The gold trommel is one of the most commonly used mining machines, and it is very popular among the miners all over the world. The gold trommel is used for mining operations of all sizes, but the main purpose is to separate gold by removing large pebbles, boulders and rocks. Explained in another way, a gold trommel is a rotating cylinder with holes that acts like a classifier, allowing only gold materials to pass through the holes, while the large materials go out of the machine.
When a material that contains gold is added into the hopper, the machine sprays high pressure water on material so that the gold particles can be extracted. Different gold trommel models use different amounts of water jets, but the main objective is to break any mud or clay that could hide the gold and prevent it from being caught in the sluice box. The hopper of the gold trommel usually has a metal grate that keeps the large rocks from entering into the machine. This device is known as a grizzly.
The procedure starts when the gold bearing material enters the rotating drum. The rotating drum is mainly constructed of screen material, which allows the smaller gravel to fall freely into the sluice box. The combination of rotating drum and high-pressure water enables the machine to break any dirt and clay inside the rotating drum. This action continues until the material is broken into small gold bearing pieces that can exit the gold trommel through the cylinder holes.
The trommel is very simple to install and use, regardless of the type. There are different types of gold trommels and they are all used for the same purpose. The only difference is the capacity of gold they can process in a specific period of time. Many operators are confused and believe that the trommel separates the gold itself. The reality is different, because the gold trommel is used to separate and classify the material for further processes.
For efficient operation, two operators are required. One to feed the material into the trommel, and another to monitor the working procedure of the gold trommel. Also, one of the operators need to ensure that the gold is being processed properly.