FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to mineral processing. In particular, the invention relates to a mobile processing plant.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The inventors are aware of existing mineral processing techniques and existing mineral processing plants. However, the existing installations are permanent installations and not suitable to processing smaller amounts of mineral containing gravel. Furthermore, none of the existing plants are easily transportable.

The present invention aims to address this shortcoming.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided

a mobile processing plant, which contains

a scrubber disposed at an angle into which mineral containing gravel is receivable;

a vibrating screen disposed at an outlet of the scrubber, into which mineral containing gravel originating from the scrubber is receivable;

an aqua concentrator, disposed at an outlet of the vibrating screens, the aqua concentrator having a mechanical floatation mechanism to separate ore exceeding a predefined specific gravity from ore with a lower specific gravity; an auger in flow communication with the aqua concentrator, from which ore with a lower specific gravity is receivable, the auger further having a conveyor to transport the ore with a lower specific gravity to a disposal outlet; at least one cyclone in flow communication with the aqua concentrator, the cyclone arranged to separate particles exceeding a predefined specific gravity from particles with a lower specific gravity; and

transport means for transporting the mobile processing plant.

The scrubber may have a reverse feed input at one end, a helical conveyor mechanism for feeding gravel from the one end and an output end, proximate the end of the helical conveyor mechanism. The scrubber may include crushing means in the form of stationary, radially extending fingers disposed in the helical conveyor mechanism. The helical conveyor mechanism may be provided in the form of helical blades disposed inside a tube.

The vibrating screen may include pressure sprayers directed at the screen surface, onto which the gravel is receivable, in use to wash ore on the screen surface. The vibrating screen may include vibration means in the form of at least one imbalanced rotating flywheel. The vibrating screen may include screens with predefined apertures, selected to retain gravel of a predefined size onto the screen and to pass ore with a smaller size through the screens. The auger may be disposed at an angle, a bottom end which is receptive to light materials from the aqua concentrator and an upper end from which lighter materials are discarded.

The aqua concentrator may include a screen having predefined apertures disposed at a predefined level in the aqua concentrator to collect particles larger than the predefined screen apertures on the screen and permitting particles smaller than the predefined screen apertures to pass through. The aqua concentrator may include water inlet means at a lower portion of the concentrator, water outlet means at a higher portion of the concentrator and a pumping arrangement for pumping water from the water input means upwards towards the water outlet means. The pumping arrangement may include pulsating means arranged to induce pulses in the water flow. The transport means may be in the form of a trailer chassis, a crane frame, or the like.

The invention will now be described by way of a non-limiting example only, with reference to the following drawing.

DRAWINGS

In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows a three dimensional view of a mobile processing plant, in accordance with one aspect of the invention;

Figure 2 shows a an exploded view of the mobile processing plant of Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 shows a scrubber of the mobile processing plant of Figure 1 ;

Figure 4 shows a vibrating screen of the mobile processing plant of Figure 1 ; Figure 5 shows an aqua concentrator of the mobile processing plant of Figure 1 ;

Figure 6 shows an auger of the mobile processing plant of Figure 1 ; and

Figure 7 shows a Cyclone of the mobile processing plant of Figure 1.

EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

Figures 1 and 2 show a mobile processing plant 10, which includes a scrubber 30, a vibrating screen 50, an aqua concentrator 70, an auger 90 and cyclones 1 10, see Figure 7. The mobile processing plant 10 further includes a generator (not shown) to power the plant.

The mobile processing plant is mounted on a trailer 130.

The scrubber 30, which is shown also in Figure 3 is provided with a tubular feed 32, with a helical inner blade 34 running on the inside length of the feed 32. An intake end 36 is provided with a gravel receptacle 38 and a gravel scoop 40. An outlet end 42 of the feed 32 is provided with radially extending fingers 44 which remain stationary, in use. The inlet end 36 is located lower than the outlet end 42, in use with the receptacle 38 and the feed 32 rotating about an axle 46.

In use, gravel is scooped into the receptacle 38 and upon rotation of the feed, the gravel is grinded and progresses upward along the helical inner blade 34 towards the outlet end 42. The fingers 44 break the gravel up before it is disposed at the outlet end 42.

The vibrating screen 50, shown in Figure 4, is positioned at the outlet end 42 of the scrubber 30. The vibrating screen is provided with an inlet end 52, where the gravel from the scrubber is disposed and an outlet end 54, towards which the gravel progresses. A set of imbalanced flywheels 56 provides for the vibration of the screen, in use. The vibrating screen 50 is provided with screens 58, with predetermined apertures. The imbalanced flywheels 56 in combination with 4 rubber mountings (not shown) on which the screen rests, creates the required vibrating motion. The rubber mountings are custom made using a specific prescribed rubber mix. The flywheels 56 and rubber mounting work together, removing one or the other will render the vibrating screen useless. In use, gravel falling onto the screens 58 is sprayed with high pressure sprayers (not shown) and then propagates along the length of the vibrating screen 50 towards the outlet end 54 under the influence of the vibrations caused by the set of imbalanced flywheels 56. Predetermined sized mineral containing ore falls through the screen apertures and is passed through chutes 60 into the aqua concentrator 70. Larger sized gravel propagates to be discarded at the outlet end 54.

The aqua concentrator 70, see Figure 5, has two chambers 72, 74, each of which is provided with a screen 72.1 , 74.1 onto which the mineral containing ore with a specific gravity of more than 2 will settle. Smaller particles with a specific gravity of more than 2 would settle through the screens 72.1 , 74.1 downwards to the cyclones 1 10. Water is pumped from the bottom of each of the chambers 72, 74 in a pulsating fashion upwards through the screens 72.1 , 74.1 and out at the exit points 72.2, 74.2. Particles with a specific gravity of less than 2 will float off towards the exit points 72.2 and 74.2. The pulsating water flow in the chambers 72, 74 generate bubbles and provide a separation action, which separates particles based on their specific gravity.

At the bottom of the aqua concentrator are two cyclones 1 10, one of which is shown in Figure 7. The cyclone 1 10 collects all particles that passed through the screens 72.1 , 72.4 and again separates small particles with a specific gravity of more than 2 from small particles with a specific gravity of less than 2. The cyclone 1 10 operates by causing a vortex that separates the particles. Water flows into the cyclone 1 10 at 1 12 and exists the cyclone at 1 14 together with particles with a specific gravity of less than 2. Particles with a specific gravity of more than 2 settles into the cyclone and exits at 1 16, where it is collected into a container (not shown). Connected to the aqua concentrator 70 is an auger 90. Water flowing from the aqua concentrator is passed into the auger 90. The auger 90 has three functions namely:

Wasting of light material with a specific gravity below 2 received from the aqua concentrator.

- Generating water pressure within the aqua concentrator and cyclones 1 10, 1 12.

Recycling water between itself and the aqua concentrator.

In use, all material with a specific gravity of below 2 will be wasted by the aqua concentrator (Fig. 5) at points 74.2 and 72.2. This material will make its way through to the auger 90. The auger 90 is fitted with a spiral (not shown) that in a controlled manner carries the light material upwards and waste it to the side of the machine. In Fig. 6 the gravel will enter the auger on the left side at 90 and the gravel will exit the auger 90 at the right hand side of Fig. 6. The auger is essential for the effective operation of the aqua concentrator and cyclones. The auger creates water pressure between itself, the aqua concentrator and cyclones. Internal valves (not shown) within the aqua concentrator allows water to flow between the auger and aqua concentrator without affecting the concentrating capabilities of the aqua concentrator. Very fine material with a specific gravity of above 2 that fall through the aqua concentrator internal screens will be directed towards the cyclones, away from the auger that will receive all light material of all sizes with a specific gravity below 2. The cyclones need the water pressure generated by the aqua concentrator and auger to function, as this pressure supply the smaller material from the aqua concentrators that need to be concentrated and also the water pressure needed to create the vortex within the cyclones. In use, the auger recycles the water within the aqua concentrator. If not for this function, the processing plant would need 10 times more water feed per hour to function properly. With this design, the processing plant only uses 6000 L of new water per hour. In use, gravel is fed into the gravel receptacle 38 while it is rotating, the gravel scoop 40 takes gravel, which is then fed into the scrubber tubular feed 32. The gravel progresses upwardly under influence of the helical inner blade 34 and is further broken down by the radially extending fingers 44 and is disposed at the outlet end 42 from where it falls onto the vibrating screen 50. The gravel is washed by high pressure sprays (not shown) and progresses over the screens 58 towards the outlet end 54 where large gravel is disposed. Mineral containing ore passes through the screen 58 apertures and via chutes 60 into the aqua concentrator 70.

Mineral containing ore with a specific gravity of 2 or higher settles into the concentrator 70 on the screens 72.1 and 74.1. Small sized particles with a specific gravity of 2 or higher passes through the screens 72.1 and 74.1 and into the cyclones 1 10.

Excess ore with a specific gravity lower than 2 is disposed from the aqua concentrator into the auger 90 from where it is disposed. The cyclone 1 10 separates particles with a specific gravity of 2 or higher, which is disposed at the outlet 1 16 from particles with a specific gravity of lower than 2 which is disposed at the outlet 1 14.

The inventor believes that the invention, as described and illustrated provides a new mobile processing plant, which will be of particular use in the small mining industry. In particular, the combination of the aqua concentrator, auger and cyclones is not known in this configuration. The aqua concentrator's design is unique as it do not need any separation medium to be added in the concentration process, only uses water. The cyclone is unique as it receives its water supply directly from the aqua concentrator. The auger design is unique in the way it works in tandem with the aqua concentrator and cyclones. The angle of the scrubber and its internal processes are also unique.