A separation apparatus and method

A separation apparatus comprising:

• a separation chamber defining an interior surface having an upper region disposed vertically above a bottom region with a permeable separator member defining a bottom to the chamber, a first chamber outlet disposed in the upper region of the chamber and a second chamber outlet located in the bottom region of the chamber, the chamber being configured to be utilised with a fluid pulsing mechanism for operatively pulsating a fluid through ore deposited in the chamber resulting in the migration of generally lighter ore particles toward the upper region of the chamber for extraction from the chamber through first chamber outlet and for generally heavier ore particles to migrate toward the bottom region of the chamber for extraction from the chamber through the second chamber outlet,
• wherein an ore deposit chute provided through which ore may be deposited into the chamber, the chute including an inlet that is disposed vertically above an outlet with the outlet being arranged to deposit ore near the bottom region of the chamber remote from the first chamber outlet, and wherein the chute widens from the inlet toward the outlet thereof thereby operatively causing ore to be drawn out of the chute and into the chamber during a downward stroke of the fluid pulsing mechanism.