1-2 TPH means the plant is designed to process between 1 and 2 tonnes of ore per hour under design conditions. Actual throughput will depend on ore hardness, feed size, and operating schedule (e.g., single vs. continuous shifts).
Typical components include primary crusher (jaw or hammer), secondary crusher/grinder (e.g., ball mill or hammer mill), classifier/screen, gravity concentration devices (sluices, jigs, shaking tables, centrifugal concentrator), thickener/clarifier, pumps, reagents tanks and dosing, conveyors, and an overall control panel. Final configuration is usually tailored to the ore and recovery route.
The plant can treat free-milling oxide and transitional gold ores using gravity and/or leaching methods. Refractory ores (sulfide-hosted or carbonaceous) may require additional pre-treatment (roasting, pressure oxidation, bio-oxidation) or bespoke processing steps.
Recovery varies with ore type and chosen flowsheet. Gravity-only setups commonly recover 40–85% of coarse gold. Combined gravity plus cyanide leaching/CIL can achieve overall recoveries typically in the 80–95% range for amenable ores. Site testwork is required for accurate predictions.
Feed is usually crushed to under 10–20 mm before milling. Final grind for effective liberation depends on the ore—typical P80 targets are in the 75–150 µm range for leaching circuits; coarser grinds may be acceptable for coarse free gold with gravity recovery.
Water consumption depends on process selection and recycle efficiency. Typical gross water use can range from 0.5 to 3 m3 per tonne of ore, but most operations recycle a large portion of process water, so make-up water requirements are significantly lower.
Power needs vary with equipment selection. Small 1–2 TPH plants commonly require on the order of 20–80 kW for crushing, grinding and concentration equipment. Exact requirements depend on motor sizes and ancillary systems; confirm with a site-specific electrical load schedule.
A compact 1–2 TPH plant generally occupies roughly 40–200 m² depending on layout and whether tanks/thickeners are external. Site preparation includes level ground, concrete pads or foundations for heavy equipment, bunding for chemical tanks, and access for deliveries and waste removal.
Standard modular plants can be installed and commissioned in 1–4 weeks after site preparation. Timeframes depend on customization level, civil works, utilities availability, and regulatory inspections.
Typical staffing for a 1–2 TPH plant is 3–8 operators/technicians per shift (including a plant operator, mill operator, maintenance tech, and laboratory technician). Staffing depends on automation level and shift patterns.
Daily tasks include monitoring flows, reagent dosing, and slurry densities; routine lubrication and wear inspections; regular cleaning of screens and sluices; and scheduled replacement of wear parts (liners, screens, pump seals). A preventive maintenance plan and spare parts inventory reduce downtime.
Key controls include proper cyanide and reagent handling procedures, secondary containment and bunding, tailings management and disposal (lined ponds or dry stacking where required), dust suppression at crushing stages, and worker PPE and training. Regulatory permits and water discharge standards must be observed.
Most suppliers offer on-site commissioning, operator training, and a recommended spare parts kit. After-sales technical support and remote troubleshooting options are commonly available; confirm service levels when requesting a quote.
Yes. Small-scale plants are often modular and can be customized for different ores, recovery methods (gravity-only vs. gravity + leach), or footprint constraints. Capacity can be increased by adding parallel modules or upsizing key pieces of equipment.
Provide representative ore samples, desired throughput, and site constraints to the supplier. They will typically perform bench-scale testwork (gravity + leach tests), propose a tailored flowsheet, and supply a detailed quotation including equipment, installation, and optional services.
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