The mmmg of alluvial gold involves many deposits of the Mesozoic, Tertiary, and Quaternary Ages in processing. Major features of the composition of such alluvial deposits are the low content of gold and the small size of the gold particles. At present, the gold-miners treat alluvial deposits in which a portion of fme gold (0.25 mm) exceeds 45 per cent. It is expected that by 2000 these resources will be the main deposits mined (Zamyatin et aI, 1991).
Under real industrial conditions the losses of minus 0.25 mm metal are 50 per cent and more. The low level of recovery of fine gold is observed not only at concentrators equipped with sluices, but also at concentrators equipped with modern diaphragm and pistonless jigs (Table 1).