Mineral Exploration Practices

General:

Minerals : is a natural thing, which is produced by natural processes, and one of them may be a hydrothermal process, or the other, and can be a vein or gold itself, as well as gold are united in rock that feeds it.

Exploration: Is an activity seeking mineral resources including gold in nature. In this regard, in situ minerals should be in the rocks, or vice versa can also minerals or gold that has been dissolved.

There is one sequence of exploration work in order to look for the presence of gold in nature, and certainly should not over step, skip and jump the procedure.
Why ..?
For each procedure has rules of each to get the data or the results which will then be mutually interconnect with each other. This is very important to note, to always keep in mind in running the activities of exploration of mineral resources, especially gold.

Here are described simply and principles

in the exploration of mineral resources:

Reconnaissance:
Early exploration work which is the activity of collecting the data from which the source, literature books, information on population, map of old maps, aerial photographs that exist, the data aero photos, remote sensing data, and in though the process in the studio or office before going spaciousness for site seeing will check the data that has been collected.
How extents can be reviewed, examined, researched from this preliminary data is comprehensive se its extensive regional study area.

Map Scale 1: 100 000, of at least in scale 1: 50 000.

Prospecting:
After above step, implemented, and the result is positive, then the next job prospecting. This job can be surface exploration, sampling at random, grabbing, and the investigation will be the data on geological data in a more narrow scope.

Learn from the other side of the profession, to assist in interpreting geological investigation area, for example from:
1. Aerial / Remote sensing
2. Aeromagnetic and Groundmagnetic
3. Satellite imagery
4. Topography image

In this step a preliminary investigation to determine the prospects of this area, the grab sample was taken at along the creek, and also stream sediment sample, also BLEG (Bulk Leach Extractable Gold) sampling. Often also grabbing sample taken at the ridges and spurs . In this case the determination of the location of interest is very important. Where is the point of mineral resources are found, exposed at the surface, into the initial area to be developed further. Measurement of geological data on the rocks at the site are very helpful for later interpretation.
The scale of the map can be minimized to 1: 10 000, or 1: 5000.
Note :
you need a standard map from government to do this step. Regional over view is more significant to know about whole geology surround area.

General Exploration:
Step 3 :An exploration work on a regional basis to know where exactly which point the location of minerals or gold prospects that can be seen in a certain area.
The activity of this step is :
             1. Surface Mapping/Sampling
             2. Trenching/channel sampling
             3. Test Pit/point sampling
             4. Costean/channel sampling
             5. Ridges and Spurs sampling
             6. Creek and stream sampling
             7. Stream sediment and BLEG sampling
The sample can be either grabbing, channellling, test pit, trenching, and costean. Several drill points can be implemented as an initial search in this general exploration period.

The scale of the map in this step exploration can be minimized to 1 :2000, or 1:1000.

Note:
Trenching : is the creation of a test trench, with long cutting across the area and deep prospect to fresh rock. The direction of the test trench should be perpendicular to the strike of rocks on a regional basis. From the trenches of this test will be taken by channeling sample test trench extends along, for laboratory analysis.
Costean : is a trenching in special area with more width and depth.

Detail Exploration:
Step 4: Detail exploration activities can be categorized as a search for mineral resources, including gold, with a thorough and measurable. Conscientious of the existence and completeness of data fetched, nice validation, and quite trustworthy. Measured, that all data taken already performed measurements will be the location coordinates, size, length size, shape and geometry. Thus the amount of data fetched, it can be used to create geological models, and can further be used as a backup resource calculation.

Activities undertaken in step exploration Details include:
1. Surface mapping, XRD/XRF sampling
2. Drilling / Core sampling
3. Geophysics, IP Dipole-Dipole, Ground Magnetics
4. Geotechnical drilling
5. Hydrometallurgical Test with est. 30Kg sample
6. Processing Test work with est. 200Kg sample.
7. Geology Model, Measured Reserves Calculation
8. Final Exploration Reporting

Drilling: is an exploration work with a view to taking core samples drilled from below the surface. Of course, using the drilling machine and the size of the sample taken vary from: Size NQ = 55mm; HQ = 74mm; and PQ = 99mm. Generally, for purposes of targets certain reports with the JORC standard, then used a minimum size HQ.

The topographic mapping work has already begun on the Exploration Details of this step, and the measurement will be done to coordinate the drilling point, point outcrop and distinctive signs that were found during the exploration. Furthermore, topographic mapping will cover all areas, especially in the area of mineral potential.

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By the Final exploration result:
So that, after the completion of the final exploration stage, so it can be made a geological model, it can then be calculated reserves of mineral resources.
Furthermore, the following steps prior to mining production, it was done is a feasibility study. Similarly to consider that enough reserves of these resources, advantageous if in production.

Assuming, of course assuming certain costs in accordance with the situation of the mineral commodity prices, and others include:
1. The selling price of the product
2. Cost of production operations
3. The processing costs
4. Social and Reclamation Costs