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Hardrock Mining Or Lode Mining?


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I am revising my tags list to add a few terms. This one I thought I would ask about out of curiosity more than anything.

Hardrock mining and lode mining basically refer to the same thing - extracting minerals from solid rock. If you Google Hardrock Mining you get 566,000 results and if you Google Lode Mining you get 458,000 results. Also, Google lets me know that both "hardrock" and "hard rock" are in common use. It seems that technical and industry references prefer "hard rock" while government law references often use "hardrock". Government geologic reports prefer "lode mining" as lode and placer are specific terms as regards mining claims.

There are probably technicalities here to discuss but from a practical standpoint, when you think of tunneling into solid rock for gold, what do you think of? Lode mining? Hardrock mining? Hard rock mining? Something else? If a casual person is Googling for a result, what do they type? What would you type in the forum search tool?

As is often the case when I start using Google, I trip over interesting stuff. This time it is the Hard Rock Miner's Handbook by Jack de la Vergne,  Edition 5 Copyright © 2008 Stantec Consulting Ltd. This is the sort of technical text that would be expensive to buy and most of the information is of little use to the layman. But at 314 pages of specific calculations and perhaps more importantly, "rules of thumb" there may be some hidden treasure in here for some of you. Best of all, it's free. Download free pdf here.

The "rules of thumb" are true gems. The first one I saw: "It takes 25,000 claims staked to find 500 worth diamond drilling to find one mine. Source: Lorne Ames"

Subjects include: Exploration Geology and Ore Reserves, Rock Mechanics, Mining Methods, Mine Layout, Environmental Engineering, Feasibility Studies, Mineral Economics, Cost Estimating, Shaft Design, Shaft Sinking, Lateral Development and Ramps, Collars and Portals, Drum Hoists, Koepe / Friction Hoists, Wire Ropes Sheaves, and Conveyances, Headframes and Bins, Conveyors and Feeders, Ventilation and Air Conditioning, Compressed Air, Mine Dewatering, Backfill, Explosives and Drilling, Electrical, Passes, Bins, and Chutes, Crushers and Rockbreakers, Mineral Processing, Infrastructure and Transportation, Mine Maintenance, Project Management

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First post, long time lurker.  The trouble I have with the term hard-rock is that the BLM and EPA consider hard rock to be any locatable mineral, placer or lode.  So if your placer mining and think your not affected by hard rock regulations you may be wrong.

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Welcome to the forum Haal. I will take it that you prefer lode mining. I see no commentary from anyone saying hard rock regulations do not affect them.

I really was not trying to stir anything up. I was just curious if people think tunneling into solid rock would, "in their minds", be thought of as hard rock mining or lode mining.

I will just punt. New tag created "lode and hard rock". Thanks everyone.

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