Small Mining Operations
Ask the Experts
August 2014 by Randy Smith
Centrifugal bowls versus jigsThe Basics of Froth Flotation
I thought it might be worthwhile to take a look at the basics of this important mineral separation technique and how a miner can use it to recover the values out of an ore.
From Curiosity to Mine Owner
His brother’s friend showed him a vial of gold that originated from his family’s mine in Honduras. Within two weeks Ernie had flown to Honduras to get a first-hand tour of the historic mine and the primitive operation underway to recover the gold.
Mining for Gold and Sapphires in Montana
Fascinated by the sapphires—and the gold that occured with them—he was soon buying parcels of property and setting up his own commercial-scale gravel processing plants.
Proper Assaying of Placer Samples
The whole purpose of sampling mineralized ground is to measure the values in a small volume of material that would be representative of a much larger volume of similar material. The key word is representative. Chemical and fire assaying will not accurately represent placer deposits by themselves.
A New Method for Handling Stubborn Gravity Middlings
The solution focused on the relative difference in malleability between gold and waste, rather than the difference in density exploited by gravity circuits.
The Smell of Gold -- Part II
While mapping, I also found rock chips in the soil that were characteristic of the same wall rock alteration that occurs adjacent to the known lodes in the greenstone belt.
The Basics of Exploration Leases and Contracts—Part II
This is the point where you might ask, “What do these types of contracts typically look like and how are they negotiated?” Well, that is the topic of this month’s article.
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