Mining Publication: Technology News 460 - Prototype Borehole Miner Selectively Extracts Gold from Permafrost

Original creation date: July 1997

Authors: GA Savanick, AL Miller

Technology News - July 1997

NIOSHTIC2 Number: 20000466

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Technology News 460, 1997 Jul; :1-2

Placer deposits in permafrost often contain up to 15% cobbles and boulders. Because of erratic loading on the bit caused by elasticity and heterogeneity of the ice-and-gravel matrix, these deposits are extremely difficult to excavate. The approach taken in this research project was to mine only the ore-bearing portion of the deposit using a high-pressure water jet to thaw the gravels and a downhole hydraulic-lift-type pump to bring the ore to he surface as slurry. Full-scale jetting tests in frozen gravel were completed, and the data were used to design a jet excavator. The excavator will deliver a water flow of 890 L/min through a 15.7 mm diam nozzle at 6,900 kPa. The prototype slurry pump was designed to lift minus 15 cm gravels to the surface from a depth of 15 m.

Image of publication Technology News 460 - Prototype Borehole Miner Selectively Extracts Gold from Permafrost
Technology News - July 1997

NIOSHTIC2 Number: 20000466

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Technology News 460, 1997 Jul; :1-2


Page last reviewed: September 21, 2012
Page last updated: September 21, 2012