Metal content control in placer gold mining in Yakutia

In the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) down to recent time, despite the faster growth of gold production, half gold produced is yet extracted from placers. Geotechnical conditions of mineral mining naturally deteriorate with depletion of readily mineable and processable reserves. Many fine gold and clay associations lead to high loss of the valuable component. In case of large-size mineral deposits, it is important whether the metal content of mineable reserves is uniform or not, as the latter requires selective extraction, with combination of extraction blocks with the same content, and needs geotechnical preparation, i.e. creation of a manmade deposit with the preset parameters. All these facts actualize elaboration of measures aimed at stabilization of average metal content of gold ore produced at placers, including, the placer at the Bolshoi Kuranakh River. The review of the relevant guidelines enabled defining some basic criteria in this respect: geotechnical conditions, distribution pattern of useful components per extraction sites and blocks, extraction sequence, geotechnical preparation of extraction blocks, combination of dredging and dozer-and-shovel excavation, mixed-type processing of goldbearing sand, minimization of processing volume by screening-out of unproductive fraction. The distribution patterns of useful components inside the pay zone boundaries are determined. The recommended processing method is mixed-type, with reduction in processing volume of gold-bearing sand by screening-out of unproductive fraction. The expediency of geotechnical preparation of large-size placers with complex geometry of a productive stratum is evaluated. A package of stabilization measures is recommended for the metal content of the reserves produced during gold placer mining.

Burakov A. M. Metal content control in placer gold mining in Yakutia. MIAB. Mining Inf. Anal. Bull. 2021;(8):23-37. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.25018/0236_1493_2021_8_0_23.

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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