Things you do BEFORE you process an ore

[MadScientistProspect]

Ok so I'm new to Au chemical recovery and extraction.

I've been reading up on various methods and I've seen the warnings about NOT using any acids on ores before knowing what's in them.

But I'm confused on what my next step is.

I'm in the golden triangle of Victoria and I've got access to a good range of likely ores almost all of which contain large amounts of iron. Arsenic can be an issue and there are a bunch of sulphides in the mix as well.

I know I need to climb the learning curve but I need some direction on where to go next.

 

[nickvc]

I’m not a mining or ore expert but my advice would be to get good assays done to find out exactly what you have in the mix, this will identify any risks you might encounter and also help point you in the right direction for recovery if worthwhile. Ores are not the easiest material to work with due to the mix of elements they contain some of which will interfere or even stop economic recovery, most mining operations use cyanide to recover the gold but even they may have to carry out further processes before attempting a cyanide leach.

 

[Lino1406]

Next steps:
Have an XRF or ICP assay
Grind to 100 mesh

 

[MadScientistProspect]

One of the things that I find odd on this forum is the repeated suggestion to get an assay done.

I find this odd because (I presume) most of the refiners here are backyard guys or at most small scale. Instead of refining the gold bearing material you collect why not send it off for processing by a professional?

The openness to sharing and learning methods to refine on a small scale seems at opposed to learning how to develop methods to assess ore prior to refining.

So I guess what I'm saying is.....ok I need to know what I'm dealing with how do I do that? What assay methods do I use? How do I interpret the none gold results?

 

[anachronism]

Well first you need to be able to test for the kinds of metals that you're digging up.

 

[FrugalRefiner]

For basic tests you can perform yourself, read through Quick Qualitative Testing of Rocks and Ore. It's not a substitute for a proper assay, but it can give you some insight.

Dave

 

[MadScientistProspect]

Thanks Dave I'll have a look

 

[nickvc]

Assays are an important part of any mining operation, there are field tests to help identify various elements as Dave has pointed out but you still won’t know what you have in terms of recoverable values or what elements can cause you harm or worse.
Most of the members are working with e scrap where the gold is plated so recovery can be done by sight or they are processing materials where there is an average to aim for, with ores there is no average as such as each mine has different material and element make up.
You can learn to assay yourself and buy the necessary equipment to do so but it won’t be cheap and it takes time and determination hence why we suggest getting assays for ores done before people either waste a lot of time and possibly money or harm themselves by processing toxic elements.

 

[Palladium]

Assays are recommended so you don't kill yourself!
Arsenic would be one reason to have an assay!
Ask Irons.

 

[anachronism]

From a purely financial point of view assays are essential.

Picture the scene:

Hey I'm sending you 10 tonnes of cons to process.
Great how much gold?
No idea just let me know how much you got.
OK will do (runs off sniggering and rubbing hands.)

 

[acpeacemaker]

Then there was salting.

 

[MadScientistProspect]

From a purely financial point of view assays are essential.

Picture the scene:

Hey I'm sending you 10 tonnes of cons to process.
Great how much gold?
No idea just let me know how much you got.
OK will do (runs off sniggering and rubbing hands.)

Kind of a stupid example. Who would go to the effort of extracting 10 tonnes of ore or actually more ore than that if you are talking about some sort of concentrate without knowing how much was in it.

 

[anachronism]

From a purely financial point of view assays are essential.

Picture the scene:

Hey I'm sending you 10 tonnes of cons to process.
Great how much gold?
No idea just let me know how much you got.
OK will do (runs off sniggering and rubbing hands.)

Kind of a stupid example. Who would go to the effort of extracting 10 tonnes of ore or actually more ore than that if you are talking about some sort of concentrate without knowing how much was in it.

You'd be amazed at how many people believe they can do exactly that.

 

[acpeacemaker]

From a purely financial point of view assays are essential.

Picture the scene:

Hey I'm sending you 10 tonnes of cons to process.
Great how much gold?
No idea just let me know how much you got.
OK will do (runs off sniggering and rubbing hands.)

Kind of a stupid example. Who would go to the effort of extracting 10 tonnes of ore or actually more ore than that if you are talking about some sort of concentrate without knowing how much was in it.

You'd be amazed at how many people believe they can do exactly that.

This guy is a good example. Wound up in the end with arsenic poisoning.
https://goldrefiningforum.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=44&t=23782&p=251244#p251244

Andrew

 

[MadScientistProspect]

This guy is a good example. Wound up in the end with arsenic poisoning.
https://goldrefiningforum.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=44&t=23782&p=251244#p251244

Andrew

I appreciate your concern Andrew but since I identified arsenic as a potential risk for some of the ores I have access to it doesn't really help pointing it out again and again and again.

A useful test or method to determine which have arsenic and which don't. That would be a big help.

 

[MadScientistProspect]

You'd be amazed at how many people believe they can do exactly that.

Seriously?

Gathering more than a sample for testing seems kind of crazy.

 

[FrugalRefiner]

I appreciate your concern Andrew but since I identified arsenic as a potential risk for some of the ores I have access to it doesn't really help pointing it out again and again and again.

Usually, when someone tries to help me, I just say thank you.

A useful test or method to determine which have arsenic and which don't. That would be a big help.

I gave you a link above.

Dave

 

[Shark]

Gold Fever can and will run rampant very often.

 

[MadScientistProspect]

I appreciate your concern Andrew but since I identified arsenic as a potential risk for some of the ores I have access to it doesn't really help pointing it out again and again and again.

Usually, when someone tries to help me, I just say thank you.

A useful test or method to determine which have arsenic and which don't. That would be a big help.

I gave you a link above.

Dave

And I'm going through it Dave. Your post was/is helpful but a bunch of people saying over and over again beware of arsenic isn't.

I'm hoping to get a body of information from different sources not just rely on one so I'm looking for more information. I wouldn't want to rely on just one link for something like this.

 

[nickvc]

I know from your responses that you don’t want to hear about assays but they are the most important part of your approach to what you have, as pointed out if done correctly they will tell you how much gold you have and what other elements are present, these other elements can be toxic and some can make recovery of the gold uneconomic. There are certain ores which are high grade but because of other elements just can’t be mined economically, if Deano were to add comments to this I’m sure he could give much more detail than I ever could he really understands mining and recovery of gold from ores which in fairness I don’t.
Knowing by testing what you may have in the mix is a good start but certainly not something to gamble your hard earned money or health on, I know we all sound miserable doubters but it’s for a good reason we don’t want anyone hurt or worse or lose all their money chasing nonexistent or uneconomic values.
The simple truth is that until you have an assay done you cant formulate a plan to recover any gold you may have, had you had free gold then it would make formulating a plan for recovery much easier but from what you are implying that’s not the case.