Pile of gold dirt in mexico

[mercinarie]

Hi all, I know next to nothing about processing gold-bearing dirt except what I have watched on "gold rush". I am in contact with someone in Mexico who used to be a geologist and advisor for mining companies there and knows of a pile that someone is trying to sell. This pile is apparently around 500 tons and according to the 4 assays done so far, they came back as 80,88,29 and 5 grams per ton.

Now I will obviously do my own assays but as I know nothing about Mexico and processing I assume the easiest way to get this done is to truck it to a mill which I also assume will take a cut for processing.

So I want to ask if anyone has any advice or knowledge of how to go about this or knows of anything around Sonora that can help. I know there is a mill close by but I can't seem to contact them but can visit them in person when I am in country.

If there is a better place to ask let me know.

Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks

 

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[Tesorodeoro]

Umm. Free milling gold? Makes a difference. Also sounds like access to the material (waste rock..reserves?) might be a bigger problem than trucking to a mill.

 

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[russau]

SALTED MATERIAL() always a problem for the uninformed ! Buyer beware ! take someone ( Knowledgeable ) that knows how to place a value on raw material with you to assist you in making that decision BEFORE you plop that almighty dollar into someone's hand!

 

[bc5391]

That is a mine dump, not a pile of dirt, the first part of the process is to crush.

 

[RTR]

I have a couple of photos but I would get more info about it before I go there. looks fairly rocky. I can have someone visit the site to get more samples and take photos. I will not be buying the pile outright I will be offering the owner to pay for processing and then we split the profit. The owner is just a farmer apparently and I assume doesn't know anything about mining as the pile has been there for years. These photos are from someone who was interested in this pile years ago and did the assays.




View attachment 2042502 View attachment 2042503

Not helpful

Pile has been there for years there is no access road to it so I doubt many people know about it.

Also not really helpful.

What I'm seeing is Heavily mineralized material w/some quarts.Not seeing any Gold.Take those rocks( in the enlarged Pictures) crush them into sand and pan them.

 

[Eldorado USA]

What are you waiting for?

I'm doing what I can with my limited resources.

 

[Kray Gelder]

I have a couple of photos but I would get more info about it before I go there. looks fairly rocky. I can have someone visit the site to get more samples and take photos. I will not be buying the pile outright I will be offering the owner to pay for processing and then we split the profit. The owner is just a farmer apparently and I assume doesn't know anything about mining as the pile has been there for years. These photos are from someone who was interested in this pile years ago and did the assays.




View attachment 2042502 View attachment 2042503

Not helpful

Pile has been there for years there is no access road to it so I doubt many people know about it.

Also not really helpful.

Your photos show broken basalt. Studies of basalt flows in the west indicate a range of 0 to 8 parts per billion. Does that equate to 5 to 80+ grams per ton? I don't think so. That pile is unaltered basalt, an unlikely source of recoverable gold. IMO.

The mineralization you see is typical of of what is found in the cracks of basalt, formed by rainwater leaching. It is not special.

 

[pepperj]

I'm in Southern Mexico and Have a site that has millions of tons of oxidized sulfide ores with an average of 25 grams per tone.

So lets just read the following paragraph:

"Of utmost importance to the cost of extracting gold is where the gold lies within a deposit. A deposit of disseminated gold (small particles of gold distributed throughout the rock) close to surface will be open-pit mined, while gold found in often-thin veins hundreds of meters below surface is mined using underground methods. There are many more low-grade gold deposits than high-grade. For every 2.5 grams per tonne (g/t) gold deposit, Mother Nature forms another 10 deposits around 1 g/t. Generally speaking, one gram per tonne works for open-pit mines, but underground gold mines require at least 2.5 g/t to be economic."

Now we reread your claim of 25 grams per ton

Now to any person this would be a highly profitable mining venture.
I'm pretty sure if that was true big corporations would be sucking it dry well before this.

So I highly doubt that this even exists.

 

[southfork]

The pile with the guy and a bucket is not Basalt but it's still a pile with possibilities. As others have said crush and pan.

 

[Eldorado USA]

So lets just read the following paragraph:

"Of utmost importance to the cost of extracting gold is where the gold lies within a deposit. A deposit of disseminated gold (small particles of gold distributed throughout the rock) close to surface will be open-pit mined, while gold found in often-thin veins hundreds of meters below surface is mined using underground methods. There are many more low-grade gold deposits than high-grade. For every 2.5 grams per tonne (g/t) gold deposit, Mother Nature forms another 10 deposits around 1 g/t. Generally speaking, one gram per tonne works for open-pit mines, but underground gold mines require at least 2.5 g/t to be economic."

Now we reread your claim of 25 grams per ton

Now to any person this would be a highly profitable mining venture.
I'm pretty sure if that was true big corporations would be sucking it dry well before this.

So I highly doubt that this even exists.

Fair enough..
But stay tuned. I'll be uploading some pics and videos sometime later this year.
I accept the tests were done in certain depressions in the mountains were gold might be more concentrated but the sheer size of the deposit is really incredible.

 

[Kray Gelder]

The pile with the guy and a bucket is not Basalt but it's still a pile with possibilities. As others have said crush and pan.

If you want to call the basalt pile something else, feel free. Too bad we can't see up slope. I almost guarantee there is a nice basalt flow outcrop. Such as these.

 

[Clay Diggins]

I assume the easiest way to get this done is to truck it to a mill which I also assume will take a cut for processing.

Processors do not work for a percentage. They are professional businesses and don't work for free tacos or a percentage of what you think you have. They will expect to be paid their quoted rate whether your ore has a valuable metal content or not.

In addition before a processor will agree to work with you you will be expected to pay up front for the costs for many real assays, hiring a process engineer and any testing or circuit changes needed to process your particular ore. This can add up to a considerable chunk of change before you even process your first ton. (If you find a processor that doesn't want that grab your wallet and run as fast as you can.)

500 tons is a small batch for any processor. Setting up a line just for processing your ore might pay off IF your ore is as rich as you think (very unlikely) and IF it's possible to process at a profit (also very unlikely since it's still sitting there). As far as assays and actual gold recovered - they are very different things. Many ores don't have good recovery, yours appear to be sulfide ores, now you are getting into some serious money for roasting (notice the price and availability of natural gas lately?). There is a lot more to mining than getting an assay, multiplying by 500 tons and throwing a "We're Rich!" party.

If you had a free milling gold ore with the values you think you have it could be a lifetime, very profitable, operation just sitting around in your air conditioned cabana with a cold beer, a pan and a 3 pound single jack. No other processing needed. Obviously that's not what you have found. More than likely the cost to mill, process, extract and purify the gold content is either a losing proposition or would show just enough profit to keep you poor. My best guess is that's why it's still sitting there without a buyer.

I wish you the best of luck with your project.

Heavy Pans

 

[Clay Diggins]

If you want to call the basalt pile something else, feel free. Too bad we can't see up slope. I almost guarantee there is a nice basalt flow outcrop. Such as these.

The rock shown in the OP pictures is definitly not basalt Kray.

 

[desertgolddigger]

The replies you've received is exactly why I cautioned you about what you're contemplating. I agree with what has been said. I can't remember the saying, but It's something like, "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is something waiting to bite you."

Get at least one independent assay of that ore. Pick samples at random. Don't allow the seller to lead you around, or hand you samples. If he won't allow letting you wander, and pick and choose, then that is a red flag. If you can't afford the independent assay, then you shouldn't be considering this purchase.

I don't knw anything about this type of mining. I try to use common sense, based on what little I do know. What I'm saying is to take our advice, experts, and not expert (myself). The decision is yours. Best wishes.

 

[southfork]

If you want to call the basalt pile something else, feel free. Too bad we can't see up slope. I almost guarantee there is a nice basalt flow outcrop. Such as these.

Your Basalt photos are exactly what most basalt looks like little to no quartz or gold.

 

[Richlan5829]

Hi all, I know next to nothing about processing gold-bearing dirt except what I have watched on "gold rush". I am in contact with someone in Mexico who used to be a geologist and advisor for mining companies there and knows of a pile that someone is trying to sell. This pile is apparently around 500 tons and according to the 4 assays done so far, they came back as 80,88,29 and 5 grams per ton.

Now I will obviously do my own assays but as I know nothing about Mexico and processing I assume the easiest way to get this done is to truck it to a mill which I also assume will take a cut for processing.

So I want to ask if anyone has any advice or knowledge of how to go about this or knows of anything around Sonora that can help. I know there is a mill close by but I can't seem to contact them but can visit them in person when I am in country.

If there is a better place to ask let me know.

Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks

That's not very good considering it takes 28.35 grams to make an ounce of gold.

 

[southfork]

That's not very good considering it takes 28.35 grams to make an ounce of gold.

It takes 31.1034768 grams to make an ounce of gold. 28.35 for weed

 

[Clay Diggins]

Gold is measured in Troy ounces.

A troy ounce weighs 31.1 grams.
There are 20 dwt (pennyweight) per Troy ounce.

 

[Kray Gelder]

The rock shown in the OP pictures is definitly not basalt Kray.

OK. I accept that from you, Clay. Apologies to the OP.

 

[XtreasureX]

I live in Sonora, speak Spanish and am familiar with the local mining areas.

 

[dougachim]

I live part of the time in Mexico. I wouldn't get in on any gold deal.