Comprehensive Gold Mining & Processing Workflow Report

1. Introduction

This report provides an in-depth, step-by-step breakdown of the gold mining and processing workflow as depicted in the Graphviz diagram. The process is designed for maximum gold recovery, operational efficiency, and environmental responsibility, avoiding harmful chemicals like mercury and cyanide.

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2. Detailed Process Breakdown

2.1 Ore Deposit

• Description: The gold-bearing rock formation where mining begins.
• Key Details:
  • Gold is embedded in quartz veins or alluvial deposits.
  • Miners identify high-grade zones through sampling and geological surveys.
  • Ore is extracted manually or with light machinery, depending on scale.

2.2 Excavation to Surface

• Description: The process of bringing ore from underground to the surface.
• Key Details:
  • Local miners operate small-scale shafts or open pits.
  • Ore is manually dug, blasted, or scraped out.
  • Miners follow safety protocols to prevent tunnel collapses.
  • Ore is loaded into buckets or carts for transport.

2.3 Transport of Ores

• Description: Moving ore from mining sites to the processing plant.
• Key Details:
  • Small trucks, motorcycles, or conveyor belts transport ore.
  • For remote areas, manual carrying or animal transport may be used.
  • Ore is weighed and recorded upon arrival at the processing site.

2.4 Mineral Processing Site

• Description: The central hub where ore is transformed into gold.
• Key Details:
  • Two Business Models:
    1. Fee-Based Processing: Miners pay a fee to have their ore processed.
    2. Direct Purchase: The site buys raw ore from miners.
  • Tailings Reprocessing: Leftover waste (tailings) is re-milled for residual gold.

2.5 Rock Feeder

• Description: A mechanized hopper that regulates ore flow into the crusher.
• Key Details:
  • Prevents jamming in the jaw crusher by controlling feed rate.
  • Uses vibration or conveyor belts to ensure steady material flow.
  • Helps maintain consistent processing speed.

2.6 Jaw Crusher

• Description: Primary crushing machine that breaks large rocks into smaller pieces.
• Key Details:
  • Uses compressive force from two metal plates (jaws).
  • Reduces rocks from ~12 inches to ~2 inches in size.
  • Critical for liberating gold from hard rock before milling.

2.7 Rock Impact Mills (#1 & #2)

• Description: Secondary grinding units that pulverize crushed rock into fine powder.
• Key Details:
  • Uses high-speed hammers to smash rocks into sand-like consistency.
  • No mercury is used—gold is liberated purely through mechanical force.
  • Operates in parallel for higher throughput.

2.8 Fine Gold Recovery Sluices (#1 & #2)

• Description: Gravity-based separation systems that capture gold particles.
• Key Details:
  • Uses riffles, mats, and water flow to trap gold.
  • Recovers gold as fine as 5 microns (extremely small particles).
  • Multiple methods (e.g., vortex matting, expanded metal) ensure high recovery rates.

2.9 Gold Concentrate

• Description: The gold-rich material extracted from sluices.
• Key Details:
  • Contains gold + black sand (magnetite, hematite).
  • Sent to the Concentrate Room for final refining.
  • Further upgraded using sluices, panning, and fine gold recovery methods.

2.10 Concentrate Room

• Description: Secure facility for final gold extraction and refining.
• Key Details:
  • Upgrading Process:
    • Uses fine gold recovery methods to remove iron sands.
    • Gold panning for manual concentration.
    • Fine gold recovery equipment for fine-tuning purity.
  • Smelting & Assaying:
    • Gold is melted into bars.
    • Fire assay, density scale or XRF determines purity (e.g., 22K, 24K).
  • Security Measures:
    • 24/7 CCTV surveillance.
    • Access restricted to authorized personnel.
    • Production logs track every gram of gold.

2.11 Final Gold & Cash Income

• Description: The end product, ready for sale.
• Key Details:
  • Sold to bullion dealers, jewelers, or central banks.
  • Revenue is reinvested into operations or distributed to miners.

2.12 Concentrate Buckets

• Description: Storage for leftover concentrates.
• Key Details:
  • No waste policy: Even “spent” material is rechecked.
  • Periodically reprocessed to extract residual gold.

2.13 Tailings (Waste Material)

• Description: Leftover slurry after gold extraction.
• Key Details:
  • Still contains 20-30% of unrecovered gold.
  • Sent to leaching tanks for eco-friendly extraction.

2.14 Leaching Tanks

• Description: Chemical-free gold recovery from tailings.
• Key Details:
  • Uses non-cyanide lixiviants (e.g., Jin Chan, thiosulfate, glycine).
  • Safer for workers & environment than traditional cyanide.
  • Extracts remaining microscopic gold missed by sluices.

2.15 Dump Site

• Description: Final disposal area for processed waste.
• Key Details:
  • Located in already excavated pits to minimize land impact.
  • No toxic chemicals are present in the waste.

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3. Key Advantages of This System

✔ Mercury-Free & Cyanide-Free – Uses mechanical and eco-friendly leaching. ✔ High Recovery Rate – Captures gold down to 5 microns. ✔ Secure & Transparent – Strict controls prevent gold theft. ✔ Sustainable – Minimizes waste through tailings reprocessing.

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4. Conclusion

This gold processing system is efficient, secure, and environmentally responsible. By combining mechanical crushing, gravity separation, and advanced leaching, it maximizes gold recovery while ensuring worker safety and minimal ecological impact. The Concentrate Room serves as the final checkpoint, guaranteeing that every possible gram of gold is extracted and accounted for before reaching the market.