Professional Documents
Culture Documents
By
Department of Mining Engineering Faculty of Petroleum and Mining Engineering Suez Canal University 2011
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Submitted By:
Marketing Ragab eid said Sameh karam Hassan Ore evaluation Mohamed Mahmoud Mahmoud Afify Mahmoud Mohamed Ahmed Eliwa Opening up Ahmed Ali Mohamed Ali Hossam Eldin Hassan Ali Drilling & Blasting Ahmed Gamal Ahmed Hekal Mohamed Ibrahim Mostafa Design of transport system Ibrahim Gharieb Ibrahim Dawood Ragab Abd Elaziz Ibrahim Afify Processing of R.O.M Amir Mohamed Ahmed Ahmed Hassanin Ahmed
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Supervised By: Prof. Dr. Ali Hemeda Gomaa. Prof. Dr. Mohamed Abd El Tawab El Gendy. Prof. Dr. Saeed Abd Allah Mohamed. Prof. Dr. Montaser Sabbah El Dein El Salmawy. Prof.Dr. Mostafa Abas Hamam Prof.Dr. Mohamed Hussien Allam. Prof.Dr.Ahmed sedik Dr. Abd El Azeem Mahmoud Abd El Aal. Dr. Khaled Fayez Prof.Dr. Salah Sameeh Eng. Abd el menaem Selem Eng. Amr Fathy
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
We have the great pleasure to express our deep appreciation and thanks to all staff members of mining and minerals engineering department, Suez Canal University Especially for Prof. Dr./ Mohamed Abd El Tawab El Gendy, Prof. Dr. \Saeed Abd Allah Mohamed and Dr. Abd El Azeem Mahmoud Abd El Aal for their advice and helpful discussion.
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Table of Contents Geography .......................................................................................... - 7 Geology .............................................................................................. - 7 Marketing ......................................................................................... - 16 Ore Reserve Estimation ................................................................... - 44 Opening up ....................................................................................... - 99 Drilling and balsting ........................................................................ - 99 Loading and transportation ............................................................ - 145 Ore dressing ................................................................................... - 157 -
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Geography The historic Sukari gold mine is at about 2457'N 3443'E, about 20 km from the Red Sea, and 10 km south of a sealed road that runs from Edfu on the Nile to Marsa Alam on the Red Sea. There is a recently opened international airport about 70 km north of Marsa Alam. Five-star tourist resorts are now springing up along the Red Sea coast for many kilometres, almost overnight. Geology
Theories of gold genesis: Gold is concentrated by various natural geologic processes to form commercial deposits of two principal types: hard rock lode (primary) deposits and placer (secondary) deposits. There three theories of gold genesis-:
1. Lode deposits are the gold deposits which remain locked within their original
solid rock formations. These are the targets for the "hard rock" prospector seeking gold at the site of its deposition which was formed from mineralizing solutions within the earth.
2. Another model which applies to the origins of some gold deposits, suggests
that gold-bearing solutions may be expelled from magma as it cools, precipitating ore materials as they move into cooler surrounding rocks.
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Gold-bearing minerals Calaverite AuTe2, 44.5% gold; sylvanite (graphic tellurium), AuTe3; native gold alloyed with silver, etc Gold most commonly occurs in quartz veins both as native, and as scales and wires mechanically mixed in pyrite. It may be set free by oxidation and removal of pyrite. It also accompanies mispickel, chalcopyrite, and rarely galena. On oxidizing and losing tellurium, they yield extremely fine particles, not readily panned and resisting amalgamation: called rusty gold. Predominant gold A. Fissure veins containing native gold, alone, or mechanically mixed in pyrite and much rarer base-metal sulphides, in quartz gangue. Gray, greasy-looking quartz seems to accompany best values. Veins appear most frequently in schists, slates, or other metamorphic rocks, and in association with intrusive rocks, of which granite is commonest. B. Impregnations and replacements of open-textured rocks with gold-bearing pyrite. The banket of gold-bearing conglomerates of Transvaal (in South Africa) is the best example. C. Saddle reefs or arch-like deposits of gold-bearing quartz at crests of anticlines. Saddle-reefs may succeed one another in depth. Slates or slaty schists are common wall-rocks. D. Veins carrying gold tellurides. We are associated with an eroded Eocene volcano, often favoring neighborhood of minor dikes of phonolite and basaltic rocks, with which volcanic activity closed. Purple fluorite is a characteristics associate. E. Lateral impregnations and replacements of calcareous shales, with tellurides along supply fissures, called verticals. F. Contact zones, on the border of intrusive igneous rock and limestone, containing gold-bearing mispickel in lime silicates. The usual contact zone of this type carries copper sulphides with a little gold.
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G. Placer deposits of gold-bearing gravels, which may be: residual, from weathering of rocks in situ; alluvial fans; sea-beaches with active surf; sea-beaches now elevated and inland. Gold in streams favors places where current has been checked, as the inside of bends; junctions of tributaries; heads of quiet reaches.
Sukari geology The vein-type deposit is hosted in Late Neoproterozoic granite that intruded island-arc and ophiolite rock assemblages. The vein-forming process is related to overall late Pan-African shear and extension tectonics. At Sukari, bulk NE SW strike-slip deformation was accommodated by a local ower structure and extensional faults with veins that formed initially at conditions of about 300 C and 1.52 kbar. Gold is associated with suldes in quartz veins and in alteration zones. Pyrite and arsenopyrite dominate the sulde ore beside minor sphalerite, chalcopyrite and galena. Gold occurs in three distinct positions: (1) anhedral grains (GI) at the contact between As-rich zones within the arsenian pyrite; (2) randomly distributed anhedral grains (GII) and along cracks in arsenian pyrite and arsenopyrite, and (3) large gold grains (GIII) interstitial to ne-grained pyrite and arsenopyrite. Fluid inclusion studies yield minimum veinformation temperatures and pressures between 96 and 188C, 210 and 1,890 bar, respectively, which is in the range of epi- to mesothermal hydrothermal ore deposits. The structural evolution of the area suggests a longterm, cyclic process of repeated veining and leaching followed by sealing, initiated by the intrusion of granodiorite. General geology of the central Eastern Desert The Neoproterozoic crust in NE Africa was consolidated by accretion of intra-oceanic island arcs, continental micro-plates and oceanic plateaus. As a result of convergent tectonics, a nappe assembly with two major tectonostratigraphic units was established within the central Eastern Desert of Egypt: The structural basement, referred to as infrastructure consists of orthogneisses, psammitic schists and amphibolites that suered amphibolite grade, polyphase metamorphic conditions. Structural cover units summarized here as Pan-African Nappes and referred to as suprastructure include ophiolites, mlange lange-like sediments of accretionary-wedge type and calc-alkaline volcanics similar to igneous rocks at modern arcs. |Page-9-
Metamorphism in these units is of greenschist metamorphic grade. Exhumation of previously buried high-grade structural basement units was achieved by combined sinistral strike-slip faults and related north- and south-dipping, NE-trending normal faults. This orogen-scale fault system is known as the Najd Fault System that accommodated bulk NWSE extension in the Arabian Nubian Shield. Overall NWSE extension exposed gneissic domes namely the Meatiq-Sibai- and Hafat Domes (Fig. 1).
"Fig. 1 General geology and location of gold deposits of the central Eastern Desert. Note concentration of metal occurrences close to major faults. Location of the Najd Fault System (NFS) is marked in the inset"
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Some of these domes have been interpreted as core complexes. Simultaneously with exhumation of basement rocks, intramontane molasse basins with sediments delivered from basement domes and PanAfrican Nappes were deposited. In addition, various syn-tectonic and post-tectonic granitoids have been emplaced during late Pan-African extension that softened the crust by enhanced advective heat supply. Geology of the Sukari gold mine area The mine occurs within a Late Neoproterozoic that intruded older volcanosedimentary successions and an ophiolitic assemblage, both known as Wadi Ghadir mlange. The volcanosedimentary succession is composed of andesites, dacites, rhyodacites, tuffs and pyroclastics. Magmatic rocks are of calc-alkaline affinity and were formed in an island-arc setting. The dismembered ophiolitic succession is represented by a serpentinite at the base, followed upwards by a metagabbro-diorite complex and sheeted dykes. Metagabbro-diorite rocks and serpentinites form lenticular bodies (13 km2) as well as small bodies occur conformably scattered in the volcanosedimentary arc assemblage. All rocks are weakly metamorphosed (lower greenschist metamorphic facies), intensely sheared and transformed into various schists along shear zones. Mineralized quartz veins and talc-carbonate veinlets are common. The Sukari granitoid is elongated in a NNE direction and bounded from west and east by two steep shear zones (Fig. 2B, C), covering an area of ca. 10 km. The fresh rock is leucocratic, coarse-grained and pink in color. It has a heterogeneous mineralogical composition and ranges from monzogranite to granodiorite with dominant quartz, plagioclase and potash feldspars and less abundant biotite. In the vicinity of shear zones the granite is foliated, elsewhere, however, it has sharp intrusive contacts against the older rocks. Along those shear zones serpentinite and andesite is altered to listvenite rock that attains up to 70 m in thickness and extends for several kilometers. At the intersection of the two shear zones, where the gold mineralization is concentrated, the Sukari granite is almost completely altered and transected by a large amount of quartz veins (Fig. 2B).
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Fig. 2 A Simplied geology and structural frame of the Sukari mine area. The system of NW-trending sinistral strike-slip faults (lateral ramps and tear faults) and thrusts (frontal ramps) forming the arc-shaped structure developed during NW-directed tectonic thrust (black arrow). The Sukari granite body intruded the system of NE-trending sinistral shear zones with locally developed ower structures. Inset: Flower structure block model of the Sukari area looking northeast. Steep thrust faults, strike-slip faults and orientation of major quartz veins (qu) are indicated. A antithetic shear, T tension gash. B Map of the Sukari mine area including shear zones and quartz veins. C NWSE section (12) across the Sukari granite close to the mine. Shear zones are indicated (modied from Khalaf and Oweiss 1993).
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Gold ore zone Gold occurs in two textural positions and three generations in quartz veins or veinlets: (1) as inclusions in pyrite and arsenopyrite (GI and GII) and (2) as interstitial grains between pyrite and other suldes (GIII). Gold inclusions (220 lm) in pyrite are either located at the surfaces of As-rich zones (GI) as revealed by BSE images (Fig. 3A) or randomly distributed. Gold inclusions in arsenopyrite are randomly distributed or located along deformational cracks (GII, Fig. 3A). Interstitial gold grains (GIII, Fig. 7B) are usually associated with deformed pyrite and arsenopyrite in the deformed and sheared smoky quartz (type Q2). In this textural position, gold grains range from 2 to 80 lm and sometimes host small arsenopyrite and pyrite crystals. Electron microprobe analysis (Table 1) revealed that gold is always electrum (1214 wt% silver).
No systematic compositional dierence between inclusion and interstitial gold were detected.
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Structural controls to gold mineralization The Sukari gold deposit is a large, sheeted vein-type and brittle-ductile shear zone hosted gold deposit, developed in a late- to post-orogenic granitoid intrusive complex
intruded into the Neoproterozoic Hijaz Magmatic Arc of the Arabian-Nubian Shield. Deformation at Sukari is manifest as a fold-thrust-nappe in the foreland to a large metamorphic core complex - the Hafafit Culmination, uplifted at ca.680Ma and forming part of the major Najd Fault System. Sukari lies on one of these arcuate, NE trending thrusts. Gold mineralisation at Sukari (ca.530Ma) postdates the final stages of uplift, so may not be related to Najd faulting event. Post-accretion shortening direction which prevailed during the evolution of the Najd Fault System varied between NW-SE and ESE-WNW.
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Marketing
History of gold
First smelting of gold Egyptian goldsmiths carry out the first melting or fusing of ores in order to separate the metals inside. They use blowpipes made from fire-resistant clay to heat the smelting furnace. 2600 BC Early gold jewellery Goldsmiths of ancient Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq) craft one of the earliest pieces of gold jewellery, a burial headdress of lapis and carnelian beads with willow leaf-shaped gold pendants. 1200-1500 BC Advances in jewellery making Artisans develop the lost-wax jewellery casting technique. The process allows for improved hardness and colour variation which in turn broadens the market for gold products. 1223 BC Creation of Tutankhamen's funeral mask Instantly recognised the world over, the funeral mask of Tutankhamun is a triumph of gold craftsmanship from the ancient world. 600 BC First gold dentistry practiced The first use of gold in dentistry as the Etruscans begin securing substitute teeth with gold wire. Bio-compatibility, malleability and corrosion resistance still make gold valuable in dental applications. | P a g e - 16 -
564 BC First international gold currency created King Croesus develops improved gold refining techniques, permitting him to mint the world's first standardised gold currency. Their uniform gold content allows 'Croesids' to become universally recognized and traded with confidence. 300 First gold nanoparticles The Romans use gold to colour the Lycurgus Cup. Melting gold powder into glass diffuses gold nanoparticles throughout which then refract light, giving the glass a luminous red glow. 1300 Hallmarking practice established The world's first hallmarking system, scrutinising and guaranteeing the quality of precious metal, is established at Goldsmith's Hall in London where London's Assay Office is still located today. 1370 The Great Bullion Famine begins During the years 1370-1420, various major mines around Europe become completely exhausted. Mining and production of gold declines sharply throughout the region in a period known as 'The Great Bullion Famine'. 1422 Venice's record year
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The Venice Mint strikes a record 1.2 million gold ducats using 4.26 metric tonnes of gold from Africa and Central Asia. These small coins prove popular as they are easy to mint and carry plenty of value. 1511 Ferdinand unleashes invasion force King Ferdinand of Spain proclaims "Get gold, humanely if you can, but at all hazards, get gold!", launching unprecedented expeditions to the Americas. Within years, the Inca and Aztec civilizations would be virtually destroyed by Spanish conquerors. 1717 UK gold standard commences Britain moves onto a de facto pure gold standard, as the government links the currency to gold at a fixed rate (establishing a mint price of 77 shillings, ten and a half pennies per ounce of gold). 1803 First gold electroplating practiced The first recorded experiment in electroplating is carried out by Professor Luigi Brugnatelli at the University of Pavia. Gold electroplating ensures improved conductivity, now essential to many 21st century technologies. 1848 California Gold Rush begins John Marshall discovers gold flakes while building a sawmill near Sacramento, California. The greatest gold rush of all time follows as 40,000 diggers flock to California from around the World. 1885 South African Gold Rush begins | P a g e - 18 -
While digging up stones to build a house, Australian miner George Harrison finds gold ore on Langlaagte farm near Johannesburg. Miners flock to the region. South Africa will go on to become the source of 40% of the world's gold. 1885 First Faberge Easter egg crafted Carl Faberge makes his first gold Imperial Easter Egg for Tsar Alexander III. Named The Hen Egg, it was commissioned as a gift from the Tsar to his wife, the Empress Maria Fedorovna, beginning a tradition that lasts until 1917. 1870-1900 Adoption of gold standard All major countries other than China switch to the gold standard, linking their currencies to gold. The practice of bimetallism is abandoned. 1925 Gold standard returns The UK returns to the gold standard at pre-war parity of $4.86=1 with sterling convertible to gold at 77sh 10.5d per standard ounce. This follows the country's departure from the gold standard six years previously at the outbreak of World War I. 1933 Roosevelt suspends gold President Roosevelt suspends US dollar convertibility to gold (gold at US$20.67/oz). The export of all transactions in, and the holding of gold by private individuals, is forbidden. Presidential proclamation makes the dollar convertible again in January 1934 at a new price of $35 per troy ounce. | P a g e - 19 -
1939 World War II closes gold market The London gold market is closed on the outbreak of war, as at the beginning of World War II. The world will later return to a fixed system of exchange rates, this time with currencies fixed to the dollar and the dollar convertible into gold. 1944 Bretton Woods conference The Bretton Woods conference sets the basis of the post-war monetary system. The US dollar is set to maintain a $35=1 oz gold conversion rate. Other currencies are fixed in terms of US dollar, thus forming a Gold Exchange Standard. 1961 First gold bonded microchips Gold bonding wire is used in microchips engineered at Bell Labs in the USA. Nowadays literally billions of chips are bonded this way every year, controlling all manner of indispensible electrical devices. 1961 First gold in space The first manned space flight uses gold to protect sensitive instruments from radiation. In 1980, 41kgs of gold is included in space shuttle construction through brazing alloys, fuel cell fabrication and electrical contacts. 1967 First South African Krugerrand
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The Krugerrand is introduced in 1967, as a vehicle for private ownership of gold. This iconic coin is actually intended for circulation as currency. 1971 Gold window closed The Bretton Woods system of fixed exchange rates comes to an end as President Nixon "closes the gold window", suspending US dollar convertibility to gold. The world enters its present day system of floating exchange rates. 1985 First gold-based arthritis treatment Pharmaceutical giant, SmithKline & French, develops Auranofin, a gold-based drug for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. The drug receives regulatory approval and goes on sale for the first time. 1999 First Central Bank Gold Agreement The First Central Bank Gold Agreement (CBGA) is agreed. 15 European central banks declare that gold will remain an important element of their reserves and collectively cap gold sales at 400 tonnes per year over next five years. 2001 First gold used in heart surgery Boston Scientific markets the first gold-plated stent (Niroyal) used in heart surgery. Inserted inside large arteries and veins, such stents act like scaffolding, propping open the blood vessels to allow adequate flow. 2003 K-gold launched in China | P a g e - 21 -
The World Gold Council creates an entirely new market segment with the launch of K-gold, the first 18k jewellery in China. The jewellery, in predominantly white and yellow gold, takes its inspiration from Italian design. 2004 Launch of SPDR Gold Shares The market is transformed by an innovative, secure and easy way to access the gold market. Six years later SPDR exceeds $55bn in assets under management. 2009 Central banks return to buying In the second quarter of the year, central banks collectively become net purchasers of gold for the first time in two decades. This reflects a combination of slowing sales from European banks and growing purchases by emerging market countries. 2010 Gold price sustains record highs Fiat currencies are undermined by inflation fears and successive financial crises. The London pm fix achieves 35 separate successive highs in the year to date. 2011 Gold in catalytic converters Gold used in catalytic convertors by a leading European diesel car manufacturer. The first use of gold in automotive emissions control The Importance Of Gold In Egypt One of the oldest elements of earth is the gold, which has been valued since centuries. Especially the tribe, which found out gold, got many | P a g e - 22 -
advantages out of the things gold brought with itself. This element might not be as attractive as it is valued, but there are certain characteristics of gold, which make it different from others. Not only it is a harmless and comfortable element, gold tends to conduct electricity quite well. With great convenience and comfort, it can be transformed in to several shapes, and sizes. The history of the discovery of gold is embedded in old books, and gives us an overview about it. There is strong association between gold and Egypt, simply because this country was one of the few civilizations to discover it. They benefited a great deal from this metal, and it quickly began the resource of the country. Not just in the olden days, but in the present day, gold holds the top most value in the business hub. It was a medium of exchange with aspect to price for purchasing and selling commodities. Egypt was one of the countries that also with much determination followed this concept. However, in Egypt, the role of gold excelled beyond the boundaries of being used as money. Some people are known to have worshipped the Sun. The people also constitute the Egyptian civilization. Sun was often seen as a source of life. For several civilisations, Gold was closely associated to the sun because of its yellow and gleaming attributes. The Egyptians perceived gold as the skin of Gods, especially the RA. Besides the king, no one else was allowed to wear gold in those times. Gradually and slowly, priests and royal members were also given the privilege of wearing gold. The tomb of the king is known as the house of gold, and the chamber is made out of gold. Another amazing feature of gold was that it never rusts, which was associated with the characteristics of god. The top of pyramids were usually made out of a mixture of gold, and other metals. Due to its holy and sacred value, it was often used to engrave the coffins. The mask of Tutankhamun is an example of gold being used for funerary art. However,
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gold was not easy to dig out, and mining was quite a difficult task even though there was rich gold present. Due to the resource of gold present in the region, rivalries began between Egypt and its bordering countries while mining for gold. The army forces strictly monitored the convicts who were given the task of gold mining. Nubia and the Eastern desert were abundant with gold; hence, all the mining took place there. Looking at the current popularity of jewelers in Egypt proves that the value and respect for gold is still alive.
Characteristics Streak : yellow Hardness : 2.5 -3 Sp.gr :15.5 19.3 Color : gold yellow to brass yellow Luster : metallic Cleavage : none Fracture: soft soluble: in aquaregia and mercury crystals: cubic similar to : pyrite , chalcopyrite , biotite , markasite accompanied by: pyrite , chalcopyrite , sphalerite , magnetite , quartiz , tourmaline
Some Uses of gold Jewelry: Alloys with lower caratage, typically 22k, 18k, 14k or 10k, contain higher percentages of copper, or other base metals or silver or palladium in the alloy.
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Medicine: Gold alloys are used in restorative dentistry, especially in tooth restorations, such as crowns and permanent bridges. Industry: Gold solder is used for joining the components of gold jewelry by high-temperature hard soldering or brazing. Electronics: The concentration of free electrons in gold metal is 5.901022 cm3. Gold is highly conductive to electricity, and has been used for electrical wiring in some high-energy applications. gold has the advantage of corrosion resistance Commercial chemistry: Gold is attacked by and dissolves in alkaline solutions of potassium or sodium cyanide, to form the salt gold cyanidea technique that has been used in extracting metallic gold from ores in the cyanide process. Gold cyanide is the electrolyte used in commercial electroplating of gold onto base metals and electroforming. Investing in Gold Mines: Many holders of gold store it in form of bullion coins or bars as a hedge against inflation or other economic disruptions. However, some economists do not believe gold serves as a hedge against inflation or currency depreciation An alternative to buying physical gold bullion is to invest in the shares of companies that are involved in the exploration and mining of | P a g e - 25 -
gold. Analysts consider this to be a more risky investment, as the chances of making a large return on your investment will depend both on the price of gold price and the success of that company. However, in theory as the price of gold bullion goes up, so does the value of gold mining shares. As this is a highly technical area, if you are considering this kind of investment we recommend doing plenty of research on the industry and speaking to an experienced financial advisor. As with all investments, financial advisors would encourage a diverse portfolio, so it is prudent to consider a complimentary investment of gold bullion too. Overall, though an investment in mining shares can be quite risky, it can provide a very good return on investment. World gold productive countries
Rank
Country/Region World
1 2 3
4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
Papua New Guinea 58,349 Argentina Chile Brazil Tanzania Philippines Mexico Mongolia Guinea 44,131 42,100 40,075 39,750 36,098 35,899 22,561 16,336
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50% of all gold ever produced was produced since 1960 80% of all gold ever produced was produced since 1900
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Top Gold Importers India $10.9 billion (33.1% of top ten gold importers, up 6% from 2004) $4.4 billion (13.5%, up 10.9%)
United States
Turkey
Italy
Canada
Australia
Thailand
Malaysia
Japan
Germany
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Top Gold Exporters In 2005, the following nations exported the most gold by value. United States $ 5.5 billion (23.2% of top ten gold exporters, up 25.2% from 2004) $4.4 billion (18.6%, up 7.1%) $3.7 billion (15.5%, up 28.4%) $3.1 billion (12.9%, up 30.1%) $2.8 billion (11.8%, down 55.9%) $1.4 billion (6%, up 17.8%) $841.7 million (3.5%, up 22.7%) $764.8 million (3.2%, up 14.2%) $628.7 million (2.6%, up 41%) $627.2 million (2.6%, up 9%).
Australia Canada Peru Hong Kong Japan Germany Singapore Italy Colombia
Italy, Peru, America and Germany had the fastest increasing exports for gold in 2005. However, while higher gold prices in 2008 may lead to more demand for gold bullion and gold mining stock investments, gold exports may well decrease as global trade partners wait for gold prices to normalize.
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presence of gold in the eastern desert we can find the gold deposits in many groups : 1-North group : It includes 30 sites in between 27 45 and 28 00 latitude32 45 and 33 05 longitudes 2-middle group : It includes 63 sites in between 24 10 and 26 45 latitude33 15 and 35 20 longitudes 3-southern east group : It includes 7 sites in between 22 15 and 23 20 latitude And 34 25 and 35 50 longitudes | P a g e - 36 -
4-southern west group : It includes 19 sites in between 22 00 and 23 00 latitude Some sites in details 1-Atoud Location : 55 km south west of marsa alam Intersection between 24 58 latitude with 34 40 longitudes Reserve : Proven : 8595 tons which have 109 kg gold Possible : 10895 tons which have 78 kg gold Probable : 13600 tons which have 238 kg 2-Barramiya Location : 105 km east of edfu city Intersection between 25 05 latitude and 33 47 longitudes Reserve : It contains 16 million tons ore which have 21 tons gold 3-Hangaliya Location : 80 km south west of marsa alam Reserve : | P a g e - 37 -
478490 tons ore which have at least 478 kg gold 4- sukari Location : 30 km south east of marsa alam Reserve : 1.2 million tons ore which contain 2447 kg gold 5- umm ulaygah Location : 80 km south west of ras bnas Reserve : Not calculated yet 6- Umm EL Rus Location : 80 km south of qusair city Reserve : Not calculated yet 7-anait Location : 160 km south of abo ghsoun | P a g e - 38 -
Reserve : 83000 tons ore which contain 185 kg gold 8-Umm Ud Location : 55 km south west of marsa alam Reserve : 15600 tons ore which contains 354 kg gold 9-Hamash Location : 120 km south west of marsa alam the production from the beginning of the project until February 2010 is 65 kg and the plan of 2010 refers to the production of 15000 ounces 10 Umm higab Location : 40 km north of Hamash , 35 km south east of Barramiya 11-samut 45 km south east of Barramiya , 35 km south west of umm higab 12-Umm samra 60 km north east of Barramiya Gold content 0.5 12 gm\ton | P a g e - 39 -
13- abu marawat Location : North east abu marawat valley Reserve : 290,000 tons ore which have 1210 kg gold 14-Hamama Location : In the road between Qena and Safaga Reserve : Not calculated yet
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. Gold deposits and occurrences in the Eastern Desert of Egypt (compiled from Kochine and Basyuni, 1968). (1) Umm mongul; (2) Umm Balad; (3) Wadi Dib; (4) Fatira; (5) Abu Marawat; (6) Wadi Gasus; (7) Semna; (8) Gebel Semna; (9) Abu Qarahish; (10) Kab Amiri; (11) Sagi; (12) Gidami; (13) Hamama; (14) Erediya; (15) Abu Had; (16) Atalla; (17) Rebshi; (18) Umm Esh; (19) Fawakhir; (20) Hammamat; (21) Umm Had; (22) EL Sid; (23) Umm Selimat; (24) Hammuda; (25) EL Nur; (26) Kareim; (27) Kab EL | P a g e - 41 -
Abyad; (28) Tarfawi; (29) Sherm ELBahaari; (30) Zeidum; (31) Wadi Zeidum; (32) Umm Rus; (33) Sigdit; (34) Talat Gadalla; (35) Abu Muawaad; (36) Daghbag; (37) EL Hisinat; (38) Bokari; (39) Umm Samra; (40) Abu Dabbab; (41) Abu Qaria; (42) Umm Saltit; (43) Bezah; (44) Umm Selim; (45) Barramiya; (46) Dungash; (47) Samut; (48) Umm Hugab; (49) Urf EL Fahid; (50) Atud; (51) Sukkari; (52) Umm Tundeba; (53) Hanglaliya; (54) Kurdeman; (55) Sabahia; (56) Umm Ud; (57) Allawi; (58) Lewewi; (59) Dweig; (60) Hamash; (61) Geli; (62) Qulan; (63) Kab EL Rayan; (64) Sheialik; (65) AbuRahaya; (66) Wadi Khashb; (67) Umm Eleiga; (68) Betan; (69) Qurga Rayan; (70) Hutit; (71) Kalib; (72) Kurtunos; (73) EL Hudi; (74) Hariari; (75) Um Shira; (76) Neqib; (77) Haimur; (78) The Nile Valley (Block E); (79) Umm Garaiart; (80) Marahib; (81) Atshani; (82) Murra; (83) Filat; (84) Seiga I; (85) Seiga II; (86) Umm Shashoba; (87) Abu Fass; (88) Umm Tuyur; (89) Betam; (90) Umm Egat; (91) Kurbiai; (92) Romit.
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Ore Reserve Estimation Introduction Ore reserve estimates are assessments of the quantity and tenor of a mineral that may be profitably and legally extracted from a mineral deposit through mining and/or mineral beneficiation. (Examination and evaluation of ore deposites. Generally it means the determination of the extent and value of mineral deposites.) Practical consideration of Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves Mineral Resource confidence classification should take into account practical considerations such as drilling, sampling and assay integrity, drill hole spacing, geological control and continuity, grade continuity, estimation method and block size, potential mining method and reporting period. Ore Reserve confidence classification should take into account the confidence classification of the Mineral Resource and should not include Inferred Resources. Cut-off grades, mining and metallurgical factors or assumptions, cost and revenue factors, market assessment (where appropriate) and other risk factors such as environmental, social or political should be considered by the CP in terms of their impact on confidence in the Ore Reserve estimate. Mineral Resource A concentration or occurrence of material of intrinsic economic interest in or on the Earths crust in such form, quality and quantity that there are reasonable prospects for eventual economic extraction. The location, quantity, grade, geological characteristics and continuity of a Mineral Resource are known, estimated or interpreted from specific geological evidence and knowledge. Mineral Resources are sub-divided, in order of increasing geological confidence, into Inferred, Indicated and Measured categories. Measured Mineral Resource That part of a Mineral Resource for which tonnage, densities, shape, physical characteristics, grade and mineral content can be estimated with a high level of confidence. It is based on detailed and reliable exploration, sampling and testing | P a g e - 44 -
information gathered through appropriate techniques from locations such as outcrops, trenches, pits, workings and drill holes. The locations are spaced closely enough to confirm geological and grade continuity. Ore Reserve The economically mineable part of a Measured and/or Indicated Mineral Resource. It includes diluting materials and allowances for losses, which may occur when the material is mined. Appropriate assessments and studies have been carried out, and include consideration of and modification by realistically assumed mining, metallurgical, economic, marketing, legal, environmental, social and governmental factors. These assessments demonstrate at the time of reporting that extraction could reasonably be justified. Ore Reserves are sub-divided in order of increasing confidence into Probable Ore Reserves and Proved Ore Reserves. Probable Ore Reserve The economically mineable part of an Indicated, and in some circumstances, a Measured Mineral Resource. It includes diluting materials and allowances for losses which may occur when the material is mined. Appropriate assessments and studies have been carried out, and include consideration of and modification by realistically assumed mining, metallurgical, economic, marketing, legal, environmental, social and governmental factors. These assessments demonstrate at the time of reporting that extraction could reasonably be justified. Proved Ore Reserve The economically mineable part of a Measured Mineral Resource. It includes diluting materials and allowances for losses which may occur when the material is mined. Appropriate assessments and studies have been carried out, and include consideration of and modification by realistically assumed mining, metallurgical, economic, marketing, legal, environmental, social and governmental factors. These assessments demonstrate at the time of reporting that extraction could reasonably be justified.
| P a g e - 45 -
Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves must be reported on a site by site basis. Where estimates for both Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves are reported, for consistency, a single form of reporting should be used in a report. Appropriate forms of clarifying statements may be:
The Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources are inclusive of those Mineral Resources modified to produce the Mineral Reserves, or The Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources are additional to the Mineral Reserves. Inferred Mineral Resources are, by definition, always additional to Mineral Reserves. RESOURCE ESTIMATION METHODOLOGY A resource estimate is based on prediction of the physical characteristics of a mineral deposit through collection of data, analysis of the data, and modeling the size, shape, and grade of the deposit. Important physical characteristics of the ore body that must be predicted include: (1) The size, shape, and continuity of ore zones, (2) The frequency distribution of mineral grade, (3) The spatial variability of mineral grade. These physical characteristics of the mineral deposit are never completely known, but are inferred from sample data. The sample data consist of one or more of the following 1. Physical samples taken by drilling, trenching, test pitting, and channel sampling. 2. Measurement of the quantity of mineral in the samples through assaying or other procedures. 3. Direct observations such as geologic mapping and drill core logging.
| P a g e - 46 -
Estimation of the resource requires analysis and synthesis of these data to develop a resource model. Methods used to develop the resource model may include 1. Compilation of the geologic and assay data into maps, reports, and computer databases. 2. Delineation of the physical limits of the deposit based on geologic interpretation of the mineralization controls at a reasonable range of mining cutoff grades. 3. Compositing of samples into larger units such as mining bench height, seam thickness, or minable vein width. 4. Modeling of the grade distribution based on histograms and cumulative frequency plots of grades. 5. Evaluation of the spatial variability of grade using experimental variograms. 6. Selection of a resource estimation method and estimation of quantity and grade of the mineral resource. The estimation procedure must be made with at least minimal knowledge of the proposed mining method since different mining methods may affect the size, shape, and/or grade of the potentially minable ore reserve. The most important mining factors for consideration in evaluation of the ore reserve from the resource are: The range of likely cutoff grades. The degree of selectivity and the size of the selective mining unit for likely mining methods. Variations in the deposit that affect the ability to mine and/or process the ore. These mining factors often determine the degree of detail that is required for the resource model and thus the degree of difficulty to develop a resource model for estimating ore reserves. For example, a disseminated gold deposit may be continuous and regular in shape, if mined by bulk, open pit methods. The same deposit may be discontinuous and difficult to estimate, however, if mined by more selective underground methods at a higher cutoff grade. Such large differences in deposit shape due to variations in cutoff grade and mining method may require different ore reserve estimation methods or different mining methods.
| P a g e - 47 -
DATA COLLECTION AND GEOLOGIC INTERPRETATION Data that must be collected and compiled for the resource estimate are as follows: 1. 2. 3. 4. Reliable assays from an adequate number of representative samples. Coordinate locations for the sample data. Consistently recorded geologic data that describe the mineralization controls. Cross sections or plan maps with the geologic interpretation of the mineralization controls. 5. Tonnage factors or specific gravities for the various ore and waste rock categories. 6. Surface topographic map, especially for deposits to be surface mined. Although small deposits may be evaluated manually using data on maps and in reports, the amount of data required for a resource estimate is often large, and data may be more efficiently evaluated if they are entered into a computer database. Computer programs can then be used to retrieve the data for printing reports, plotting on digital plotters, statistical analysis, and resource estimation. Minimum information that should be included in a drillhole database are : 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Drillhole number or other identification. Hole length, collar coordinates, and down-hole surveys. Sample intervals and assay data. Geologic data such as lithology, alteration, oxidation, etc. Geotechnical data such as RQD (rock quality designation).
Types of reserve calculation The classical, employing two-dimensional maps and hand calculation. The geostistical, a more soghisticaded approach requiring digital computers to prepare statistically derived estimates. Different classical procedures are used in calculating reserve estimates. They differ mainly in the ways in which they combine the sample data.
| P a g e - 48 -
Reserve estimation from maps methods 1. polygon method 2. The triangle method 3. In the section method
polygon method
| P a g e - 49 -
The method used to calculation Vertical section: Av. Assay for each bore hole: Av. Au = (D x Au) / D Av. Assay for every section: Av. Au = (W x D x Au)/ (W x D) Procedures: The procedure for the calculation of a reserve estimate tonnage and average grade of ore for a mineral deposit is demonstrated in the case study. | P a g e - 51 -
Sec. 10000 mN
Hole D1321 N E D(m) Au (g/t) AU * D Avg hole AU. DIST.BET holes w*D w*D*AU 1.11 1.07 3.33 9.63 12.96 1.08 35 35 105 315 420 116.55 337.05 453.6
10000 10965 3 9
sum
12
Hole RCD99
D(m) Au (g/t) AU * D Avg hole AU. DIST.BET holes w*D w*D*AU 40 1 6 1 2.86 12.2 8.09 8.27 114.4 12.2 48.54 8.27 183.41 3.82104167 35 35 35 35 1400 4004 35 210 35 427 1698.9 289.45
10000 371.3
sum
48
1680 6419.35
Hole RCD416
D(m) Au (g/t) AU * D Avg hole AU. DIST.BET holes w*D w*D*AU 6.92 12.53 3.97 159.16 137.83 19.85 316.84 8.12410256 35 35 35 805 385 175 5570.6 4824.05 694.75
10000 10523 23 11 5
sum
39
1365 11089.4
Hole
D(m) Au (g/t) AU * D Avg hole AU. DIST.BET holes w*D w*D*AU 3.59 27.3 35.7 93.34 27.3 35.7 4.11560606 35 35 35 910 35 35 3266.9 955.5 1249.5
| P a g e - 51 -
35 35 35 35 35
| P a g e - 52 -
| P a g e - 53 -
Sec. 10050 mN
Hole N E D(m) Au (g/t) AU * D Avg hole AU. DIST.BET holes w*D w*D*AU
D1313 sum
10050
10665
45 45
1.07
48.15 48.15
1.07
50
2250 2250
2407.5 2407.5
Hole
D(m)
Au (g/t)
AU * D
DIST.BET holes
w*D
w*D*AU
D1388
10050
10550
3 20 5
9.96142857
50 50 50
sum
28
Hole
D(m)
Au (g/t)
AU * D
DIST.BET holes
w*D
w*D*AU
RCD118 9 sum
10050
10560
20 20
2.46
49.2 49.2
2.46
50
1000 1000
2460 2460
Hole
D(m)
Au (g/t)
AU * D
DIST.BET holes
w*D
w*D*AU
RCD126 3
10050
10625
2 65 3
4.1 3.96 2
3.88
50 50 50
70
3.974662577
| P a g e - 54 -
| P a g e - 55 -
Sec. 10100 mN
Hole D1328 N E D(m) Au (g/t) AU * D Avg hole AU. DIST.BET holes w*D 8.03 20.58 2.36 152.6 144.1 169.9 466.6 4.760714 50 50 50 950 350 3600 4900 w*D*AU 7628.5 7203 8496 23328
10100 10660 19 7 72
sum
98
Hole
D(m) Au (g/t) AU * D Avg hole AU. DIST.BET holes w*D 6.23 1.89 143.3 128.5 271.8 2.986923 50 50 1150 3400 4550
Hole
D(m) Au (g/t) AU * D Avg hole AU. DIST.BET holes w*D 1.59 8.13 165.4 16.26 181.6 1.713396 50 50 5200 100 5300
Hole
D(m) Au (g/t) AU * D Avg hole AU. DIST.BET holes w*D 1.95 5.62 15.83 5.75 8.68 161.9 5.62 47.49 11.5 8.68 235.1 2.612667 50 50 50 50 50 4150 50 150 100 50 4500
| P a g e - 56 -
Sum 3.000311688
19250 57756
| P a g e - 57 -
| P a g e - 58 -
Sec. 10150 mN
Hole D1289 N E D(m) Au (g/t) AU * D Avg hole AU. DIST.BET holes w*D w*D*AU 1.62 2.17 8 1.31 6.48 28.21 8 10.48 53.17 2.045 50 50 50 50 200 650 50 400 324 1410.5 400 524
10150 10725 4 13 1 8
Sum
26
1300 2658.5
D(m) Au (g/t) AU * D Avg hole AU. DIST.BET holes w*D w*D*AU 2.03 113.68 113.68 2.03 50 2800 5684 2800 5684
10150 10556 56 56
Hole
D(m) Au (g/t) AU * D Avg hole AU. DIST.BET holes w*D w*D*AU 2.35 105.75 105.75 2.35 50 2250 5287.5 2250 5287.5 6350 13630
RCD1165 10150 10662 45 Sum sec 10150N average assay Sum 2.146456693 45
| P a g e - 59 -
| P a g e - 61 -
Sec. 10200 mN
Hole N E D(m) Au (g/t) AU * D Avg hole AU. DIST.BET holes w*D w*D*AU
D1383 Sum
1020 0
1068 5
3 3
2.82
8.46 8.46
2.82
50
150 150
423 423
Hole
D(m)
Au (g/t)
AU * D
DIST.BET holes
w*D
w*D*AU
D1880
1020 0
1069 0
17 2
29.7 241
51.9421053 50 50
sum 19
Hole
D(m)
Au (g/t)
AU * D
DIST.BET holes
w*D
w*D*AU
RD502
1020 0
1055 7
38
9.2288
50
1900
13034
9 sum 3 50
50 50
Hole
D(m)
Au (g/t)
AU * D
DIST.BET holes
w*D
w*D*AU
RCD11 61
1020 0
1064 9
23
2.6
59.8
3.76884615 50
1150
2990
| P a g e - 61 -
3 sum 26
12.7 3
38.19 97.99
50
150 1300
1909.5 4899.5
Hole
D(m)
Au (g/t)
AU * D
DIST.BET holes
w*D
w*D*AU
RCD11 77
1020 0
1070 6
65
18.3 1 209. 4
31.9614286 50
3250
59507.5
50
250
52357.5
3500 8400
111865 189605
| P a g e - 62 -
| P a g e - 63 -
Sec. 10250 mN
Hole D1351 N E D(m) Au (g/t) AU * D 6 85.88 15.95 3.91 14.4 9.98 1.51 6.26 206.4 137.408 31.9 43.01 28.8 9.98 39.26 6.26 503.018 Avg hole AU. DIST.BET holes w*D 6.3673165 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 1720 80 100 550 100 50 1300 50 3950 w*D*AU 10320 6870.4 1595 2150.5 1440 499 1963 313 25150.9
Sum
79
Hole D1386
D(m) Au (g/t) AU * D 1.04 1.08 1.25 6.03 14.26 239 38.48 5.4 8.75 18.09 313.72 239 623.44
Avg hole AU. DIST.BET holes w*D 8.3125333 50 50 50 50 50 50 1850 250 350 150 1100 50 3750
10250 10595 37 5 7 3 22 1
sum
75
10250 10429 26 2
| P a g e - 64 -
28
137.08
1400
6854
Hole
D(m) Au (g/t) AU * D 2.27 5.48 13.6 10.04 138.47 10.96 13.6 40.16 203.19
Avg hole AU. DIST.BET holes w*D 2.9880882 50 50 50 50 3050 100 50 200 3400
RCD1162 10250 10700 61 2 1 4 sum sec 10250N avg assay sum 5.866912 68
12500 73336.4
| P a g e - 65 -
| P a g e - 66 -
Sec. 10300 mN
Hole D340 Sum N E D(m) Au (g/t) AU * D Avg hole AU. DIST.BET holes w*D w*D*AU 5.85 111.15 111.15 5.85 50 950 950 5557.5 5557.5
10300 10620 19 19
Hole D1304
D(m) Au (g/t) AU * D Avg hole AU. DIST.BET holes w*D w*D*AU 2.88 25 1.74 7.82 43.2 25 20.88 7.82 96.9 3.3413793 50 50 50 50 750 50 600 50 2160 1250 1044 391
10300 10831 15 1 12 1
sum
29
1450 4845
Hole RC415
D(m) Au (g/t) AU * D Avg hole AU. DIST.BET holes w*D w*D*AU 3.64 2.56 36.4 43.52 79.92 2.96 50 50 500 850 1820 2176
10300 10445 10 17
sum
27
1350 3996
Hole RCD388
D(m) Au (g/t) AU * D Avg hole AU. DIST.BET holes w*D w*D*AU 3.65 20.8 9.7 185 23.8 109.5 62.34 232.8 185 214.02 11.994925 50 50 50 50 50 1500 5475 150 3117
10300 10644 30 3 24 1
sum
| P a g e - 67 -
67
803.66
3350 40183
Hole
D(m) Au (g/t) AU * D Avg hole AU. DIST.BET holes w*D w*D*AU 1.86 30 91.14 30 121.14 2.4228 50 50 2450 4557 50 1500
2500 6057
Hole
D(m) Au (g/t) AU * D Avg hole AU. DIST.BET holes w*D 4.1 12.5 76.4 7.49 14 2.04 30.6 11.8 430.5 211.65 152.7 22.47 14 104.04 30.6 23.52 989.48 5.4367033 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 5250 850 100 150 50 2550 50 100 9100
w*D*AU 21525 10583 7635 1123.5 700 5202 1530 1176 49474
RCD1178 10300 10758 105 17 2 3 1 51 1 2 sum sec 10300N average assay sum 5.888368984 182
18700 110113
| P a g e - 68 -
| P a g e - 69 -
Sec. 10350 mN
Hole D1284 N 10350 E 10753 D(m) 11 1 1 5 35 1 1 26 1 1 sum 83 Au (g/t) 2.98 6.71 6.72 1.9 1.58 6.55 9.09 1.13 5.03 8.58 AU * D 32.78 6.71 6.72 9.5 55.3 6.55 9.09 29.38 5.03 8.58 169.64 Avg hole AU. 2.0438554 DIST.BET holes 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 w*D 550 50 50 250 1750 50 50 1300 50 50 4150 w*D*AU 1639 335.5 336 475 2765 327.5 454.5 1469 251.5 429 8482
Hole D1345
N 10350
E 10730
D(m) 94 3 1 4 1 1 7
DIST.BET holes 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50
sum
54
| P a g e - 71 -
4 3 43 15 21 251
50 50 50 50 50
Hole D1366
N 10350
E 10640
D(m) 58 2 1 1 2 10 2 39 7
Au (g/t) 2.53 23.34 27.4 6.86 6.72 45.94 227.7 1.76 5.43
AU * D 146.74 46.68 27.4 6.86 13.44 459.4 455.4 68.64 38.01 1262.6
DIST.BET holes 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50
w*D*AU 7337 2334 1370 343 672 22970 22770 3432 1900.5 63128.5
sum
122
D(m)
Au (g/t)
AU * D
DIST.BET holes
w*D
w*D*AU
10350
10700
42 1
6.24 213
262.08 213
8.9569444
50 50
2100 50
13104 10650
| P a g e - 71 -
3.66 26 45
98.82 26 45 644.9
50 50 50
| P a g e - 72 -
| P a g e - 73 -
Section10350
Hole D1143 N E D(m) Au (g/t) AU * D Avg hole AU. DIST.BET holes w*D 2.37 8 94.2 39.61 502.44 3.3339631 8 94.2 118.83 723.47 50 50 50 50 w*D*AU
sum
217
10850 36173.5
Hole D1307
D(m) Au (g/t) AU * D Avg hole AU. DIST.BET holes w*D 5.31 9.27 63.5 100.89 8.315 18.54 63.5 182.93 50 50 50 950 100 50 1100
10400 10845 19 2 1
sum
22
Hole RCD523
D(m) Au (g/t) AU * D Avg hole AU. DIST.BET holes w*D 5.09 15.8 4.07 26.3 30.54 15.8 36.63 15.78 98.75 5.9487952 50 50 50 50 300 50 450 30 830
sm
16.6
Hole
w*D*AU
| P a g e - 74 -
RCD1186 10400 10749 36 1 1 1 1 16 sum sec 10400N average assay sum 3.724711168 56
2.77625
50 50 50 50 50 50
15580 58031
| P a g e - 75 -
| P a g e - 76 -
D(m) Au (g/t) AU * D Avg hole AU. DIST.BET holes w*D 14.76 73.8 73.8 14.76 50 250 250
10450 10506 5 5
Hole D1073
D(m) Au (g/t) AU * D Avg hole AU. DIST.BET holes w*D 2.18 12.35 54.95 429.46 37.05 109.9 576.41 2.8535149 50 50 50 9850 150 100
sum
202
10100 28820.5
D(m) Au (g/t) AU * D Avg hole AU. DIST.BET holes w*D 2.4 144 144 2.4 50 3000 3000
10450 10636 60 60
Hole
D(m) Au (g/t) AU * D Avg hole AU. DIST.BET holes w*D 4.45 36 15.51 4.44 43.5 226.95 36 139.59 62.16 43.5 508.2 6.6868421 50 50 50 50 50 2550 50 450 700 50 3800
| P a g e - 77 -
Hole
D(m) Au (g/t) AU * D Avg hole AU. DIST.BET holes w*D 5.84 20 10.52 1.41 0.54 23.36 20 21.04 4.23 20.736 89.366 1.846405 50 50 50 50 50 200 50 100 150 1920 2420
Hole
D(m) Au (g/t) AU * D Avg hole AU. DIST.BET holes w*D 4.7 26.1 37.6 26.1 63.7 7.0777778 50 50 400 50 450
RCD1235 10540 10800 8 1 sum sec 10450N average assay sum 3.635054945 9
20020 72773.8
| P a g e - 78 -
| P a g e - 79 -
Hole D1042
D(m) Au (g/t) AU * D Avg hole AU. DIST.BET holes w*D 2.17 7.37 16.63 162.8 7.37 49.89 220 2.784937 50 50 50 3750 50 150 3950
10500 10767 75 1 3
sum
79
Hole D1231
D(m) Au (g/t) AU * D Avg hole AU. DIST.BET holes w*D 2.93 3.14 1.77 11.72 12.56 60.18 84.46 2.010952 50 50 50 200 200 1700 2100
10500 10795 4 4 34
sum
42
Hole D1320
D(m) Au (g/t) AU * D Avg hole AU. DIST.BET holes w*D 2.44 11.24 4.08 4.88 22.48 4.08 31.44 6.288 50 50 50 100 100 50 250
10500 10875 2 2 1
sum
D(m) Au (g/t) AU * D Avg hole AU. DIST.BET holes w*D 3.08 104.7 104.7 3.08 50 1700 1700
10500 10608 34 34
Hole
w*D*AU
| P a g e - 81 -
RCD1213 10500 10500 28 3 26 1 3 sum sec 10500N average assay sum 3.336877828 61
4.865902
50 50 50 50 50
11050 36873
| P a g e - 81 -
| P a g e - 82 -
Hole
D(m) Au (g/t) AU * D Avg hole AU. DIST.BET holes w*D 1.61 6.81 3.83 11.73 19.15 69.23 6.81 84.26 23.46 38.3 222.06 3.17228571 50 50 50 50 50 2150 50 1100 100 100 3500
Hole
D(m) Au (g/t) AU * D Avg hole AU. DIST.BET holes w*D 0.93 2.21 6.47 5.71 11.3 5.74 164.09 5420 49.65 22.32 101.66 12.94 5.71 11.3 17.22 5743.2 5420 99.3 11434 99.4226087 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 1200 2300 100 50 50 150 1750 50 100 5750
w*D*AU 1116 5083 647 285.5 565 861 287158 271000 4965 571680
Hole
D(m) Au (g/t) AU * D Avg hole AU. DIST.BET holes w*D 0.93 1.82 22.32 56.42 1.6787931 50 50 1200 1550
| P a g e - 83 -
2 1 58
6.46 5.71
50 50
100 50 2900
Hole
D(m) Au (g/t) AU * D Avg hole AU. DIST.BET holes w*D 1.66 1.17 1.85 1.08 1.95 1.7 6.45 10.9 7.21 8.01 2.23 6.48 6.64 3.51 3.7 25.92 37.05 142.8 6.45 10.9 7.21 8.01 29.659 6.48 288.33 1.86862605 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 200 150 100 1200 950 4200 50 50 50 50 665 50 7715
w*D*AU 332 175.5 185 1296 1852.5 7140 322.5 545 360.5 400.5 1482.95 324 14416.5
D1379 10550 10770 4 3 2 24 19 84 1 1 1 1 13.3 1 sum sec 10550N average assay 30.30797634 154.3
19865 602068
| P a g e - 84 -
| P a g e - 85 -
D(m) Au (g/t) AU * D Avg hole AU. DIST.BET holes w*D w*D*AU 2.2 46.2 46.2 2.2 50 1050 2310 1050 2310
10600 10558 21 21
Hole RC659
D(m) Au (g/t) AU * D Avg hole AU. DIST.BET holes w*D w*D*AU 1.14 1.02 7.73 3.42 21.42 7.73 32.57 1.3028 50 50 50 150 171
10600 10819 3 21 1
sum
25
1250 1628.5
Hole
D(m) Au (g/t) AU * D Avg hole AU. DIST.BET holes w*D w*D*AU 3.93 4.21 20.2 55.02 147.4 20.2 222.6 4.4514 50 50 700 2751
RCD391 10600 10832 14 35 1 sum sec 10600N average assay sum 2.959368421 50
1750 7367.5 0 0
| P a g e - 86 -
| P a g e - 87 -
Hole D350
D(m) Au (g/t) AU * D Avg hole AU. DIST.BET holes w*D 4.8 1.63 9.6 14.67 24.27 2.2063636 50 50 100 450 550
10650 10612 2 9
sum
11
Hole D360
D(m) Au (g/t) AU * D Avg hole AU. DIST.BET holes w*D 2.55 3.43 4.42 3.95 10.13 4.84 428.4 61.74 44.2 193.55 50.65 121 899.54 3.2710545 50 50 50 50 50 50 8400 900 500 2450 250 1250
sum
275
13750 44977
Hole D1371
D(m) Au (g/t) AU * D Avg hole AU. DIST.BET holes w*D 1.11 5.3 37.74 5.3 43.04 1.2297143 50 50 1700 50 1750
10650 10703 34 1
sum
35
Hole
Eff.(w) 50 50 50
| P a g e - 88 -
2 15
59.77
119.54 145.39
50
100 750
5977 7269.5
Hole
D(m) Au (g/t) AU * D Avg hole AU. DIST.BET holes w*D 1.63 195.6 195.6 1.63 50 6000 6000
RCD1279 10650 10618 120 sum sec 10650N average assay sum 2.868070175 120
22800 65392
| P a g e - 89 -
| P a g e - 91 -
D(m) Au (g/t) AU * D Avg hole AU. DIST.BET holes w*D w*D*AU 24.3 24.3 24.3 24.3 50 50 50 1215 1215
10700 10415 1 1
Hole
D(m) Au (g/t) AU * D Avg hole AU. DIST.BET holes w*D w*D*AU 9.09 14.02 72.72 56.08 128.8 10.733333 50 50 400 200 600 3636 2804 6440
Hole
D(m) Au (g/t) AU * D Avg hole AU. DIST.BET holes w*D w*D*AU 1.09 17.44 17.44 1.09 50 800 800 872 872
RCD738 10700 10420 16 sum sec 10700N average assay sum 5.880689655 16
1450 8527
| P a g e - 91 -
| P a g e - 92 -
Hole
D(m) Au (g/t) AU * D Avg hole AU. DIST.BET holes w*D w*D*AU 2.18 3.02 6.7 2.83 6.43 1.69 8.28 65.6 21.8 45.3 13.4 101.9 19.29 40.56 74.52 65.6 382.4 3.8235 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 500 750 100 1090 2265 670
5000 19118
Hole
D(m) Au (g/t) AU * D Avg hole AU. DIST.BET holes w*D w*D*AU 1.06 1.53 2.28 19.08 26.01 13.68 58.77 1.433415 50 50 50 900 850 300 954 1300.5 684
2050 2938.5
Hole
D(m) Au (g/t) AU * D Avg hole AU. DIST.BET holes w*D w*D*AU 573 573 573 573 50 50 50 28650 28650
Hole
D(m) Au (g/t) AU * D Avg hole AU. DIST.BET holes w*D w*D*AU 1.6 3.2 1.6 50 100 160
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Sum
3.2
100
160
Hole
D(m) Au (g/t) AU * D Avg hole AU. DIST.BET holes w*D w*D*AU 8.34 33 0.9 1.81 41.7 33 13.5 18.1 106.3 3.429032 50 50 50 50 250 50 750 500 2085 1650 675 905
1550 5315
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Hole D1331
D(m) Au (g/t) AU * D Avg hole AU. DIST.BET holes w*D 3.41 8.65 3.41 8.65 12.06 6.03 50 50 50 50 100
10750 10925 1 1
Sum
Hole RC678
D(m) Au (g/t) AU * D Avg hole AU. DIST.BET holes w*D 1.16 7.45 14.15 1.02 9.28 29.8 28.3 6.12 73.5 3.675 50 50 50 50 400 200 100 300 1000
10750 10464 8 4 2 6
Sum
20
Hole
D(m) Au (g/t) AU * D Avg hole AU. DIST.BET holes w*D 2 6.92 5.77 20.4 2 5.31 62 27.68 23.08 20.4 26 5.31 164.5 3.045741 50 50 50 50 50 50 1550 200 200 50 650 50 2700
12550 68683
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Tonnage Factor (T.F) = 1/density = 1/2.41= 0.4149 Total Tonnage = 243954267.9 tons average grade = 1532079086 / 243954267.9 = 6.28019 (gm/ton) say 6.3 (gm/ton)
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Opening up Introduction Open pit mining refers to a method of extracting rocks and minerals from the earth by their removal from pit . Open pit mines is used when deposit of commercially useful mineral or rock are found near the surface; that is, where the overburden (surface material covering the valuable deposit) is relatively thin or the material of interest is structurally unsuitable for tunneling (as would be the case for sand, cinder, and gravel). For minerals that occur deep below the surfacewhere the overburden is thick or the mineral occurs as veins in hard rockunderground mining methods extract the valued material. Open-pit mines that produce building materials and dimension stone are commonly referred to as quarries. People are unlikely to make a distinction between an open-pit mine and other types of open-cast mines such as quarries, borrows, placers, and strip mines. Open-pit mines are typically enlarged until either the mineral resource is exhausted, or an increasing ratio of overburden to ore makes further mining uneconomic. When this occurs, the exhausted mines are sometimes converted to landfills for disposal of solid wastes. However, some form of water control is usually required to keep the mine pit from becoming a lake. Generally the mining method in regular ores determines by the stripping ratio that refers to the ratio between volume of over burden and volume of ore, but in disseminate cute of grade determine the difference between ore and waste,
Cutoff grade = mining cost / (value X recovery) The mining method used in this mine is surface mining "selective open pit mining method because of gold deposit". | P a g e - 99 -
Pit geometry design Final pit limits that refer to the final limits that ore can be extracted and processed with a profit affected by: 1. Technical factors, 2. Economic factors. Pit geometry: 1. Pit overall slope angle, 2. Overall pit depth, 3. Pit width and length. Pit overall slope angle determination Slope stability analysis forms an integral part of the opencast mining operations during the life cycle of the project. In Indian mining conditions, slope design guidelines were not yet formulated for different types of mining practices and there is a growing need to develop such guidelines for maintaining safety and productivity. Till date, most of the design methods are purely based on field experience, rules of thumb followed by sound engineering judgment. During the last four decades, the concepts of slope stability analysis have emerged within the domain of rock engineering to address the problems of design and stability of excavated slopes. The actual slope angles used in the mine depend upon: 1. The presence of haulage roads, or ramps, necessary for the transportation of the blasted ore from the pit, 2. Possible blast damage, 3. Ore grades, 4. Economic constraints.
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In slope stability analysis, engineering geological investigation of geological data collection is necessary to determine the regional geology of the project area and to obtain the reliable data for proposed project area. There are two investigation stages: 1. Initial site investigation, 2. Final site investigation. In slope failure analysis, determination of mode of failure is a very important and it can be considered by the value of slope mass rating (SMR). Plane failure occurs when a geological discontinuity, such as a bedding plane, strike parallel to the slope face and dip into the excavation (daylight) at an angle greater than the angle of friction as shown in Fig6(a). Wedge failure When two discontinuities strike obliquely across the slope face and their line of intersection daylight in the slope face, the wedge of the rock resting on these continuities will slide down the line of intersection, provided that the inclination of this line significantly greater than the angle of friction as shown in Fig6 (b). Circular failure When the material is weak (soil) or very heavily fractured (waste rock dump), the failure will be defined by a single discontinuity surface but will tend to follow a circular failure as shown in Fig6 (c). Toppling failure can be occurred when the pit slope angle is greater than the angle of internal friction and the ratio of block width height is less than the friction angle as shown in Fig6 (d)
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Fig 6: Types of failure (a) Plane failure, (b) Wedge failure, (c) Circular failure and (d) Toppling failure.
To prevent all modes of failure and to achieve safety work the overall slope angle takes to be 55. The inter ramp slope angle takes to be 70 .
Pit depth Shallow ore deposits are mined by surface methods but a depth is reached in the case of most deposits after which underground methods are applied for the extraction of the remaining ore.
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From sections: Section 10000mN 10050mN 10100mN 10150mN 10200mN 10250mN 10300mN 10350mN 10400mN 10450mN 10500mN 10550mN 10600mN 10650mN Average pit depth = 295m Pit depth 221.05 225.7 318.18 323.8 333.3 360 375 375 350 340 310 324 304 307
Pit width:
Av.Wb = Av. Wd + (ht/tan ) Wd: horizontal thickness of the ore body (m), : pit side slope angle along the foot-wall (deg), ht : pit depth (m). Wb = 187.319 +2 (295/tan55) =450 m
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Pit length: Lb = Ld + (ht/tan ) Ld : total distance between sections (m), : pit side slope angle along the foot-wall (deg), ht : pit depth (m). Lb = 650 + (295/tan55) =850 m Parameter Over all slope angle Pit depth Pit width Pit length value 55 295 m 320 m 850 m
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Bench design A bench may be defined as a ledge that forms a single level of operation above which mineral or waste materials are mined back to a bench face. The mineral or waste is removed in successive layers, each of which is a bench. Several benches may be in operation simultaneously in different parts of, and at different elevations in the open pit mine.
Bench elements: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Toe, Crest, Floor, High wall (face), Slope angle (angle of inclination) :, Bench height, Working area, Safety berm.
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Bench parameters 1. Bench height: The bench height is the vertical distance between each horizontal level of the pit. The height will depend on : 1. 2. 3. 4. The physical characteristics of the deposit, The degree of selectivity required in separating the ore The size and type of equipment to meet the production requirements, Climatic conditions.
The bench height should be set as high as possible within the limits of the size and type of equipment selected for the desired production. The bench should not be so high that it will present safety problems of towering banks of blasted or un-blasted material. The bench height in open pit mines will normally range from 15m in large copper mines to as little as 1 m in uranium mines. So bench height = 9 m, 3m for every left 2. Bench slope angle: It's the angle between High wall (face) and the horizontal plane and for granite "hard rock it's hardness about 7" bench slope angle varies from 70 to 90 = 5 Because of: 1. Relative small bench height, 2. Hard rock.
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3. Working area: The width of working bench areas varies within limits depending upon the equipment used and the mode of operation.
Wb = 1.2C + Ws + Ws.b + L Wb : working bench width C : cut width Ws : trucks movement "10-15" L : marginal area "10-20m Ws.b = 2 h h= safty berm height h= The height of the berm should be of the order of the tire rolling radius, h=1.5m
Wb = 1.2*18 + 5 + 3 + 5 Wb = 35 m
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4. Bench number: Bench number = pit averall height / bench height =295/9 =33 benches
Bench parameters Bench parameter Bench height Bench width Bench slope angle Number of benches value 9m 35 m 5 33
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Main haul road design Over the past three decades, off-highway trucks have been developed for surface mines up to 400 tons (360 t) in capacity, although 200 tons (180 t) is generally the largest size in fleet operation. They represent a huge capital investment and a significant percentage of total costs (Table 13.4.1). If haul road design is inadequate, the trucks can be highly lethal in the confines of a surface mine. Despite these facts, haul road design until recently has received little attention. Haul road design factors must ensure: 1. Minimum costs on a net present value basis for the transport of mineral and waste throughout the life of the mine. 2. A minimum of traffic congestion and the maintenance of safe, ready access to the mining operations. 3. The avoidance of areas where slope stability problems could occur. 4. The uses of long-life haul roads rather than short-life roads. This reduces haul road overall construction costs and operating costs as well as reducing the demand for haul road construction materials which may not be available in sufficient quantities from the overburden. Other factors include the locations of mineral preparation plants, stock yards, external waste dumps, environmental constraints, etc. All these factors direct attention to: 1. Haul road layout. 2. Haul road geometry. 3. Haul road construction materials.
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Haul road layout: For opening up through deposit may layouts of haul road available, like: 1. Switch back road: They are used to gain altitude or depth without sharp turns.
2. Loop road way: This method is ordinarily employed in mining of deep seated deposits with the use of motor transport in inclined ingoing trench is driven from the ground surface along the non-productive side of open pit at a maximum permissible gradient at the end of the open pit field the road line is turned by 180.
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3. Spiral route: The basic conditions for the use of this method are a level or slightly inclined altitude of the deposit circular or aver out lines and considerable size of deposit.
For uphill and downhill pit spiral route layout used for reaching ore because of relative small pit geometry.
Haul road geometry: Number of Lanes: In-pit roads are usually constructed for single-lane, unidirectional traffic or two-lane, directional traffic 1. Because traffic density may not be high or 2. Because of space problems. Haul roads from the pit to external waste dumps, preparation plants, etc. Number of lanes = 2
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WR = n (wvehicle+1) +1 Wvehicle: Vehicle width n: Number of lanes WR = 2 (4 + 1) +1 Haul road width=11 m Gradients: Maximum gradients may be statutorily limited to between 8 to 15% (5 to 8.5) for sustained gradients, but in general when considering the economics of uphill haulage, as well as downhill safety, the optimum gradient for most situations is about 8% (4.5) but up to 12% (6.8) for trolley-assist trucks. For safety and drainage reasons, long steep gradients should include 150ft (50-m) long sections with a maximum gradient of 2% (1) for every 1500 to 1800 ft. (500 to 600 m) of severe gradient. Gradient = 8% (4.5) to save power and truck maintenance
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Main haul road length Length of main haul road from pit to waste dump and to processing plant = 2 km.
Reference: 1.SME mining engineering handbook 2. introductory to mining engineering 3. Prof.DR\ Mohamed Abd EL Tawab el gendy
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1.1 Introduction: In virtually all forms of mining, rock is broken through drilling and blasting. Except in dimension stone quarrying, drilling and blasting are required in most surface mining. Only the weakest rock, if loosely consolidated or weathered, can be broken without explosives, using mechanical excavators (ripper, wheel excavators, shovels etc.) or occasionally a more novel device, such as a hydraulic jet. In the mining cycle, drilling performed for the placement of explosives is termed production drilling. Drilling is also used in surface mining for purposes other than providing blast-holes. There are minor applications of rock penetration in surface mining other than drilling. In quarrying, dimension stone is freed by cutting, channeling, or sawing. 1.2 Classification of methods:
1. Mechanical attack 2. Thermal attack 3. Fluid attack 4. Sonic attack 5. Chemical attack 6. Other methods of attack (electrical, light, or nuclear)
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1.3 PENETRATION RATE: A function of: The rock. The drilling method. The size & type of bit The rock properties which effect penetration rate are: Hardness. Texture. Breaking characteristic. Formation . 1.4 DRILLING METHOD 1.4.1.ROTARY
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1.4.2. ROTARY-PERCUSSION
1.4.3. DOWN HOLE (DH): The DH drill provides striking energy directly to the bit. There is rotation so the bit strikes fresh rock with each blow.
Down Hole Drill maintains constant penetration rate at all depths. Compressed air conducted through the drill steel is used to flush the drill cuttings from the hole. Performance will not decrease as depth increases. | P a g e - 119 -
2.1 INTRODUCTION : The use of explosives in mining and construction applications dates back to 1627. From 1627 through 1865, the explosive used was black powder. Black powder was a different type of explosive than the explosives used today. In 1865, Nobel invented nitroglycerin dynamite in Sweden. He invented gelatin dynamites in 1866. These new products were more energetic than black powder and performed differently since confinement of the explosive was not necessary to produce good results, as was the case with black powder. From 1867 through the mid-1950's, dynamite was the workhorse of the explosive industry. In the mid-1950's' a new product appeared which was called ANFO, ammonium nitrate and fuel oil. This explosive was more economical to use than dynamite. During the decades of the 1970's and the 1980's, ANFO has become the workhorse of the industry and approximately 80% of all explosives used in the United States was ammonium nitrate and fuel oil. Other new explosive products appeared on the scene in the 1960's and 1970's. Explosives, which were called slurries or water gels, have replaced dynamite in many applications. In the late 1970's' a modification of the water gels called emulsions appeared on the scene. The emulsions were simple to manufacture and could be used in similar applications as dynamites and water gels. Commercial explosives fall into three major generic categories, dynamites, blasting agents and slurries (commonly called water gels or emulsions). Blasting problems generally result from poor blast design. Poor execution in drilling and loading the proposed design and because the rock mass was improperly evaluated. | P a g e - 121 -
Blast design parameters such as burden, stemming, subdrilling, spacing and initiation timing must be carefully determined in order to have a blast function efficiently, safely and within reasonable vibration and air blast levels. 2.2 SOURCES OF EXPLOSIVE'S ENERGY : Two basic forms of energy are released when high explosives react. The first type of energy will be called shock energy. The second type will be called gas energy.
Figure 2.1 Pressure Profiles for Low and High Explosives 2.2.1 SHOCK ENERGY: In high explosives, a shock pressure spike at the reaction front travels through the explosive before the gas energy is released. The shock energy is commonly believed to result from the detonation pressure of the explosion. The detonation pressure is a function of the | P a g e - 121 -
explosive density times the explosion detonation velocity squared and is a form of kinetic energy. Where: P = Detonation pressure (Kbar, 1 Kilobar a 14,504 psi) = Specific gravity of the explosive = Detonation velocity (fth) 2.2.2 GAS ENERGY: The gas energy released during the detonation process causes the majority of rock breakage in rock blasting with charges confined in boreholes. The gas pressure. often called explosion pressure. is the pressure that is exerted on the borehole walls by the expanding gases after the chemical reaction has been completed.
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PART 3 MECHANICS OF ROCK BREAKAGE 3.1 SHOCK ENERGY IN ROCK BREAKAGE : Unconfined charges placed on boulders and subsequently detonated produce shock energy which will be transmitted into the boulder at the point of contact between the charge and the boulder. 3.2 CONFINED CHARGES IN BOREHOLES: Three basic mechanisms contribute to rock breached with charges confined in boreholes. The first and least significant mechanism of breakage is caused by the shock wave. At most, the shock wave causes microfractures to form on the borehole walls and initiates microfractures at discontinuities in the burden. This transient pressure pulse quickly diminishes with distance from the borehole and since the propagation velocity of the pulse is approximately 2.5 to 5 times the maximum crack propagation velocity, the pulse quickly outruns the fracture propagation. The two major mechanisms of rock breakage results from the sustained gas pressure in the borehole. Failure by this mechanism has been recognized for many years and is commonly called radial cracking (Figure 3.1) .
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Direction and extent of the radial crack system can be controlled by the selection of the proper distance from the borehole to the face (burden) (Figure 3.2).
Figure 3.2 Influence of Distance to Face on Radial Crack System The second major breakage mechanism occurs after the radial cracking has been completed. 3.3 BENCH STIFFNESS : In most blasting operations, the first visible movement occurs when the face bows outward near the center. (Figure 2.3).
(Figure 3.4) Axisymmetric Bending Diagram 3.4 EFFECTS OF BLASTHOLE LENGTH : The rock breakage process occurs in four distinctive steps. As the explosives detonates. A stress wave moves through the rock uniformly in all directions around the charge. Radial cracks then propagate | P a g e - 124 -
predominantly toward the free face. After the radial cracking process is finished. High pressure gases penetrate into the cracks approximately 2/3 of the distance from the hole to the face throughout the radial crack system. Only after the gas has time to penetrate into the crack systems are the stresses on the face of sufficient magnitude. To cause the face to move outward. The first was to determine the effect of the bench height on the bending and flexural failure, and the second was to determine the effect of changing geologic conditions on the movement of the burden itself (Figure 3.5).
Figure 3.5 Finite Element Model Configurations 3.5 BLASTING PARAMETERS : In order to compare the model's behavior with that of actual field results, parameters were chosen so that actual burden movement could be predicted. The model consisted of a single hole, four inches in diameter (Figure 3.6).
Figure 3.6 Free Body Diagram for Simulated Condition of Bench Blasting | P a g e - 125 -
For discussion purposes, four different L/B ratios, 1.2, 2.4, 3.6, and 4.0 will be cosidred .
Figure 3.7 XZ-View of the Deformed Geometry Configuration as LIB Ratio Changes from 1.2 to 4.0 A close correlation between the finite element model and the rectangular cross section was observed as hown in Figure 3.9.
Figure 3.9 3.6 GEOLOGICAL EFFECTS ON DISPLACEMENT : In order to analyze the significance of beds of different materials on bench blasting, In order to analyze the significance of beds of different materials on bench blasting, five different models were analyzed using the same finite element model (Figure 3.11).
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PART 4 EXPLOSIVE PRODUCTS 4.1 ENVIRONMENTAL CHARACTERISTICS OF EXPLOSIVES : The selection of the type of explosive to be used for a particular task is based on two primary criteria. The explosive must be able to function safely and reliably under the environmental conditions of the proposed use, and the explosive must be the most economical to use to produce the desired end result. 4.1.1 SENSITIVENESS :. 4.1.2 WATER RESISTANCE : 4.1.3 FUMES : 4.1.4 FLAMMABILITY : 4.1.5 TEMPERATURE RESISTANCE : 4.1.6 COLD RESISTANCE : 4.1.7 VELOCITY : 4.1.8 DETONATION PRESSURE : 4.1.9 DENSITY :
Where:
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4.1.10 STRENGTH : 4.1.11 COHESIVENESS : 4.2 COMMERCIAL EXPLOSWES : The products used as the main borehole charge can be broken into three generic categories. Dynamite, slurries and blasting agents. 4.2.1 DYNAMITE : Dynamites are the most sensitive of all the generic classes of explosives used today. 4.2.2 GELATIN DYNAMITE : Gelatin dynamite, used in commercial applications, can be broken into three subclasses, straight gelatin, ammonia gelatin and semigelatin dynamites. 4.2.3 SLURRY EXPLOSIVES Slurry explosive is a mixture of ammonium nitrate or other nitrates and fuel sensitizers which can either be a hydrocarbon or hydrocarbons and aluminum. In some cases explosive sensitizers, such as TNT or nitrocellulose, along with varying amounts of water are used (Figure 4.5). An emulsion is somewhat different from a water gel or slurry in characteristics, but the composition contains similar ingredients and functions similarly in the characteristics, but the composition contains similar ingredients and functions similarly in the blast hole (Figure 4.6). In general, emulsions have a somewhat higher detonation velocity and in some cases, may tend to be wet or adhere to the blast hole causing difficulties in bulk loading. For discussion purposes, emulsions and water gels will be treated under the generic family of slurries. | P a g e - 129 -
PART 5 PRIMER AND BOOSTER 5.1 PRIMER AND BOOSTER SELECTION : The difference between a primer and booster is in its use. Rather than in its physical composition or makeup. A primer is defined as an explosive unit which contains an initiator, a booster is used to put additional energy into a hard or tough rock layer (Figure 5.1).
Figure 5.1 Primer and Booster in Borehole 5.2 SELECTION CRITERIA FOR PRIMER : The two most critical criteria in primer selection are primer composition and primer size. 5.3 BOOSTER : Boosters are used to intensify the explosive reaction at a particular location within the explosive column. In general, boosters are used to put more energy into a hard layer within the rock column.
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PART 6 BLAST DESIGN The design of blasts must encompass the fundamental concepts of ideal blast design, which are then modified when necessary to account for local geologic conditions. In order to evaluate a blasting plan, the plan must be taken apart and each variable or dimension must be evaluated. A plan must be designed and checked one step at a time. This chapter will lay out a step-by-step procedure for the analysis of a blasting plan. Methods to determine whether design variables are in normally acceptable ranges will be examined. 6.1 BURDEN : Burden distance is defined as the shortest distance to relief at the time the hole detonates (Figure 6.1). The selection of the proper burden is one of the most important decisions made in any blast design. Of all the design dimensions in blasting. It is the most critical.
Figure 6.1 Symbols for Blast Design Where: B = Burden T = Stemming J = Subdrilling | P a g e - 131 -
L = Bench height H = Blasthole depth PC = Powder column length If the operator has selected a burden and used it successfully for a drill hole of another size and wants to determine a burden for a drill hole that is either larger or smaller, one can do so quite easily if the only thing that he is changing is the size of the hole and the rock type and explosives are staying the same. To do this, one can use the following simple ratio:
Where: B1 = Burden successfully used on previous blasts De1 = Diameter of explosive for B1 B2 = New burden De2 = New diameter of explosive for B2 6.1.1 ADJUSTMENTS FOR ROCK & EXPLOSIVE TYPE : When an operator is moving into a new area where he has no previous experience, he would have only general rock and explosive characteristics to work with. When moving into a new area, especially one where there are residents nearby, it is essential that the first shot not be a disaster. To approximate burden under these situations, the following empirical formula is helpful. [ Where: B = Burden (ft) SGe = Specific gravity of explosive SGr = Specific gravity of rock | P a g e - 132 ]
De = Diameter of explosive (in) The previous equations proposed for burden selection used the specific gravity of the explosives as an indicator of energy. The new generation of slurry explosives called emulsions have somewhat different energies but near constant specific gravity. The equation that uses relative energy is: Where: B = Burden (ft) De = Diameter of explosive (in) Stv = Relative bulk strength (ANFO = 100) SGr = Specific gravity of the rock 6.1.2 GEOLOGIC CORRECTION FACTORS : No one number will suffice as the exact burden in a particular rock type because of the variable nature of geologyTo estimate the deviation from the normal burden formula for unusual rock structure, two constants are incorporated into the formula. Kd is a correction for the rock deposition and Ks is a correction for the geologic structure. Kd values range from 1.0 to 1.18 and describe the dipping of the beds (Table 6.3). TABLE 6.3 CORRECTIONS FOR ROCK DEPOSITION BEDDING ORIENTATION Bedding steeply dipping into cut Bedding steeply dipping into face Other cases of deposition Kd 1.18 0.95 1.00
The correction for the geologic structure takes into account the fractured nature of the rock in place, the joint strength and frequency as well as cementation between layers of rock. The correction factors for rock structure ranges from 0.95 to 1.30 (Table 6.4). Massive intact rock | P a g e - 133 -
would have a Ks value of 0.95 while heavily broken fractured rock could have a Ks value of about 1.3. TABLE 6.4 CORRECTIONS FOR GEOLOGIC STRUCTURE GEOLOGIC STRUCTURE Heavily cracked, frequent weak joints weakly cemented layers Thin well-cemented layers with tight joints Massive intact rock Ks 1.30 1.10 0.95
6.2 STEMMING : The common material used for stemming is drill cuttings, since they are conveniently located at the collar of the blast hole. T = 0.7 x B (For crushed stone or drilling chips) Where: T = Stemming (ft) B = Burden (ft)
Figure 6.2 Stemming Zone Performance 6.3 SUBDRILLING : Subdrilling is a common term to denote the depth which a blasthole will be drilled below the proposed grade to ensure that breakage will occur to the grade line. Blastholes normally do not break to full depth. | P a g e - 134 -
J= 0.3B
Where: J = Subdrilling (ft) B = Burden (ft)
Figure 6.5 Problems of Soft Seam off Bottom 5.4 BLASTING CONSIDERATIONS : The blasting consideration of fragmentation, air blast, flyrock and ground vibration would have to be assessed. The more massive the rock in a production blast. The more probable the outcome listed in Table 5.5.
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6.5 SPACING : If holes are initiated simultaneously. Spacing's must be spread further apart than if holes are timed on a delay. (Figure 6.6).
6.5.1 INSTANTANEOUS INITIATION LOW BENCHES In order to check the blasting plan and determine if spacing is within normal limits, the following equation can be used:
Where: S= Spacing (ft) L = Bench height (ft) B = Burden (ft) 6.5.2 INSTANTANEOUS INITIATION HIGH BENCHES
6.5.3 DELAYED INITIATION LOW BENCHES : When the stiffness ratio is between one and four with delayed initiation between holes, the following relationship is used to check spacing:
Where: S = Spacing (ft) L = Bench height (ft) B = Burden (ft) 6.5.4 DELAYED INITIATION HIGH BENCHES : S=1.4 B Where: S = Spacing (ft) B = Burden (ft) | P a g e - 137 -
If the calculated spacing value is within plus or minus 15% of the actual spacing, the spacing is within reasonable limits. 6.6 Drilling pattern:
Figure 6.12 Stagger pattern 6.7 Initiation pattern: There are two types of initiation patterns 6.7.1 Chevron initiation pattern (closed) 6.7.2 Corner initiation pattern (flat) Corner initiation pattern is used because it gives good control of rock displacement and gives good fragmentation | P a g e - 138 -
=15.15 =4.55 m =4.5510.95 =4.5 m 7.2 STEMMING : =0.74.5 =3.15 m 7.3 SUBDRILLING : =0.34.5 =1.35 m
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=2 7.5 SPACING : Delayed initiation with the S.R greater than 1 but less than 4
=5m 7.6 CHARGE LENGTH : =7.2 m 7.7The total weight of explosive per Colum :
loading density
= 570 t The product of ore per day is 10000 t. The stripping ratio is 1:5. The product of broken rock per day is 60000 t. 7.11 The number of hole:
= 105 Hole We use two face. For one face length is 65 m and width is 18 m. For one face 4 rows and 13 Colum. 7.12 THE NUMBER OF DRILLS: Rate of drilling is 35 m/hour. Total meters drilled per shift /drill =35 x 5 =175 m/shift No. of drills | P a g e - 141 -
7.13 The COST OF DRILLING AND BLASTING: The cost of one cubic meter of drilling and blasting is about 6:10 LE (We take the cost is ( 8 Cost
7.14 CHAPTER 7 SUMMARY type of explosive is emulsion 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 BURDEN (B) M STEMMING (T) M SUBDRLLING (J) M STIFFNESS RATIO (S.R) SPACING (S) M CHARGE LENGTH ( ) M CHARGE PER HOLE ( ) kg POWDER FACTOR (P.F) NUMBER OF HOLE (n) ORE PRODUCTION T TOTAL CHARGE ( ) kg NUMBER OF DRILLS COST (LE) 4.5 3.15 1.35 2 5 7.2 132.3 0.65 105 10000 13891 3 168480
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References: Blasters Handbook, E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Pont de Nemours & Co., Wilmington, DE W Rock Blasting and Overbreak Overbreak Control, National Highway Control, National Highway Institute, Washington, DC Institute, Washington, DC Introductory mining engineering , Howard l. Hartman & JanM.mutmansky, Scound Edition ,new York .2002. Lectures by Prof. Dr. Mohamed Abd El Tawab El Gendy Lectures by DR. Ibrahim assakkaf Lectures by eng. Abd-Elmoneam seleim
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Loading and transportation Introduction Equipment selection is one of the most important steps of open pit design. Mining costs are mainly affected by the number and capacity of equipment. Equipment selection effects economic considerations in open-pit design, especially overburden or (waste rock) and ore mining costs and cost increasing parameters as a function of plan location and depth. Mining costs are a function of site conditions, operating scale and equipment. The purpose of equipment selection is to select optimum equipment with minimum cost. Equipment selection for open-pit mines is a very important decision which will impact greatly the economics operations. Selection of loading equipment The three main types of surface loading equipment: 1. Cable shovels, 2. Hydraulic shovels, 3. Front end loaders. The following table shows comparison between the Operating characteristics of each type:
Cable Shovel
Proven and reliable, low operating costs and machine availability. Significant disadvantages in un-blasted toes. No selectivity; high blending vertically. Cannot dig below floor level. Cannot traverse gradients greater than 1 in 20. No control over dump rate. Has long life (20-30 years). Low operating costs compared to hydraulic shovels or FELs.
Hydraulic Shovel
Powerful digging force permits the machine to operate in a variety of conditions. Half the amount of hoist and crowd needed for same size bucket as a cable shovel. Can be used as back hoe and can dig below the floor. Half the size of shovel for same bucket size as cable shovels. Double speed of cable shovel. Very high selectivity. Horizontal crowd motion can load thin seams. Discharge into trucks can be controlled.
Front-end Loader
Versatile, highly mobile, multipurpose. Increasingly used as LHD machines. Traction and stability problems. Bucket wider than front tires (tire protection). Tire costs considerable. Not suitable for soft grade. High maneuvering required, increasing risk of overturning or falling off edge. Well suited for: well fragmented ground on good under-footing, road maintenance, stockpile reclamation and flexible back-up machine.
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Characteristics of local operating condition in the proposed mine: badly fragmented product (R.O.M) on bad under-footing. Front-end Loader is no longer useful. High selectivity is needed to load the ore and the waste separately. Electric Cable Shovel is no longer useful. Thus,for more selectivity we have to use proper sized Hydraulic Shovel as back hoe Selection of haulage equipment The three main types of surface haulage equipment which are generally available for mine use are: 1. Belt Conveyor Haulage. 2. Locomotive Haulage. 3. Truck Haulage.
The following table shows comparison between the Operating characteristics
of each type:
Equipment Operation(output) Capacity (t/hrs.) Haulage distance (km) Relief Grade Advantages Belt Conveyor Haulage Continuous (not cyclic) High Limited (up to 5 km) Moderate High (Up to 20o) High output at relative low cost. Better grade ability Locomotive Haulage Cyclic (discontinuous) high unlimited low Low (up to 3o) High daily output. Long haulage distance. Coarse / blocky product. Truck Haulage Cyclic (discontinuous) Moderate Limited (0.5 10 km) Moderate Moderate (8o 12o) High flexibility. High maneuverability. Moderate grade ability. Coarse product. High operating cost (esp. with bad roads)
Disadvantages
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Characteristics of local operating condition in the proposed mine: The grade is moderate. Locomotive Haulage must be excluded. The daily Capacity is moderate about (10,000 t/sh.), haulage distance is moderate (2 km), high flexibility and maneuverability is needed for advanced face. Belt Conveyor Haulage must be excluded. Thus, for more flexibility and maneuverability we have to use Truck Haulage.
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Estimation of proper size and number of Loading and haulage equipment Design and operating data: Ore: gold with a cut of grade equal 0.5 g/t Associated rock is granite, well blasted Required production of ore = 10000 t/day Waste associated with ore, 50000 t/day (source from mine field) Total required production = 60000 t/day Two faces (two shovels) are selected to cover the required production Working time:3 shift/day, 8 hours / shift, effective time of loading and haulage 6 hours/shift Haulage distance to crushing plant = 2000 m Haulage distance to stock pile = 2000 m Job condition and management is considered to be good Loading equipment selection Proposed production per face = 60000/2=30000 t/day (One face) Proposed production per shift = 30000/3=10000 t/sh. (One face) Cycle time range of loader = 28- 45 sec, We consider as an average cycle time=35 sec SO No. of cycles per hour (C) = 3600/35 = 102cycles/hr. and the actual bucket size used calculated by: BC = [Q (m3 bank/ hr) * swell factor] / [C * S * O.A * BF] Where: (BC)=bucket capacity (m3) (Q)= productivity (m3 bank/hr.) (C)= no. of cycles per hours [100 cycle/hr.] (S)=swing factor (O.A)=operating efficiency (BF)=bucket fill factor | P a g e - 148 -
From table [13.3.3 SME handbook] @ angle of swing = 60 o Swing factor (s) = 1.1
From table [13.3.4 SME handbook] @ good job and good management conditions Operating efficiency (O.A) =0.73
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From table [13.3.5 SME handbook] @ granite material type Bucket fill factor (fillability) (BF) = 0.8 Bank density (bank) =2.41 t/ m3 Swell factor = 1.55 Loose density (loose)=2.41/1.55=1.55 t/m3
Shovel production per hour (t/hr)=10000/6=1666.67 t/hr Shovel production per hour (m3 bank /hr) = (t/hr)/ bank=1666.67 /2.41=691.56 m3 bank/hr BC= [Q (m3 bank/ hr) * swell factor] / [C * S * O.A * Bf] BC = (691.65 * 1.55) / (102 * 1.1 * 0.73 * 0.8) = 16.36 m3
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The nearest mining excavator size of bucket (17 m3), we will use one back hoe (for more selectivity) hydraulic excavator RH 120 E (TEREX) with bucket size (17m3)
Actual productivity of loader = BC * C * S * O.A * Bf * loose =17 * 102* 1.1*0.73*0.8*1.55= 1726.57 t/hr
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Actual productivity of loader (t/sh.) =1726.27*6=10359.47 t/sh. (Satisfy face shift production) Daily production of one face = 10359.47*3=31078.4 t/day Total daily production of the two faces =31078.4*2=62156.8 t/day Haulage equipment selection; Bucket capacity per one pass = BC * BF * loose =17*0.8*1.55 =21.08 t/pass Where: BC=bucket capacity (m3), BF=bucket fill factor, loose= the loose density of material.
To fill the truck we use 4:6 passes: In case of 4 passes: Truck capacity=21.08*4=84.32 t Difference (%) = (90.9-84.32)/90.9=7.2% In case of 5 passes: Truck capacity=21.08*5= 105.4t Difference (%) = (109-105.4)/109=3.3% In case of 6 passes: Truck capacity=21.08*6=126.48 t Difference (%) = (136-126.48)/136=7%
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So we use truck capacity of (109) [MT 3000] and fill it with (5) passes
Truck cycle time = loading time + haulage time (loaded) + dumping time + returning time (empty) +spotting time From [table 9.3.4 SME handbook] @ average conditions and Rear-dump truck type Dumping time =1.3 min From [table 9.3.5 SME handbook] @ average condition and Rear-dump truck type Spotting time = 0.3 min
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Loading time = no. of passes * loader cycle time =5*35=175 sec=3 min Haulage distance (Loaded) is about 2000 m is divided into : 200 m face @ speed = 15 km/hr 200 m ramp @ speed = 25 km/hr 1400 m main road @ speed = 40 km/hr 200 m dump area @ speed = 15 km/hr Returning distance (Empty) is about 2000 m is divided into : 200 m face @ speed =20 km/hr 200 m ramp @ speed = 30 km/hr 1400 m main road @ speed = 45 km/hr 200 m dump area @ speed = 20 km/hr
200/ (1000*15) +200/ (1000*25) +1400/ (1000*40) +200/ (1000*15) = 0.0697 hr=4.182 min
Returning time (empty) =
Truck cycle time = 3+4.182+1.3+3.47+0.3=12.25 min No. of truck cycles per shift = (60*6)/12.25= 29 cycle/shift Productivity of one truck /sh. =105.4*29=3056.6 t/sh. Req. number of trucks= (loader productivity /sh.)/ (one truck productivity/sh.)=10359.47/3056.6= 4 trucks Actual required no. of truck =4/0.83=5 trucks
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Reference 1. SME mining engineering hand book 2. Introductory to mining engineering 3. Prof.Dr\ Mohamed abd el tawab el gendy's lectures
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compression. A fixed jaw, mounted in a "V" alignment is the stationary breaking surface, while the movable jaw exerts force on the rock by forcing it against the stationary plate. The space at the bottom of the "V" aligned jaw plates is the crusher product size gap, or the size of the crushed product from the jaw crusher. The rock remains in the jaws until it is small enough to pass through the gap at the bottom of the jaws
2.4 .Grinding
Grinding is a powdering or pulverizing process using the rock mechanical forces of impaction, compression, shearing and attrition. Milling, sometimes also known as fine grinding, pulverising or comminution, is the process of reducing materials to a powder of fine or very fine size. It is distinct from crushing or granulation, which involves size reduction to a rock, pebble or grain size. Milling is used to produce a variety of materials which either have end uses themselves or are raw materials or additives used in the manufacture of other products. A wide range of mills has been developed for particular applications. Some types of mills can be used to grind a large variety of materials whereas others are used for certain specific grinding requirements. This brief aims to present the factors to consider when choosing a particular grinding applications and to give an overview of the equipment which is available.
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The two main purposes for a grinding process are: To liberate individual minerals trapped in rock crystals (ores) and thereby open up for a subsequent enrichment in the form of separation. To produce fines (or filler) from mineral fractions by increasing the specific surface.
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single-stage primary mills and SAG mills. High competency will dictate the examination of SABC circuits and, for ores that exhibit extreme resistance to breakage, staged crushing (two or three stages) followed by either ball or SAG milling may have to be considered. At higher throughputs, such circuits can consider the use of HPGRs in place of SAG milling. Circuits handling moderately competent ores can take advantage of operating cost savings by employing fully autogenous grinding (AG) mills.
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4.1.1.Gravity concentration
Gravity separation, one of the oldest separation techniques, has become increasingly popular in modern plants, with new equipment enhancing the range of separations possible (Laplante and Doucet, 1996). When coupled with generally low capital and operating costs and lack of chemicals to cause environmental concerns, this often provides an attractive process for the recovery of gold. Gravity separation relies upon the differences in density of minerals to provide efficient separation. The ease and efficiency of separation is dependent on a number of factors, including relative density, particle size and shape, liberation all of which affect the selection of equipment type. In the case of gold, gravity tools can be useful in solving a number of problems. These can include what is termed spotty or coarse gold, which makes mass balancing and gold accounting extremely difficult. By utilizing gravity ahead of the leach train, early recovery of gold in the process can also have financial benefits and avoid potential losses. Gravity recovery is also a useful diagnostic tool and can, and has been, used to check for the potential salting of samples. Removal of coarse gravity-recoverable gold can also enhance leach kinetics in plant practice. Use of gravity recovery as a safety net on tailings has also been exploited at several operations, where unleached gold, either ascoarse particles or sulfide locked, are recovered from the tailings by gravity means and re-treated, usually with a re-grind prior to a re-leach. The range of equipment available for gravity separation includes standard mineral jigs, Kelsey jigs, In-Line Pressure jigs, spirals, tables, Mozeley sizer, Knelson, Falcon Superbowl and others.
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1.3. Spirals
Spirals are one of the oldest gravity separators. There is a wide range of profiles available including low-grade, medium-grade, high-grade and fine mineral models, plus ones incorporating different wash water techniques. Careful monitoring and control of size distribution is important in achieving optimum results with spirals.
1.7. Super-panners
A laboratory diagnostic tool used to produce the highest concentration of material, super-panners are often used in conjunction with other gravity devices as a final cleaning step, and in the preparation of samples for mineralogical work.
4.2.Leaching
Oxides are leached with a sulfuric acid or sodium carbonate solvent, while sulfates can be leached with water or sulfuric acid. Ammonium hydroxide is used for native
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ores, carbonates, and sulfides, and sodium hydroxide is used for oxides. Cyanide solutions are a solvent for the precious metals, while a sodium chloride solution dissolves some chlorides. In all cases the leach solvent should be cheap and available, strong, and preferably selective for the values present. Leaching is carried out by two main methods: simple leaching at ambient temperature and atmospheric pressure; and pressure leaching, in which pressure and temperature are increased in order to accelerate the operation. The method chosen depends on the grade of the feed material, with richer feed accommodating a costlier, more extensive treatment.
4.2.1.Type of leaching :
1-Leaching in-place, or in situ leaching, is practiced on ores that are too far underground and of too low a grade for surface treatment. A leach solution is circulated down through a fractured ore body to dissolve the values and is then pumped to the surface, where the values are precipitated. 2- Heap leaching is done on ores of semilow grade--that is, high enough to be brought to the surface for treatment. This method is increasing in popularity as larger tonnages of semilow-grade ore are mined. The ore is piled in heaps on pads and sprayed with leach solution, which trickles down through the heaps while dissolving the values. The pregnant solution is drained away and taken to precipitation tanks. 3-Higher-grade ores are treated by tank leaching, which is carried out in two ways. One method is of very large scale, with several thousand tons of ore treated at a time in large concrete tanks with a circulating solution. In the second method, small amounts of finely ground high-grade ore are agitated in tanks by air or by mechanical impellers. Both solutions pass to precipitation after leaching is completed. Pressure leaching shortens the treatment time by improving the solubility of solids that dissolve only very slowly at atmospheric pressure. For this process autoclaves are used, in both vertical and horizontal styles. After leaching, the pregnant solution is separated from the insoluble residue and sent to precipitation.
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percolates out from the base of the heap. Fig. 2 is an aerial photograph showing the typical elements of a preciousmetals heap-leach operation an open-pit mine, a heap of crushed ore stacked on a plastic pad, ponds, a solution process facility for recovering gold and silver from the pregnant solution, and an office facility. For a small operation such as the one illustrated here, very limited infrastructure is required. In a more complex sense, heap leaching should be considered as a form of milling. It requires a non-trivial expenditure of capital, and a selection of operating methods that trade off cost versus marginal recovery. Success is measured by the degree to which target levels and rates of recovery are achieved. This distinguishes heap leaching from dump leaching. In dump leaching, ores are stacked and leached in the most economical way possible, and success is achieved with any level of net positive cash flow. The bibliography of precious metals heap-leaching is quite extensive, but a limited bibliography has been compiled.
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(actually alum) for use in the cloth-dying industry. Copper heap and dump leaches in southern Spain were common by about 1700. Gold and silver heap-leaching began with the first Cortez heap leach in 1969. While many projects have come and gone, Cortez is still going their new 63,000 t/d South Area leach started up in 2002. The largest U.S. precious-metal heap-leach is the Round Mountain operation in Nevada, with over 150,000 t/d of ore going to crushed or run-of-mine heaps, at an average grade of 0.55 g/t (this chapter follows the convention of ton for short ton and tonne for metric ton; t/d reflects metric tonnes). Worldwide, Newmonts Yanacocha operation in Peru holds the record, with a production rate of 370,000 t/d, at an average total reserve gold grade of 0.87 g/t. On the other end of the scale, some very high-grade ores up to 15 g/t (0.5 oz/ton) are being successfully processed at rates of several hundred tonnes per day (Sterling, Nevada; Hassai, Sudan; Ity, Ivory Coast). Nevada was the birthplace of modern gold heap-leaching in the late 1960s, and is only now giving up its dominance of this technology. Other very large gold districts notably the pre-Cambrian shield areas of Canada, Australia and South Africa show relatively few heap leaches. There are several reasons for this geographic concentration, but the primary reason is that Nevada gold deposits tend to have been created by low-energy geologic
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where the complex ion may then dissociate further to give free cyanide; Total cyanide-the sum of all of the different forms of cyanide present in a system. 'Total cyanide' is a toxicologically meaningless term since its measurement requires harsh sample treatment to break down intractable complex cyanides before free cyanide can be measured; Weak acid dissociable (WAD) cyanide-cyanide that is readily released from cyanide-containing complexes when the pH is lowered. Any free cyanide already present and cyanide released from nickel, zinc, copper and cadmium complexes (but not iron or cobalt complexes) is measured. WAD cyanide is measured by treating the sample with a weak acid buffer solution such as a sodium acetate/acetic acid mixture at pH 4.5 to 6. This is less harsh than the methods used for total cyanide. WAD cyanide is generally considered to be the best current measure for assessing human and animal toxicity; Cyanide amenable to chlorination (CATC)-an analytical quantity that requires similar sample treatment to WAD but is much less reliable; and WAD CN, Available Cyanide and CATC generally measure the free and weakly dissociable cyano-metal complexes Different forms of cyanide can also be defined by reference to the various analytical techniques and the types of cyanide that each technique is able to measure. For example, free cyanide plus weak dissociable cyano-metal complexes may defined as 'WAD CN 4500-CN-I', 'CATC' or 'Available CN Method OIA-1677' depending on the method used (adapted from Schulz, 2002). This approach to cyanide nomenclature requires full disclosure of the method and the analytical protocol used to ensure that meaningful comparisons and check analyses can be undertaken gas 2. Recycling or Disposing of Cyanide As discussed in Section 4.3, even with the best recycling efforts, there may be cyanide waste that needs to be treated to enhance its rate of degradation.
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Reactions 9 and 10 represent oxidative loss of cyanide ion giving rise to cyanate ion and cyanogen gas respectively. As can be seen from the pH versus the oxidation-reduction potential stability (Pourbaix) diagram presented in Figure 3, the cyanate ion is thermodynamically the most stable form of cyanide under the majority of operating and ambient environmental conditions. However, reaction 9 proceeds very slowly in the absence of a catalyst so that loss of cyanide by this route is limited during the ore extraction process. Equation 8, in which cyanide is degraded by combining in aqueous solutions to produce ammonia and bicarbonate, is particularly relevant to cyanide analysis and is discussed further in Section 2.3 below
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the late 1980s simultaneously with oxygen addition and various injection devices. Sulfide in gold ores not only consumes oxygen and cyanide but also forms a coating on gold grains. This passive layer reduces gold-leaching kinetics and overall extraction. Improvement of lead nitrate addition strategy has made it possible to minimize gold passivation.
7. Mechanism Of Cyanidation
Chemistry and electrochemistry The most commonly used equation for the dissolution of gold in a cyanide solution, known as Elsners equation, is Gold dissolution is an electrochemical reaction in which oxygen takes up electrons at one part of the metallic surface (the cathodic zone), while the metal gives them up at another (the anodic zone).
According to this reaction, at low cyanide concentrations, the dissolution rate is a function of cyanide concentration. At high cyanide concentrations, the dissolution rate is a function of oxygen concentration. Gold dissolution is a heterogeneous reaction that is controlled by the diffusion of both reacting species (O2 and CN_) through the Nernst boundary layer. The rate of metal dissolution increases linearly with increasing cyanide concentration until a maximum dissolution is reached, beyond which there is a slight retarding effect. The dissolution rate is normally mass-transportcontrolled in cyanide solutions with an activation energy of 820 kJ/mol. The formation of precipitates at the surface of gold grains is an important aspect that determines the shape of the leaching kinetics plot.
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Implementation and adherence to a cyanide-management plan, augmented by experienced scientific and engineering judgement, will help reduce both the number and severity of environmental incidents involving cyanide. The management of water and cyanide are intimately related, and development of a cyanide-management plan should proceed in concert with development of a water-management plan. A good cyanide-management plan will include descriptions of how cyanide-containing solutions and slurries will be handled, stored, contained and monitored, and in many cases the plan will also include a description of treatment plants used to remove cyanide from solutions or slurries. At sites where natural cyanide attenuation is important, the cyanide-management plan should address the specifics of predicting and monitoring the effectiveness of the attenuation processes. Decommissioning and closure are important phases in the life cycle of cyanide management and should be addressed in the cyanide-management plan.
9. Activated Carbon
The majority of the activated carbon used for precious metal recovery is either granular coconut-shell carbon or peat-based extruded carbon. Important considerations when selecting an activated carbon for use in a CIP operation include gold-loading kinetics (activity), gold-loading capacity, elution kinetics, level to which gold can be eluted, strength and abrasion resistance, particle-size distribution and wet density. The properties of a particular activated-carbon sample will have a significant impact on most aspects of the gold-recovery operation, affecting variables such as carbon inventory, residence times, gold losses, carbon losses and elution conditions. Therefore, due consideration must be given to the physical and chemical properties of the virgin carbon when selecting a particular brand for precious-metal recovery.
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the carbon particles are much larger than the ore particles, the coarse carbon can then be separated from the slurry by screening using a wire mesh
Flotation of gold :
The application of flotation on a reasonable scale within the gold-mining industry commenced in the early 1930s following the introduction of watersoluble flotation collectors (specifically xanthates and dithiophosphate collectors) that allowed differential flotation of sulfide minerals). Prior to that time, a few gold mines in Canada, Australia and Korea built flotation plants as the first step in the treatment of complex and refractory gold ores. Flotation collectors on these plants were oils that generated bulk low-grade gold concentrates, which were difficult to filter and dry. Pre- and post-Second World War and up until late 1960s, most of the flotation activity in the gold industry took place in Canada. During this period, Canada was recognized as the second largest gold producer and a sizeable amount of the gold production came from the treatment by flotation of coppergold ores, refractory gold ores and complex gold ores. The demand for sulfuric acid initiated by the booming uranium industry during the late 1960s provided the catalyst for the installation of pyrite flotation plants on numerous gold mines in South Africa. After roasting the pyrite flotation concentrate to generate sulfur dioxide for the sulfuric acid plant, the remaining calcine was cyanide leached to remove additional liberated gold. The worldwide gold boom in the 1980s and 1990s created new opportunities in Australasia and the Americas for the exploitation of medium-sized refractory gold deposits by flotation and further treatment of the concentrates by bacterial and pressure leaching. Many copper flotation plants around the world, and particularly those in the Americas, have enough gold in the ore to ensure that special attention is given to maximize the recovery of gold into the copper concentrate. A comprehensive list of these operations, with details of the flotation reagent regimes and circuit configurations that were in existence during the 1980s, is provided by Bassarear. Since that time there has been a significant increase in the availability of selective flotation collectors for gold and these are now widely in use on many large and new copper flotation plants around the world.
4.3.1. Mineralogy
Gold occurs in a number of minerals (Harris, 1990) and the most important of these is metallic gold and the gold metal alloys. Gold tellurides and goldsilver tellurides are of less importance, although in particular deposits, they can account for a significant proportion of the gold content. Aurostibite [AuSb2] and maldonite [Au2Bi] are rare minerals but are present in some gold deposits. Aurocupride [AuCu] is found in some primary copper ores. Gold particles in an ore deposit will
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vary in size from large nuggets to particles locked in the crystal lattice of sulfide minerals. These sulfide minerals are referred to as gold carrier minerals and contain trace to minor amounts of gold Often it is found that gold ores are refractory due to the small size of the gold particles in the sulfides and concentration by flotation is required, followed either by roasting, bacterial leaching or pressure leaching to liberate the gold prior to cyanidation.
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ever-increasing research to develop new collectors and mixtures for the flotation of gold-bearing.
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addition of any special regulating reagents. Gold flotation recoveries ranged from 78 to 99%.
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Sulfidization
The application of sulfidizers (sodium sulfide and sodium hydrosulfide) to enhance the flotation of oxidized ores is well. The first detailed laboratory study of the influence of sodium sulfide on the flotation of gold-bearing ores was undertaken in the mid-1930s. The outcome from this study was that, in general, sodium sulfide retards the flotation of gold, although for some ores there was benefit in its addition. Similar comments are to be found in the literature since that time. Sulfide ions appear to act as flotation activators at low concentrations (less than 10_5M) and as a strong depressant at concentrations above 10_5 M. The addition of sulfide ions converts some coatings on mineral surfaces in sulfides and subsequent xanthate addition will promote flotation. For successful activation, the sulfide activator should be added slowly and at starvation quantities. A recent study of a number of flotation plants found that floated gold grains in the concentrate had a greater concentration of silver and sulfur than the gold remaining in the tailings, implying that they assisted gold flotation. Laboratory flotation tests on a flotation-plant tailing sample using NaHS and Silver ions recovered 3045% of the unfloated gold and NaSH provided the best results. Application of this information at
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plant scale resulted in a 7% increase in gold recovery at the Los Pelambres Mine in Chile. Rejected gold particles at this mine were found to be coated with lead carbonate. A recent innovation, the Controlled Potential Sulfidization (CPS) process, where the pulp potential is controlled has been successfully applied at a number of coppergold ore flotation plants in Australia In this process, sodium sulfide or sodium hydrogen sulfide is added and the solution potential is controlled at about _450mV prior to flotation.
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Arsenopyrite has very similar properties to pyrite and the flotation conditions for its recovery are similar to pyrite. Arsenopyrite is susceptible to the formation of oxidation products on its surface. Under oxidizing conditions, ahigh concentration of PAX is required in order to achieve high arsenopyrite recovery. The reason for this is not clear but the low rate of arsenopyrite floatability could be attributed to the formation of iron-oxide species on the surface of the arsenopyrite. Oxidation products such as ferric and ferrous ions are also present in the pulp and depending on the chemical conditions these promote the formation of dixanthogen and bulk ferric-xanthate compounds in solution. Pyrrhotite floats readily in acid and neutral pH ranges. Surface coatings in the alkaline regions may result in depressed flotation recovery, while collector regimes are similar to those for pyrite flotation. Pyrrhotite oxidizes readily and this makes it more difficult to float than arsenopyrite. Oxidation products in solution create flotation problems similar to those mentioned above for arsenopyrite. The floatability of marcasite appears to be variable as it has been shown to float more readily than pyrite, while more recently.
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related to the particle size of the sulfides in the flotation feed and also the presence or absence of floatable gangue components. Unit flotation cells and the more recent Flash flotation cells are installed in grinding circuits with the purpose of improving the overall flotation recovery of free gold . The aim is to remove as much of the free gold contained in the circulating load of the grinding mill before it is overground or is covered with coatings of iron, sulfide or other coatings that will lower flotation recoveries. Improved overall gold flotation recoveries of 210% have been quoted (Sandstrom and Jonsson, 1988; Jennings and Traczyk, 1988; McCulloch, 1990). Furthermore, the inclusion of Unit and Flash flotation cells will generally provide better flotation stability and performance. Improved overall gold flotation recoveries from 3% to 10%
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depressants .The combination of a collector and depressant is also important since in the flotation of pyrite, for example, guar gum will have a more adverse effect when used with MBT than with xanthate . An alternative approach that has had some success is to add small quantities of frother to the pulp and selectively float the talcaceous minerals prior to removing the bulk sulfide concentrate. These talc concentrates may contain up to 30%40% of the gold contained in the feed and this concentrate can either be cyanide leached separately or recombined with the sulfide tailing prior to cyanidation . Porphyry coppergold ores usually contain some gangue components that are highly floatable and contaminate the copper concentrate. Maintenance of a high copper-concentrate grade requires that gangue depressants be used. Silicates, guards and carboxymethylcellulose are the common depressants applied in the copper industry. Carbonaceous and graphitic minerals are soft and flaky, and easily broken down during grinding. During flotation, the carbon floats readily owing to its fine grain size, natural hydrophobicity, platy nature and low density. Graphitic carbon and clays can be the cause of poor gold recovery on many refractory gold or flotation plants.
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Reference
Advances in gold ore processing A method for leaching or dissolving gold from ore environmental management in mining
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