Abstract: A gold pan and method of panning. A concave pan with lip and an array of curved ribs with linear central regions coupled to and extending above and forward from lip, each rib including a cavity oriented to be orthogonal to the concavity of the pan to trap material flowing thereover. The lip has a front region with a greater radius of curvature than a radius of curvature of a back region. There are a plurality of finishing fins extending into an interior of the concave pan from a back wall or side wall thereof. Panning is performed by disposing particulate material within a provided pan; flowing material over the ribs; flowing material over a plurality of finishing fins; collecting particulate material in a corner of a flat bottom; tipping the pan; and tapping a side thereof to separate heavies.

Abstract: A method of alleviating dust in the early stages of metal ore processing, such as copper ore, through mining the ore through concentration involves spraying and wetting crushed ore rock and ground particles and dust at least several of a series of locations with a dust suppressant containing major amounts of water plus minor amounts of an additive combination of glycerol and a selected non-ionic surfactant, and passing the wetted particles and dust to a metal concentrator where the additive combination does not interfere with metal concentration yield.

Abstract: There is disclosed a process and an apparatus for beneficiating a mineral ore, such as phosphate-containing ore, in a substantially vertical column. The feed subjected to the benefication preferably has a particle size of less than 20 mesh. The feed is introduced into the column, containing at least one baffle, into which there is also introduced a gas at the bottom portion thereof and a liquid through at least one column inlet at the top of the column. The baffle and the rates of introduction of the feed, the gas, and the liquid are such as to create relatively high turbulence conditions within the column. The enriched, beneficiated product is removed at the top of the column, while the waste products, such as silica-containing material, in the case of a phosphate ore, are recovered at the bottom of the column.

Abstract: A method of recovering a precious metal from an ore comprises treating the ore with a cyanide solution and simultaneously treating the ore with mercury to cause amalgamation with the precious mineral.

Abstract: A method of recovering gold from an ore containing micron gold or gold dust is disclosed. The gold is recovered by providing a silver coated surface, coating the silver coated surface with mercury, washing a mixture of ore and water over the mercury such that an amalgam of gold and mercury is created on the silver coated surface, removing the amalgam from the silver coated surface, and heating the amalgam. The same method may be used to recover platinum from an ore containing micron platinum or platinum dust and also to recover silver from an ore containing micron silver or silver dust.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the separation of gold from particulate material containing gold, which comprises introducing a hydrophobic liquid, a non-gold particulate hydrophobic bulking material and particulate, gold containing material into an aqueous liquid so that the hydrophobic liquid becomes associated with the gold and, in conjunction with the non-gold particulate hydrophobic material, forms gold bearing agglomerates bonded by the hydrophobic liquid, and separating the gold bearing agglomerates from the aqueous liquid.