A mobile gold wash plant is an integrated mineral processing unit that washes, screens and recovers gold from alluvial or placer deposits, mounted on a trailer, skid or modular frame so it can be relocated between mining sites. It combines feeding, washing, screening and gravity separation equipment into a transportable configuration, reducing the need for permanent foundations and fixed infrastructure.
Unlike a stationary plant, which is built for a single long-term site, a mobile unit is designed around relocation. This distinction drives nearly every commercial and engineering decision that follows.
Raw gold-bearing gravel is loaded into a feeding hopper, where a feeder — often a vibrating feeder on larger units — delivers material at a controlled rate. The material enters a trommel scrubber or gold trommel screen. A trommel scrubber adds aggressive washing action to break down clay agglomerates; a standard trommel screen primarily separates by particle size, removing oversize rock while allowing smaller gold-bearing material through the openings.
The screened undersize reports to a sluice box, where flowing water and riffles or recovery matting capture heavy gold particles. Where test work shows fine gold losses, a centrifugal gold concentrator can be added to the circuit. Gravity concentrate is then cleaned and upgraded on a shaking table, often as a separate finishing stage rather than mounted on the mobile unit itself. Water supply, pumping and recycling complete the circuit — a critical consideration at remote sites.
Relocation flexibility. The plant can move to a new deposit when the current one becomes less productive. Contractors working multiple projects can use one unit instead of building separate facilities.
Reduced installation requirements. Integrated and modular arrangements cut site preparation and assembly work compared with stationary plants requiring foundations and structural supports.
Faster project setup. Pre-integrated designs may shorten assembly and commissioning time — valuable where operating seasons are short and preparation time directly affects profitability.
Flexible investment for small and medium-scale mining. Operators can match processing capacity to available raw material and expand configuration as production requirements grow.
Lower initial infrastructure exposure. For new projects, starting with a suitable mobile system can help control initial capital commitment.
Alluvial and placer gold deposits distributed across large areas, where mining conditions change as operations progress.
Remote mining locations where permanent infrastructure would be expensive or impractical.
Short-license or limited operating periods, where building a stationary facility cannot be justified.
Multi-deposit contracts, where a contractor processes several sites over time.
Small and medium-scale mining operations seeking staged capacity growth.
Pilot and test operations where representative bulk sampling is needed before committing to a fixed plant.
| Material Condition | Recommended Approach | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Low clay, free-flowing gravel | Standard gold trommel screen | Size separation is sufficient; scrubbing action not required |
| Significant sticky or compacted clay | Trommel scrubber | Breaks down clay agglomerates that blind standard screens |
| Coarse gold dominant | Sluice box with appropriate riffles and matting | Coarse heavy particles captured effectively by gravity |
| Fine liberated gold losses detected in testing | Add centrifugal gold concentrator | Enhanced gravity recovers fine particles conventional gravity equipment misses |
| Mixed coarse and fine gold | Sluice box plus centrifugal concentrator plus shaking table | Staged recovery and concentrate upgrading |
| Criterion | Mobile Plant | Stationary Plant |
|---|---|---|
| Transportation | Designed for easier relocation | More dismantling and transport work |
| Installation | Often reduced on-site assembly | May require foundations and infrastructure |
| Site flexibility | Suitable for changing mining locations | Better for stable, long-term sites |
| Initial investment | Can be lower for some configurations | May require higher infrastructure investment |
| Processing capacity | Available in different capacities depending on design | Can be configured for larger capacities and continuous operations |
| Expansion | Often easier to integrate into a larger fixed facility | May require additional modules or equipment |
| Relocation | Still requires transport and setup expenses | Relocation can be more complicated and expensive |
| Best fit | Remote, temporary, multi-site, limited license | Long-term, high-volume, multi-stage, existing infrastructure |
A mobile plant may provide better economics when mining locations change frequently, the project operates in remote areas, the mining license or operating period is limited, several deposits need processing over time, permanent infrastructure would be expensive or unnecessary, and the required capacity is compatible with a mobile configuration. A stationary plant is better when the mining area has a long-term production plan, large and consistent feed volumes are available, high processing capacity is required, permanent water and power infrastructure exists, multiple washing and recovery stages are needed, and future expansion is expected.
| Mining Scenario | Mobile Plant Suitability | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Alluvial gold, single long-term site, high TPH | Low | Stationary plant more economical |
| Alluvial gold, contractor with several sites | High | One unit serves multiple deposits |
| Remote deposit, no grid power or permanent water | High | Reduced infrastructure requirement |
| Short mining license, 1–3 seasons | High | Faster setup, lower sunk capital |
| Placer gold, sticky clay content | High (with trommel scrubber) | Scrubbing action essential |
| Large-scale continuous operation, multi-stage recovery | Low | Stationary configuration preferred |
| Pilot bulk sampling program | High | Relocatable, staged investment |
| Deposit with significant fine gold | Conditional | Test work required before adding concentrator |
Step 1 — Confirm project duration and site stability. Temporary or multi-site projects favor mobile; long-term single sites favor stationary.
Step 2 — Establish required processing capacity in tonnes per hour. Match capacity to available raw material, not theoretical maximum.
Step 3 — Characterize the feed material. Clay content determines trommel scrubber versus trommel screen. Gold particle size distribution determines recovery equipment selection.
Step 4 — Verify gold recovery by representative testing. Do not treat advertised capacity or theoretical recovery figures as guaranteed production results.
Step 5 — Map water and power availability. Remote sites require water recycling arrangements and independent power supply.
Step 6 — Calculate total project life cost. Include purchase, transport, installation, relocation, operating costs and residual value.
Step 7 — Request a complete installation plan. Do not assume every mobile plant is ready for immediate operation; setup time depends on capacity, transport arrangements, site preparation and system complexity.
Required Information for Suppliers:
Gold deposit type: alluvial or hard-rock
Required processing capacity (TPH)
Raw material characteristics and clay content
Approximate gold particle size, if known
Available water and power supply
Whether a mobile or stationary configuration is required
Site access conditions and transport route constraints
Drawings and Documentation Needed:
Plant layout and transport dimensions
Equipment arrangement drawing
Water balance and recycling schematic
Electrical load list
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