Method of extraction of mercury and gold from mine tailings

A method of separating from mixed feed materials containing water, gold, mercury and mineral tailings a first heavier solid component including gold and a second heavier liquid component including mercury comprising feeding the mixed feed materials into a centrifuge bowl having a peripheral wall surrounding a rotation axis of the bowl and an open mouth at one axial end of the bowl, rotating the bowl about the axis, causing the mixed feed materials to flow over the peripheral wall toward the open mouth, defining a shape of the peripheral wall such that said first and second components including mercury and gold collect on the peripheral wall while lighter materials including the mineral tailings and water escape through the open mouth, providing a plurality of holes through the peripheral wall, causing said second liquid component including mercury to pass through the holes and to be released from the peripheral wall so as to be discharged from the bowl while said first solid component including gold is retained inwardly of the holes on the peripheral wall, collecting separately from the lighter materials said second liquid component including mercury which passes through the holes and is discharged from the bowl and intermittently extracting said first solid component including gold from the peripheral wall separately from said second liquid component including mercury and separately from said lighter materials including the mineral tailings and water.