Junction some years back.... never got into the gold though.

 

[goldenIrishman]

YUp... So while you're up there freezing your patootie off I'll be basking in nice temps working hard to relieve the State of Arizona of as much gold as possible. I think I should be able to do a pretty good job of it after all this research.

 

[johnedoe]

YUp... So while you're up there freezing your patootie off I'll be basking in nice temps working hard to relieve the State of Arizona of as much gold as possible. I think I should be able to do a pretty good job of it after all this research.

Well I won't be freezing anything off here, we have a pretty mild winter for the most part, just wet and sometimes stormy.
As for you............. We wish you Heavy Pans, and we expect great things from you this winter, don't disappoint us.......... No pressure though....lol

 

[mu50stang]

For the umpteenth TIME .......... READ THE PDF..................

http://www.geology.gov.yk.ca/pdf/141114_Nov1014_Grinding_for_Gold_Presentation.pdf

I did read the report. I was asking if anyone here has tried it with bbs to see if they had gotten a different result. Not sure what your censored means but grow up.

 

[johnedoe]

I did read the report. I was asking if anyone here has tried it with bbs to see if they had gotten a different result. Not sure what your censored means but grow up.

The concept here is to make the recovery of gold easier from the black sands and that is what the rod mill does.
While a ball mill has its place it is not practical or conducive to the recovery of fine gold from the cons since a ball mill pulverizes everything and tends to fold the gold instead of flattening it to increase it's surface area which makes the recovery so much easier when screening for the recovery.

 

[goldenIrishman]

Alright guys... We've been having a pleasant and educational discussion so far so let all keep playing nice. I'd hate to have yet another thread go down the tubes because of B.S. (and I DON'T mean black sands) that is uncalled for.

 

[goldenIrishman]

Got all the rods cut and the ends smoothed off and the first test batch running now. I had some -50/+70 stuff that I know had at least a few pieces of gold in it so we will see how much flattening action takes place. Very small batch to start with so I'll check it after a couple of hours and let you know what I find.

 

[mytimetoshine]

Got all the rods cut and the ends smoothed off and the first test batch running now. I had some -50/+70 stuff that I know had at least a few pieces of gold in it so we will see how much flattening action takes place. Very small batch to start with so I'll check it after a couple of hours and let you know what I find.

Run time is only 15 min

 

[johnedoe]

It's all cool.... I'm done with that discourse.

 

[johnedoe]

Alright guys... We've been having a pleasant and educational discussion so far so let all keep playing nice. I'd hate to have yet another thread go down the tubes because of B.S. (and I DON'T mean black sands) that is uncalled for.

It's all cool.... I'm done with that conversation.
Also as Mytimetoshine said the run times are generally only a few "10-15 minutes.. ya just have to play that one by ear though as I am sure the size of the drum and composition of the drum will certainly make a difference.

 

[mu50stang]

I purchased some rods today from HD also just haven't had time to cut them. I have all my 30 mesh and under cons from this season that are loaded with gold. Im debating on if I should run those or run some old worked cons and see if anything come out of them.

 

[johnedoe]

Do both, .... You may be surprised at what you find still in you worked cons.