Gold in Sand and Gravel pits

[GoldReport]

Hi everyone!

Novice prospector here. I work for an aggregates mining company and have talked with the company geologist about gold in our s&g deposits. At my last site visits in Southern NY + NW PA I took my gold pan. I grabbed about a gallon of material from the sand screws and panned them. I would have done more material but was time limited. I did indeed find some glacial gold, really small stuff. What I am having a tough time figuring out is what processing this would look like. In my head I would set up a sluice box where the chute that feeds the sand screw is located. It would need to be something as low cost as possible and would not need to be cleaned out very often. Anyone have any pics of their setup they would be willing to share?

Still trying to determine the concentration in these deposits. If they could recover at least 0.01g per ton of sand, I think it could be profitable as an additional revenue stream.

 

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[mattia]

At the end of the day the cost of extraction has to less than what gold your recovering. to make it worth while. And have a profit margin worth the effort.

For example if you sand and gravel company are handling 200 thousand tons of black sand per year and retrieving 1 gram per ton. I gram is 86.66 dollars in processing is a one site processing 200000 tons. you could in theory before costs recover 173320.00 dollars of gold.

Add cost of processing at multiple sites it just not worth your while. if your getting below I gram Per ton forget it.

Gold ore density is measured by grams per tonne or g/t. Higher-grade mines have densities of 8.0 to 10.0 g/t, while lower-grade mines have densities of 1.0 to 4.0 g/t

The weighted-average mean profit margin of analyzed gold miners was 30.2%so to meet those bench marks. out of that theoretical at I gram per ton recovering 173320.00. Your recovery cost should not exceed 68 percent of 173320.00 dollars in gold recovered.

Crow

Hi Raven, I am leading a research team and in April we will travel to Cocos Island to conduct historical and archaeological investigations. We are particularly interested in the story of **Lord Lyndoch** and the rebels of 1817. Do you happen to have any other information about this event or resources that might help us in our research?

 

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[prof. mattia veracini]

Alla fine della giornata il costo dell'estrazione deve essere inferiore a quello dell'oro che stai recuperando, per far sì che ne valga la pena. E avere un margine di profitto che valga lo sforzo.

Ad esempio, se la tua azienda di sabbia e ghiaia gestisce 200 mila tonnellate di sabbia nera all'anno e recupera 1 grammo per tonnellata. Un grammo equivale a 86,66 dollari in lavorazione, ovvero un sito che elabora 200.000 tonnellate. In teoria, prima dei costi, potresti recuperare 173.320,00 dollari di oro.

Aggiungi il costo di lavorazione in più siti, non ne vale la pena. Se scendi sotto 1 grammo a tonnellata, scordatelo.

La densità del minerale d'oro è misurata in grammi per tonnellata o g/t. Le miniere di grado più elevato hanno densità da 8,0 a 10,0 g/t, mentre le miniere di grado inferiore hanno densità da 1,0 a 4,0 g/t

Il margine di profitto medio ponderato dei minatori d'oro analizzati era del 30,2%, quindi per soddisfare quei punti di riferimento, da quello teorico a 1 grammo per tonnellata recuperando 173320,00. Il costo del recupero non dovrebbe superare il 68 percento di 173320,00 dollari in oro recuperato.

Corvo

Ciao Corvo,
sto guidando un team di ricerca e ad aprile ci recheremo a Cocos Island per condurre indagini storiche e archeologiche. Siamo particolarmente interessati alla storia di **Lord Lyndoch** e dei ribelli del 1817. Hai per caso altre informazioni su questo evento o risorse che potrebbero aiutarci nella nostra ricerca? Ogni dettaglio sarebbe prezioso per il nostro lavoro.

 

[southfork]

Southfork , that land would be worth looking into for possible purchase ?? But dredging now-a-days in California is kaput ! But if it was that rich , there could be another way!

No possible way now all under the watchful eye of BLM and other agencies and friends of the river. The old river channel site might be permitted for a gravel operation and hauled off site to wash. It's hard to believe that ground that rich is not being worked maybe it is.

 

[Assembler]

No possible way now all under the watchful eye of BLM and other agencies and friends of the river. The old river channel site might be permitted for a gravel operation and hauled off site to wash. It's hard to believe that ground that rich is not being worked maybe it is.

Why not use a sub-mini or mini backhoe when the channel is dried up to get to the bottom to move the material to a location to process?

 

[southfork]

Why not use a sub-mini or mini backhoe when the channel is dried up to get to the bottom to move the material to a location to process?

Because you will be arrested.

 

[N-Lionberger]

Mini backhoes stand little chance in an old channel.

 

[Assembler]

Mini backhoes stand little chance in an old channel.

Just for moving already loose rock instead of by hand.

 

[GoldReport]

If my old brain works right ,I remember that there is /was a S&G plant in Nebraska that had a fine gold set up installed and cleaned up when the plant was down. I think NebraskDad (a member here) reported this on a yahoo groups web site . All of their S&G ran across a large sluice if I remember correctly.............. Maye he could chime in and clear this up ??

Thats exactly the type of setup I would want to propose! Something that would not have to be cleaned out very often, plant guys are already overworked as is... but if we could make a couple extra bucks a ton would make a big difference.

I've ran three buckets through my sluice now of material from the local pit. Two buckets of concrete sand from which I didn't find anything. The third bucket was "overflow" material, basically pond fines. And I think I found one little tiny speck. Hard to see in the picture but I'm pretty certain it's gold. From my limited testing I would hazard a guess the gold is so fine it's getting floated out.

 

[Assembler]

Thats exactly the type of setup I would want to propose! Something that would not have to be cleaned out very often, plant guys are already overworked as is... but if we could make a couple extra bucks a ton would make a big difference.

I've ran three buckets through my sluice now of material from the local pit. Two buckets of concrete sand from which I didn't find anything. The third bucket was "overflow" material, basically pond fines. And I think I found one little tiny speck. Hard to see in the picture but I'm pretty certain it's gold. From my limited testing I would hazard a guess the gold is so fine it's getting floated out. View attachment 2174991

This is not enough to justify a large sluice operation. If you can find better spots to test that could be different.

 

[GoldReport]

This is not enough to justify a large sluice operation. If you can find better spots to test that could be different.

I agree it's not enough to justify any sort of investment. But it does suggest that gold is present and warrants further investigation. This wasn't taken from a pit my company owns, it was just for me to get my sluice dialed in and have some fun in the process.

 

[Assembler]

I agree it's not enough to justify any sort of investment. But it does suggest that gold is present and warrants further investigation. This wasn't taken from a pit my company owns, it was just for me to get my sluice dialed in and have some fun in the process.

Great just keep in mind you boss will expect a return on money and time spent.

I'm guessing that the sand and gravel is quite damp and would rule out some kind of dry / dry washing process just to speed up the concentration process to then run through a sluice box set up.

Don't let me stop your testing as when you figure out the best places for the black sands you may have some reasonable to good materials to run straight through a sluice box set up.

 

[Assembler]

No possible way now all under the watchful eye of BLM and other agencies and friends of the river. The old river channel site might be permitted for a gravel operation and hauled off site to wash. It's hard to believe that ground that rich is not being worked maybe it is.

If you find that the ground is being worked you will have a number of answers.

 

[russau]

getting a already operating S&G plant to wait until you get something set up & dialed in my be asking a whole lot for a company to wait ! better yet, I'd get your plans of how to do this way prior to talking to a S&G plant owner. I think a better way would be to clean up their equipment at off schedule days and times to prevent slowing or interfering with their production ! closely look at their screw hopper's and any low spots where washing or screening of the material is taking place. That will keep you busy and loaded with material ! Let their operation do the work for you ! and what ever you do DON'T MIX SANDS FROM ALREADY SCREENED MATERIAL !! Show the oner / manager what you propose /when you'll do this work and how your going to do it ! you'll need to have some insurance in l and the equipment that you'll need to do it pertaining to the OSHA MSHA rules . Present your self in a professional manner and have a contract for them to read over. and cross your finger's that they will agree to it ! and then sit back and let them think it over ! Good Luck

 

[russau]

If you go into this "meeting " looking like a low buck operation , I doubt you'll get a likeable answer ! Be positive in your approach and presentation !!!

 

[Assembler]

getting a already operating S&G plant to wait until you get something set up & dialed in my be asking a whole lot for a company to wait ! better yet, I'd get your plans of how to do this way prior to talking to a S&G plant owner. I think a better way would be to clean up their equipment at off schedule days and times to prevent slowing or interfering with their production ! closely look at their screw hopper's and any low spots where washing or screening of the material is taking place. That will keep you busy and loaded with material ! Let their operation do the work for you ! and what ever you do DON'T MIX SANDS FROM ALREADY SCREENED MATERIAL !! Show the oner / manager what you propose /when you'll do this work and how your going to do it ! you'll need to have some insurance in l and the equipment that you'll need to do it pertaining to the OSHA MSHA rules . Present your self in a professional manner and have a contract for them to read over. and cross your finger's that they will agree to it ! and then sit back and let them think it over ! Good Luck

This would be the finishing stage of the proposal.

There still is a need for testing of all different types of rock that could come through is the first step of the process. There could be some hot rock coming through is my point and a quick spot test is great for getting a answer. For example perhaps there is some quartz type of rock that comes through that is good enough to run through the sluice box no matter how small of a test to spot the hot rock. Some one on the crew that is willing to test on the fly of the moment is priceless for a good return short run process. Many people are not willing to do this on the spot.

 

[Assembler]

If you go into this "meeting " looking like a low buck operation , I doubt you'll get a likeable answer ! Be positive in your approach and presentation !!!

Better yet point out to the company that there is no out of pocket expense to the company as you have a setup to spot test any unknown rock that could come though to give some answer within hours of a given test. The unknown question for the company at this time is there any material worth running in small batches say 3 -10 ton size?

Point out that the short runs have to pay for the bigger equipment cost and just build up the operation from a shoestring setup that you run on the fly test to a operation that can run 6 tons per batch or bigger.

 

[Assembler]

A simple way to build is just to add more sluice box sections to help catch what may be there.
If you or someone you know is willing to use a sheet metal bender you can really reduce the costs of each new sluice box addition.

 

[russau]

The point is to NOT interrupt the production and the cost to the owner OR the person that is wanting to capture the black sands and fine gold ! By setting up sluices and interrupting the S&G operation will be the reason for the owner to say NO WAY ! Using what is already there and NO COST or modification to the plant will help the owner to realize that hes getting some (possible) free labor and a side benefit of someone there to help watch the plant & equipment while they are home eating dinner !

 

[Assembler]

The point is to NOT interrupt the production and the cost to the owner OR the person that is wanting to capture the black sands and fine gold ! By setting up sluices and interrupting the S&G operation will be the reason for the owner to say NO WAY ! Using what is already there and NO COST or modification to the plant will help the owner to realize that hes getting some (possible) free labor and a side benefit of someone there to help watch the plant & equipment while they are home eating dinner !

If there is not enough room for a staging area to work in then the idea likely will not work.
If there is not enough values from any rock coming in to process then the company will loose time and investment by making some setup for running materials.

Testing of the different materials that come through is likely needed to get some answers as to what materials are even worth running.
No one is asking to stop or interfere with the process of the plant. As pointed out down time, cleanup time or when the plant is shut down is likely the only time for this separate process.

 

[russau]

In Northern locations , S & G plants usually dump these hoppers when the temp looks like it may drop to freezing temps ! that's when you need to be ready to clean them out and NOT dump them !! You'll need lots of help and some trucks/bucket's to haul this material quickly ! a small pump and hose's it would be nice to reach in the hopper to suck out that material and squirt it into your bucket's that are already in your truck . make it EZ on your self !