DOI: 10.18503/1995-2732-2022-20-3-64-76
Abstract
Relevance. Currently, one of the most important areas in the Russian mining industry is gold mining, whose significant part is attributed to placer deposits (26-31%) [1]. The structure and quality of placer gold reserves are deteriorating, and the role of technology-related formations is growing. Over the long years of exploitation of placer deposits, a large number of dumps have been accumulated as a result of sand washing; some of them can be profitably processed [2-8]. It should be noted that literature gives extremely little focus on the problem of profitable development of low-productive placers, and there are opinions that such placers cannot be considered as significant sources of gold mining even at the present stage [9]. Objectives. The paper deals with the problem of bringing productive dumps into opera-tion, and the solution is aimed primarily at the cost-effective development of the reserves of this group. Research methods. Analysis and comparison of the most common methods for the development of placer deposits and assess-ment of their suitability for the involvement in the operation of dumps, taking into account feasible subsoil use, eco-nomic efficiency and reducing the negative impact on the environment. Results. The paper analyzes efficiency of existing methods for the development of placer deposits in the context of their suitability for the cost-effective development of dumps. The authors presented solutions that contribute to reasonable and cost-effective involvement of this group of reserves in the development. The paper presents recommendations for the improvement of mining equipment. Conclusions. At the present stage of placer gold mining in Russia, deposits with low quality reserves can be involved in the development, factoring into the presented available work experience, and acceptable process flow charts with the calculation of the approximate economic effect.
Keywords
placer deposits, dumps, open pit mining, mobile washing facility
For citation
Dorosh Е.А., Talgamer B.L. Rationale for Feasible Ways of Involving Dumps of Placer Gold Mining in the Devel-opment. Vestnik Magnitogorskogo Gosudarstvennogo Tekhnicheskogo Universiteta im. G.I. Nosova [Vestnik of Nosov Magnitogorsk State Technical University]. 2022, vol. 20, no. 3, pp. 64-76. https://doi.org/10.18503/1995-2732-2022-20-3-64-76
1. Overview of the gold mining industry in Russia at the end of 2020. Available at: https://assets.ey.com/ con-tent/dam/ey-sites/ey-com/ru_ru/topics/mining-metals/ ey-gold-surveys/ey-gold-survey-2020.pdf.
2. Chemezov V.V., Talgamer B.L. Tekhnogennye rossy-pi (obrazovanie, otsenka, ekspluatatsiya): monografi-ya [Technology-related placers (formation, evalua-tion, exploitation): monograph]. Irkutsk: Publishing House of Irkutsk State Technical University, 2013, 239 p. (In Russ.)
3. Kovlekov I.I. Tekhnogennoe zoloto Yakutii [Technology-related gold of Yakutia]. Moscow: Publishing House of Moscow State Mining University, 2002, 303 p. (In Russ.)
4. Van-Van-E A.P. Resursnaya baza prirodno-tekhno-gennykh zolotorossypnykh mestorozhdeniy [Resource base of natural-technology-related gold placer depos-its]. Moscow: Publishing House of Mining Book, Publishing House of Moscow State Mining University, 2010, 268 p. (In Russ.)
5. Mirzekhanov G.S. Evaluation criteria for the resource potential of technology-related formations of placer gold deposits in the Far East of Russia. Vestnik Kam-chatskoy regionalnoy assotsiatsii «Uchebno-nauchny tsentr». Seriya: Nauki o zemle [Bulletin of Kamchatka Regional Association Educational and Scientific Center. Series: Earth Sciences], 2014, no. 1 (23), рр. 139-150. (In Russ.)
6. Litvinenko I.S., Golubenko I.S. Resource potential of gold in the dump complex of depleted placer deposits of the Magadan Region. Razvedka i okhrana nedr [Exploration and Protection of Mineral Resources], 2015, no. 5, рр. 17-24. (In Russ.)
7. Mirzekhanov G.S., Mirzekhanova Z.G. Resursnyi potentsial tekhnogennykh obrazovaniy rossypnykh mestorozhdeniy zolota: monografiya [Resource potential of technology-related formations of placer gold deposits: monograph]. Moscow: LLC MAKS, 2013, 288 p. (In Russ.)
8. Mirzekhanova Z.G., Mirzekhanov G.S. Wastes of placer gold mining – a source of replenishment of the mineral resource base. Materialy IV Mezhdunarodnoy nauchnoy ekologicheskoy konferentsii [Proceedings of the 4th International Scientific Ecological Confer-ence]. Krasnodar, 2015, рр. 618-624. (In Russ.)
9. Van-Van-E A.P. Economic aspects of the inventory of mineral deposits in market conditions. Resursovosproizvodyashchie, malootkhodnye i prirodookhrannye tekhnologii osvoeniya nedr: sb. tr. [Resource-reproducing, low-waste and environmental protection technologies for the development of subsoil assets: Proceedings]. Moscow: Publishing House of Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), 2002, рр. 277-279. (In Russ.)
10. Mamaev Yu.A., Litvintsev V.S. Classification of technology-related placer deposits. Zakonomernosti stroeniya i evolyutsii geosfer: sb. st. [Regularities of the structure and evolution of geosphere: Collection of papers]. Khabarovsk, 1996, рр. 40-43. (In Russ.)
11. Murzin N.V., Talgamer B.L. To the systematization of technology-related placers. Ratsionalnoe osvoenie nedr [Mineral Mining and Conservation], 2021, no. 2, рр. 18-23. (In Russ.)
12. Prokhorov D.O., Kukhar V.D., Sarychev V.I., Pod-kolzin A.A. Improving the classification of technolo-gy-related mineral formations. Izvestiya Tulskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta. Seriya: Nauki o zemle [News of Tula State University. Earth Sciences], 2021, no. 4, рр. 501-512. (In Russ.)
13. Makarov V.A., Samorodsky P.N. Currently relevant issues of evaluation and development of technology-related gold deposits. Zoloto i tekhnologii [Gold and Technologies], 2018, no. 4, рр. 82-96. (In Russ.)
14. Tishchenko E.I., Miledin I.V. Development of a pro-gram for the reassessment of technology-related dumps of gold mining in the Lensky gold-bearing re-gion. Fondovaya literatura FGBU «Rosgeolfond po Irkutskoy oblasti i Ust-Ordynskomu Buryatskomu AO» [Fund literature of Federal State Budgetary Insti-tution Rosgeolfond for the Irkutsk Region and the Ust-Orda Buryat Autonomous Region]. Irkutsk: East Siberian Research Institute of Geology, Geophysics and Mineral Raw Materials, 2000, inventory no. 16467, 84 p. (In Russ.)
15. Kotkin V.V., Tishchenko E.I. Predictive and prospect-ing work on the assessment of the predicted resources of technology-related dumps, placers with thin and fi-ne gold in the Lena industrial and mining region. Fondovaya literatura FGBU «Rosgeolfond po Ir-kutskoy oblasti i Ust-Ordynskomu Buryatskomu AO» [Fund literature of Federal State Budgetary Institution Rosgeolfond for the Irkutsk Region and the Ust-Orda Buryat Autonomous Region]. Irkutsk: Irkutskgeofizi-ka, 2008, inventory no. 17315, 546 p. (In Russ.)
16. Prokopiev S.A., Prokopiev E.S., Kadesnikov I.V., Cherimichkina N.A. Current methods of mining tech-nology-related placer gold deposits with the technolo-gy of extracting fine gold. Nauki o Zemle i nedropol-zovanie [Earth Sciences and Subsoil Use], 2020, no. 4(43), рр. 458-466. (In Russ.)
17. Ivanov P.O., Kadesnikov I.V. Extraction of fine and thin placer gold with screw separators. Zolotodobycha [Gold Mining], 2021, no. 276, рр. 19-22. (In Russ.)
18. Movchan A.F., Bolotin M.L., Kadesnikov I.V. Expe-rience in mining technology-related (dredging tailings) dumps of the Yurskoye placer deposit, the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). Zoloto i tekhnologii [Gold and Technologies], 2020, no. 4 (500), рр. 86-92. (In Russ.)
19. Zarovnyaev A.N., Ivanov P.O., Bolotin M.L., Kadesnikov I.V. Practical results of the implementa-tion of the enrichment module with the screw enrich-ment technology at the Nagorny Placer Mine of LLC ANZHU. Zolotodobycha [Gold mining]. Available at: https://zolotodb.ru/article/12464.
20. Neronsky G.I., Borodavkin S.I. Methods for mining technology-related gold placers. Mineralogiya tekhnogeneza [Mineralogy of Technogenesis], 2009, no. 10, рр. 76-87. (In Russ.)
21. Neronsky G.I., Borodavkin S.I. The scale of placers with fine and thin gold and the prospects for their de-velopment. Gornyi informatsionno-analiticheskiy byulleten (nauchno-tekhnichesky zhurnal) [Mining Information and Analytical Bulletin (Scientific and Technical Journal)], 2010, no. S4, рр. 518-529. (In Russ.)
22. Surkov A.V., Akhapkin A.A. The problem of extract-ing fine and thin gold during the development of plac-ers and technology-related dumps. Tsvetnye metally [Non-Ferrous Metals], 2003, no. 1, рр. 13-16. (In Russ.)
23. Kavchik B.K. Evaluation of resources and reserves of gold in technology-related placers: the report on re-search. Fondovaya literatura FGBU «Rosgeolfond po Irkutskoy oblasti i Ust-Ordynskomu Buryatskomu AO» [Fund literature of Federal State Budgetary In-stitution Rosgeolfond for the Irkutsk Region and the Ust-Orda Buryat Autonomous Region]. Irkutsk: OJSC Irgiredmet, 2000, inventory no. 16643, 72 p. (In Russ.)
24. Kavchik B.K. Technology-related placers with coarse gold. Zolotodobycha [Gold Mining], 2003, no. 55. Available at: https://zolotodb.ru/article/326
25. Lunyashin P.D. Problems of development of tech-nology-related deposits and unknown stock. Zoloto i tekhnologii [Gold and Technologies], 2021, no. 3. Available at: https://zolteh.ru/ekspluatatsiya-mestorozhdeniy/problemy-otrabotki-tekhnogennykh-mestorozhdeniy-i-neuchtyennykh-zapasov/
26. Meledin I.V. Practical results on washing of technol-ogy-related dumps of past years in the valley of the Khomolkho River. Zolotodobycha [Gold Mining], 2010, no. 137, рр. 22-27. (In Russ.)
27. Benedyuk P.F., Eroshenko S.I., Benedyuk T.F. Once again about the fine gold of technology-related plac-ers using the deposit of the Khomolkho River as an example. Zolotodobycha [Gold Mining], 2020, no. 255, рр. 18-21. (In Russ.)
28. Order of the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation No. 278 dated December 11, 2006 “On Approval of the Classification of Reserves and Inferred Resources of Solid Minerals”. Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on December 25, 2006, registration No. 8667.
29. Oveshnikov Yu.M., Bolshakov A.I. Some results of research on completeness of mining of placer deposits by dredges. Razrabotka rossypnykh mestorozhdeniy [Development of placer deposits]. Moscow: Russian State University for Geological Prospecting (MRGRI), 1987, рр. 67-71. (In Russ.)
30. Zhuchenko E.T., Talgamer B.L., Zhuchenko E.E. On the issue of dredge development of technology-related placers. Problemy osvoeniya mineralnoy bazy Vostochnoy Sibiri: sb. nauch. tr. [Problems of development of the mineral base of Eastern Siberia: Collection of papers]. Irkutsk, 2007, рр. 5-8. (In Russ.)
31. Talgamer B.L., Chemezov V.V., Neretin A.V., Demen-tiev S.A. Evaluation of diamond losses during dredge mining of placers. Problemy razvitiya mineralnoy bazy Vostochnoy Sibiri: sb. nauch. tr. [Problems of development of the mineral base of Eastern Siberia: Collection of papers]. Irkutsk, 2003, рр. 44-48. (In Russ.)
32. Mamaev Yu.A., Van-Van-E A.P., Sorokin A.P., Litvintsev V.S., Pulyaevskii A.M. Problemy ratsion-alnogo osvoeniya zolotorossypnykh mestorozhdeniy Dalnego Vostoka (geologiya, dobycha, pererabotka): monografiya [Problems of rational development of gold-placer deposits in the Far East (geology, mining, processing); monograph]. Vladivostok: Dalnauka, 2002, 200 p. (In Russ.)
33. Zhuchenko E.T., Talgamer B.L., Leshkov V.G., Du-binin V.F. Sposoby povtornoy drazhnoy razrabotki tekhnogennoy rossypi [Methods for repeated dredge development of technology-related placers]. Patent RU, no. 2215875, 2003.
34. Chemezov V.V. Sposob razrabotki rossypi v uslovi-yakh povtornogo dragirovaniya [A method for the development of placers by repeated dredging]. Au-thor’s Certificate USSR, no. 1097797, 1984.
35. Chemezov V.V. Sposob razrabotki rossypi v uslovi-yakh povtornogo dragirovaniya [A method for the development of placer under conditions of repeated dredging]. Author’s Certificate USSR, no. 1263849, 1986.
36. Makhnev A.N., Talgamer B.L. Sposob drazhnoy raz-rabotki rossypnykh mestorozhdeniy [A dredging method for placer deposits]. Author’s Certificate USSR, no. 1694901, 1991.
37. Shemyakin S.A., Mamaev Yu.A., Ivanchenko S.N. Novye tekhnologii otkrytoy razrabotki mestorozhdeniy [New technologies for open pit mining]. Khabarovsk: Amur Geographical Society, 2003, 129 p. (In Russ.)
38. Babiy Yu.A., Moskalevich V.I., Pyatakov V.G. Tech-nical and economic performance of mining and han-dling equipment determined on the basis of data re-ceived by a remote method. Zolotodobycha [Gold Mining]. Available at: https://zolotodb.ru/article/12795.
39. Instructional guidelines for the feasibility study of conditions for calculating the reserves of deposits of solid minerals (other than coals and oil shale) ap-proved by Order of the Ministry of Natural Resources of Russia No. 37-r dated June 05, 2007.
40. Pyatakov V.G., Talgamer B.L. Prospects for the de-velopment of the dredging method for mining of plac-er deposits. Ruda i metally [Ore and Metals], 2019, no. 12, рр. 35-38. (In Russ.)
41. Shorokhov S.M. The first Soviet mobile gold washing machines for excavation of placers. Sovetskaya zolotopromyshlennost [Soviet Gold Industry], 1935, no. 3-4, рр. 27-29. (In Russ.)
42. Afanasiev P.Yu., Trubnikov N.B. Vitok zolotoy spirali [Turn of the golden spiral]. Blagoveshchensk, 2008, 383 p. (In Russ.)
43. Nevsky B.V. Floating gold washer in Mindanao. Giprozoloto. Zolotaya promyshlennost [State Institute for Designing Gold and Platinum Mining Plants. Gold Industry], 1940, no. 5-6. (In Russ.)
44. Kavchik B.K. New technologies for placer gold min-ing. Zolotodobycha [Gold Mining], 2016, no. 212. Available at: https://zolotodb.ru/article/11485.
45. Cheremenov S.A. Experience in the use of mobile washing complexes developed by the specialists of JSC Solovievsky Gold Mine. Zolotodobycha [Gold Mining], 2017, no. 220. Available at: https://zolotodb.ru/article/11610/?page=all.
46. Cheremenov S.A. The Solovievsky Gold Mine: 150 years of gold mining and today’s realities. Zoloto-dobycha [Gold Mining], 2018, no. 230. Available at: https://zolotodb.ru/article/11843.
47. Forty Mile Placers Inc., Yukon. Placer gold dredging using an excavator and a floating processing plant. Placer Gold Mining Methods Report (Funded by the Canada/Yukon Economic Development Agreement (YEDA)), 1993, 53 p.
48. Forty Mile Placers Inc., Yukon. Testing the viability of floater dredging in frozen ground. Placer Gold Mining Methods Report (Funded by the Canada/Yukon Economic Development Agreement (YEDA)), 1995, 25 p.
49. Fully detailed account of using a pontoon-based floating New Zealand wash-plant (trommel, hydraulic riffles and rear stacker conveyor), fed by a land-based hydraulic excavator. Placer Gold Mining Methods Report. Available at: www.geology.gov.yk.ca.
50. Danny Walker. Placer gold mining in Mongolia – the New Zealand way. World Placer Journal, 2, 26-29 (2001).
51. Robin Grayson. BAT - Best Available Techniques for placer gold miners. The Gold Miner’s Book, 17-28 (2017).