4 Processes of Gold Mining You Need to Know (Ⅰ)

Gold mining refers to the process of mining ore from the earth's crust and enriching the minerals, which is mainly carried out in areas with a high concentration of gold-bearing ore body. The complete gold mining process mainly includes the following four aspects:

• Gold prospecting

• Gold mine design

• Gold mine production 

• Closure

This article first introduces two aspects of gold mine prospecting and gold mine design. Next, I will continue to introduce the related content of gold mine production and closure.

Let's start!

The purpose of geological prospecting is to discover and evaluate mineral resources, explore resource reserves, and provide a basis for investment decision-making and mine construction design. Geological exploration of gold mines can be divided into three stages: general prospecting, detailed prospecting and gold exploration. In the specific prospecting process, the prospecting stage can be adjusted according to the actual situation: it can work in the order of the three stages, or it can be combined or cross-stage surveyed at one time.

General Prospecting

The general prospecting uses simple geological surveys, geophysical prospecting, geochemical prospecting and sparse sampling projects to trace mineralization clues and discover gold ore body, so as to preliminarily identify the following gold ore information.

• preliminarily ascertain the stratum, structure, magmatic rock and mineralization alteration characteristics of the prospecting area;

• preliminarily ascertain the number, scale, shape, and attitude of gold ore body;

• preliminarily ascertain gold ore quality characteristics;

• preliminarily ascertain technical performance of gold ore processing (smelting) ;

• preliminarily ascertain technical conditions for gold deposit mining;

The gold mine prospecting report is submitted after the prospecting. The report evaluates whether it has a long-term view of economic development and provides a basis for whether it is worthy of further work; it also delineates the scope of detailed prospecting for valuable areas.

Detailed Prospecting

The detailed prospecting of gold mines carries out systematic engineering disclosure and sampling work through large-scale geological mapping and appropriate exploration methods, thus identifying the following gold ore information basically.

• Basically ascertain the stratum, structure, magmatic rock and mineralization alteration characteristics of the prospecting area;

• Basically ascertain the number, scale, shape, and attitude of gold ore body;Basically ascertain continuity of ore body;

• Basically ascertain the structure, type and mineral composition of gold ore, as well as the content and occurrence of useful and harmful minerals;

• Basically ascertain technical performance of gold ore processing (smelting) ;

• Basically ascertain the mining technical conditions of the gold ore deposit; then carry out general research to estimate the inferred resources and controlled resources, and also conduct pre-feasibility studies or feasibility studies to estimate credible reserves.

After detailed prospecting, a detailed prospecting report is submitted to make an evaluation of whether the gold mine has industrial value, which is used as the basis for prospecting work, general mine planning and preparation of mine project proposals.

Gold Exploration

Gold exploration is to find out the following features of the ore body in detail through continuous sampling projects for mineral deposits known to have industrial value or exploration areas identified by detailed prospecting.

• ascertain the stratum, structure, magmatic rock and mineralization in the prospecting area and characteristics of surrounding rock alteration in detail;

• ascertain the number, scale, shape, attitude, spatial location of gold ore body and rocks in detail;

• ascertain the structure, type and mineral composition of gold ore, as well as the content and occurrence of useful and harmful minerals in detail;

• ascertain technical performance of gold ore processing (smelting) in detail;

• ascertain the mining technical conditions of the gold ore deposit; then carry out general research to estimate inferred, controlled, and proven resources, and also carry out pre-feasibility studies or feasibility studies to estimate reserves in detail.

Submit the exploration report after the exploration work is completed to provide a basis for gold mine construction design.

The mine design phase involves the planning and construction of gold mining projects. Gold mining companies must obtain relevant permits and licenses before starting construction. What gold mining companies need to build is not only the gold mine itself, but the mine planning also needs to consider the following aspects:

Gold Mining Method

For gold mines with different ore body depths, different mining method can be selected, open pit mining or underground mining.

• Open-pit gold mine：The ore body of open-pit gold mines usually have a depth of no more than 400 meters, which is relatively shallow and balanced, so open-pit gold mining is preferred. Open-pit gold mines do not require deep excavation, the cost is lower than underground gold mines.

• Underground gold mine：If the surface resources are exhausted, or the ore body extends to the depths of the earth, underground mining is necessary. Underground gold mining requires the construction of a complex network of tunnels and shafts to mine and transport ore, while supporting the ventilation system.

Gold Mine Environment

The environment of gold mining areas affects the production efficiency of gold mines, and it is also an important part of gold mine designing.

• The mining area is divided into functional areas such as production area, management area, and living area. Various functional areas shall have independent and complete management systems, orderly operation and standardized management.

• The mining area has complete supporting facilities to meet logistics and operational needs, as well as provide support for employees and community welfare, such as ground transportation, water supply, power supply, sanitation, environmental protection.

• During the mine production process, measures such as water spraying and addition of dust collectors should be taken to control dust and protect the environment of the mining area.

Gold Mine Development Method

The design of mining and beneficiation processes vary from different gold mine properties.

• The mining and beneficiation process is selected according to local conditions such as the occurrence conditions of the gold ore body, the nature of gold ore and the ecological environment of the mining area. Priority is given to mining and dressing processes and equipment that meet the requirements of cleaner production, such as small ecological disturbances in gold mining areas, high resource utilization, low waste generation, and high water recycling rate.

• Underground mines must be mined in strict accordance with the designed filling mining method, and the mined areas must be filled in time.

• Use environment friendly flotation reagent and gold leaching reagents for production;

• The complex arsenic-containing, sulfur-containing, and finely encapsulated gold concentrate (or gold-containing ore) is pretreated by concentrate roasting, biological oxidation, and hot-press oxidation.

Integrated Utilization of Resources

The resources available to gold mines are not only gold minerals, but also other associated minerals that coexist with gold mines；In the production of gold mines, Solid waste and wastewater in mining operations also need to be comprehensively utilized. 

• Symbiosis and associated resource integrated utilization. Economic and advanced technology should be used to comprehensively recycle the symbiotic and associated resources of gold mines, and maximize the comprehensive utilization rate of the symbiotic and associated mineral resources such as copper, lead, zinc, silver, and sulfur.

• Solid wastes integrated utilization. The usability of solid wastes such as waste rock and tailings generated from mining and dressing process should be evaluated, and rationally used after classification. Mine solid waste can be used as building materials, filling materials for secondary utilization.

• Waster-water utilization. Gold mines should design complete water recycling facilities and drainage systems in the mining area, and adopt advanced water-saving technologies to ensure the recycling of water in the mining area. ’

Complete gold mining process is very long and complicated. Before gold mine production and operation, a lot of prospecting and planning work is required to determine the reserves size, mining methods, and effective ore processing process as accurately as possible. Therefore, it is recommended that all mine owners consult with equipment manufacturers with overall beneficiation qualifications, and select the complete process and equipment suitable for the gold mine, so as to further improve the efficiency and economic benefits of mine operations.

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