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How to Extract Gold Trapped in Sulfites

Like other natural metals such as copper, zinc and lead, gold is found is various locations of bedrock worldwide. Typically buried deep in quartz veins, this precious material is scarce but highly valued -- making it an expensive, sought-after metal. Extracting gold from surrounding sulfides is no easy task, which adds to the rarity of pure gold. However, one technique -- froth flotation -- has proven successful for more than a century in making claim to this product.

Things You'll Need

Ore bodies containing gold
Large container (size dependent on ore amount, but at least 50 gallons)
Overflow container
Water
Pine or turpentine oil
Stabilizing valve with sufficient airflow to create current
Rotor blade to shift slurry

Instructions

- 1
  Attach the rotor blade to the bottom stabilizing valve element. Make sure the power supply to work the blade is waterproof. Ensure the air supply pumping through the valve is sufficient to create turbulence in the water.
- 2
  Put the valve and rotor mechanism into the water container or bucket, and place it inside an overflow container to catch spills.
- 3
  Fill the original bucket with water about three-quarters full. Add the appropriate amount of oil to the water so that the mixture is approximately 1 percent oil.
- 4
  Place the sulfide containing the ore into the water. Power the mechanism so that air blows constantly through the valve and the rotor stirs or shifts the slurry -- keeping it in motion at all times.
- 5
  Allow the mixture to blend until the froth has sufficiently spilled into the overflow container, or until there is enough froth to be scraped from the top of the water. Gold is a heavier metal, so extended frothing time is recommended.
- 6
  Rinse the froth mixture just enough to remove ore residue, and collect the gold particles.

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