Jacobi PICAGOLD G210AS vs HojeeGold CG1200: A Cost-Effective Gold Recovery Carbon Alternative

1. Head-to-Head Specification Table

The table below puts both products side by side — every number comes from the manufacturer's published datasheet or, for CG1200, the SGS test report. Where test methods differ, we say so openly.

Honest note on strength: CG1200's 98.2% is measured by the Chinese GB/T standard, while G210AS's ≥99% is a Ball Pan hardness figure. These two methods use different test principles (compression vs tumbling), so the numbers are not directly comparable. If hardness is a decisive factor for your mine, ask both suppliers for results under the same method — or run your own attrition test.

2. Iodine Number and Ash Content — What the SGS Numbers Tell You

Iodine number is a proxy for micropore surface area — for coconut shell activated carbon used in gold recovery, anything above 1000 mg/g indicates a well-developed micropore structure capable of adsorbing the gold-cyanide complex.

• CG1200: 1208 mg/g (SGS verified) — comfortably above the 1000 mg/g threshold most mines require. The SGS certificate travels with the shipment.
• G210AS: Jacobi specifies its PICAGOLD grades primarily by K value and R value rather than headline iodine. As a fully activated coconut shell carbon, it meets the micropore standard expected for gold adsorption.

Ash occupies pore volume that should be adsorbing gold. CG1200's 2.52% ash (SGS) sits well below G210AS's ≤4% ceiling — that means more effective surface per gram for actual gold loading.

3. K Value and R Value — Gold Loading Performance

For any gold recovery carbon, every other spec ultimately serves one thing: how much gold it loads and how fast.

• K value (loading capacity): grams of gold per ton of carbon at equilibrium — higher K means less carbon consumed per ounce recovered.
• R value (adsorption rate): how fast the carbon reaches loading equilibrium — faster R means a more efficient CIL circuit and shorter contact time.

Jacobi publishes its PICAGOLD line in a graded K/R ladder:

HojeeGold CG1200 delivers K 26–32 kg/t and R 50–60%. The upper end of CG1200's range meets or exceeds G210AS's published K 28 / R 60% — putting it in the same performance tier at a more competitive price point. For a comparison with the flagship G210 Ultima, see our Jacobi PICAGOLD G210 Ultima vs HojeeGold CG1200 guide.

4. Strength and Hardness — An Honest Look

Carbon inside a CIL tank faces constant mechanical agitation. Low hardness means more breakage, more fines, and more gold escaping with the tailings. Every percent of extra fines is gold walking out the back door.

• CG1200: 98.2% strength by the Chinese GB/T standard (a compression-based method).
• G210AS: ≥99% hardness by Ball Pan (a tumbling/abrasion method per ASTM D3802).

Why you cannot compare these directly: GB/T strength and Ball Pan hardness measure different physical properties — compression resistance vs abrasion resistance. A carbon scoring 98% under one test may well score 99% under the other. Making a strength superiority claim between these two numbers would be misleading, and we won't do it.

Our recommendation: if hardness is a key criterion for your tender, request both suppliers to test under the same method (ASTM D3802 Ball Pan or GB/T 12496.6), or run a rolling-bottle attrition test on your own. That gives you a true apples-to-apples comparison.

5. Attrition and Platelets — Data Pending (Transparency)

Jacobi publishes attrition (<1.0%, rolling bottle) and platelets (<4%) for the G210AS grade. These are valuable specs — low attrition means less carbon loss in the CIL circuit, and low platelets mean fewer flat grains that screen poorly.

For HojeeGold CG1200, attrition and platelet data are currently being finalized. Rather than estimate or borrow comparable numbers, we mark them as "data pending" — because publishing only verified, measured data is a baseline for trust. Once the test results are in, this article will be updated.

If these metrics matter for your tender, ask HojeeCarb for the latest test status, or request matched samples and run your own attrition test.

6. Cost and Supply — Why CG1200 Is a Practical Alternative

Jacobi Carbons (part of Osaka Gas Chemicals) is a global premium brand — its pricing reflects the brand's position, global distribution network, and quality infrastructure. That premium is justified for many buyers.

HojeeGold CG1200 is positioned differently: comparable performance at a more competitive price. For mines running hundreds of tons per year, even a modest per-ton price difference adds up to a meaningful budget saving — without sacrificing the gold-loading performance your circuit needs.

• Direct factory pricing: No middlemen. CG1200 ships from the factory to your mine with transparent pricing and no distributor markup.
• Proven export logistics: Jumbo bags in 40'HC containers, full documentation (COA, SGS certificate, packing list, B/L), destination-port delivery worldwide.
• Batch consistency: Same feedstock source, same activation process, same QC protocol — every shipment matches the spec sheet.

7. Where G210AS and CG1200 Sit in the PICAGOLD Line

It helps to understand where G210AS sits within Jacobi's PICAGOLD product ladder — and what that means for choosing an alternative:

• G208AS (K 26, R 50%) — the entry grade. CG1200's lower band already covers this tier.
• G210AS (K 28, R 60%) — the standard workhorse grade, and the subject of this comparison. CG1200's mid-to-upper band matches it.
• G210 Ultima (K 30, R 60%, attrition <0.7%) — the flagship premium grade. See our dedicated G210 Ultima comparison for details.

CG1200's K/R band (26–32 / 50–60%) spans the full G208AS–G210AS range and reaches into G210 Ultima territory — making it a versatile alternative for mines currently buying any standard PICAGOLD grade.

8. Summary — When to Consider CG1200 as Your G210AS Replacement

Consider CG1200 if: you currently run G210AS (or G208AS/G209AS) and want to reduce your carbon budget without changing your circuit or risking gold recovery. CG1200 is a drop-in at the same mesh with matching K/R performance, verified by SGS, and priced for cost-sensitive operations.

Stick with G210AS if: your tender specifically requires Jacobi brand, or you need the published attrition and platelet data that CG1200 has not yet finalized. Brand lock-in and complete spec sheets matter for some procurement processes.

The right way to settle any comparison is a side-by-side loading test on your own pulp. Request matched samples from both suppliers and run them under identical conditions — that is the only definitive answer.

Frequently Asked Questions

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