Abstract
This paper presents the results from the investigation of the application of thermal fragmentation in Australian hard rock underground narrow-vein mining. Two geologically similar samples from an underground narrow-vein hard rock gold mine were collected to obtain a measure of the technology’s ability to recover ore by the creation of large thermal openings to assess the applicability of the thermal method. Particle size distribution showed a higher generation of fine product, − 2 mm, by thermal fragmentation compared with selective blasting by 31%. The Bond work index for thermal ore (12.62 kWh/t) is half to that of the blasted ore value (25.32 kWh/t). The average grindability obtained for the thermal ore sample was greater than the blasted sample by a factor of 2.44, a higher value indicating a decrease in the energy required to grind. The thermal fragmentation method generates product with higher dissolution of gold in cyanide, by 14% for the − 9.5 + 2 mm size fraction samples. Additionally, the thermal fragmentation results in higher production of − 9.5 + 2 mm material by 15 % compared with selective blasting.
Highlights
The profitable extraction of valuable minerals from orebodies forms the main objective of any mining enterprise
Thermal fragmentation resulted in 1.9 times the percentage of particles retained at this size, re-enforcing the understanding of the intergranular
An observation can be made from the average grindability values obtained from the Bond Index Test work (Table 12), that the average grindability obtained for the thermal ore sample was greater than the blasted sample by a factor of 2.44, a higher value indicating a decrease in the energy required to grind
Summary
The profitable extraction of valuable minerals from orebodies forms the main objective of any mining enterprise. A definition of a narrow-vein deposit is an orebody less than 3 m average thickness. Narrow-vein systems have historically represented an important source of the world’s exploitable gold, silver, tin and uranium [7], but have proven problematic to mining companies due to the complexities inherent to these deposits. These complexities include but are not limited to their predisposition to erratic grades, often attributed to the nuggetty distribution of gold throughout the system and its complex geology, resulting in difficulty of estimating resources [8]
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