Material duty
What enters, what changes and what product or waste stream leaves.
Australian mining equipment · Gold
Gold equipment. Ore to doré.
Follow the equipment used to mine Australian gold, liberate fine particles, recover metal through gravity and carbon circuits, and pour doré for secure refining.
Choose a commodity
One equipment library. Four different systems.
Compare the machines used in iron ore, coal, lithium and gold—from extraction and processing to the final product handover.
Why the equipment changes
Gold does not simply copy the iron ore fleet.
Gold equipment is built around recovery, accounting and security rather than bulk export. Open-pit or underground fleets may move millions of tonnes, but the saleable output can leave as a small number of doré bars. Between those points sit energy-intensive mills, abrasive slurry systems, gravity concentrators, leach tanks, carbon circuits, elution and electrowinning equipment, a controlled gold room and a separate refinery chain.
Start with the material. Follow what each machine changes, then read the handover to the next system.
Functional process graphic
Follow the equipment through six operating families.
This is a representative system map. Individual mines can use alternatives, bypass stages or locate downstream processing away from the mine.
- 01ExtractionMine the ore
- 02ComminutionCrush & grind
- 03Gravity recoveryRecover coarse gold
- 04Leach and adsorptionLeach & adsorb
- 05Gold recoveryStrip & plate
- 06Doré and refiningPour & refine
Read the whole machine
Four layers sit behind every equipment name.
The visible machine is only one part of the system. Utilities, controls, access, material condition and the next handover all influence whether it performs.
Mechanical system
Structures, drives, wear parts, bearings, hydraulics, piping and load paths.
Electrical & control
Power, instruments, PLC or DCS logic, communications, safeguards and interlocks.
Operating boundary
Ore variability, quality targets, hazards, approved limits and the downstream constraint.
01 · Extraction
Back to system map ↑Open-pit and underground gold mining fleets
Recover planned ore selectively and deliver it to the processing route while separating waste and controlling grade.
InputGeological model, grade-control results and an approved mine plan
Equipment dutyRecover planned ore selectively and deliver it to the processing route while separating waste and controlling grade.
OutputIdentified ore at the ROM pad, crusher or underground ore-handling system
Open the detailed guide+
Operating principle
How the system works
Open pits use production drills, blasting, shovels or excavators and haul trucks. Underground mines use development jumbos, longhole production drills, ground-support equipment, loaders or boggers, trucks and sometimes shaft hoisting. Because gold grades can be measured in grams per tonne, grade control, ore spotting, stockpile discipline and reconciliation are as important as the physical fleet.
Major equipment and systems
Component-to-function map
Open-pit fleet
Blast-hole drills, shovels or excavators, loaders, haul trucks, dozers, graders and dispatch.
Underground development
Jumbos, bolters, scaling and shotcrete equipment, service vehicles, ventilation and dewatering.
Underground production
Longhole drills, charge-up equipment, LHDs or boggers, trucks, ore passes, crushers and hoisting where fitted.
Ore control
Grade-control drilling, sampling, survey, stockpile tracking, weigh systems and mine-to-mill reconciliation.
Maintenance focus
What teams manage
- Drill booms, feeds, rotation, compressors and consumables
- Loading-tool GET, hydraulics, structures and undercarriages
- Truck braking, steering, tyres, powertrain and cooling
- Underground ventilation, dewatering, power and mobile-equipment services
Condition and process watch
What can reduce performance
- Ore loss, dilution and incorrect stockpile destination
- Ground conditions and ground-support performance
- Mobile-equipment interaction, haul-road or underground access condition
- Dust, heat, water and explosive or charging interfaces
People around the system
Different disciplines, one handover.
Open-pit operatorsUnderground minersDrillers and charge-up crewsBogger and truck operatorsHD fittersAuto electriciansMine geologistsSurvey and geotechnical teams
Configuration boundary: Open-pit, sublevel caving, longhole open stoping and other methods create different equipment and risk profiles. Use the current mine design and statutory controls.
02 · Comminution
Back to system map ↑Crushers, SAG mills, ball mills and cyclones
Reduce ore size and liberate gold-bearing minerals so downstream recovery equipment can access them.
InputRun-of-mine gold ore with variable size, hardness, grade and mineralogy
Equipment dutyReduce ore size and liberate gold-bearing minerals so downstream recovery equipment can access them.
OutputA controlled slurry or sized stream at the target grind for recovery
Open the detailed guide+
Operating principle
How the system works
ROM bins and feeders regulate ore into primary crushing. Secondary or tertiary crushers may reduce size further before milling. SAG or AG mills use ore and grinding media; ball or vertical mills provide additional size reduction. Mill-discharge pumps move abrasive slurry to hydrocyclones, which return coarse material to the mill and send fine overflow toward gravity or leach recovery. The circulating load ties the mill, pumps and cyclones together as one system.
Major equipment and systems
Component-to-function map
Crushing
ROM bin, apron feeder, jaw or gyratory crusher, cone crushers where fitted, screens, conveyors and chutes.
Grinding mills
Mill shell, liners, lifters, grinding media, drive, bearings, lubrication, feed and discharge systems.
Classification
Mill-discharge sump and pumps, hydrocyclone cluster, distributor, valves and density or pressure instruments.
Circuit control
Feed-rate control, power and load monitoring, particle-size measurement, samplers, PLC or DCS and protection systems.
Maintenance focus
What teams manage
- Crusher chamber, liners, lubrication, drive and feeder condition
- Mill liners, discharge system, bearings, gearing and lubrication
- Slurry-pump wet ends, glands or seals, pipework and valves
- Cyclone liners, spigots, vortex finders, distributors and instruments
Condition and process watch
What can reduce performance
- Mill overload, low load or unstable feed
- Liner wear, dropped charge and safe relining access
- Pump cavitation, abrasive wear and pipe integrity
- Cyclone roping, bypass, pressure drift and grind-size variation
People around the system
Different disciplines, one handover.
Crusher and mill operatorsControl-room operatorsMechanical fittersElectricians and E&I techniciansMill relining crewsBoilermakersMetallurgistsCondition-monitoring teams
Configuration boundary: Crusher stages, mill type, target particle size and circulating load are ore- and plant-specific. Published equipment capacities or grind targets should not be transferred between sites.
03 · Gravity recovery
Back to system map ↑Gravity concentrators and intensive recovery
Capture liberated high-density gold early and reduce the amount circulating through the main recovery circuit.
InputA selected classified slurry stream containing liberated or partly liberated coarse gold
Equipment dutyCapture liberated high-density gold early and reduce the amount circulating through the main recovery circuit.
OutputA small, high-grade gravity concentrate plus a return stream to the main circuit
Open the detailed guide+
Operating principle
How the system works
A screen removes oversize before feed enters a centrifugal concentrator or another gravity device. High rotational forces and a fluidised concentrating surface retain dense particles while lighter gangue exits. The small concentrate stream can pass to an intensive leach reactor or directly into controlled gold-room treatment depending on the flowsheet. Gravity tails return to grinding or the main leach route.
Major equipment and systems
Component-to-function map
Feed preparation
Cyclone underflow split, scalping screen, distributor, slurry valves and feed-water control.
Gravity concentration
Centrifugal bowl or cone, drive, fluidisation-water system, concentrate valves and discharge sequence.
Concentrate treatment
Intensive leach reactor or secure concentrate transfer, reagent systems, filtration and solution tanks.
Security and accounting
Controlled access, sampling, weighing, cameras, batch records and reconciliation interfaces.
Maintenance focus
What teams manage
- Concentrator bowl, wear surfaces, drive and discharge valves
- Feed screens, spray water, slurry valves and pipework
- Intensive-leach agitator, seals, reagent dosing and filters
- Instrumentation, sequence controls and secure transfer equipment
Condition and process watch
What can reduce performance
- Poor feed distribution or excessive oversize
- Loss of fluidisation water and reduced recovery
- Concentrate buildup, blocked valves and cycle-sequence faults
- High-value material accounting and controlled-access breaches
People around the system
Different disciplines, one handover.
Process operatorsMetallurgistsGold-room operatorsMechanical fittersElectricians and E&I techniciansLaboratory techniciansSecurity personnelReconciliation teams
Configuration boundary: Gravity recoverable gold varies with mineralogy and grind. Concentrator duty, cycle timing and concentrate treatment are established through site testwork and controlled procedures.
04 · Leach and adsorption
Back to system map ↑CIL, CIP and carbon-handling equipment
Dissolve recoverable gold into solution and load it onto activated carbon for downstream stripping.
InputGround slurry conditioned to the approved chemistry and recovery route
Equipment dutyDissolve recoverable gold into solution and load it onto activated carbon for downstream stripping.
OutputLoaded carbon for elution, with treated slurry directed to detoxification or tailings management
Open the detailed guide+
Operating principle
How the system works
In carbon-in-leach (CIL), cyanide leaching and adsorption onto activated carbon occur through the same agitated tank train. In carbon-in-pulp (CIP), leaching and adsorption stages are separated. Agitators keep solids suspended and distribute reagents and oxygen. Interstage screens retain carbon while slurry moves forward; carbon-transfer pumps or airlifts move carbon counter-currently. Safety, chemistry, water, detoxification and tailings systems are inseparable from the recovery equipment.
Major equipment and systems
Component-to-function map
Leach tanks
Agitated tanks, shafts, gearboxes, impellers, baffles, oxygen or air systems, access and structural support.
Reagent systems
Cyanide, lime and other route-specific storage, dilution, dosing, bunding, ventilation and instruments.
Carbon circuit
Activated-carbon inventory, interstage screens, carbon pumps or airlifts, safety screens and loaded-carbon transfer.
Tailings interface
Detoxification where fitted, thickeners, slurry pumps, pipelines, return-water systems and monitored storage.
Maintenance focus
What teams manage
- Agitator shafts, gearboxes, bearings, impellers and tank integrity
- Interstage screen panels, drives, seals and carbon-transfer systems
- Reagent pumps, valves, pipework, instruments and bunds
- Tailings pumps, pipelines, thickeners and return-water equipment
Condition and process watch
What can reduce performance
- Cyanide exposure and hazardous chemical containment
- Tank level, mixing, oxygen, pH and residence-time stability
- Carbon loss, screen damage and slurry short-circuiting
- Tailings chemistry, pipeline integrity and water balance
People around the system
Different disciplines, one handover.
CIL or CIP operatorsControl-room operatorsMetallurgistsMechanical fittersElectricians and E&I techniciansProcess-safety specialistsWater and tailings teamsLaboratory technicians
Configuration boundary: Cyanide systems are hazardous and tightly controlled. Leach chemistry, detoxification, carbon movement, exposure controls and emergency response must follow the approved site design and procedures.
05 · Gold recovery
Back to system map ↑Elution, electrowinning and carbon regeneration
Strip gold from loaded carbon, recover it from solution and reactivate carbon for reuse.
InputLoaded activated carbon from the CIL or CIP circuit
Equipment dutyStrip gold from loaded carbon, recover it from solution and reactivate carbon for reuse.
OutputGold-rich sludge or cathode product for smelting and regenerated carbon returned to adsorption
Open the detailed guide+
Operating principle
How the system works
Loaded carbon is screened and washed, then treated through a controlled elution sequence that transfers gold into a concentrated solution. Electrowinning cells pass electric current through that solution so gold deposits onto cathodes or collection media. Filters recover the resulting sludge. A regeneration kiln heats stripped carbon under controlled conditions to restore adsorption activity before it returns to the CIL or CIP circuit.
Major equipment and systems
Component-to-function map
Carbon preparation
Loaded-carbon screen, acid-wash vessel where fitted, dewatering screens, transfer tanks and pumps.
Elution
Pressure-rated columns, solution tanks, heaters, heat exchangers, pumps, valves and automated sequence control.
Electrowinning
Cells, cathodes, rectifier or DC power supply, solution circulation, ventilation and sludge recovery.
Carbon regeneration
Dewatering, feed system, regeneration kiln, quench tank, screens, off-gas system and carbon return.
Maintenance focus
What teams manage
- Column pressure boundaries, valves, heaters, pumps and heat exchangers
- Electrowinning cells, electrical connections, cathodes and ventilation
- Filters, ovens, sludge handling and transfer equipment
- Kiln drive, seals, refractory, temperature control and off-gas systems
Condition and process watch
What can reduce performance
- High temperature, pressure, caustic and cyanide service
- Scale, blocked valves and automated-sequence faults
- Electrical hazards, ventilation and high-current connections
- Carbon attrition, kiln temperature and loss of adsorption activity
People around the system
Different disciplines, one handover.
Elution operatorsGold-room operatorsMetallurgistsMechanical fittersElectricians and E&I techniciansLaboratory techniciansProcess-safety specialistsMaintenance planners
Configuration boundary: Elution routes, temperatures, pressures, reagents, electrowinning design and regeneration conditions vary. These systems require authorised access and site-specific process-safety controls.
06 · Doré and refining
Back to system map ↑Gold-room furnaces, assay and refinery systems
Dry and smelt recovered metal, pour accountable doré, secure it for transport and refine it to the required purity.
InputGold-rich sludge, cathode material or gravity concentrate accepted into the controlled gold room
Equipment dutyDry and smelt recovered metal, pour accountable doré, secure it for transport and refine it to the required purity.
OutputWeighed, sampled and documented doré for secure transport, followed by refined precious metal at the refinery
Open the detailed guide+
Operating principle
How the system works
Recovered material is filtered, dried or calcined and mixed with route-specific fluxes before smelting in a furnace. Molten metal is poured into moulds to form doré bars. Cooling, cleaning, weighing, sampling, assay and reconciliation establish the accountable product. Secure transport moves doré to a refinery, where melting, sampling, chemical or electrolytic separation, casting and laboratory verification produce high-purity gold and recover silver or other payable metals.
Major equipment and systems
Component-to-function map
Feed preparation
Sludge filters, drying or calcining ovens, enclosed handling, flux preparation and controlled workstations.
Smelting
Furnace, crucibles, tongs and lifting aids, moulds, ventilation, fume extraction and refractory systems.
Accounting and security
Calibrated scales, sampling tools, assay laboratory, cameras, access control, vault and dispatch records.
Refinery
Receiving and melting furnaces, sampling, chemical or electrolytic refining, casting, analytical laboratory and secure storage.
Maintenance focus
What teams manage
- Furnace, elements or burner, refractory, crucibles and extraction systems
- Ovens, filters, moulds, lifting aids and guarding
- Scales, assay instruments, cameras and controlled-access systems
- Refinery tanks, cells, furnaces, ventilation and laboratory equipment
Condition and process watch
What can reduce performance
- Molten-metal, hot-surface, fume and manual-handling hazards
- Cross-contamination, sample integrity and assay quality
- High-value product security and complete chain of custody
- Doré variability and refinery-specific acceptance requirements
People around the system
Different disciplines, one handover.
Gold-room operatorsMetallurgistsAssayers and laboratory techniciansMechanical and electrical tradesSecurity personnelReconciliation accountantsSecure-logistics teamsRefinery technicians
Configuration boundary: Gold rooms and refineries have restricted access, hazardous materials and high-value accounting controls. Smelting, assay, transport and refining must follow approved procedures and legal requirements.
Sources and further reading
Operator and equipment sources.
Source-checked 30 August 2026. Confirm details against current OEM and site-controlled documents.
01↗02↗03↗04↗05↗06↗
Newmont — Tanami
Operator description of underground mining and the crushing, grinding, gravity and carbon-in-leach route at the Granites plant.
Northern Star — KCGM Operations
Operator overview of the Super Pit, underground mines and the Fimiston and Gidji processing plants.
Metso — Greenfields Mill gold circuit
OEM case study tracing crushing, ball milling, cyclones, gravity recovery, CIL, elution, electrowinning and smelting.
Metso — elution and gold-room plant
OEM equipment overview covering acid wash, elution, electrowinning, drying, smelting and carbon regeneration.
The Perth Mint — refinery process
Government-owned refiner overview of receiving, sampling, refining and producing high-purity precious metal.
The Perth Mint — analytical services
Refinery information on gold and silver assaying and analytical laboratory services.
Technical boundary: Gold mining and processing can involve explosives, confined or underground work, high-energy comminution, abrasive slurry, cyanide, high temperature, pressure, high current, molten metal and high-value security systems. This guide is conceptual and does not replace competency, authorised access, approved procedures, OEM manuals, engineering drawings, isolation plans, chemical controls or emergency requirements.