Especially For Geologists

Every geologist knows that the larger the sample you take the more accurate the result. However, taking large samples isn't easy, and not every laboratory is equipped to deal with them.

Enter the APT range of Field Exploration Plants. Starting with the RG30 Scrubber to easily treat 1 tonne batches of even the stickiest clay and recover approximately 10kg of concentrates via the downstream GoldKacha centrifugal concentrator. The recovered concentrates can then be further upgraded at the base camp over an ST80 Shaking Table for gold targets, or over an MT350 Shaking Table for bulk minerals. 

For the oversize rock content discarded from the RG30 Scrubber, or for fresh underground rock, the new RD5 Impact Crusher with the GoldKacha Mini will process up to 500kg/hr, producing a P80 of around 500 microns and recovering approximately 3kg of concentrates. Again these recovered concentrates can be further upgraded at the base camp.

All of the above mentioned modules are available as either skid mounted, or trailer mounted making it easier to reach your target area.

Small Scale Multi-Mineral Tabling Plants

APT's range of multi-mineral tabling plants have proven to be a huge breakthrough for the recovery of minerals containing copper, cobalt, tin, tantalite, tungsten, lead, lithium and more. The gravity process is simple and much more affordable than complex flotation methods, allowing you to start recovering your mineral at a relatively low capital cost.

The design as a whole is ergonomic, with the plants intended to be installed on a terraced site to ensure ease of feed into the crushers, and to utilise gravity transfer of the product as far as possible. The crushing module makes use of an APT RD impact crusher, designed as an early liberation unit using high energy input to fracture the host rock along the grain boundary, liberating the mineral whilst avoiding over-grinding. The crushed product is then concentrated over a robust and high quality shaking table, in order to achieve the highest gravity recovery possible.

APT’s multi-mineral tabling plants are available with throughputs of 350kg/hr, 1tph, 5tph and 10tph.

Cheap is Expensive

Everyone has a budget; they have to choose what they can afford for their mine. The problem that arises all too often is clients will approach us after having spent their money elsewhere on something that was far too big and far too cheap.

Cheap equipment that does not work properly is a total loss of the money spent. 

Why is this so?

1.      Bad manufacturing quality

Thin steel, weak welds, weak bearings, bad motors. These all result in inevitable failure of the equipment.

2.      Bad equipment design

The equipment leaks resulting in loss of your gold.

The scrubbing mechanism does not break up clay properly to liberate the gold.

The crushing mechanism does not grind fine enough to liberate the gold.

The equipment does not achieve the tonnage specified.

3.      Poor recovery

The gold recovery isn't high enough.

There is gold escaping in the tailings.

4.      Not safe

The equipment does not include belt guards leaving the moving parts exposed to the operator.

It is necessary to use mercury which is hazardous to humans and the environment.

 

Rather than waste your money on cheap but useless equipment, it is better to invest that budget into smaller but higher quality units from APT that will last and do the job properly, allowing you to generate a consistent profit to invest into the next step up.

QUALITY = SUCCESS    

cheap = failure

APT's Contribution Towards the Ariab Mining Project

At the Dubai Mining Show we were honoured to have been mentioned for our contribution towards the Ariab project! The project began with metallurgical testing by APT to find an optimal treatment route for this difficult ore. In conjunction with Ariab’s own metallurgists a flowsheet was formulated to overcome the challenges, after which APT designed and built a plant to achieve the desired result. APT also installed the plant and commissioned it. The process guarantee for the plant was a high bar of 93% gold recovery, and that was not only achieved, but exceeded. The salient details were a throughput of 35tph with a CIL residence time of 24 hr at a grind of P80 75 microns. Pressurised elution and carbon regeneration were included in the package, along with a cyanide destruct module. The installation was a success because it incorporated leading edge technology at every step, especially the extremely efficient mixing resulting from APT’s proprietary and patented TriTank system.

APT TriTank CIL Plants: The Best Thing Since Sliced Bread

The Best Shaped Reactor

The triangular shape of each sector, together with some special base additions, results in very high mixing rates far better than cylindrical tanks. 

 

Compact Shape and Small Footprint

There is no CIL system more compact than the APT TriTank. Apart from using less ground area, the unit is far easier to surround with a protective berm as required by law in many countries.

 

Immense Strength

The APT TriTank structure is effectively cross braced sixfold! There has never been a collapsed TriTank and there never will be.

 

Top to Bottom Mixing

 The slurry in an APT TriTank is mixed vertically from top to bottom, not horizontally around. This results in excellent mixing for dissolution, and also eliminates segregation of carbon from top to bottom.

 

High Efficiency Interstage Screening

As the TriTank sectors are adjoining, the radial walls can be used for interstage screening. APT uses wedgewire screen panels at the top of each wall as the perfect solution to interstage carbon screening. The top to bottom motion of the slurry continually sweeps the screens clean, resulting in faultless operation. When it comes to maintenance, the screen panel housing design incorporates a parallel groove which allows for the fitment of a secondary panel, which can be put in place whilst the primary panel is removed for cleaning and maintenance. This means there is no interruption to operation.

 

Increased Dissolved Oxygen Levels

Due to the top to bottom mixing, the slurry is continually being exposed to air at the surface of the tank resulting in an increase of dissolved oxygen levels of up to 30%!

 

Faster Dissolution Rates

The excellent mixing coupled with the elevated dissolved oxygen levels results in faster dissolution rates and higher overall recovery. This also leads to the possibility of a smaller CIL plant installation.

 

APT Manufactures and Installs

The APT TriTank manufacture has evolved to the point where the precision made components are shipped to site in containerised cassettes. The APT team then rapidly assemble the tank on your site free of hassles. There is no faster installation available!

 

Available in Stainless Steel

Speak to our engineers about specialised applications - the APT TriTank is an ideal reactor for most chemical reactions.

Behind the Scenes at APT

Meetings play an important role here at APT, not only between us and our clients but also between us as a team. APT’s team works closely together to ensure each plant that leaves our Head Office has been designed and manufactured with the utmost attention to detail, from start to finish. Our plants are efficient, cost effective, and manufactured in-house to ensure our high quality standards are maintained!

Never a Better Time than Now! | Start Mining

The gold price has just crossed US$2000 per ounce. The demand for minerals is very strong and prices are good. Now is the time to climb in and take advantage.

TIME is the operative word, and we at APT are ready to react to help you get into production FAST. But time doesn't end there, you need to stay in production over time, and that means installing high quality equipment that you can maintain easily. Everything wears, we know that, and that is why APT provides not only quality equipment from the outset, but also spares and consumables packages so that your equipment can be kept running, day after day.

It would be a tragedy to start a good venture with cheap rubbish that will soon fail. Instead, it is far better to begin at a smaller scale that you can afford, and use your profits to grow your venture properly and professionally. APT supplies a range of small-scale starter plants specifically for this, made to the same high quality standards we’re known for, because we know what it takes to be successful.

APT - it is time for success.

Mining in North Africa | APT TriTank Cyanidation Plant

On site in North Africa with a magnificent TriTank Cyanidation Plant, manufactured, installed and commissioned by APT.

APT designed the TriTank system for gold recovery via CIL/CIP. The TriTank incorporates the traditional 6 cyanidation tanks into one single tank, partitioned into 6 individual sectors. The result? Less steel required for manufacture (and thus lower capital cost), smaller footprint, easier materials transfer between sectors, enhanced mixing characteristics, and more. Let us know if you are interested in setting up a CIL/ CIP system, and we would be happy to assist you and introduce you to the TriTank.

What is the Correct Size to Start Your Mine?

The correct answer in all cases is SMALL

1.      If you are a new small-scale miner: 

There is a lot to learn and you will find that there are many demands upon your startup capital. None of that money comes back until you sell your first production, so it makes sense to get your plant in and operational as fast as possible. 

So what is the right size?

If your ore is very rich, for example 10 grams of gold per tonne or more, you could go as small as 500kg per hour and use APT's RD5 plant with GoldKacha Mini.

If your ore is 5-10 grams of gold per tonne or more you could start at 1tonne per hour and use APT's RD15 with a GoldKacha.

If your ore is in the range of 3-5 grams of gold per tonne you will need to start at 5 tonnes per hour or more and use APT's RD50 with three GoldKachas.

2. If you are a large operator wanting a medium-to-large scale installation:

Although APT manufactures and installs plants all the way up to 150 tonnes per hour capacity it is very useful to begin with a small pilot installation even whilst the larger plant is being manufactured. There are several reasons to justify this:

Firstly, as a proof of concept to justify the chosen metallurgical process and throw up any optimisation opportunities that can be incorporated into the large plant timeously.

Secondly, to check up on the actual expected recovery as well as the variability of the different sections of the ore body. By building back a head grade from production, nugget effect is minimised and the grade is as accurate as possible.

Thirdly, it allows for easy on-the-job training and gaining operational familiarity.

Fourth, large product samples can be generated for offtaker testing, etc.

Finally, even a small pilot project can qualify as a 'producer' to help with permit security.

So what is the correct size?

The minimum pilot plant that will produce reliable data is about 500kg per hour, but often 1tonne per hour is chosen. The process can be as simple or complex as necessary since APT produces milling, gravity, cyanidation and flotation modules at small size. All minerals can be catered for, and once installed the pilot facility can remain as an R&D bed.

For all enquiries, please contact us on info@aptprocessing.com or +27 (10) 035 1001, or click here.