Ball And Rod Mill For Small Scale Mining

Description And Advantages

Philippine researchers at the Mines and Geo-Sciences Bureau (MGB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources have come up with a ball and rod mill for small-scale panning operations. It is claimed to be suitable for high-grade lode deposit or residual gold placers.

The process consists of

• Passing gold-veined rocks through the ball and mill
• Roasting in a ground bed until brittle
• Oxidizing the pyrite
• Smelting by adding borax, silica and soda ash to concentrates for metal flux
• Preheating in porcelain crucible in deepbedded charcoal bed
• Heating to 1,000°C for metal separation
• Cooling to harden metal to gold bits

The mill is driven by an internal combustion engine, with a revolving rate of 40 to 60 rpm. Milling capacity is claimed to be 100 kg of rocks per hour.

Part of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the MGB was set up to develop technologies for transfer to industry.

For more information, contact

The Director
Mines and Geo-Sciences Bureau
North Avenue, Diliman
Quezon City, Philipipines
Tel: (632) 928-8937; Fax: (632) 920-1635

Source

Global Business Oppertunities, May-June 2002