Small Mining Operations
Underground Mining: Stoping Methods
October 2016 by Chris Ralph
![](http://www.icmj.com/userfiles/images/201610/toc-16-underground-mining.jpg)
The Miner’s Switchback
Common thought is the switchback slows the velocity of the rushing water and gold drops out from the cut bank to a fill gravel bar within or below the switchback. I am not going to disregard that model; however, I hope to improve upon it.
The Subsurface Suction Dredge
![](http://www.icmj.com/userfiles/images/201311/TOC-subsurface.jpg)
Breaking Boulders With Explosives
The process we will be using is called “blockholing,” and it is commonly used at mines and in construction projects to break up oversize material into sizes that can be easily handled.
Uphill Battle Continues for California Dredgers
There are currently three controlling agencies or entities over suction dredging in California—and you can make that four if the state legislature decides to further muddy the waters with additional legislation to block suction gold dredging in the state.
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.
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