An umbrella approach to volume minimization in gold sand washing

In difficult geological conditions of placer mining at highly various characteristics of gold and sand, and given high content of fine gold, the volume minimization of sand washing by the criterion of maximum size of low-quality raw material is a challenging problem. The framework for the volume minimization methodology is assumed to be the integrated processing method including the core set of mining and processing operations toward reduction in volume of works at increased gold recovery. Preservation and increase of the resource potential in view of uneven concentration of the useful component orders geometrization and identification of gold-bearing sites as the first stage of the minimization methodology. Considering the diverse characteristics of metal and sand and with regard to the amount of fine gold, the integrated research was undertaken to analyze feasibility of reduction in the volume of product being processed under conditions of various characteristics of placers and processing equipment. Formation of a sand layer with the gold content equal or higher than the commercial content enables further processing of only this concentrated layer, which reduces the volume of processing and increases the metal recovery. The components of the proposed technologies earlier implemented in mines are described. The package of the procedures and technologies to minimize the volume of sand washing is proposed. The umbrella approach to minimization of volume of sand washing along the whole exploration–mining–processing cycle favors complete recovery of the valuable component and may be a framework for the relevant methodology.

BurakovA. M. An umbrella approach to volume minimization in gold sand washing. MIAB.MiningInf.Anal.Bull.2023;(2):127-138.[InRuss].DOI:10.25018/0236_1493_2023_2_0_127.

The studies used the equipment of the Shared Use Center at the Yakutia Science Center of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences Grant No. 13. CKP.21.0016.

A.M. Burakov, Cand. Sci. (Eng.), Senior Researcher, e-mail: ambur@igds.ysn.ru, Chersky Mining Institute of the North, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, 677980, Yakutsk, Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Russia.

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