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Mechanical Concentration - PPT

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13 views16 pages

Mechanical Concentration - PPT

Uploaded by

bharat singh
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Mechanical Concentration

• Natural separation of heavy minerals from light minerals


by virtue of gravity while being transported by water or
air

• The deposits formed by such process are called placer


deposits

• Placer minerals must have:


• High specific gravity
• Resistant to chemical weathering
• Durable
(Gold, Platinum, Tinstone, Ilmenite, Rutile, Zircon,
Monazite etc.)
Mechanical Concentration
Two ends of the process are:

1. Freeing of the placer minerals form source

2. Concentration of these placer minerals during


transportation by some medium
Mechanical Concentration
1. Freeing of the placer minerals form source:

• The place minerals must not undergo any kind of


chemical weathering and should be mechanically
separated from the matrix at source

• The sources may be:

Commercial mineralized zone

Non‐commercial mineralized zone

Rock
Mechanical Concentration
2. Concentration of these placer minerals during
transportation by some medium

Effective separation is achieved by suitable convergence of


several factors such as:

• Specific gravity

• Size

• Shape

• Ability of the medium to transport the minerals


Mechanical Concentration
2. Concentration of these placer minerals during
transportation by some medium

Effective separation is achieved by suitable convergence of


several factors such as:
Specific gravity:

• The heavier minerals (ex. Gold, Sp. Gr. ≈ 19) sinks rapidly than
lighter ones (ex. Quartz, Sp. Gr. ≈ 2.6) of same size

• Difference in specific gravity is accentuated in a particular


medium
Air Water
𝑺𝒑.𝑮𝒓.𝒐𝒇 𝒈𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝟏𝟗 𝑺𝒑.𝑮𝒓.𝒐𝒇 𝒈𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝟏𝟗 𝟏
= =7.3 = =11
𝑺𝒑.𝑮𝒓.𝒐𝒇 𝒒𝒖𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒛 𝟐.𝟔 𝑺𝒑.𝑮𝒓.𝒐𝒇 𝒒𝒖𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒛 𝟐.𝟔 𝟏
Mechanical Concentration
2. Concentration of these placer minerals during
transportation by some medium

Effective separation is achieved by suitable convergence of


several factors such as:

Shape:

• Exposure of specific surface to the medium

• Spherical particles have lesser surface area, so experience


lesser friction in medium and sinks rapidly than other shaped
particles of equal weight and size
Mechanical Concentration
2. Concentration of these placer minerals during
transportation by some medium

Effective separation is achieved by suitable convergence of


several factors such as: Two spherical particles of
Size: same weight having
different size Medium is water

• Larger one have more surface than the


smaller one

• Smaller particle experiences less friction


by the medium

• The smaller particle will sink more


rapidly than the larger one
Mechanical Concentration
2. Concentration of these placer minerals during
transportation by some medium

Several factors play key role for separation of these placer


minerals
Ability of the medium to transport the minerals :

• If velocity of medium is not enough then placers minerals will


hardly be transported

• If velocity is too high all the material will move

• An optimum velocity is required for selective separation of


heavy minerals from the light ones
Mechanical Concentration
Major types of placer deposits:

Alluvial Placer Deposits: formed by stream

Eluvial Placer: formed by movement of sediments on hill


slope

Eolian Placer: formed by wind

Beach Placer: formed by wave and shore action along


seashores
Mechanical Concentration
Major types of placer deposits:
Alluvial Placer

• Most important types of placer deposits which have


yielded greatest quantity of gold, platinum, tinstone and
precious stones

• Primitive mining started on such deposits

• Ease of mining and richness of some deposits are reason


behind major gold and diamond “rushes” of the world
Mechanical Concentration
Major types of placer deposits:
Alluvial Placer

• Flowing water with high velocity brings the mineral from


source

• The flowing water loses it velocity at several places such


as bends and natural riffles where heavy minerals drops
to the bottom

• Jiggling action is effective in concentration of placer


minerals at bottom of gravel
Mechanical Concentration
Major types of placer deposits:
• Velocity of water is high at outer
Alluvial Placer concave curve (cut bank) and
Places of Accumulation (Meander) velocity of water is slow at inner
convex bank where point bars are
Cut bank formed

• Condition is suitable at inner


convex bank for deposition of
placer minerals

• Hence, placer deposits are


associated with point bars

• Placer deposits are not formed in


meanders present at extreme
downstream of streams where
Inner convex bank Point Bar velocity of water is very slow
Mechanical Concentration
Major types of placer deposits:
Alluvial Placer
Places of Accumulation (Riffle) • Presence of inclined or vertical
hard and soft rocks on the
Site for accumulation of placer minerals channel of river

• Harder rocks are less eroded than


softer ones and tends to project
upward. Natural riffles are
formed

• These riffles are suitable places


for accumulation of placer
minerals

Soft Rock Hard Rock


Mechanical Concentration
Major types of placer deposits:
Eluvial Placer
• Lose martials form mineralized
zone on the top fall over the slope
of hills

• Lighter minerals swept by water


or blown by wind. The heavier
minerals are concentrated and
may form placer deposits

• Eluvial placers are considered as


primary stage of formation of
placers by stream
Mechanical Concentration
Major types of placer deposits:
Beach Placer
• Placer deposits are formed along the seashore by wave and shore
action

• Waves put materials on beach. Backwash and undertow carry out


the lighter minerals

• The lighter minerals are moved faster than the heavy ones by the
shore current thus heavy minerals are concentrated

• Sources of placer minerals:


Streams that debouches upon the coast
Erosion of sea terraces and gravels by waves
Wave erosion of rocky shores
Wave encroachment upon former near stream terraces
Mechanical Concentration
Major types of placer deposits:
Eolian Placer

• Eolian placers are found in arid regions

• Lighter minerals are blown away by wind

• Heavy minerals are left behind which may for a placer


deposits

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