Jigging is a method of gravitational preparation of natural resources, based on separation of mineral mixture on density in vertically oscillating water stream of variable direction. The end products of jigging are the following: concentrate with high content of useful component and wastes ( sometimes there is separated intermediate product consisting of aggregation of useful component with dead rock or from their mechanical mixture, the so-called intermediate product).
Separation of material during jigging takes place because of periodical influence of the upward and downward of water (pulsations) on the layer of separating material (the so-called jigging bed), located on the sieve. Under action of pulsations the bed is alternately loosened and compacted, and the particles of different density mutually move on its height: with small density – into upper layers, with big density – into bottom layers. The formed layers of different density are separately removed as a concentrate, wastes and, sometimes, intermediate product(Jigging, n.d.).
Imagine separating minerals just by making them “dance” in water! That’s the fascinating principle behind jigging in mining. How exactly does this gravity-based method work to recover valuable resources? Share your understanding!
