The Gravity of the Situation

When Coarse Gold Complicates Things
💡 Did you know that some gold deposits contain “Gravity Recoverable Gold” (GRG) that can be separated without chemicals?

While that might sound like a bonus, having coarse gold in your deposit can actually complicate metallurgical testing and recovery strategies. Our lab often sees wide variability in GRG content between ore types, and coarse gold can skew assay results, interfere with consistent sample prep, and make it harder to predict performance in a full-scale plant.

That’s why we routinely test for GRG using equipment like the Knelson concentrator—to get a clearer picture of how much gold can be recovered through gravity methods and whether a gravity circuit should be included in the flow sheet.

✅ Improves overall recovery when managed well
✅ Reduces reagent use in downstream processing
✅ Helps optimize circuit design—if coarse gold is properly accounted for

In one recent program, GRG recovery ranged from 10% to over 30% depending on lithology—a major factor when planning gold recovery strategies.