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Mining Methods-Part III Surface mining- Placer Mining

Presentation · February 2010

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.1.2520.6642

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Topic 7: Mining Methods
Part III: Surface mining- Placer Mining

Hassan Z. Harraz
hharraz2006@yahoo.com
2015- 2016

This material is intended for use in lectures, presentations and

as handouts to students, and is provided in Power point format so
as to allow customization for the individual needs of course
instructors. Permission of the author and publisher is required for
any other usage. Please see hharraz2006@yahoo.com for
contact details.
The concepts indicated in these slides are considered common
knowledge to those familiar with the field. Many of these ideas have
been published in a variety of different texts and papers over time – no
one of which was specifically used as an outline for this work.

Prof. Dr. H.Z. Harraz Presentation

Surface mining- Placer mining
Outline of Topic 7:
 Placer Deposits
 PLACER MINING
1) Hydraulicking mining
2) Dredging mining:
 Types of Excavation Methods Using Dredging:
i) BUCKET WHEEL HYDRAULIC DREDGES
ii) BUCKETLINE DREDGES
iii) SUCTION CUTTER DREDGES
 PLACER MINING COSTS

We will explore all of the above in Topic 7.

Prof. Dr. H.Z. Harraz Presentation

2
Surface mining- Placer mining
Placer Deposits
 Placer Deposits: site of sediment deposition near bedrock or course gravel in streams
 Placer deposits are concentrations of heavy minerals, usually within loose alluvium that can easily
be excavated and washed.
 Placer minerals such as gold, tin, and tungsten minerals, are of relatively high value, but the value
of the placer gravel itself may be very low, often less than a dollar per cubic yard.
 For deposits of such low grade to be worked they must be near water, on or near the surface of
the ground, and should be only loosely consolidated so that drilling and blasting are not
necessary.

Prof. Dr. H.Z. Harraz Presentation

3
Surface mining- Placer mining
PLACER MINING
 Placer mining are among the most economical of all mining methods but can only be applied to
limited categories of mineral deposits.
 Placer mining affects large surface areas for the volume of material mined, is highly visible
and has serious environmental problems with surface disturbance and stream pollution.
 Placer mining is used to exploit loosely consolidated deposits like common sand and
gravel or gravels containing gold, tin, diamonds, platinum, titanium, or gems.
 There are two types of placer mining:-
1) Hydraulic mining: Generally used for weakly cemented near-surface
ore deposits. Hydraulic mining of a placer gold deposit. Hydraulic
king utilizes a high-pressure stream of water that is directed against
the mineral deposit (normally but not always a placer), under-cutting
it, and causing its removal by the erosive actions of the water.
2) Dredging mining: Generally used most often for mineral-sands and
some near-shore alluvial diamond mining operations. Dredging
performed from floating vessels, accomplishes the extraction of the
minerals mechanically or hydraulically.
"Dredging" is a method often used to scraping- (or bring-) up
underwater mineral deposits. Although dredging is usually employed
to clear or enlarge waterways for boats, it can also recover significant
amounts of underwater minerals relatively efficiently and cheaply.
Prof. Dr. H.Z. Harraz Presentation 4
Surface mining- Placer mining
1) Hydraulicking Mining
HYDRAULIC MINING involves directing a high-
pressure stream of water, via a MONITOR or
nozzle, against the base of the placer bank.
The water caves the bank, disintegrates the ground
and washes the material to and through sluice
boxes, and / or jigs, and / or tables situated down-
slope.
Hydraulic mining totally disturbs large areas and
puts much debris into the drainage system.
Presently, hydraulicking is used primarily in Third
World countries. It is closely controlled or prohibited
in the U.S.

Prof. Dr. H.Z. Harraz Presentation 5

Surface mining- Placer mining
Figure shows Hydraulic mining of a placer gold deposit
The “Stang Intelligiant” monitor
(operator controlled high pressure
water discharge point) mounted
on a skid

Figures from Hartman and Mutmansky, 2002.

Prof. Dr. H.Z. Harraz Presentation

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Surface mining- Placer mining
2) Dredging Mining
 Large alluvial deposits are mined by floating washing plants
capable of excavating the gravel, processing it in the washing plant,
and stacking the tailings away from the dredge pond.
 A Dredge floats in water and digs the gravel by an endless string of
buckets. Coarse material is screened out and dumped out the back.
The fine material passes into a series of sluices where the gold in
recovered.
 Several types of excavation methods are in use: DRAGLINE and
BACKHOE PLANTS.
 Dragline use in placer mining with washing plants is limited to
shallow digging depths. Its bucket is less controllable on the bottom
than the backhoe, and it is less able to dig into the bottom to clean
up all the ore that may be there. However, it has the advantage of a
longer reach.
 The digging reach of the backhoe extends to as much as 70 feet
below the surface. It has the advantage of relatively low first cost,
excellent mobility, and an ability to excavate hard material.

Prof. Dr. H.Z. Harraz Presentation

7
Surface mining- Placer mining
2) Dredging mining

"Dredging" is a method often used to bring up

underwater mineral deposits. Although
dredging is usually employed to clear or
enlarge waterways for boats, it can also
recover significant amounts of underwater
minerals relatively efficiently and cheaply.

Prof. Dr. H.Z. Harraz Presentation 8

Surface mining- Placer mining
Types of Excavation Methods Using Dredging:
i) BUCKET WHEEL HYDRAULIC DREDGES are
becoming more popular for underwater excavation,
except where a high content of soft clay exists or
where excessive oversize material occurs. It is
dependent upon flooded pump openings that
convey the material mined to the washing plant,
and therefore it cannot work above water level.
Placement of the pump suction is critical.
ii) BUCKETLINE DREDGES are capable of
continuous excavation and are very efficient. They
mine, process, and discard tailings to waste in one
continuous stream. However, no storage
opportunities exist, and the stream moves through
the system by the force of gravity. Buckets,
supported by a LADDER, dig the mine face.
Material moves up the ladder and dumps into a
hopper that feeds the washing plant. They are
capable of high excavation rates.
iii) SUCTION CUTTER DREDGES are similar
to the Bucket Wheet Dredge except the digging
device consists of a series of cutting arms
rotating in a basket about a suction intake. The
rotating arms break up the bank material,
slurrying it so it can be drawn into the dredge
suction. It has proven to be successful in mining
unconsolidated beach sands and offshore
placers.

Various methods are used to position the dredge --anchored by wire

ropes or piling (SPUDS) at the rear of the dredge. Boulders can cause
serious problems.

Prof. Dr. H.Z. Harraz Presentation

9
Surface mining- Placer mining
PLACER MINING COSTS
Capital Cost of Bucketline Dredge (1990): Operating Costs (1990):

Because large placer deposits can be thoroughly explored before floating

a dredge, such operations can lend themselves to thorough planning, and
it is possible to carry out reclamation as mining progresses at only a slight
increase in operating costs.

Prof. Dr. H.Z. Harraz Presentation Surface mining- Placer mining 10

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