Abstract: A method of separately extracting mercury and gold from mine tailings includes a centrifugal separator comprising a centrifuge bowl having a plurality of annular rings on the peripheral surface. An outer bowl or sleeve member provides a jacket from which water is injected through holes in the inner bowl into recesses between the annular rings. Feed materials containing gold and mercury are separated so that the gold and mercury is collected with the heavies in the recesses. The liquid mercury escapes through the holes in the inner bowl onto the inner surface of the outer bowl which is provided with an annular receptacle and is shaped to collect the mercury at the receptacle axially spaced from the open mouth of the bowl. A plurality of outlets in the annular receptacle allow the escape of the mercury into a secondary launder inside the outer launder for the main discharge materials from the open mouth.

Abstract: A method of yielding selectively a desired enrichment in a specific isotope including the steps of inputting into a spinning chamber a gas from which the specific isotope is to be isolated, radiating the gas with frequencies characteristic of the absorption of a particular isotope of the atomic or molecular gas, thereby inducing a photoionization reaction of the desired isotope, and collecting the specific isotope ion by suitable ion collection means.