The Wolff Batch Centrifugal Concentrator (Wolff), a groundbreaking technology designed to transform gold processing by utilising “dirty” water. This ‘first of its kind’ innovation enables mining companies to recycle water efficiently, addressing water stewardship and enhancing sustainability, while reducing maintenance costs and requirements.
The mining industry is committed to enhancing water management practices while also improving efficiency, safety, and productivity. In some locations, mines face the challenge of having no or very limited access to fresh water. The Wolff gravity-based, batch centrifugal concentration (BCC) system helps meet these challenges by enabling mines to operate using non-potable water, including both recycled and contaminated sources.
A recently released case study highlights the benefits of the Gekko Wolff Concentrator at Kaiser Reef’s processing plant in Maldon, Victoria.
The absence of a gravity circuit at the processing plant has led to the increase of significant quantities of coarse gold accumulating in the milling circuit. To recover the coarse gold that was being held up in gold traps (mill discharge hopper and cyclone underflow launder) frequent manual cleaning had to be carried out to prevent a drop in recovery. As a result, metal accounting has become a challenging task due to the variable nature of manually recovering free gold from the gold traps.
These issues have had an impact on the overall plant recovery, highlighting the need for a gravity concentrator. However, the small throughput made it challenging to use traditional gravity concentrators because of the large volume of clean water required.
The introduction of the Gekko Wolff Concentrator at the processing plant in Maldon has effectively addressed the challenges presented by the absence of a gravity circuit. The Wolff’s innovative design, particularly its capability for handling dirty process water and its easily maintainable segmented bowl, has enhanced operational reliability, while addressing water stewardship.
Contact Gekko to learn more about this ground-breaking innovation or download the case study.
