Laboratories: Hslab UB Hydroseparation laboratory
The HS-11 laboratory simulates natural beach placer deposits by combination of laminar water flow at constant pressure with diverse wave impulses (s. video). Dense mineral phases (e.g. gold, PGM, zircons) are collected at the bottom of the GST, whereas the light fraction rises to the top of the Glass Separation Tube (GST) and leaves the system. By using different GST, flow rates and impulse regimes the total amount of heavy mineral concentrates for each size fraction is reduced to about 0.1 mg (initial sample weights up to 3 kg). Hard rock samples can be disaggregated by Electric Pulse Disaggregation (EPD) technology previously to Hydroseparation.