Mineral Processing Case of Zimbabwe Sand Gold Mine

Background

A placer gold deposit in Mashonaland, Zimbabwe, faced significant processing challenges due to:

Highly variable gold particle size (0.1–3mm, with some -0.074mm fines)

High clay content (15%) and gravel (30% >5mm)

Low recovery rates (40–60%) with traditional single-step methodsv

The client required a low-cost, high-capacity (200+ tpd) processing solution without chemicals, capable of recovering both coarse and fine gold while operating reliably in humid conditions.

In response to the above challenges, we provided a production line comprising trommel screens, jig machines, sluice boxes, and shaking tables.

Key Achievements

Throughput: 240 tpd (exceeding design capacity)

Recovery: 83% (vs. original 40–60%)

Operational Cost: Reduced via low energy consumption and minimal maintenance

Environmental Impact: Zero chemicals, water recycling implemented

This integrated gravity separation system successfully addressed the challenges of clay-rich, variable-size alluvial gold ore in Zimbabwe. The combination of trommel, jig, sluice, and shaking table technologies ensured high recovery of both coarse and fine gold while maintaining low operating costs and environmental sustainability. The solution demonstrates strong adaptability to humid climates and offers a replicable model for similar deposits globally.