A commitment to innovation in gold processing technology
Renowned for their rugged reliability in industries known for intensely challenging environments and ever-evolving demands, Derrick Corporation products offer the finest solutions for the gold processing sector.
For more than 70 years, Derrick Corporation has pioneered the development of fine-screening solutions to serve diverse industries throughout the world, as well as introducing polyurethane screens to the gold processing industry in the early 1980s.
Derrick is a family-owned and operated company with a global presence focused on pioneering fine-separation technology. Since 1951, Derrick has manufactured innovative technologies serving the mining and industrial, oil and gas drilling, and civil construction industries.
The company’s polyurethane Polyweb screens have demonstrated their exceptional capabilities in numerous mining applications. The abrasion-resistance and non-blinding properties of these unique polyurethane screens offered extended service life with minimal maintenance to maximise efficiency and productivity.
Applying this advanced technology to gold processing has allowed the industry to reap myriad benefits.
Efficient gold recovery is assured by advanced leaching circuit screen technology that demonstrates firm commitment to advancing gold processing. These solutions include trash screens, urethane interstage screens, carbon sizing screens, dewatering screens, tails safety screens, as well as other processing stages.
Derrick has seen significant success at mining operations around the globe, including at Newcrest’s Nevada operations where the company recently increased capacity at the site with the installation of its Hydropool technology.
At the site, older-style Derrick screening machines in use at the process operations limited plant capacity and gold recovery.
To increase recovery, two process changes were required – to increase the tonnage through the mill and to convert the two parallel CIP trains into a single train that would be twice as long.
The existing equipment was unable to handle the increased tonnage required to achieve the higher recovery goal. The alternative to upgrading with new Derrick equipment was to replace all the tanks and adapt the process to basket screens for the interstage screening process.
Derrick Hyperpool vibrating screens were adapted to fit into the interstage tank for CIP duty. The conversion was completed in four hours, resulting in minimal process downtime.
The result was over triple the capacity, rising from about 800 USGPM per machine with the previous equipment to nearly 2500 USGPM per machine with the new Hyperpool technology.
Furthermore, panel life increased from eight weeks to more than 16 weeks.
In addition to the process advantages, panel changing time was reduced drastically. Panel changes can be completed on the Hyperpool in less than five minutes, compared with over four hours on the previous machine design.
Derrick now offers its latest innovation—Trilogy surface technology—the company’s most advanced screen system. Trilogy is composed of individual thermoplastic components that may be assembled into various configurations for added flexibility. This new innovation from Derrick can increase gold recovery, while reducing operating cost by enhancing productivity and profitability.
Through Trilogy, Derrick has transitioned its screening surface from a flat thermoset urethane screen to a thermoplastic three-dimensional urethane screen.
This latest innovation employs a modular approach in which the screen surface is combined with a robust support structure that can be joined together easily. This modularity gives Derrick the ability to increase screening area in the same footprint.
Trilogy screens feature tapered openings which highlight its non-blinding characteristics, the ability to withstand higher material temperatures and increased capacity. Trilogy also carries on the pedigree of its predecessor’s extended service life and high open area. All of which lead to increased gold recovery.
With the development of Trilogy, Derrick has succeeded in maintaining its incumbency as the industry leader in fine screening solutions.
Derrick offers solutions for fine screening in gold processing plants that effectively address reducing maintenance and operating costs, improved equipment reliability, improved kiln performance and efficiency, and increasing gold recovery.
The company’s pioneering spirit is best demonstrated by its research and development team’s long-term commitment to continuous innovation.
Derrick’s quest to perpetually reinvent itself is exemplified by its ever-growing portfolio of US and international patents.
Derrick offers its clients leading-edge solutions and around-the-clock, award-winning service to maximise separation efficiency. Derrick’s products are renowned for their rugged reliability in industries known for intensely challenging environments and ever-evolving demands.
This feature appeared in the May issue of Australian Mining.