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By O. D. Christensen

The Carlin Trend is a 60 km (38 mi) long northwest alignment of epithermal, sediment-hosted, disseminated gold deposits. Collectively, these orebodies contained more than 620 t (20 million troy ounces) of gold. The Carlin deposit, located near the center of the Trend, has become the "type" deposit of this class. There are, however, significant differences between the individual deposits. Six subdistricts can be distinguished, based upon geographic, structural, lithologic, alteration, mineralization style, and geochemical characteristics. They are, from northwest to southeast, the Bootstrap, Bluestar-Goldstrike, Lynn, Maggie Creek, Rain and Bullion (Railroad) subdistricts. Regional Geologic Setting The Carlin District is located centrally within the Great Basin Geologic Province. Host rocks for the deposits include sedimentary units that range in age from Ordovician to Mississippian, as well as a Jurassic-Cretaceous granodiorite stock. During the Early Paleozoic, the area that is now Nevada lay along the western margin of the North American continent. A westward-thickening wedge of sedimentary units was deposited offshore in a eugeoclinal basin; these vary from continental shelf carbonates toward the east to fine-grained siliceous clastic and cherty units to the west. Tectonic activity associated with the Antler Orogeny in Late Devonian to Early Mississippian time resulted in the eugeoclinal Western Assemblage rocks being thrust as much as 140 km (90 mi) eastward over time-equivalent transitional to miogeoclinal Eastern Assemblage rocks along the Roberts Mountains Thrust fault system. The leading edge of the Roberts Mountains Thrust plate formed the emergent Antler highland from which siliceous clastic sediment, eroded from the overriding eugeoclinal rocks, was shed eastward into the adjacent foreland basin. Erosional products derived from the overthrust plate are termed the Overlap Assemblage.

Jan 1, 1987

By Jim V. Rouse

The mining, beneficiation, and processing of phosphate rock in the Florida phosphate district constitutes a large portion of the southeastern mining industry. For example, 1973 production is reported to have been approximately 35 million tons of phosphate rock (Guimond and Windham, August 1975) and production has increased to over 45 million tons in recent years. The 1973 activity involved the movement of approximately 127 mil lion tons of material. From the hydrologic standpoint, this mining and beneficiation requires the dewatering of ore horizons, pumpage of large quanitites of water for mining and processing operations, and the entrainment of immense quantities of water in waste slurries. Also of significance is the fact that the cited 1973 production involved the disruption of approximately 3200 curies of radium and over 6000 curies of uranium. Much of this material reported with waste products, with the potential for contamination of area ground waters. However, natural removal mechanisms active within the area have generally been effective in preventing significant contamination of the ground-water resource.

Jan 1, 1983

By Charles Barrett

SINCE 1925, when the preferred orientations in compressed aluminum were first determined1, 2 the orientations have been described as a fiber texture in which a face diagonal, [110], of the face-centered cubic lattice is parallel to the compression axis. Subsequent experiments have seemed to confirm this texture,3-5 and a number of theories (recently summarized in references 6 and 7) have been proposed to explain it and to relate it to the behavior of single crystals during compression. 3,8-11 The experiments reported in this paper prove that the orientations are not adequately described as quoted above-i.e., as a [110] fiber texture-although this is a first approximation to the actual texture. They also show that the texture cannot be thought of as a stable orienta-tion that is reached and maintained after a sufficient amount of deforma-tion. The actual texture, when studied in detail at successive stages of compression, indicates that a hitherto unsuspected range of orientations is present, both in the polycrystalline metal as a whole and in various individual grains in its interior, and that a state of dynamic equilibrium exists within this range. The reasons for the failure of previous theories to predict the actual texture become obvious when the heterogeneous nature of the flow is considered. In addition to the deformation texture, the manner of its develop-ment, and its theory, this paper presents data on the following related subjects: the identity of strain markings in aluminum; the orientation changes in aluminum single crystals during compression and a com-parison of these with the conditions in individual grains of a polycrystal-line specimen; the origin of asterism in deformed single crystals, which heretofore has been regarded as a distortion localized at the surfaces of slip planes; and the relation of plastic strain in individual grains in an aggregate to the strain of the whole.

Jan 1, 1939

By Rosenblatt M, Gilroy J. A C Cunningham C V B

Vaal Reefs Exploration and Mining Company Limited operates one of the largest producing gold mines in the world. The annual production of 76 tons of gold from 12 million tons of ore treated is obtained mainly from underground sources. Daily some 6.6 km of stope face is blasted and 41 tons of explosives is used to break the rock. The mine employs 45 000 men of whom 35 000 work underground. The company operates nine large vertical shaft systems of which seven extend more than 2000 m below surface and an eighth, currently being sunk, will bottom at 3700 m below surface.

Jan 1, 1995

By K. R. Waugh, Barbara S. Brown, D. W. James

AN electronic data-processing system is described which permits rapid, accurate, low-cost processing of strain-dependent damping data utilizing equipment normally available within the service facilities of most large laboratories. On analyzing the record of a stress-dependent damping test, the operator usually measures the double amplitudes at several points on the decay curve. The logarithmic decrement is then calculated for decay between consecutive amplitudes. These values of 6 are plotted against the corresponding maximum surface shear stress, T, which is proportional to the average of the two amplitudes between which is calculated: where d is the specimen diameter. The period of the vibration is not necessarily constant during decay; thus, each cycle must be counted. A decay curve may extend to, perhaps, 1000 cycles, and at least two curves are always obtained for each specimen or set of conditions. It can, therefore, be seen that manual analysis of decay curves is both tedious and costly in terms of man-hours. Furthermore, the resolution of the record is often such that accurate measurement of amplitude is extremely dif-

Jan 1, 1969

By Edward J. Ryan, E. A. Peretti

iV preliminary X-ray and metallographic survey of the ternary system Bi-In-Te revealed that the following isopleths could form quasibinary systems: InTe-Bi, InTe-InBi, InTe-BizTe3, and InzTe3-Bi2Te3. The nature of the InTe-Bi phase diagram was established by Bologna and Peretti.' This article presents the results of an investigation of the InTe-InBi system by thermal analysis, X-ray methods, and metallographic examination. The bismuth and tellurium were bought from the American Smelting and Refining Co. The tellurium had the following spectrographic analysis: 0.0001 pct Mg, 0.0001 pct Si, 0.0001 pct Fe, 0.0002 pct Al, and 99.999+ pct Te (by difference). The bismuth assayed: 0.0001 pct Mg, 0.0001 pct Pb, 0.0001 pct Fe, 0.0001 pct Cu, and 99.999+ pct Bi (by difference). The indium was obtained from the Indium Corp. of America and contained 0.002 pct Cu, 0.006 pct Pb, 0.01 pct Sn, 0.01 pct Zn, and 99.97+pct In. The alloys were made by melting the required proPortions of InTe and in evacuated, sealed quartz

Jan 1, 1967

By Pura Alfonso, Sarbast Hamid, Hernan Anticoi, Eduard Guasch, Josep Oliva

"Av. Bases de Manresa 61-63, Manresa (08242) Barcelona, SpainTantalum is a strategic metal and an improvement of the mineral processing is an important issue. The main objective of this work is to optimize the grinding technologies for tantalum ores with high pressure grinding rolls. The selected ore for this study was an altered leucogranite from the Penouta Open Pit Mine (NW Spain). In the present work mono-size experiments have been carried out using grinding rolls with controlled pressure. The particle size distribution has been monitored in the input and output of the high pressure grinding rolls for each experiment. The cylinder pressure that is transmitted to the particles has been determined. New population balance models are presented for high pressure grinding rolls with parameter adjust for tantalum ore. The obtained model uses the physical description of particles under the comminution action of the grinding rolls. The obtained results are in agreement with other models and the errors in the adjustment are low. The selection function proposed for this model describes adequately the breakage probability of the particles inside the high pressure grinding rolls. The presented model can be a good alternative for simulating a high pressure grinding roll process. INTRODUCTIONTechnology for grinding have been improved for many years, introducing new variables and parameters involving energy consumption, mechanical stress analysis of the compression particles or pressure application for optimizing the comminution (Morrell et al, 1997). High pressure grinding rolls is a modern technology that is proven to reduce the operating costs in full scale plants when compared with other milling technologies. Its benefits on energy saving and simplicity in the process have been studied and applied, first in the cement clinker industry (Abouzeid & Fuerstenau, 2009) and after in mining activities, especially in metallic ore deposits (Austin et al, 1991; Guevara & Menacho, 1992; Morrel et al, 1997; Torres & Casali 2009; Numbi & Xia, 2015). Many author structures of the High Pressure Grinding Rolls modelling in three main branches; (a) throughput modelling, (b) Power and energy model and (c) particle size distribution modelling (Austin et al, 1991; Guevara & Menacho, 1992; Austin & Trubelja, 1994; Morrel et al, 1997; Torres & Casali, 2009)."

Jan 1, 2016

By W. A. Ver Wiebe, E. G. Dahlgren

The year 1937 must be considered the most eventful one ever experienced in the development of oil and gas activity. Out of a total of 57 new pools discovered, 18 are apportioned to eastern Kansas and 39 to western Kansas. (For statistical purposes Kansas is divided along the meridian that separates ranges 3 E. and 4 E.) In addition to numerous longdistance extensions of the large Hugoton gas field of southwestern Kansas, two other gas pools were discovered in the area lying west of range 3 E. The 37 new oil pools in that area are to be found in 13 different counties, among which Rice heads the list with a total of seven oil pools and one gas pool. Ellis and Barton Counties both added six new oil pools, while Russell County follows in fourth place with four. Among eastern counties Butler heads the list with four new pools. Cowley arid Chautauqua each accounted for three new discoveries. The number of wells necessary to accomplish this result totals 2657, of which 1915 are oil wells and 128 gas wells. The initial production of the oil wells amounted to 2½ million barrels. Although most of the wells were drilled in proven territory, there was a good deal of wildcatting. The fact that 614 dry holes were completed emphasizes the ever-present risk attendant upon the efforts of pioneers. Some of the more venturesome spirits reached out to the counties farthest west in the state. An indication of the feverish excitement reached at times is recorded in the fact that no less than 600 drilling operations were in progress during one week in May, or the fact that over 100 new locations were staked during the second week in July. During one week in May, 65 successful oil wells were completed for an initial production of 68,000 barrels. Many drilling obligations came due during the year, and this perhaps accounts for the fact that one company had as many as 59 active operations at one time during September. Another evidence of great interest in oil possibilities in Kansas is furnished by the record of sales of oil properties, which in one case reached the high figure of about $3000 per acre.

Jan 1, 1938

By W. E. L. Minter

The most important witwatersrand gold placers occur on extensive unconformity paleosurfaces that were produced during protracted periods of fluvial degradation. The erosional etches on what was generally unlithified substrate indicate that low sinuosity erosion patterns prevailed. The transport systems were dominantly braided fluvial with a minor debris-flow component. The placer sediments were non-cohesive sands and gravels which were evidently transported by fluctuating, yet perennial, discharges across extensive, low relief, bra1dplains, not far from littoral environments. Progress made in understanding heavy-mineral transport processes now emphasizes the importance that selective entrainment probably had in producing concentrations. Cognizance that these characteristics are not unique to the Witwatersrand should be taken into account when designing exploration models.

Jan 1, 1988

1. Recent publications Canadian minerals yearbook 1986. Review and outlook. Mineral Report 35. Available from Printing and Publishing, Supply and Services Canada, Hull, Quebec KIAOS9, Canada. $44.70. The 1987 Sigma cataloge. SI. Louis (USA), Sigma Chemical Co., 1986. 1736 pp. Der Maschinenschaden. Munchen(G. rmany), Koningstrasse 28. Metallurgicalworks in Canada primary iron and steel 1987. Mineral Bulletin MR 214. Available from the above address at $6.60 per copy. Annual report 1986. Oxbridge, International Research Institute, 1987. Canadian iron ore industry statistics, 1986, by B.W. Boyd and A. Cadieux. Publication MRI 87/6. Micromedia Limited (Document Delivery, 165 Hotel de Ville, Place du Portage 2, Hull, Quebec J8X 3X2, Canada). Tin and its uses no. 153. Oxbridge (England), International Tin Research Institute, 1987. This issue includes articles on can-making, titanium-tin alloy, coppernickel2. New journal Pergamon are producing a new journal, entitled Minerals Engineering, which they describe as 'an international journal devoted to innovation and developments in mineral processing and extractive metallurgy'. 3. Mintek publications Report M298. The effect of flocculant additions to the leaching solution on the kinetics of the oxidative dissolution of sphalerite, by F.K. Crundwell. Report M304. The smelting of ilmenite in a d.c. transferred-arcplasma furnace with a molten-anode configuration, by AD. Brent. Jut 1987. 17 pp. Report M312. The reactions of some thiol collectors at noble-metal and pyrite electrodes, by D.R. Groot. Jut 1987. 21 pp. Report M321. The determination of molybdenum, arsenic, and uranium in activated carbon by X-rayfluorescence spectrometry,by A.M.E. Balaes and G.J. Wall. Aug. 1987. Report M321. The determination of molybdenum, arsenic, and uranium in activated carbon by X-rayfluorescence pectrometry, by A.M.E. Balaes and G.J. Wall. Aug. 1987.

Jan 1, 1988

By Robert F. Mehl, Edward L. McCandless

Oriented overgrowths and intergrowths among both metallic and nonmetallic substances have been recognized and studied for well over a century. The work of Widmanstätten in 1808 on the geometrical structure in meteorites, a structure known by his name, demonstrated that oriented intergrowths can occur in purely metallic systems. This fact led to much of the early microscopic study of alloys, contributing greatly to the advance of physical metallurgy. The problem has been attacked again in recent years in a comprehensive fashion, with the object of discovering what atomic movements may occur during phase changes in alloy systems. Much of this work has appeared in the A.I.M.E. Transactions in a series of papers published by Mehl and coworkers beginning in 19311. Although many aspects of this general problem remain unsolved, it may be said that the orientation of a new phase forming by precipitation from solid solution or by transformation invariably bears a unique relationship to the orientation of the phase from which it formed, and that similarity in atomic patterns on atomic planes in the two phases play an important part in determining the orientation relationship. Analogous orientation relationships exist in oriented intergrowths in nonmetallic systems—mineral or inorganic. In 1827 Haidinger2 discovered natural intergrowths of hematite and magnetite, and demonstrated that the rough form of the magnetite octahedrons was delineated by small crystals of hematite, of which the basal (00.1) planes lay parallel to the octahedral cleavage planes of the magnetite. The description of this orientation relationship was later completed by von Rath3, who showed that the edge (00.1): (10.1) in hematite lies normal to the [Ill]

Jan 1, 1937

By Evan Just

Government aid, regulation, and participation in the mineral industry are not new; they date back to the time when man first adopted communal living. Even in primitive tribal life, the obtaining of arrowhead or ceramic materials, washing of gold, or mining of copper were specialized activities, under tribal sponsorship. Later, when kingdoms, dynasties, and hierarchies developed, titles to mining properties were held by the sovereign or the state, work usually being done by slaves. Title acquisition through denouncement developed in Europe in the late Middle Ages and spread to the Western Hemisphere with the Spanish and Portuguese empires. Denouncements still recognized the rights of the sovereign in the requirement to pay royalties, which practice continues in many places today. Thus, anyone who views government participation in mineral activity as "encroachment" has no historical perspective. Only in a few countries and for a few generations have private interests enjoyed the right to exploit mineral deposits without the specific consent of the sovereign or without payment of royalty. Governments and the mineral industry have been linked together by other factors. Governments have had special interest in metals and minerals as stores of value and for armaments. Spanish conquests in the New World were energized by the lure of gold and silver. Pursuit of gold led to the American seizure of California in the days of the Forty-niners. The strategic importance of minerals in our own times has called for special steps to stimulate production in national emergencies and to prevent the enemy from acquiring mineral supplies. Our export controls to deny certain minerals to unfriendly countries, purchases for Government stockpile, and subsidies for domestic production are examples. Production regulation by state governments of oil and gas has become a well established routine. In brief, the mineral industry has never lacked aid, regulation, and participation by governments. The entrepreneur who wishes to explore for or develop minerals must deal with governments in most areas before he can begin, because mineral rights are reserved by them. He can proceed through discovery and de-

Jan 1, 1964

By Evan Just

Government aid, regulation, and participation in the mineral industry are not new; they date back to the time when man first adopted communal living. Even in primitive tribal life, the obtaining of arrowhead or ceramic materials, washing of gold, or mining of copper were specialized activities, under tribal sponsorship. Later, when kingdoms, dynasties, and hierarchies developed, titles to mining properties were held by the sovereign or the state, work usually being done by slaves. Title acquisition through denouncement developed in Europe in the late Middle Ages and spread to the Western Hemisphere with the Spanish and Portuguese empires. Denouncements still recognized the rights of the sovereign in the requirement to pay royalties, which practice continues in many places today. Thus, anyone who views government participation in mineral activity as "encroachment" has no historical perspective. Only in a few countries and for a few generations have private interests enjoyed the right to exploit mineral deposits without the specific consent of the sovereign or without payment-of-royalty. Governments and the mineral industry have been linked together by other factors. Governments have had special interest in metals and minerals as stores of value and for armaments. Spanish conquests in the New World were energized by the lure of gold and silver. Pursuit of gold led to the American seizure of California in the days of the Forty-niners. The strategic importance of minerals in our own times has called for special steps to stimulate production in national emergencies and to prevent the enemy from acquiring mineral supplies. Our export controls to deny certain minerals to unfriendly countries, purchases for Government stockpile, and subsidies for domestic production are examples. Production regulation by state governments of oil and gas has become a well established routine. In brief, the mineral industry has never lacked aid, regulation, and participation by governments. The entrepreneur who wishes to explore for or develop minerals must deal with governments in most areas before he can begin, because mineral rights are reserved by them. He can proceed through discovery and de-

Jan 1, 1959

Report M161 Improved recoveries of gold from auriferous calcines and pyrites by fine milling. Report M171 The development of a versatile computer programme for the evaluation of batch flotation results. Report M178 The reduction of chromite in a transferred-arc plasma furnace. Report M179 Optimization of an inductively coupled plasma by the simplex method. Report M182 A techno-economic evaluation of five routes for the comminution of gold ores in South Africa. Report M183 The determination of molybdenum and tungsten in resin by X-ray-fluorescence spectrometry. Report M184 The analysis of silicates, ores, slags, and other materials by X-ray-fluorescence spectrometry. Report M188 Determination of relative sensitivity factors for use in spark-source mass spectrometry.

Jan 1, 1985

By H. A. Sawin, C.M. Romanowitz

Placer dredging as we know it today, especially gold dredging, is an industry about 40 years old, dating from the beginning of this century, when a few mining men in California saw the possibilities in adapting earlier dredging methods to California placer fields in and immediately adjacent to streams. At first it was thought that dredges must be operated in existing stream beds, but experience soon pointed the way to dredging alluvial deposits of old stream beds, operating on landlocked dredging ponds. Within the first five or six years of modern dredging, experience was gained so rapidly that dredges to dig 60 ft. below water level were *designed and built. This depth was believed by many operators to be the maximum at which successful dredging could be carried on. Alluvial deposits of gold, suitable for dredging, were readily handled by equipment available and developed early in the industry's history. Much of the gravel was easily dug and if deposits were cemented, contained large boulders, or for some other reason could not be handled by a dredge, the ground was abandoned in favor of other deposits that could be handled easily. Many failures, adversely affecting the dredging industry, resulted from attempts at that time to extend the scope of placer dredging with equipment not suited to the formation being dredged. Dredging ground suited to early equipment was exhausted eventually, but many supposedly undredgeable alluvial fields containing gold in commercial quantities were found and became known to dredgemen. Improved equipment was needed to work deposits known to exist at great depths or associated with unusual obstructions. Operating companies looked to dredge manufacturers and metallurgists, particularly manganese-steel foundries, for improved designs and materials. Experience developed in California has spread throughout the world, and dredges of improved types have been adapted to the mining of platinum and tin as well as gold. Space will not permit a description of all the improvements in dredging since the early days, but a few of the recent developments are worthy of note, because they make possible the dredging of placer deposits of great depth, those having hard, irregular bedrock or containing large boulders in great quantities, and compacted or cemented gravel deposits. Deep Dredging At Hammonton, calif., yuba consolidated Gold Fields has, within= the past two years, built its dredge No. 20. The company has operated continuously in that field since 1904, digging successively at maximum depths of 60 ft., 80 ft., 112 ft., and now 124 ft. below water level. The first dredges were equipped with buckets of 6 and 7½-cu. ft. capacity; six dredges operating in the field today have 18-cu. ft. buckets, digging now 65 to 124 ft. below water level. Some ground near Hammonton has been dug for the third time, owing to the devel-

Jan 1, 1943

By C. M. Romanowitz, H. A. Sawin

PLACER dredging as we know it today, especially gold dredging, is an industry about 40 years old, dating from the beginning of this century, when a few mining men in California saw the possibilities in adapting earlier dredging methods to California placer fields in and immediately adjacent to streams. At first it was thought that dredges must be operated in existing stream beds, but experience soon pointed the way to dredging alluvial deposits of old stream beds, operating on landlocked dredging ponds. Within the first five or six years of modern dredging, experience was gained so rapidly that dredges to dig 60 ft. below water level were designed and built. This depth was believed by many operators to be the maximum at which successful dredging could be carried on. Alluvial deposits of gold, suitable for dredging, were readily handled by equipment available and developed early in the industry's history. Much of the gravel was easily dug and if deposits were cemented, contained large boulders, or for some other reason could not be handled by a dredge, the ground was abandoned in favor of other deposits that could be handled easily. Many failures, adversely affecting the dredging industry, resulted from attempts at that time to extend the scope of placer dredging with equipment not suited to the formation being dredged. Dredging ground suited to early equipment was exhausted eventually, but many supposedly undredgeable alluvial fields containing gold in commercial quantities were found and became known to dredgemen. Improved equipment was needed to work deposits known to exist at great depths or associated with unusual obstructions. Operating companies looked to dredge manufacturers and metallurgists, particularly manganese-steel foundries, for improved designs and materials. Experience developed in California has spread throughout the world, and dredges of improved types have been adapted to the mining of platinum and tin as well as gold. Space will not permit a description of all the improvements in dredging since the early days, but a few of the recent developments are worthy of note, because they make possible the dredging of placer deposits of great depth, those having hard, irregular bedrock or containing large boulders in great quantities, and compacted or cemented gravel deposits. DEEP DREDGING At Hammonton, Calif., Yuba Consolidated Gold Fields has, within the past two years, built its dredge No. 20. The company has operated continuously in that field since 1904, digging successively at maximum depths of 60 ft., 80 ft., 112 ft., and now 124 ft. below water level. The first dredges were equipped with buckets of 6 and 7 1/2-cu. ft. capacity; six dredges operating in the field today have 18-cu. ft. buckets, digging now 65 to 124 ft. below water level. Some ground near Hammonton has been dug for the third time, owing to the devel-

Jan 1, 1941

By C. M. Romanowitz, H. A. Sawin

PLACER dredging as we know it today, especially gold dredging, is an industry about 40 years old, dating from the beginning of this century, when a few mining men in California saw the possibilities in adapting earlier dredging methods to California placer fields in and immediately adjacent to streams. At first it was thought that dredges must be operated in existing stream beds, but experience soon pointed the way to dredging alluvial deposits of old stream beds, operating on landlocked dredging ponds. Within the first five or six years of modern dredging, experience was gained so rapidly that dredges to dig 60 ft. below water level were designed and built. This depth was believed by many operators to be the maximum at which successful dredging could be carried on. Alluvial deposits of gold, suitable for dredging, were readily handled by equipment available and developed early in the industry's history. Much of the gravel was easily dug and if deposits were cemented, contained large boulders, or for some other reason could not be handled by a dredge, the ground was abandoned in favor of other deposits that could be handled easily. Many failures, adversely affecting the dredging industry, resulted from attempts at that time to extend the scope of placer dredging with equipment not suited to the formation being dredged. Dredging ground suited to early equipment was exhausted eventually, but many supposedly undredgeable alluvial fields containing gold in commercial quantities were found and became known to dredgemen. Improved equipment was needed to work deposits known to exist at great depths or associated with unusual obstructions. Operating companies looked to dredge manufacturers and metallurgists, particularly manganese-steel foundries, for improved designs and materials. Experience developed in California has spread throughout the world, and dredges of improved types have been adapted to the mining of platinum and tin as well as gold. Space will not permit a description of all the improvements in dredging since the early days, but a few of the recent developments are worthy of note, because they make possible the dredging of placer deposits of great depth, those having hard, irregular bedrock or containing large boulders in great quantities, and compacted or cemented gravel deposits. DEEP DREDGING At Hammonton, Calif., Yuba Consolidated Gold Fields has, within the past two years, built its dredge No. 20. The company has operated continuously in that field since 1904, digging successively at maximum depths of 60 ft., 8o ft., 112 ft., and now 124 ft. below water level. The first dredges were equipped with buckets of 6 and 7 ½ -cu- ft. capacity; six dredges operating in the field today have 18-cu. ft. buckets, digging now 65 to 124 ft. below water level. Some ground near Hammonton has been dug for the third time, owing to the devel-

Jan 1, 1941

By C. M. Romanowitz, H. A. Sawin

Placer dredging as we know it today, especially gold dredging, is an industry about 40 years old, dating from the beginning of this century, when a few mining men in California saw the possibilities in adapting earlier dredging methods to California placer fields in and immediately adjacent to streams. At first it was thought that dredges must be operated in existing stream beds, but experience soon pointed the way to dredging alluvial deposits of old stream beds, operating on landlocked dredging ponds. Within the first five or six years of modern dredging, experience was gained so rapidly that dredges to dig 60 ft. below water level were *designed and built. This depth was believed by many operators to be the maximum at which successful dredging could be carried on. Alluvial deposits of gold, suitable for dredging, were readily handled by equipment available and developed early in the industry's history. Much of the gravel was easily dug and if deposits were cemented, contained large boulders, or for some other reason could not be handled by a dredge, the ground was abandoned in favor of other deposits that could be handled easily. Many failures, adversely affecting the dredging industry, resulted from attempts at that time to extend the scope of placer dredging with equipment not suited to the formation being dredged. Dredging ground suited to early equipment was exhausted eventually, but many supposedly undredgeable alluvial fields containing gold in commercial quantities were found and became known to dredgemen. Improved equipment was needed to work deposits known to exist at great depths or associated with unusual obstructions. Operating companies looked to dredge manufacturers and metallurgists, particularly manganese-steel foundries, for improved designs and materials. Experience developed in California has spread throughout the world, and dredges of improved types have been adapted to the mining of platinum and tin as well as gold. Space will not permit a description of all the improvements in dredging since the early days, but a few of the recent developments are worthy of note, because they make possible the dredging of placer deposits of great depth, those having hard, irregular bedrock or containing large boulders in great quantities, and compacted or cemented gravel deposits. Deep Dredging At Hammonton, calif., yuba consolidated Gold Fields has, within= the past two years, built its dredge No. 20. The company has operated continuously in that field since 1904, digging successively at maximum depths of 60 ft., 80 ft., 112 ft., and now 124 ft. below water level. The first dredges were equipped with buckets of 6 and 7½-cu. ft. capacity; six dredges operating in the field today have 18-cu. ft. buckets, digging now 65 to 124 ft. below water level. Some ground near Hammonton has been dug for the third time, owing to the devel-

Jan 1, 1943

By Ibaragi K

High grade ores were intersected in 1981 by a scout drill carried out by the Metal Mining Agency of Japan during a reconnaissance dril ling programme. The original aim of the hole was to explore a deep target where geophysical anczralies overlapped the abandoned old drifts (gravity- high, resistivity-low by airborne EM, and resistivity-low near the surface and high at depth by Schlumberger deep sounding). Subsequently, a follow-up drilling programm was commenced by the Sumitcrro Metal Mining Co Ltd, and all the 18 holes intersected high grade ores. The resources were then "guestimated" to contain ca.120 tonnes gold with an average grade of 80g/t Au between -40m and +120n a.s.l. The underground development was started in December 1982 and the first crosscut intersected the ore body at 100m level (a.s.l.) in July 1985.

Jan 1, 1987

By Betty L. Gibbs

Before the first shovelful of dirt is removed from a developing mining property, a wide range of data must be collected, organized and analyzed. Among the key steps in this process are: • Visualization of the deposit from drill hole data and geologic interpretation, using all available information, including surface geology, geochemistry and geophysics. • Drawing of vertical and horizontal sections. • Construction of a 3D solid model of the deposit. • Contouring of deposit outlines and geological structure until the model represents best estimate of reality. • Estimation of grade and quality distribution. • Calculation of reserves. • Examination of possible mining methods. • Determination of economic feasibility. Many techniques are available to aid in this process of mine project feasibility analysis, from quick pencil calculations to sophisticated computer methods. However, time races faster in the complex modem business world than it did 50 years ago. Tried and true pencil methods take too much time. Opportunity may pass a mine developer by while a property is still in the first stages of analysis. In the days of hand techniques, initial analysis of the economic feasibility of a mining project usually stopped with reserve calculations and broad mine planning. Further planning was not done or was done only for the short term. Manual techniques require too much time and manpower to evaluate a longterm mining program. Mining-industry recognition of computer utility has increased. Most companies now use computers in technical applications and could not conceive of working without them. Building initial computer models of a deposit may take nearly as long as hand techniques. But the payback comes when changes are needed and a variety of mine plans are quickly tested.

Jan 1, 1990