Types of gold shaker tables
Unlike traditional tables, the working tables for gold separation have a variety of complex mechanisms designed to exploit the physical and chemical properties of minerals. The main mechanisms are the longitudinal and transverse flow movements. Heavy materials sink into the table while lighter materials move along the surface and are eventually separated. Usually, a table has grooves built into it to assist with separation.
A shaker table for gold recovery usually comes with some mining machinery makers that help with the process:
- Shaker table with crusher: The role of the gold ore crusher is to break down the ore so that the material is fed into the shaker table at the correct size. These crushers can handle capacities up to 300 tons/hour.
- Shaker table with washer: Gold ore is usually found in the rock and soil in wet places. A gold wash plant is used to dry and separate gold ore from the dirt and rocks through washing and screening. It prepares the material for further processing on the shaker table. Gold washer machines include vibrating screens, washing trommels, sand washing machines, and log washers.
- Shaker table with spiral chute: The spiral chute works on the same principles as the shaker table, where gravity and motion are used to separate different minerals. While the spiral chute has a smaller capacity, some gold separation processes may use the spiral chute before the shaker table.
Often the above-mentioned machinery will come together into a gold recovery machine kit:
- Gold recovery machine: This set usually consists of a gold mining shaker table, gold wash plant, and sometimes spiral chute or gold separator machine. The exact configuration will depend upon the type of gold ore and deposit and customer requirements.
Specification and maintenance of gold shaker tables
Specifications of gold separating shaker tables vary depending on models and manufacturers. The following details represent the shaker table generally.
- Table length: The gold shaker table generally has a length range of 1-4 meters, and its width is 0.5-1.5 meters. The table is designed to be longer and wider to increase the ore processing capacity.
- Ore processing capacity: The shaker tables with different sizes process ore in different capacities. The gold shaker table with a 3-meter lengths and 1.2-meter width processes about 2.5 tons of ore per hour.
- Inclination angle: The gold shaker table's working surface is slanted at 0-5 degrees. The inclination angle creates a direction of tide that separates mineral particles along with the table surface. The inclination angle is adjustable and changes the separation effect.
- Frequency of lateral movement: The frequency of a shaker table's lateral movement is 60-150 times per minute, and the distance varies depending on the gravity of mineral particles. The lateral movement enables mineral particles to settle and be classified according to their gravity.
- Power: The gold shaker table consumes different levels of power according to its size and capacity. A shaker table with a 2.4-meter length and 1.2-meter width consumes about 0.5kw/h.
It is vital to maintain the shaker table regularly to ensure stable operation and separation efficiency. Here are some maintenance tips:
- Regular clean-up: Regular clean-up is important to remove mineral residues and impurities from gold shaker tables. A clean-up helps prevent table surfaces, pipelines, and equipment from being blocked, thereby avoiding contamination of separating products.
- Lubrication: Regular lubrication of the shaker table lubricates its moving parts, such as bearings and sliding blocks. Lubricating them reduces frictional wear and ensures smooth movement.
- Inspection of fasteners: Regular inspection of fasteners, such as bolts and nuts, ensures they are fastened steadily and prevents looseness and shake during operation.
- Electrical maintenance: Conduct regular electrical maintenance for the shaker table. Check its electrical connections and insulation conditions, and avoid electrical leakage and safety hazards by ensuring proper electrical connections.
- Routine maintenance schedule: Develop a routine maintenance schedule, and operate according to this schedule. It is important to periodically inspect and repair key parts to ensure the continuous operation and stability of separation functions.
Industry scenarios of gold shaker tables
A gold shaker table is most commonly used in mining industries and laboratories. Some specific scenarios include the following.
- Mining operations: Gold shaker tables are primarily used in small-scale or artisanal gold mining operations. Such operations may be located along riverbanks, coastal beaches, and desert riverbeds where gold-bearing ore is found. A shaker table is popular among these miners because it is easy to use and affordable. Moreover, it does not require complicated installation procedures. Miners may use it to separate gold ore from sand or gravel.
- Gold recovery industry: Gold shaker tables are used in the gold recovery industry to extract gold from tailings. Tailings are materials left over after the most valuable minerals have been extracted. They often still contain small quantities of gold and other minerals. Using a shaker table to process tailings can be a cost-effective way to recover additional gold that was not extracted during the initial mining process.
- Laboratories: In geology or materials science laboratories, shaker tables separate metals from other mineral materials. This may be for research purposes, testing new techniques for gold extraction, or analyzing the composition of specific mineral samples. The shaker table's precision makes it an ideal tool for such experiments.
- Environmental remediation: Some places need environmental remediation to remove hazardous materials that can be toxic to human beings and environmental health. A shaker table can be used to separate such materials from non-toxic ones. For example, heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, and zinc can be found in specific mineral materials. Using a table to separate them can prevent these metals from causing any further environmental or human health hazards.
How to choose gold shaker tables
When buying a shaker table for gold recovery, it is important to refurbish the tables and test them before making the final purchase. The suppliers should have a return policy that allows investors to return the tables if they do not work as expected.
Refurbished tables should be offered at a low price, but the wearing parts like carpets, frames, and rails should be in good condition. Moreover, the suppliers should offer a warranty for a specific period covering technical issues that may arise during use.
Testing the tables before shipment is important as they should be tested with different mixtures to see how well they perform. The suppliers should offer samples of how the tables perform and should be ready to discuss the findings with investors.
The offer report should include the mineral composition, gold recovery percentage, and feeding techniques discussed in the sample tests. Only buy shaker tables from suppliers that offer this in-depth analysis and other details required to use the table successfully.
When buying shaker tables in bulk, it is important to negotiate the price. The unit cost will be lower when buying in bulk, so it is important to get a good offer when ordering more than one table.
Inquire if the supplier has a technician specializing in shaker table repairs. If the table breaks down, it is essential to get quick repair services so that production is not interrupted for a long time. The technician should be readily available to offer services in a short period.
The delivery services offered by the supplier should be in compliance with the regulations so that the table arrives in good condition. The supplier should package the table well and secure it in the shipping container. The shipment tracking services should be provided so that the buyer knows the exact location of the table shipping container.
Lastly, the payment methods should be diverse so that it is easy to make the payment after all terms and conditions have been agreed upon and signed.
Gold shaker table FAQ
Q1: How does the gold shaker table work?
A1: The working process of the gold shaker table can be divided into three stages: feeding, separation, and discharging.
At first, ores mixed with water were pumped into the feed boat through the feeding system. Then, the ore pulp would be separated into different density mineral parts under the influence of the shaking movement and the flow of water. Finally, minerals of different densities would be washed out from different channels.
Q2: What kinds of materials can shaker tables process?
A2: Shaker tables could deal with materials of all sizes. Normally, they could separate minerals ranging from coarse to fine. In addition, shaker tables are suitable for various mineral materials, such as metallic minerals like gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, iron, and others, as well as non-metallic minerals like diamonds, barite, fluorite, and others.
Q3: What are the advantages of the gold shaker table?
A3: The gold shaker table has many advantages. It is an energy-saving and environmentally friendly equipment. The working process of the shaker table does not need to add any chemicals to the ore, which is beneficial to the surrounding environment. In addition, the shaker table can concentrate minerals with a high recovery rate and has a comparatively low operating cost.