Technical Report. Experimental Smelting and Refining of Sulphide Ore Mineral Samples from Mineral Claims , ,

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "Technical Report. Experimental Smelting and Refining of Sulphide Ore Mineral Samples from Mineral Claims , ,"

Derrick Campbell
5 years ago
Views:

1 Technical Report Experimental Smelting and Refining of Sulphide Ore Mineral Samples from Mineral Claims , , Victoria Mining District 092C UTM Co-ordinates N, E Owner of Claims Dean Arbic Report Written By Dean Arbic Event Number Report Date June

2 Table of Contents Title Page...pg 1 Table of Contents...pg 2 Confirmation Page...pg 3 Introduction and Claim History... pg 4 Access and Sample Location Map...pg 5 Technical Work Description... pg 6 Conclusions and Interpretations...pg 7 Photographs of Equipment...pg 8, 9, 10 Photograph of Samples...pg. 11, 12, 13 Equipment and Tools Used...pg 14 Statement of Work and Cost...pg 15 Hardware and Software and Qualifications...pg 16

3 Introduction and Claim History Back in the 1920's large cubes of pyrite were found in a gravel bed near these claims and traced to large outcroppings of copper ore near the banks of the East Fork of Robertson Creek. Some small bulk samples were mined from short shafts in the 30's and produced some copper at about 10% and a trace of gold and approximately 20 grams per ton silver. Mineral Claims , and named Jupiter, Panorama and Copernicus respectively are all located approximately 5 kilometers south of the Town of Mesachie Lake. Each one of these claims has known Copper Iron Silver Gold deposits. They are situated on the north bank of the East Fork of the Robertson Creek and are accessed by travelling along de-activated logging roads on the north side of Robertson Creek. The area can be accessed from the Town of Lake Cowichan by turning left onto the Circle route from the main road in Mesachie Lake, and travelling west to gate LC 141. Then travelling about 3 km. on a de-activated road paralleling Robertson Creek to foot trails constructed for carrying samples. Ore was previously taken from each claim and catalogued and stored for use in this experimental smelting project.

4 Equipment and Tools Used A hammer and anvil were used to crush the ore and separate it into categories according to amount of lustre and metal. Two propane fired smelters were used, one for roasting and one for smelting and refining. The roaster furnace is a homemade propane appliance with no serial number or model number. The smelting and refining furnace is a Johnson Gas Appliance model F900 L/S serial # 225A Limestone and Borax and Fluorite were used as flux. Oxygen was also used to assist the refining. 15 pounds of Propane was used. UTM co-ordinates were collected with a handheld Magellan explorist 100 GPS unit. Co-ordinates are generally accurate within 5 to 40 meters depending on the topography, interference from trees and weather conditions. Digital photographs were taken using a Sony DSC-H Mega Pixel Digital Camera.

5 Hardware Software and Qualifications and Sources GPS Unit... Magellan Explorist 100 Digital Camera...Sony DSC-H Mega Pixel Digital Camera. This report was prepared using; OpenOffice.org 3.2 for all Text documents Paint.NET v for all sketches and for labelling photographs Maps were prepared using the MTO map viewer and recorded with Adobe software IBM Desktop computer with a Microsoft Windows XP Professional Version 2002 Service Pack 3 This report was written by Dean M Arbic who has a grade 12 education from Erindale Secondary School in Ontario.

6 Statement of Work and Cost This statement is for event # for Technical work performed on mineral claims; , and April hours of work, crushing, roasting and $100 per hour equals $ April hours of work $ per hour equals... $ Propane and Flux (Fluorite and Borax and Oxygen)...$20.00 Total...$ PAC Debit...$ Total Applied...$ I certify this statement is true and correct June Dean M. Arbic

7 Technical Work Description Small samples were taken previously from these three claims and stockpiled at my residence in 2007 to The total amount of samples is about a ton and a half. Twenty kilograms was selected and with an anvil and hammer, pieces of pyrites were separated from Garnetite and Silicates, Calcite and any other host rock. This 20 kilograms was shipped to Duncan BC to a small private smelting and blacksmithing facility, that conducts research into the feasibility of using local materials as supplies for use by artists who reside there and carve and sculpt, make jewellery and signs etc. Then pieces of mostly Pyrite and Chalcopyrite were crushed by hand to the size of small gravel. Then the ore was roasted and re-crushed. 3.6 kilograms of ore was roasted at a time, twice totalling 7.2 kilograms of concentrated ore with a metallic appearance. And then it was crushed again to powder and placed into a propane fired smelter. First 10 grams of Limestone was added to the smelter, then 5 grams of Borax was added then 5 grams of Fluorite and then the metal separated from the silicates and 85 grams of metal was poured out of the smelter and the rest was a partially metallic slag. The surface of the metal was black, but after a piece was cut open, it revealed that the interior was deep dark blue. This was not what was expected, the metal was hard and almost brittle. Since the ore was mostly Chalcopyrite, it was anticipated that a simple smelting process would produce a very simple iron and copper type alloy of brassy colour. This assumption was based on the previous assay results that revealed the three various ores used ranged from approximately 3 to 23 percent copper and approximately 10 to 40 percent iron. Since the goal of this project was to see if some sort of malleable brass type metal could be easily produced from these claims by a simple blacksmith type smelting procedure. We decided to see if further refining could separate the Copper from the Iron, so the Copper could be used as an ingredient in homemade brass, since the first Copper and Iron product was too dark of a colour to be used. This was most likely due to the presence magnetite. So further smelting was conducted and pure oxygen was injected into the crucible containing the molten metal. Yet contrary to what we had studied, the iron and copper did not separate. But instead it turned to an oxidized black powder. So more research into the behaviour of this ore and the nature of Iron Copper alloys needs to be conducted before a useable brass type product can be smelted from this ore.

8 Conclusions and Interpretations If a simple magnetic separator was employed before smelting, most of the magnetite could be removed from the pyrite and chalcopyrite, and possibly, it may improve the luster, colour and malleability of the smelted metals. While this project was partially successful and did produce a bluish black metal with ease. It did not produce a brass type product that could be used by local artisans for shaping or casting into art projects etc, at this point. And further refining failed to isolate the copper from the iron so that it could be used for making brass or bronze.

Access Map for 536855, 573881, 570448, 568846 Legend 0 450

Data layers that appear on this map may or may not be

9 Access Map for , , , Legend m. This map is a user generated static output from an Internet mapping site and is for general reference only. Data layers that appear on this map may or may not be accurate, current, or otherwise reliable. THIS MAP IS NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION. Map center: 48 44' 43" N, 124 4' 49" W Scale: 1:24,806

Metallic Ore Deposits. From where do we mine our metals?

Metallic Ore Deposits. From where do we mine our metals? Metallic Ore Deposits From where do we mine our metals? Average Crustal Abundance of Ore Metals Metal Silver (Ag) Gold (Au) Copper (Cu) Iron (Fe) Nickel (Ni) Lead (Pb) Tin (Sn) Zinc (Zn) Average Abundance