What Feed Size Should You Use for a Gold Shaking Table?

Feed particle size is the most important variable affecting gold shaking table performance. Getting it right dramatically improves recovery and concentrate grade. Getting it wrong can result in poor separation, gold losses, and wasted reagents in downstream processes. This article explains the optimal feed size ranges for shaking tables and how to prepare your feed correctly.

The Golden Rule: Classify Before You Table

Shaking tables work on the principle that particles of different densities, but similar size, will separate based on their different behaviours under the combined action of water flow and deck motion. If the feed contains a wide range of particle sizes, separation breaks down — coarse light particles behave similarly to fine heavy particles, and the two end up in the same product. This is why classification before tabling is not optional — it is fundamental to achieving good separation.

Recommended Feed Size Ranges

For optimal performance on a gold shaking table, classify your feed into narrow fractions and process each separately. The coarse fraction suits free gold and gold-bearing sulphides. The medium fraction is the most common gravity gold duty. The fine fraction requires careful deck setup with lower feed rate, higher water flow, and shorter stroke. MST tables can achieve good recovery down to 40 microns on this fraction.

Maximum Feed Size

For most shaking table applications, the maximum practical feed size is 2–3 mm. Above this, deck wear increases significantly, riffle profiles become less effective, and the table's differential motion cannot create the stratification needed for good separation. If your feed is coarser than 3 mm, consider jigging or dense media separation as primary concentration methods, with the table treating the downstream concentrate.

MST Table Feed Size Specifications

All MST Shaking Tables in the ST range — from the laboratory-scale ST-30 through to the production-scale ST-700 — are designed to process classified feeds in the 20 micron to 2 mm range. Each table comes with detailed operating guidelines covering recommended feed size ranges, deck settings, water flow rates, and stroke settings for different ore types. Download the specification sheets from our products page, or contact us to discuss the right configuration for your operation.