Many Andean gold plants pick a route based on one pilot result and then struggle when ore texture shifts between benches. Recovery slips because route flexibility was not designed in.
This guide compares three front-end choices for 40-140 TPH projects using jaw crushing with gravity and flotation options.
30-second decision framework
Condition
Free gold portion is high and coarse liberation is visible
Start with gravity-first route using shaking table early
Early gravity capture reduces reagent load and eases downstream control.
Condition
Gold is fine and associated with sulfides
Move to flotation-led route with tighter feed control
Gravity-only strategy will usually leave too much value in tailings.
Condition
Ore domains switch frequently within one month
Use hybrid route with clear operating mode transitions
Hybrid architecture gives resilience without forcing one route on all ore.
Inputs you must lock before model selection
- Liberation profile by ore domain and size class.
- Measured free-gold share from recent campaign.
- Reagent cost and supply reliability by month.
- Water recycle quality and solids management limits.
- Target recovery and cost-per-ton threshold.
Recommended process lines
Gravity-first route
Capacity: 40-90 TPH
Feed: Quartz ore up to 350 mm
Target output: Early gravity concentrate with moderate throughput
Setup: PE Jaw -> classification -> 6-S Table
Why this works
- Simple route for coarse free-gold dominant ore.
- Lower reagent dependence in early stage.
- Fast learning curve for smaller processing teams.
Flotation-led route
Capacity: 80-120 TPH
Feed: Fine-gold dominant quartz-sulfide blend
Target output: Higher sulfide-associated gold recovery
Setup: PE Jaw -> controlled crushing -> flotation circuit
Why this works
- Better fit for fine and sulfide-associated gold.
- Supports tighter control on grade-recovery tradeoff.
- More scalable when grade consistency matters.
Hybrid adaptive route
Capacity: 100-140 TPH
Feed: Mixed ore textures across benches
Target output: Balanced gravity + flotation recovery
Setup: PE Jaw -> PY Cone -> 6-S Table pre-recovery -> flotation cleanup
Why this works
- Captures coarse gold early while protecting fine-gold recovery.
- More tolerant to monthly ore texture shifts.
- Strong choice for projects with changing ore domains.
Peru gold route comparison
| Metric | Gravity-first | Flotation-led | Hybrid adaptive |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best ore style | Coarse free gold | Fine sulfide-associated gold | Mixed and shifting ore |
| Reagent dependence | Low | High | Medium |
| Recovery upside | Medium | High | High with flexibility |
| Operational complexity | Low | Medium | High |
| Main risk | Fine-gold losses | Cost pressure if ore coarsens | Mode-switch discipline gaps |
Pilot Data Should Be Domain-Based
Single composite pilot samples often hide domain differences that later dominate plant behavior. This is a common source of route misselection.
Use at least three domain-tagged test sets and map each to route choice. That one change improves commissioning confidence dramatically.
- Separate coarse-free-gold and fine-sulfide domains in test planning.
- Report recovery by size class, not only total recovery.
- Link each domain to a clear operating mode in SOP.
- Budget for mode transition time in daily plan.
Where Teams Make Better Procurement Decisions
Teams make better decisions when suppliers present route performance under explicit ore domains rather than one blended benchmark.
If proposal language does not define assumptions on liberation and reagent strategy, cost forecasts are usually optimistic.
RFQ checklist before you contact suppliers
- Domain-tagged metallurgical test summary.
- Expected free-gold fraction by size class.
- Route-switch criteria and operating SOP draft.
- Water and reagent supply constraints.
- Recovery and cost-per-ton acceptance targets.
- Commissioning plan for at least two ore domains.
Need a model recommendation for your project?
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