My First Run On A Fluid Bed Concentrator

[John-Edmonton]

I got a hold of an older fluid bed concentrator. Basically, you introduce sand to a cylinder of bubbling water cause by the introduction of pressurized water from a small bilge pump. The unit is set to float out sand, some black sands and keep the "heavies" such as gold and some black sands. It does not concentrate the concentrates as fine or accurately as the " Gold Goblin," but reduces the overall concentrates.

I recently spoke with Chris from Alberta Gold Equipment about these types of units and he expressed an interest of possibly designing and selling his own type of fluid bed concentrator.

My goal is to run my concentrates through my concentrator, while at the same time running the fluid bed concentrator concentrates immediately down my micro sluice, performing 2 operations at the same time.
Hey, It's all fun! Got to keep busy

 

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[Goodyguy]

I like it!
Just be sure to double check your magnetic black sand tailings from your magnet for gold that gets trapped between particles in the glob

GG~

 

[John-Edmonton]

I like it!
Just be sure to double check your magnetic black sand tailings from your magnet for gold that gets trapped between particles in the glob

GG~

Thanks......that was the plan.

 

[Jason in Enid]

What I do is to pull as much BS as I can while I'm working it (wet). Put those in a tub and get them completely dry, spread out into a very thin layer and run the magnet over it again. The biggest problem with magnetics is the gold that gets stuck in between pieces of BS when its wet.

 

[John-Edmonton]

What I do is to pull as much BS as I can while I'm working it (wet). Put those in a tub and get them completely dry, spread out into a very thin layer and run the magnet over it again. The biggest problem with magnetics is the gold that gets stuck in between pieces of BS when its wet.

I have my concentrates drying at the moment for that next move.

 

[N-Lionberger]

I got one of those spin it off magnets, I really like it. I dry the sand in a big steel pan on a stove and then spread it out over a large aluminum baking sheet and go at it. I don't usually bother doing so until I have a lot of black sand.

 

[John-Edmonton]

I got one of those spin it off magnets, I really like it. I dry the sand in a big steel pan on a stove and then spread it out over a large aluminum baking sheet and go at it. I don't usually bother doing so until I have a lot of black sand.

I like your method! Much simpler then making 3 piles from each pile. After all, the non-magnetics will go through my miller table for final separation.

 

[panningjack]

I like your method! Much simpler then making 3 piles from each pile. After all, the non-magnetics will go through my miller table for final separation.

View attachment 1779092

That’s a nice one! Did you build or buy it?

 

[John-Edmonton]

That’s a nice one! Did you build or buy it?

Do you mean the miller table of the fluid bed concentrator?

 

[panningjack]

Do you mean the miller table of the fluid bed concentrator?

Miller table

 

[John-Edmonton]

Miller table

A local guy builds them... AGE (Alberta Gold Equipment). Here's a quick video I made last year.

 

[Chris.Atom]

We have all sorts of colors also!! Im really like the orange these days. Thinking that will be my colour of choice for my mega HEX trommel coming this spring.

 

[John-Edmonton]

I am going to add some "V" matting to the AGE miller table, and use it as a micro sluice to clean my black sand. It will be a double use piece of equipment.

 

[panningjack]

View attachment 1779370
We have all sorts of colors also!! Im really like the orange these days. Thinking that will be my colour of choice for my mega HEX trommel coming this spring.

Those are nice looking units. I’ve never bought gold mining equipment, always build my own. But I would get one of these if the price is right

 

[panningjack]

View attachment 1779390

I am going to add some "V" matting to the AGE miller table, and use it as a micro sluice to clean my black sand. It will be a double use piece of equipment.

View attachment 1779391

Take a look at vortex matting aka rough top conveyor belt. It’s what I use in my dredge and it traps the gold to the point of making it hard to get off the mat. A good problem to have, right?!

 

[John-Edmonton]

Take a look at vortex matting aka rough top conveyor belt. It’s what I use in my dredge and it traps the gold to the point of making it hard to get off the mat. A good problem to have, right?!

I have some of that vortex matting which I sometimes use on my high-banker with 1/2" expanded mesh.

 

[N-Lionberger]

So whats the inside of the fluid bed chamber look like?

 

[John-Edmonton]

So whats the inside of the fluid bed chamber look like?

It's long and cylindrical. It has a plastic pipe in the center of it, with numerous holes drilled into it. This tube supports the water, under pressure. As you add your concentrates, the volume decreases on the cylinder, causing increase of "boiling" which forces the lighter material out. Next year, I am going to run this unit directly onto my micro sluice. In theory, my flour gold removal should increase.

I's shoot you a photo of the inside here when I have a moment. I am just in the middle of making bird feeding suet. It's getting cold up here and my feathered buddies are getting hungry.

Crazy bird.....I am just ready to pull the trigger on my camera, when he suddenly turns around and moons me.

 

[John-Edmonton]

I have some of that vortex matting which I sometimes use on my high-banker with 1/2" expanded mesh.

Here's a pic of the inside of the fluid bed concentrator. Beside it is the gold I retrieved from 3/4 of a bucket of previously run concentrates.