DOCSLIB.ORG

DOCUMENT RESUME ED 381 383 TITLE Mining Glossary and Games

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
DOCUMENT RESUME ED 381 383 TITLE Mining Glossary and Games DOCUMENT RESUME ED 381 383 SE p156 175 TITLE Mining Glossary and Games. INSTITUTION National Energy Foundation, Salt Lake City, UT. PUB DATE 91 NOTE 67p. AVAILABLE FROM National Energy Foundation, 5225 Wiley Post Way, Suite 170, Salt Lake City, UT 24416. PUB TYPE Guides Classroom Use Teaching Guides (For Teacher) (052) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC03 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Earth Science; *Educational Games; Elementary Secondary Education; Environmental Education; Geology; Glossaries; *Minerals; *Mining; Science Activities; *Vocabulary Development ABSTRACT This booklet was produced in an effort to increase the awareness and appreciation of young people for the Earth's resources. The Mining Education Glossary is intended to provide easy reference to mining terms which are used in the minerals recovery industry and as a useful resource for teaching basic learning skills. Accompanying the glossary are 28 mining games designed to help students at all grade levels learn language arts skills including spelling, vocabulary development, word usage, pronunciation and the meanings of words that might be used in various related study units. Activities involve students in word search games, crossword puzzles, and other language and word power learning experiences. Activity instructions are designed for students and allow for independent study. Each activity also contains teacher information. (LZ) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from tl-e original document. ***************************"******************************************* r 9 40 9 at U S DEPARTMENT OP EDUCATOR Office or Educational Research andlitioneventeni EDUCATIONAL RESOURCESINCORMAT/ON CENTERfERIQ This docunirool tut been reproducedse received from tho swoon or orsanitabon originality it. O 1.4 nOt C VieNW*been 114111to len Pr OM BEST COPY AVAILABLE reproduChan quality Point@ ofIn*oomOn 'Relict in th -1 do not rtooerdy mordant Mk*docu. -motion or policy . .. MINING ) . ))111 Ii I 1,1 !I I I Ii .; 74:040k , ---,,ax, VMS - 4.0b - - MM./ S4' , `v21--1-14 jgrailffeC \xxxx, .. : . -7::',..;:imi ,-,-. , ..,,,.. ''..c7S:-"""/' 7, %-' ""' ) I - :- -- '-'''.3 ', '7' 7 ---'-- t 11 - '- -r-r-......"--, ) ) --''0' - -'(f'.---,- 4/ItA /* -..-T7.-1:-....L-1 ".1,..)* ..../1 / /1 ' i1 /4,14 -_g_4..., , 47 \ - V 4 \ >' tk MININGAND GAMESI" Those who grew up on movies of the wild west remember This GLOSSARY is part of an interrelated set of educational many settings involving the rough-and-tumble life ofpeople resources prepared for teachers by the NationalEnergy in mining towns Whetherthe scene depicted a calm endeavor Foundation. The GLOSSARY will provide easy reference to to pan a living of gold from a stream, or a heartless murder by mining termswhich are used in the minerals recovery industry. claim-jumpers trying to make it big with a rich vein of ore The GLOSSARY also provides a useful resource for teaching without paying the miserable price of prospecting, the basic learning skills. For the creative educator, this document settling of the west (and many parts of the east and south) had contains a wide variety of organizing, classifying and related their roots in mining. Actually, it was the precious metals learning opportunities. Add interest to your instruction by which beckoned great numbers of pioneers to leave com- using the MINING GLOSSARY to create word search games, fortable homes and secure jobs in the east to explore and crossword puzzles, and other language and word power conquer the frontier. learning experiences. As is true of many other facets of life, modem technology has propelled the mining business from hand-to-hand combat with nature to a process largely automated. Those involved have, to a great extent, set aside their picks and shovels in ACKNOWLEDGEMENT preference of the brute force of powerful machinery, and traded theircrude prospecting techniques for computerized This GLOSSARY reflects the work of many people. The terms instruments that greatly ease the task of locating precious and definitions have been extrapolated and adapted from a resources hidden beneath the ground. wide variety of resource materials and common usage. We express our appreciation for th, assistance and expertiseof Although the west has been won, mining still plays an all who have contributed to its completion. Special thanks extremely important role in the economy and activity of the should be extended to members of the project develop- United States. We rely heavily on its products for both the ment team including: Dr. Marvin Tolman - Brigham Young niceties and the necessities of life. Understanding something University, Paul Iverson - Nevada State Department of Miner- about what is involved in acquiring those resources requires als, David Bama - Bureau of Mines, Washington DC, Rex Curtis, more than a passing reference to mining as it was done in the Jon Burton - Art and Design, NEF, Ray Comia - Project Coordi- days of the early settlers.It requires a deliberate effort to nator, and Don Lochhead, Editor. explore, through books, stories, discussion, and where possible visits to the site of some of those resources--and it requires some degree of literacy in the terminology related to the minerals and mining industry. THE NATIONAL ENERGY FOUNDATION PURPOSE The National Energy Foundation is a nonprofit education These materials have been produced in an effort to increase organization. The mission of NEF is to provide cost-effective the awareness and appreciation of young people for the supplementary educational resources to aid educators in the earth's resources, and for those who work so hard to bring teaching process; conduct motivating teacher training pro- them to us in a usable form. Literacy in the natural resources grams to assist teachers; give students incentives to partici- must include the processes of making them available. The pate more intensely in the learning process; and provide the MINING EDUCATION GLOSSARY focuses on many mining means for corporations, government agencies and associa- terms which are used in a profession and process important tions to participate in the improvement and enhancement of to all of us. education. 5 ABSOLUTE: Term used in the trades to indicate a thing as being perfect or exact. ABSORBENT: A substante that will absorb, drink in or, A soak up a liquid like a sponge. ABANDON: (1)To stop drilling and remove the drill from ACCUMULATOR: A cylinder containing water. or oil the site before reaching the proposed depth. (2)To give up under pressure of a weighted piston for hydraulic pressure. maintaining a property. ACID: Substances which typically are soluble in water; ABATE: In metalworking, to lower the temperature of the sour, sharp, or biting to the taste; and which turn litmus metal. paper red. ABERRATION: A flaw in a stone, usually a gem stone. ACRE: A measure of surface area, usually of land.It contains 43,560 square feet (4840 square yards or 160 ABLATION:(1) The formation of a deposit by the square rods). washing away of loose or soluble minerals.(2) The decreasing of the size of a glacier by all the combined ACRE-FOOT: The amount of water that would cover 1 processes working on it. acre of land, 1 foot deep. 325,829 U.S. gallons. ABRADE: To rub, wear off, waste or wear away by ACRE-INCH: The volume of water, soil, or other material friction. The wearing awayof diamond or drill bit equipment that will cover 1 acre, 1 inch deep. by the friction with rock materials being cut or drilled. ACRE- YIELD: The average quantity of gas, oil, or water ABRASION: The wearing away by friction or rubbing,as recovered from 1 acre of a reservoir. The quantity of any . water carving sand or glaciers cutting rock and grinding it product obtained from 1 acre. up. ADAMITE: A basic zinc arsenate mineral that hasa slight ABRASIVE: The substance used for grinding, polishing, arsenic smell. It has a brilliant fluorescence. or pressure blasting. For preparing polished surfaces. May be natural diamonds, corundum, emery, etc., or man-made ADAPTER TROUGH: A short section ofa shaker aluminum oxide, silicon carbide, and boron carbide. conveyor trough that serves as a connecting link between any two sizes of troughs. / trillium/to! 1&/ X111' .1,4vommummuumn7nunununimmill. 101,11 4:'17;r4Fejes Ork P14 04. rig!giro, 411 CZ. a 4Ii4): Ea ADIT: A nearly horizontal passage from the earth's surface AGGREGATE: Uncrushed or crushed gravel, crushed into a mine. stone or rock, sand, or artificially produced inorganic materials which form a major part of concrete. ADOBE: A (sun-dried) brick that is made of clayey and silty deposits. A deposit found in the desert basins of AGING: To become old; to show the effects or southwestern United States and in Mexico. The material is characteristics of increasing age. used extensively for making sun-dried brick. A-HORIZON: The uppermost layer of soil from which AERATE: To expose to air by passing air through it. It can soluble salts have been leached and in which organic be accomplished by stirring, spraying, or bubbling air into matter has accumulated which is conducive to plant growth. a substance. AIR COMPRESSOR: A machine which draws in air at AERIAL MAPPING: The taking of continuous vertical atmospheric pressure, compresses it, and delivers it at a photographs from an airplane for geophysical and other high pressure. purposes. AIR CONDI TIONING: To control in a limited area the AFTERCOOLER: A device for cooling compressed air quantity, quality, and temperature-humidity of the air. between the compressor and the mine shaft. AIR DUCT: A pipe or tubular channel for conveying air, AFTERGASES: Gases produced by mine explosions or usually from a fan to a point of use. mine fires. AIR GATE: An air regulator or an underground roadway AFTERSHOCK: The shocks produced following an in a mine used for ventilation. earthquake or blasting. They are usually less in energy than the original shock. They continue for a period of time after AIRHAMMER: Atool in which a hammer head is activated the quake or blast.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Mines of El Dorado County
    by Doug Noble © 2002 Definitions Of Mining Terms:.........................................3 Burt Valley Mine............................................................13 Adams Gulch Mine........................................................4 Butler Pit........................................................................13 Agara Mine ...................................................................4 Calaveras Mine.............................................................13 Alabaster Cave Mine ....................................................4 Caledonia Mine..............................................................13 Alderson Mine...............................................................4 California-Bangor Slate Company Mine ........................13 Alhambra Mine..............................................................4 California Consolidated (Ibid, Tapioca) Mine.................13 Allen Dredge.................................................................5 California Jack Mine......................................................13 Alveoro Mine.................................................................5 California Slate Quarry .................................................14 Amelia Mine...................................................................5 Camelback (Voss) Mine................................................14 Argonaut Mine ..............................................................5 Carrie Hale Mine............................................................14 Badger Hill Mine
    [Show full text]
  • The Differences in Underground Mines Dewatering with The
    International Mine Water Association Symposium Zambia 1993 | © IMWA 2009 | www.IMWA.info THE DIFFERENCES IN UNDERGROUND MINES DEWATERING YVITH THE APPLICATION OF CAVING OR BACKFILLING MINING METHODS By Vladimir Straskraba(l) and John F. Abel, JrY) (1) President, Hydro-Geo Consultants, Inc. (2) Prof. Emeritus, Colorado School of Mines ABSTRACT Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines, Ltd. (ZCCM) is planning a substantial increase in ore production in several of their underground mines on the Zambian Copperbelt over the next 10 years. Tne future production stratcb'Y is based on development of productive and economic mining methods through the application of mechanization and backfilling. Mechanization is designed to provide the production capability and the back.iilling is designed to reduce water flow into the mines. A similar trend can be seen in world-wide changes in mining methods from open stoping and sub-level caving to cut-and-fill stoping. Backfill is being empluyed v,'orldwide, including in Australia, Canada, Sweden, Latin America, ambia, and the U.S.A Plans for backfill mining methods are underway for future operations in Chile, Canada, Zambia, and :'vfexico. The principal reasons for these changes in mining methods is twofold: • Increased ore recovery, and • Decreased environmentai impact. The main difference in [he environmental impacts between mining with sub-level caving or open stoping and mining with backfiJiing methods is the reduction in subsidence or the potential for subsidence. Backfilling reduces ground movements in the rock overlying and adjacent to mine openings as well as subsidence at the surface, Reduced ground movement decreases the number and size offracture-controlled hydraulic flow paths into a mine and, thereby, the impact of mining on surface and ground water resources.
    [Show full text]
  • Ejge Paper Styles
    Influence Factors and Technology to Improve the Mining Productivity by Using Filling Mining Method Dong Peixin Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education of China for High-Efficient Mining and Safety of Metal Mines, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 10083, China; Beijing Urban Construction Exploration & Surveying Institute Beijing 100101, China e-mail: [email protected] Yang Zhiqiang Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education of China for High-Efficient Mining and Safety of Metal Mines, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 10083, China; Jinchuan Group Co., Ltd, Jinchang, Gansu 737100, China e-mail: [email protected] Gao Qian Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education of China for High-Efficient Mining and Safety of Metal Mines, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 10083, China; e-mail: [email protected], the corresponding author Xiao Bolin Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education of China for High-Efficient Mining and Safety of Metal Mines, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 10083, China; e-mail: [email protected] ABSTRACT The Longshou mine is one of the three main production bases in Jinchuan co. LTD. After decades of excavation, high grade ore is nearly exhausted and lean ore is becoming the main mining object. Improving the mining productivity and achieving scale benefits are important approaches to lean ore exploitation. This paper, focused on lean ore exploitation in the mine area Ⅲ of Jinchuan Nickel mine, carrying out key technology research on improving the production capacity of backfill mining method. Firstly, for the purpose of utilizing large scale mining equipment, it starts with the parameter optimization and stability analysis in large hexagonal cross-section approach, and then investigates the drifts optimal placement in the drift stoping.
    [Show full text]
  • Industrialization in Appalachia How the Movement of Capital And
    Industrialization in Appalachia How the Movement of Capital and Resources Influenced the Region Summary Students will be introduced to the history of industrialization of the Appalachian region. Students will then be research the industries in western NC through oral histories, and songs. Students will create a chart describing the main industry in the western NC county of their choice and will present their findings to the class. Learning Outcomes Students will: •Develop an appreciation for global and local interactions via industry •Analyze a primary and secondary document •Create a chart based on information gained from document study Teacher Planning Time Required for Lesson: 2-3 Days Materials Needed: Pdf's of the supplemental texts Songs from the W.L. Eury Appalachian Collection Interviews from W.L. Eury Appalachian Collection Technology Resources Needed: •Computers with high speed internet access for each student •Stereo headphones for each student •Access to a printer Background Information / Pre-Activities Allow each student pick an industry and make a chart of its history in western North Carolina (e.g. tourism, timber, manufacturing, agriculture, mining). What industry was popular in the region? When did it become popular? Is it still going today? 1.What are some problems faced by the different forms of industry? What are the implications for industries to be owned by people outside of the region? Activities 1. Songs were a way for workers to keep up morale during the long and hard days of work. Divide into groups, half the groups will select a song about industrialization (“John Henry”, “16 tons”, “Which Side Are You On”) The other half will select an interview about an industry in the region or its impact on the region (railroad, timber, coal, furniture, manufacturing, environmental impacts - 1940 flood) using the Digital Collections of the W.L.
    [Show full text]
  • John Wells' Classic Work on Evaluating Precious Metal Placer Deposits
    u.s. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Phoenix Training Center Technical Bulletin 4 196£ Reprinted with Errata 1985 Placer Examination Principles and Practice by John H. Wells ---- -- ---- - placer • • exallilnatlon PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE by John H. Wells Mining Engineer Bureau of Land Management ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The author is indebted Lo the Bureau of 'Land Mangement for making· the publication of this book possible. A book of this type would not be complete without the illustrated description of placer drilling and related data contained in Appendix D. These were provided by Mr. Cy Ostrom of C. Kirk Hillman Company, whose generosity is appreciated. CONTENTS Page PREFACE .......................... VII PART 1 - REVIEW OF PLACER THEORY AND GEOLOGY 1. Placers Defined .. ... 3 2. Study of Placers - General 3 3. Sources of Valuable Mineral 4 a) Lodes or mineralized zones 4 b) Erosion of pre-existing placer deposits 4 c) Low-grade auriferous conglomerates or glacial debris 4 d) Magmatic segregations and associated basic rocks 5 e) Regional rocks containing particles of valuable mineral 5 4. Weathering and Release Processes 5 a) Ground water 5 b) Temperature change 6 c) Plant growth 6 d) Surface erosion 6 5. Stream Processes Related to Placers 6 6. Concentration of Valuable Minerals 7 a) Bedrock concentrations 8 b) Types of bedrock .. 8 c) Pay streaks .. .. 8 7. Preservation of the Deposit 9 a) Abandonment '9 b) Regional uplift 9 c) Burial ... 9 PART Il - TYPES OF PLACERS 1. Residual Placers 13 2. Eluvial Placers 13 3. Stream Placers 14 a) Gulch placers 14 b) Creek placers 14 c) River deposits 14 d) Gravel plain deposits 15 4.
    [Show full text]
  • Environmental Factors of Blasting Report for the Proposed Idaho-Maryland Gold Project Nevada County, CA
    September 27, 2019 Attention: Rise Grass Valley Inc. Subject: Environmental Factors of Blasting Report for the Proposed Idaho-Maryland Gold Project Nevada County, CA EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Precision Blasting Services (PBS) has been retained by Rise Grass Valley Inc. (Rise) to provide a description of the proposed blasting at the Idaho Maryland Mine (IMM) and potential environmental impacts from the blasting. This report includes an overview of vibration and blasting ground vibration, the effects of ground vibration on various structures, methodology for determining ground borne vibration levels, proposed IMM blasting activities, the total magnitude of ground vibration expected from IMM blasting at various depths and horizontal distances, and air overpressure. In addition, a monitoring program has been recommended to establish background levels, record ground vibration, and model the ground vibration. PBS has determined that potential impacts of drilling and blasting to the surrounding community will be negligible. The impact from exposure of persons to or generation of excessive ground vibration created by blasting will be less than significant. The U.S. Bureau of Mines (USBM) and Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation, and Enforcement (OSMRE) have both developed recommendations for ground vibration levels to prevent damage to residential structures. The estimated ground vibration from IMM blasting activities are typically less than 10% of these limits and present no risk of damage to any nearby receptors. The author recommends that blasting vibrations at the location of receptors on surface be kept below a threshold of 0.4 in/s to minimize annoyance and complaints. Maximum predicted blast vibrations at IMM will typically be less than 50% of this 0.4 in/s threshold level and should not cause concerns amongst the local community.
    [Show full text]
  • Mine Inspector
    Annual Report OF THE Mine Inspector TO THE Governor of Alaska BY B. D. STEWART, Mine Emspector. PCCOMPANIED BY A SPECIAL ARlTChE BY NORMAN 8. WIMMLER, PLACER MlNlNG ENGINEER, U. S. BUREAU OF MBMES Page General Btwternent as 'to Mining Conditfons .................................... 8 Mine Production and Developmerut ......: ................................................. Review by minerals .......................................................................... Copper ........ ;................................................................... Gokd .......................... .................................................................... Lode gold .............................................................................. Placer gold Silver-Lead .................................................................................... Other metals ................................................................................. cold .................. Petsoleu,m .............................. Labor ................................................................................................................ 12 Estimated employees in mining iodustry ................................ 12 Amount of Wages paid ........................................................................ 12 Wa'ge scales at lode rnioes ............................................................ 12 Nationality of ernplayees in mining indulrtry ............................ 13 'Tlacer Mining In Akska In 1923." by Noman L . Wimmler. Pla~cerMining Engineer. U
    [Show full text]
  • A Historical Context and Archaeological Research Design for Mining Properties in California
    Mining Cvr FINAL.indd 1 Cover Photos: Woman Miner at the Kendon Pit, Mono County, 1930; African American Miners at the Andrade Dredge Mine, California; Cornish Miners on Skip at the Empire Mine, Grass Valley, 1900 (used with permission, California State Department of Conservation, California Geological Survey). Cite as: California Department of Transportation. Historical Context and Archaeological Research Design for Mining Properties in California. Division of Environmental Analysis, California Department of Transportation, Sacramento, CA. 2008. For individuals with sensory disabilities, this document is available in alternate formats upon request. Please call: (916) 653-0647 Voice, or use the CA Relay Service TTY number 1-800-735-2929 or write: Caltrans Division of Environmental Analysis P.O. Box 942874, MS-27 Sacramento, CA 94274-0001 Mining Cvr FINAL.indd 2 12/10/08 4:48:58 PM MANAGEMENT SUMMARY The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration, California Division, and the California State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO), prepared this thematic study to assist with evaluating the information potential of mining properties in California, that is, for their eligibility for the National Register of Historic Places under Criterion D. To be eligible under Criterion D, National Register guidance states that a property must have, or have had, information to contribute to our understanding of human history or prehistory, and the information must be considered important. An integral part of this study is the development of a research design. The archaeological research design explicitly demonstrates the connection between the information a property contains and important research issues or questions associated with a particular property.
    [Show full text]
  • Intro to Mining
    Unit 16 Mine Development In this unit, you will learn how a Mine is developed for production, how a shaft is sunk, how lateral headings and raises are mined. After completing this unit, you should be able to: • Explain the methods of "opening a deposit" • Lists the steps of shaft sinking • Lists the type of shafts • Big Hole Drilling • Ground Freezing • Shaft Linings • Lateral Development & Ramps • Track versus Trackless • Design and function of Lateral Headings • Laser Control • Raises Mine Development When a promising mineral deposit has been found, production is the next thing to consider. All mines require considerable development before actual ore production can begin. The orebody is "opened up" by excavation. In opening a mine, a small mining company usually digs any ore that is showing. The revenue from the sale of the ore keeps the venture going and finances further development. After the ore body has been delineated and defined, a company may make several feasibility studies to determine the best way to mine the ore. Opening a deposit A) Open Pit Stripping the overburden is always a problem. The wider and richer the vein the deeper the pit. The availability and production capability of surface equipment makes open-pit mining a very attractive choice. B) Drift Mining If the ore vein is narrow and the terrain is favourable, a drift or adit on the vein is often used. The drift is mined into the vein at an almost flat elevation. C) Inclined Shaft In flat terrain, a shaft is almost always required in a narrow vein.
    [Show full text]
  • A Review of Geology and Coal Mining in South Eastern Nigeria: Implication for Sustainable National Development
    IOSR Journal of Applied Geology and Geophysics (IOSR-JAGG) e-ISSN: 2321–0990, p-ISSN: 2321–0982.Volume 4, Issue 2 Ver. I (Mar. - Apr. 2016), PP 15-22 www.iosrjournals.org A Review of Geology and Coal Mining In South Eastern Nigeria: Implication for Sustainable National Development 1Abalaka, I. E. and 2 Aga, T. Department of Geology, University of Jos, Nigeria. Abstract: Coal is a combustible carbonaceous material which occurs within the Campanian – Maactrictian Mamu formation of the Anambra Basin, Nigeria. The estimated total reserve is about 2.7 billion tones with over 0.6 billion tones proven (Dixon and Leighton L. H. 1969) coal mining has been successfully carried out using conventional underground mining methods as well as long or all mining methods. Although, coal mining activity ceased in the Enugu for some times now,the current policy of the government to commercialize the coal mining industry is expected to bring a boom in the sector. This will no doubt increase Nigeria foreign direct investment (FDI). Apart from its industrial uses, coal is a good alternative to fuel wood as it can be processed into coal briquettes which can be adapted in the rural and urban areas for use in coking. This effort will not only diversify Nigerian monolithic economy but will lead to reduction in the unemployment rate and by implication reduction in youth restiveness. I. Introduction Coal is often described as a broad name given to stratified accumulations of carbonaceous material derived from vegetation (Dixon and Leighton1969). It is a brownish black complex combustible rock that has its origin from biochemical process and physio chemical alteration of vegetation.
    [Show full text]
  • Gold Placers
    EPA 530-R-94- 035 NTIS PB94- 201811 TECHNICAL RESOURCE DOCUMENT EXTRACTION AND BENEFICIATION OF ORES AND MINERALS VOLUME 6 GOLD PLACERS October 1994 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Solid Waste Special Waste Branch 401 M Street, SW Washington, DC 20460 Technical Resource Document: Gold Placers DISCLAIMER AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This document was prepared by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The mention of company or product names is not to be considered an endorsement by the U.S. Government or by EPA. This Technical Resource Document consists of three sections. The first is EPA's Profile of the gold placer mining industry; the following sections are reports on site visits conducted by EPA to gold placer mines in Alaska. The Profile section was distributed for review to the U.S. Department of the Interior's Bureau of Mines, the State of Alaska Department of Natural Resources and Department of Environmental Conservation, the Interstate Mining Compact Commission, the American Mining Congress, the Mineral Policy Center, and public interest groups. Summaries of the comments received on the draft profile and of EPA's responses are presented as an appendix to this section. The site visit sections were provided to representatives of the companies and of state agencies who participated in the site visit. Their comments and EPA's responses are presented as appendices to the specific site visit section. EPA is grateful to all individuals who took the time to review sections of this Technical Resource Document. The use of the terms "extraction," "beneficiation," and "mineral processing" in this document is not intended to classify any waste stream for the purposes of regulatory interpretation or application.
    [Show full text]
  • Gold Formation, Extraction, and Refining in the Sierra Nevada Mountain Region Isabella Niloofar Cross-Najafi ABSTRACT Gold Forma
    Cross‐Najafi 1 Gold Formation, Extraction, and Refining in the Sierra Nevada Mountain Region Isabella Niloofar Cross-Najafi ABSTRACT Gold formation processes include hydrothermal processes in which water becomes heated underground when it is close to a geothermal site, dissolving many ores which have been trapped in the surrounding rock and then through cooling the ore precipitates into a solid and purified metal. Gold was formed in the Sierra Nevada inside the Smartville block while it was still underwater and it was later brought to the surface through tectonic movement. This formation process exposed many sites which were ideal for gold mining. The miners learned that placer deposits could be excavated in many ways. They also learned that hard-rock deposits were the original sources for the eroded ore that was washed into the placer deposits. Miners learned that the presence of granite and quartz indicated an ideal location for gold formation. Placer deposits were mined in many ways using panning, drift, and hydraulic mining methods. Panning was a way to mine placer deposits and the only tool used was a gold pan. Drift mining was used to extract gold from deep within the earth. Hydraulic mining is used to excavate ore-rich gravel from deep within the earth by blasting an exposed ore-rich bank of gravel with highly pressurized water. There are many different methods of gold mining specifically used on the gold deposits of the Sierra Region. These include heap leaching, open-pit mining, and extraction through the Cornish pump. Heap leaching was one of the first methods used in mining in which the ore was crushed and then drenched in cyanide to dissolve the gold out of the ore in order to refine it.
    [Show full text]