conveyer belt in Montana mine.

[russau]

"The amount of electricity you will need to run a conveyor inside that dripping wet hole will be an electrocution hazard..."

As Tamrock has already said, one could use mucking machines instead. However, if a conveyor is what the OP has their mind set on, could always keep the power source outside and run hydraulic lines along the conveyor - power it hydraulically.

As for water, it's getting more and more necessary in many areas to work with recirculated water. So, why not make a large rain trapment system? Eventually, however, that water will still have to be treated, or ??

************The statement in BLUE is incorrect! A properly wired electric motor , following and using the National Electric Code that is a grounded system with Ground fault receptacles or breakers WILL prevent any electrical shock or electrocution!

 

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[mpgken]

It is interesting how people that don't know anything about a particular mine seem to think they know it all as opposed to someone who has actual first hand knowledge. Arm chair miners are ridiculous.

kcm - yes it is a very small hole. I could barely get in. It wasn't some place I would want to try to get out of fast. The other entrances were caved in and probably much larger openings from the looks of the craters that have been left. It is impossible to tell now. But the holes left after the cave in's are huge and would be very difficult to climb out of - lots of loose dirt up and down the steep sides. An excavator would be a good idea to clear those out but then you start dealing with significant disturbance and the blm and FS will be looking over your shoulder if they even let you move all that dirt.

The hole could be widened but it is solid rock so it would take some time to do this. Moving the tailings pile outside may be a better option if the blm and FS will allow because it could expose a larger opening. I could not tell when I was there because inside you can't really move the dirt or you make it impossible to get out and outside as you can see you would have to move a lot of material to find out what is lower.

Water recirc. is an option but again on the extremely steep side of the mountain would require permits and an expensive engineering plan, approval from the fed and state agencies. Again this is very sensitive area where they won't want anything haphazard because the ground and water supplies are already in a bad position. This isn't true about all areas of the state.

Boblemon - glad to hear it isn't that mine. I'll respond to your private message.

 

[mpgken]

Cory at GRE has been told multiple times to stay the hell out of Arizona. He is nothing but a snake oil salesman and a hack. He is going to run into some of us here someday and it isn't going to be "pretty".

GRE - A real bad 'company'. The crap they sell is unbelievable. I've been to many of their listings here in Montana and anyone who wants to mine those will need deep pockets. Very deep pockets.

There are those con-men all over though. A couple years ago a guy was selling his claims in the Yukon on Maple Creek. You had to read carefully every word in the listing. He said " one ounce of gold per thousand yards of fines" If you skip the last word you would think "hey that isn't too bad". The history of those claims is that many people with very deep pockets have gone there and lost millions in just months of running material. None of them ever hit bedrock and none of them ever got more than a few ounces of gold. The guy that was selling was the last one that got taken. I ran into a miner on Arch creek up there who told us the history and we went to look at the creek. Yep, no gold at all but there are still million dollar holes there!

GRE doesn't go to the land anymore because they have been chased out. Now they use fools who reside in each state to do their dirty work. Of course to earn a living staking the claims for GRE they have to stake anything and everything no matter what the ground is like. They don't care what difficulties the buyer will run into with the agencies who control the land. This kind of thing gives mining a bad name and miners a bad rap. Real miners - not armchair miners - have to deal with the fallout from these scams.

It would be good if the law would shut these people down.

 

[Mad Machinist]

Yea, GRE actually overstaked a friend of mine and tried to sell it.

Boblemon,

With what you posted I'm pretty sure you exercised part of your "due diligence" in buying the mine. The other part is knowing the laws surrounding mining on public land.

You will have to either work the mine or start reclamation. You REALLY, REALLY don't want ANY gov't agency to step in and start reclamation as they WILL find the most expensive solution and hand you the bill and a court summons.

Kinda give them a choice. Either your in and out for years in the area or they can cut you some slack and you can be in and out in a few months if you just want what is laying on the floor. Start but showing them a reclamation plan. This one of the reasons I stress testing the tailings. Tailings piles have to be dealt with as part of reclamation. If there are values in the tailings and you are removing them for both the values and as part of a reclamation plan, thus cleaning up the area, you'll make some new "friends" pretty quick.

And once your new "friends" see your serious about doing things right instead of raping and pillaging, you'll have fewer problems.

As for equipment choice, I would look into the miniveyor system and a small generator. Honda makes a line of generators that are EXTREMELY quiet at around 61db and they are linkable for additional power. 1 horsepower equals 746 Watts so one of the little 2000 watt generators could run a two horsepower motor or any combination up to two horsepower.

 

[Mad Machinist]

Electric Generator Depot - Honda EU7000IS 7000W Super Quiet Light Weight Inverter 120/240v Fuel Efficient Generator with iMonitor LCD

Here ya go. Just picked one, you may find it cheaper elsewhere. 60db at 7 meters, roughly 22 feet.

And for lights, they now make those light strings of 1 light every ten foot with LEDs. Very low power consumption.

Maybe lay some plywood in the bed of the truck too. The sound of a rock hitting metal can carry a long way.

 

[Goldwasher]

Didn't they finally put in a max speed limit.. "reasonable and proper" is confusing...

Ran across Montana back in college in a beat up old '84 300ZX.. Cruise control would only work up to 115, what kind of idiot designed that?

Cruising at 120 plus you drink a LOT of fuel.. But you sure get there fast, and it still took forever, Montana is one long state.

I've driven the ALCAN twice. It is amazing how slow 90 mph can actually be.

 

[Goldwasher]

First, Speed limit is 75 or 80 on interstates - it varies, 65 or 70 on two lane roads and 65 at night on all roads. All the idiots from other states driving through when the limit was reasonable and prudent forced the current speed limits. The idiots driving from other states don't care at all about Montana or Montanan's.

No drinking and driving here either. Duh. Grow up people. Only someone that is a living brain donor would do that.

As for the question asked. BLM does have authority over the land if it is BLM land. Land belonging to BLM is completely controlled by them. Don't listen to those who don't live in Montana. The BLM DOES own land here in Montana. Some areas are very sensitive because of what was done before. Be careful buying mines in Montana. You could get stuck with a huge cleanup bill even if you didn't contribute to the problem. In addition, you will have the state agencies to deal with. They are currently very anti-mining.

If the land is Forest service land the BLM can get involved but normally you have to deal with the forest service and they aren't very friendly in most of the forests. Again for any water use you have to deal with both the federal agency and the state.

Don't be stupid and disrespect Montana. The agencies aren't the worst of what you will have to deal with. Montanan's won't stand for jerks coming in from out of state and destroying the state. Most of Montana is rural and everyone carries at least one gun. They will use them and the judges live here too and will side with the residents. Montanan's care about their state and don't like outsiders to come in thinking they can do anything they want and get away with it. If you want to act like irresponsible jerks do it where you live. Stay away from Montana.

On the other hand, if you can be an intelligent responsible person and can show it in how you treat the state and it's people you will be welcomed.

Boblemon, You seem to be responsible for asking a serious question and wanting to do things right. Don't listen to those morons that posted all that crap about Montana. they are idiots and don't give a damn about anyone or anything, obviously. They give mining a bad name.

I personally am good friends with the the person at the BLM that deals with the press here in Montana. If you want answers I can get you in touch with him and if he doesn't have them he'll get them for you or direct you to the proper person.

Keep in mind the idiots that posted the disinformation about Montana above are the reason mining here is so difficult. As an outsider it will be harder for you than it would a resident. Not because you wouldn't do the right things but because of the jerks that came before you like those who posted above.

BTW, which mines did you buy and if you aren't willing to tell that where are they? I may know the answer to what you would be up against. Montana has a lot of mining history but also a lot of huge problems because of the mining. Some areas are very sensitive and the agencies who control them can be very against anything new happening especially if you are talking about moving ground that has potentially hazardous chemicals in it.

Message me if you want to talk privately about this. I am willing to help you get going. I won't be here in the summer though. I have claims in the Yukon that I mine so I will be gone all summer but I can help you while I am here and am willing to meet and talk with who ever at the agencies. I have also worked with the state legislature and know most of the legislators. They can sometimes help move things along with the state agencies. But if they can't, don't count on the liberal progressive governor to help!

First I wasn't drinking and driving. You could have open containers in the vehicle My friends drank I drove. Drinking and driving is indeed stupid. Second there were no posted speed limits except in town. And on the interstate. Any other road or Highway was something like reasonable and proper during daylight hours. Sorry I said "no speed limit" It is a law that changed. I lived there that's how I know. its not just something I read. Montana's Speed Limit of ?? M.P.H. Is Overturned as Too Vague - The New York Times

I don't know who you are calling an idiot since you aren't quoting. But, either way you can not insult members and calling names is not allowed so chill out please.

You have said enough to show that you are actually the one who doesn't know exactly what you are talking about.