Going to South America to start a dredge gold mining operation and I'm a newbie

[sedgehammer]

Hello everyone! I'm new here and new to gold mining, so please forgive if I'm ignorant on some things or most likely, lots of things....

I have a really good friend from there and he has a cousin that's been mining for 45 years. So me and my buddy are going to give it a go.

Over burden is anywhere from 6' to 12', shale streak is roughly 3' to 6' thick. Some nuggets, most mostly smaller stuff and lots of fines. Shale has a few larger rocks, some smaller ones, but is mostly made up of pebbles & sand.

Going to be using a 2 pump set up to start. One for pressurized water to blast the shale and another to suck it up for the sluice. Pumps are a 6" and both will have 100 hp diesels on them.

Typical sluice box is 6' wide and 25' long or so. They use carpet and expended metal on top with a riffle every 3' to 4'. Nuggets have been found all the way at the bottom of the sluice..... so you know they lost many out the bottom. Loss rates are 40% to 50%, so looking to cut that drastically.

Looking for any suggestions and inputs, especially on sluice design.

Thanks

 

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[Terry Soloman]

Welcome to the forum! Sounds like you're biting off a pretty large chunk. Sure hope you are able to chew it! My thoughts go straight to the "cousin," who has been mining for "45 years." Seems to me he would have learned by now not to lose gold off the end of his sluice boxes. Looking forward to hearing more about your adventures.

 

[gldguy1]

My advice call up todd Hoffman and ask him what not to do lol jk, seriously though good luck

 

[hawkeye39]

Your description of the pay deposit looks like it would be gravel rather than shale. Minor point, but part of the learning experience. Good luck.

 

[sedgehammer]

Welcome to the forum! Sounds like you're biting off a pretty large chunk. Sure hope you are able to chew it! My thoughts go straight to the "cousin," who has been mining for "45 years." Seems to me he would have learned by now not to lose gold off the end of his sluice boxes. Looking forward to hearing more about your adventures.

Thanks! I usually 'chew' pretty good, so we'll see. Lol

Well, I would agree, but most of the people that run mines there don't really care, as they don't look at it like most people here would. They are happy to make some money, go have a good time and come back and get some more, as it's pretty easyto get. Thus the reason for me.

 

[RTR]

and good luck > https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/l...ts-second-season-at-discovery-channel-1084035

 

[sedgehammer]

Your description of the pay deposit looks like it would be gravel rather than shale. Minor point, but part of the learning experience. Good luck.

Yes, a slip on my part. Thanks

 

[sedgehammer]

and good luck > https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/l...ts-second-season-at-discovery-channel-1084035

Watched it, but don't care for Parker. Of course that's all set up. But how they are mining isn't entirely different than what we will be doing. I'd say though it's a little more civilized than where they mined. Thanks though

 

[rockbar]

I doubt many of the local miners are allowing nuggets to travel all the way to the end of their sluices. That just doesn’t sound acceptable because it indicates a possible massive loss of fines - if they are a significant portion of the deposit. I would try to determine why losses are occurring and someone with lots of experience with placer mining should be able to determine what the culprit may be and make changes.
You may decide to try some of the new rubber matting somewhere along your sluice runs and see if it helps. I would give Doc at Gold Hog a call on this matter… and only if your local miner friend wants input on how his operation might be improved.

 

[seafox]

I would second the opinion about studying the gold hog site and getting rubber matting. I have had suscess with them. good luck

 

[rockbar]

Also, there should be an effort to get away from using mercury anywhere in the recovery process. Other options should be considered if the funds are available to put more emphasis on health and the environment - not usually a priority in subsistence efforts. I know Mount Baker mining (MBMMLLC) is making an effort to help miners get away from using mercury with their shaker table. Another way is by using a centrifugal concentrator like what icon gold recovery provides. You can see videos on youtube where both methods are being used specifically to address the mercury problem.

 

[sedgehammer]

I doubt many of the local miners are allowing nuggets to travel all the way to the end of their sluices. That just doesn’t sound acceptable because it indicates a possible massive loss of fines - if they are a significant portion of the deposit. I would try to determine why losses are occurring and someone with lots of experience with placer mining should be able to determine what the culprit may be and make changes.
You may decide to try some of the new rubber matting somewhere along your sluice runs and see if it helps. I would give Doc at Gold Hog a call on this matter… and only if your local miner friend wants input on how his operation might be improved.

I can only relate what my buddy has seen and was told by his cousin and other operations he's been around there. Hopeful others can chime in as well as to sluice design.

Am hoping he chimes in and yes, are considering using the mats.

I would second the opinion about studying the gold hog site and getting rubber matting. I have had suscess with them. good luck

Yup and thanks!

 

[sedgehammer]

Also, there should be an effort to get away from using mercury anywhere in the recovery process. Other options should be considered if the funds are available to put more emphasis on health and the environment - not usually a priority in subsistence efforts. I know Mount Baker mining (MBMMLLC) is making an effort to help miners get away from using mercury with their shaker table. Another way is by using a centrifugal concentrator like what icon gold recovery provides. You can see videos on youtube where both methods are being used specifically to address the mercury problem.

Agreed. I've already discussed this with my partner.

 

[sedgehammer]

My advice call up todd Hoffman and ask him what not to do lol jk, seriously though good luck

I would have to disagree. With Todd, you'd want to ask him WHAT to do, then do the opposite..... If you ask him what not to do, you are doing what he says to do. Lol.

If it wasn't for him being so dumb, discovery would have booted him long ago, but he was good for ratings.

 

[Bejay]

The best advice I can give you is make sure your equipment is in top notch shape and have spare parts. Also be ready to be exposed to things that can make you ill fast and be equipped to deal with such issues. If you, or the equipment, does not function well you will struggle. Make sure you have good ground to work and be ready to find good ground if you are not seeing gold.....don't always blame the setup or equipment. Sluice angle and water flow are key issues tho. Good luck with your venture!

Bejay

 

[Capt Nemo]

Some of the loss might be going home in the help's lunchpails. An awful lot of native silver did just that from the copper mines of the UP.

I'll +10 the suggestion to go with Gold Hog mats. And NO mercury unless properly retorted!

 

[Assembler]

Some of the loss might be going home in the help's lunchpails. An awful lot of native silver did just that from the copper mines of the UP.

I'll +10 the suggestion to go with Gold Hog mats. And NO mercury unless properly retorted!

Mats of some type are a good idea as you know it works everywhere.

 

[sedgehammer]

The best advice I can give you is make sure your equipment is in top notch shape and have spare parts. Also be ready to be exposed to things that can make you ill fast and be equipped to deal with such issues. If you, or the equipment, does not function well you will struggle. Make sure you have good ground to work and be ready to find good ground if you are not seeing gold.....don't always blame the setup or equipment. Sluice angle and water flow are key issues tho. Good luck with your venture!

Bejay

Yup. Will have spare pump and motor on hand.

Will get shots for down there before i go.

A modern town is just an hour away or less even.

Will have ground tested before starting.

Yup, biggest ones for how we will be doing things.

Thanks

Some of the loss might be going home in the help's lunchpails. An awful lot of native silver did just that from the copper mines of the UP.

I'll +10 the suggestion to go with Gold Hog mats. And NO mercury unless properly retorted!

Pretty hard. Most is fines and the nuggets are found in sluice. Besides that mine owner is always on site or the land owner is to watch.

Mats of some type are a good idea as you know it works everywhere.

Mats of some type. Can you elaborate please.

 

[Assembler]

Gold Hag mats are excellent to use for recovery.

 

[Kray Gelder]

The rules here for posting are to treat everything as if it were Gospel, and if a story is an obvious fabrication, one should not say anything, just let it slide. So in this case, I won't say anything, just wish you well in your fantastic endeavor.