Heavy media separation process

Claim 1

IN THE METHOD OF SEPARATING MIXTURES OF SOLID PARTICLES HAVING DIFFERENT SPECIFIC GRAVITIES WHICH INCLUDES INTRODUCING AN ORE OF VARYING AND RELATIVELY HIGH WATER CONTENT INTO A BODY OF SEPARATORY FLUID COMPRISING A SUSPENSION IN WATER OF FINELY-DIVIDED MEDIUM SOLIDS, SAID FLUID HAVING AN APPARENT DENSITY BETWEEN THOSE OF THE PARTICLES TO BE SEPARATED WHEREBY A MORE DENSE FRACTION SINKS AND A LESS DENSE FRACTION FLOATS, WHEREIN SAID SINK AND FLOAT FRACTIONS ARE SEPARATELY RECOVERED AND THE MEDIUM SOLIDS CARRIED THEREWITH ARE DRAINED THEREFROM AND COLLECTED FOR REUSE, AND WHEREIN THE WASHINGS ARE SUBJECTED TO A CLEANING OPERATION, SAID FLUID MEDIUM HAVING A CONCENTRATIN OF WATER BY VOLUME SUFFICIENTLY LOW AND SAID ORE HAVING A WATER CONTENT SUFFICIENTLY HIGH SO THAT THE WATER REMOVED BY CLEANING THAT PORTION OF THE MEDIUM PASSING OVER THE WASHING SCREENS IS INSUFFICIENT TO COMPENSATE FOR THE WATER INTRODUCED WITH THE ORE, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES: DIVERTING AND THICKENING A SUFFICIENT AMOUNT OF THE UNDERSIZE FROM THE DRAINAGE SCREEN WITHOUT CLEANING TO COMPENSATE FOR THE WATER COMING INTO THE SEPARATORY FLUID WITH SAID ORE, REMOVING A DENSIFIED PRODUCT FROM THE THICKENING OPERATION, AND RECYCLING SAID PRODUCT DIRECTLY TO THE SEPARATORY ZONE.