METHOD OF GRAVITY SEPARATION OF MINERALS AND APPARATUS TO THIS END Russian patent published in 2012 - IPC B03B5/38 

FIELD: process engineering.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to dressing of minerals, in particular, gold bearing sands. Proposed method comprises tangential feed of pulp into top working zone, forming pulp flow swirled crosswise and vortex flows inside chutes over their entire length wherein, at centrifugal forces acting on mineral particles, they are classified to density. Heavy particles are precipitated on inclined bottom of chutes to roll downward to make concentrate while light particles flow off the chute in swirling pump flow in tails. Intercone space is formed by setting limiting cone coaxially with concentrator cone. Said intercone space thickness is adjusted to maintain constant centrifugal force. Additionally, water is fed into intercone space working zone top part to form pulp and water flow swirling crosswise. Proposed apparatus comprises conical concentrator with cone-shaped working chamber with radially narrowing chutes, branch pipe for tangential feed of pulp and separation products unloading means. Said concentrator is furnished with limiting cone arranged coaxially with working chamber with adjustable clearance from chute wall edges. It comprises also water tangential feed branch pipe and pump feed branch pipe arranged at working chamber top section. Tail unloading means represent circular deflector arranged at cone bottom section coaxially with concentrate discharge opening.

EFFECT: higher efficiency of separation.

2 cl, 1 dwg