Media density treatment plant
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The concentration step, also referred to as Dense Medium Separation (DMS), in a diamond plant utilises the relative density differential between the diamonds and the host rock to separate the diamonds into a small parcel of high density material.
The feed material is mixed with a suspension of finely ground ferrosilicon slurry to a specified relative density. The mixture is then fed into a cyclone, a dynamic separator which uses centrifugal force to effect separation, which produces a concentrate containing diamonds and high density material. The ferrosilicon is recovered downstream of the cyclone on screens for re-use.