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 Ore processing |
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 Artisanal mining |
| Semi-industrial mining |
| Industrial mining |
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 Several techniques are used to process the diamantiferous ore. The techniques
used will not be the same between artisanal and industrial mining, however there are
some common elements:Crushing, not too fine (diamonds must not be crushed).
Screening separates the sand from large elements.
Washing disaggregates muds from ore.
Concentrating process: rotary mixers, agitators, jigs, cyclones,
cones, heavy-media separators (industrial mining only) are used to achieve density
separations.
Collecting diamond process is done using grease
table or x-ray separators. Final separation and sorting is done visually.
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| Artisanal mining |
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The material for this type of mining is very rudimentary:
shovel, picks, sieves, pumps, etc... It is the will and the courage which is significant for the miner. It
is the form of diamond mining which employs the most labour. |
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| Semi-industrial mining |
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| Mobile diamond washing plant |
Dredge |
A mobile diamond washing
plant can be a judicious choice, it is autonomous and it can be
moved from a place to another. We recommend the French company Soditra-Sodiloc, for any mobile washing plant.
Their website: Soditra-Sodiloc. |
Depending on the hardness of the bottom floor,
it allows an  average extraction
of 7 to 10 cubic meters per hour of stelled gravels to a depth of 10 meters. Density separation up to 91% heavy materials
above 80 micromilimeters are collected. The french company Soditra-Sodiloc, offers
those types of dredges. |
Diamond washing plant (fixed or semi-mobile) |
The capacity of these washing plants
is definitely higher than  mobile washing plant.
Their capacity varies between 15 m3/h to 200 m3/h. They can be entirely automated, and so there is no
direct contact with diamonds. All washing plants are customed. The Soditra-Sodiloc
company provides and installes the Hymex diamond washing plant in Guinea (capacity 160 m3/h). |
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| Soditra-Sodiloc photos:
dredges 4" and 6", mobile washing plant, Hymex washing plant. Click here. |
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| Industrial mining |
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The costs to be considered for this
type of mining are considerably  higher than the two other types of mining. Several
parameters are essential: negotiations with the authorities, systematic study of the
deposit (shape, dimensions, nature of the ground and the subsoil), study of the
climatic conditions, provisioning of water and electricity, construction of roads,
creation of schools and hospitals, etc... We can say to finish that it is the nature of
the deposit which defines the mode of mining.
For this type of mining the operations of diamond collecting are
automated, they use a x-ray separator. You can find below a diagram and an image (click
to enlarge images). |
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0.88 carat D-VS1 |
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0.63 carat D-VVS1 |
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0.23 carat F-VS1 |
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1.34 carat F-VS1 |
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1.73 carat D-SI1 |
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 Price: £ 2,678 |
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| Price: £ 1,733 |
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| Price: £ 262 |
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| Price: £ 5,568 |
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| Price: £ 8,504 |
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