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Blue Chip Gold Mine - Smelting the GOLD results!

Dan Hurd・27 minutes read

Dan and Jason from Mount Baker Money and Metals process ore from the Blue Chip mine, extracting gold using a Hammer Mill and Shaker table. They use bismuth for smelting, ensuring safety and extracting precious metals successfully.

Insights

  • Dan and Jason from Mount Baker Money and Metals are processing ore from the Blue Chip mine to assess its gold content, utilizing equipment like a Crusher, Hammer Mill, and Shaker table to extract gold from the ore efficiently.
  • The use of bismuth as a substitute for lead in the smelting process due to health concerns, along with safety measures like wearing a respirator during smelting, showcases the importance of prioritizing health and safety in handling precious metals like gold.

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Recent questions

  • How do Dan and Jason process ore?

    By crushing, milling, and extracting gold using equipment.

  • What is the purpose of using bismuth in smelting?

    To create a safer alternative to lead in the process.

  • What safety precautions are taken during smelting?

    Wearing a respirator to protect from harmful fumes.

  • What is the outcome of the smelting process?

    Extraction of precious metals from the ore.

  • How is gold separated from sulfides in the ore?

    By running the material on a Shaker table.

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Summary

00:00

Processing Blue Chip Mine Ore for Gold

  • Dan and Jason from Mount Baker Money and Metals are processing 3 to 4 hundred pounds of ore from the Blue Chip mine to evaluate its contents and have fun.
  • They start by adjusting equipment, replacing a water pump, and cleaning the table before running the ore.
  • The process begins with a 6x10 jaw Crusher to crush rocks into 3/4 inch minus half-inch minus pieces.
  • The crushed material goes through a Hammer Mill to turn into fine powder before running it on a Shaker table to extract gold.
  • The gold is collected in the grooves and separated into number one and number two concentrates for panning and smelting.
  • Dan aims to determine the percentage of free-milled gold versus sulfide-locked gold in the ore.
  • They weigh 335 pounds of ore, remove the weight of the buckets, and start the crushing process.
  • The Hammer Mill produces material passing 50 mesh and 30% passing 30 mesh.
  • The Shaker table reveals fine gold behind sulfides, indicating a good amount of gold in the ore.
  • After panning out the concentrates, they find coarse gold in the number one concentrate, with more gold still in the sulfides to be smelted.

18:20

"Safer smelting process extracts precious metals"

  • Bismuth is used as a safer alternative to lead in smelting processes due to health concerns.
  • Gold is cleaned and placed in a pouch with bismuth flakes for smelting.
  • The mixture is heated in a furnace until liquid bismuth pours out, forming an alloy with the gold.
  • The bismuth oxidizes away, leaving behind the precious metals.
  • Sulfides are collected and combined for a smelt to extract additional metals.
  • The smelting process involves using borax to create a protective layer and prevent oxidation.
  • Safety precautions include wearing a respirator due to harmful fumes from the smelting process.
  • The resulting gold bead is weighed, indicating a lower yield than expected due to ore quality.
  • Complications arise during the smelting process, leading to the formation of a thick matte layer.
  • The final gold bead is successfully extracted, weighed, and found to contain precious metals, concluding the smelting process.
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