The mined material would then be ground down to grains the size of sand and placed in the water where some would float and some would sink, thus separating out the upper layer of soil and rock.
據瞭解，一袋礦石重三、四十公斤，有時一天要背上五十袋。所以工人不怕挖礦，只怕背金。礦石背到台陽公司後，統一開封，磨成沙狀，再一遍遍用水把比重較輕、析離到上層的土石洗掉。