hello,

This hydraulic washing method is based on the differences in weight between the gangue and the metal. Generally, you can observe that the metal particles of the ore are heavier than the impurities. So we use the principle of gravity separation to separate the two.

Here crushed ore is mixed with an upward stream of running water. The lighter particles of the gangue wash away in the running water. The heavier metal particles settle down and can be separated easily. We use this method for ores that contain lead and tin since these are relatively heavier.

hope that helps

Hello Aspirant,

The name hydraulic means operated by the pressure created by forcing water or another liquid. Washing ore with water is known as hydraulic washing. Gold mines make use of the hydraulic washing technique.An upward stream of running water is used to wash powdered ore. The lighter particles of the gangue are washed away and the heavier ore is left behind. This technique separates the gangue from the ore using the difference in their specific gravities. It is, also known as gravity separation.