Abstract: A process for separating relatively fine solid particles differing in size and specific gravity by the use of a heavy medium which includes magnetizable particles where a mixture containing the fine particles to be recovered and the heavy medium are fed under pressure to a specific gravity separating cyclone which divides the mixture into a relatively fine specifically light fraction from which the magnetizable particles of the heavy medium are subsequently removed for re-use in the system while the diluted flow of the fine specifically light particles to be recovered is fed to a thickening cyclone which separates the bulk of the particles from the carrying liquid; the fine particles are then recovered from a filter screen while a portion of the liquid is further used in the process to facilitate recovery of the magnetic particles from the specifically heavy fraction derived from the cyclone.