Characterization and Determination of Liberation Size of Maitumbi Gold Ore

The samples of gold ore used in this study were collected from Maitumbi, Chanchaga local government area, Niger state. 500g of the finely milled sample was sieved in a sieve set from 355µm to 63µm within an automatic sieve shaker. Samples from various sieve sizes were further pulverized to below 125µm and then subjected to x-ray analysis. The commercial mesh of grind of the sieve test was found to be 125 µm, 180 µm and 250 µm having retained 20.3%, 17.12% and 18.05% weight percent of the entire sample respectively. Upon x-ray analysis, gold was observed in trace amount having assayed 0.0251 %, 0.1083 %, 0.1212 % and 0.0882 %, with manganese, iron and copper being dominant. The liberated free gold was at -125 + 90 μm having 6.55g which is the highest degree of liberation for commercial viability.