Sepro Mineral Systems Corp.
THE METALS WE RECOVER WITH GRAVITY CONCENTRATION TECHNOLOGY
Sepro’s Falcon series of gravity concentrators allow operators to recover a diverse range of metals and minerals down to a possible three microns in size. The metals that we help recover are used every single day in ways you might not realize, such as in beauty products and car exhaust systems. Gravity concentration is a vital part of collecting these elements from low-quality ore, optimizing the recovery rates of your mineral processing project.
Metals And Minerals We Can Recover
Below are some of the metals that we can effectively recover with our Falcon SB series. Part Two will have information about our Falcon C and UF models.
Gold
Let’s start with the most famous element: gold. People have placed a high value on gold for thousands of years. We’ve travelled across countries, moved mountains, and made extensive technological advances to extract gold throughout the centuries. Yet, what most of us don’t realize is that gold can be found in microscopic quantities all over the world! The only continent where we don’t find gold is Antarctica.
Gravity concentration is an effective and economical method to recover and collect the tiny specks of gold encased in gold ore. Sepro has helped companies like TMAC achieve record levels of gold recovery with this technology.
Gold is arguably the most useful metal on our planet. The properties of gold allow it to conduct electricity, be drawn into wire, combine with other metals to form alloys and be melted and cast into intricate shapes. Plus, gold does not tarnish! It also boasts that brilliant colour and radiance we all immediately recognize.
The top three uses for gold include
- Making jewellery
- Use in modern technology like laptops and smartphones
- Being melted and minted into coins
Silver
Known as the “white metal,” silver is more abundant than gold and is a top thermal and electrical conductor. It is rarely found in a pure nugget form but rather mixed in with other metals, ores, and chemicals. Through mineral processing including gravity concentration, we can collect silver economically.
Gold may be the most useful metal on the planet, but it is not the most practical. At a current cost of over $1,300 per ounce, gold is only used when necessary in manufacturing industries. Silver, on the other hand, costs only $16 per ounce making it a far more common choice for consumer goods.
Silver is best known for its use in fancy tableware, coins and jewellery, but these goods are making up less and less of overall silver consumption. The conductive properties of silver make it an essential ingredient in tech products and batteries. Silver is also anti-microbial, non-toxic, and can be woven into thin, fibre-like wires, a feature which expands its usage into multiple industries.
Check and see if your deodorant has silver chloride, or if your workout shirt has silver fibres woven into it. Since silver kills bacteria, it can remove odours caused by sweat. Some other interesting uses for silver include:
- Dental work, like fillings
- Producing solar panels
- Helping with odour elimination as an ingredient in laundry detergent
- Coating ball bearings in jet engines
Platinum Group Metals
Six different elements make up the platinum group metals (PGMs). They are platinum, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, and iridium.
These six elements bear similar physical and chemical properties and are often found together in the same deposits. With gravity concentration, we can recover these exceptionally rare PGMs.
Platinum, the most well-known PGM, is incredibly rare, much rarer than gold or silver. Its most well-known use is for making jewellery, but that is not its most common application. Approximately 50% of the platinum used each year is in the automotive industry. Platinum, palladium and sometimes rhodium are used in catalytic converters for internal combustion engines.
Essentially these PGMs are integrated into your car exhaust system, and they convert toxic gasses and pollutants from your engine into milder compounds before they are expelled out the back of your vehicle. Every catalytic converter contains some kind of PGM.
Recovering gold, silver, and PGMs can be a complicated process. Luckily the Falcon SB Gravity Concentrator can recover these metals in a high-efficiency way thanks to a maximum force of 200Gs. To get started, speak to a Sepro expert about gravity concentration today.
Source: https://seprosystems.com/the-metals-we-recover-with-gravity-concentration-technology/
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Sepro Mineral Systems Corp. is a rapidly expanding Canadian company (Langley, British Columbia) operating internationally in the mining, metals, and construction aggregates industries. Sepro’s core business for the last 25+ years has been the supply of mineral processing equipment, metallurgical testing and process consulting.