Bucket Line Dredge Efficiency

[Joe S (AK)]

NOPE - The test pan crew worked the 18" deep / thick Top-of-Streambed to Bedrock Layer upstream (above) the dike.

Joe

[Geowizard]

Continuous mining;

If we are still on the subject of "Bucket Dredges", they mined along bedrock continuously and the top of the tailing piles are the same as the bottom.

- Geowizard

[Geowizard]

Bucket Line Dredge Operation;

Bucket Line Dredge efficiency varied from one minute to the next according to and depending on the operation.

Here is a good reference that covers many details of the operation;

https://dredging.org/documents/ceda/dow ... redger.pdf

Because there are varied applications for bucket line dredges, different papers on the subject may be application specific, or in some cases be general in scope. Bucket line dredges swing on a pivot. Cutting is done continuously along an arc.

On the Kougarok;

The mining process depends on the mine. In the case of the Kougarok River, dredging was done primarily at the headwaters. As would be expected, the headwaters as with any river has LESS water. It can be seen that a lake was developed to contain water to make dredging possible. Dredging - for the purpose of prospecting was done a short distance down river. The only reference to mining on the Kougarok River I could find was the one I provided in the link a couple of years ago. Mining has continued in recent years at the headwaters. Early mining in the form of bucket line dredging down river on the Kougarok river can only be expected to have been sporadic prospecting with the dredge. Because of the depth to bedrock which was stated in the reference to be 60 feet, the only possible way to prospect was with a bucket line. There isn't any other practical way to dig 60 feet down in water. The tailings will reflect the day to day success or lack of success in prospecting. Because dredging did not reveal sufficient GOLD, prospecting down river was suspended according to the reference.

- Geowizard

[Geowizard]

Site specific characteristics;

In order to discuss the subject of bucket line dredge efficiency, it is important to understand the location of the mining and activity that took place.

Here's a link to the mining location;

https://mrdata.usgs.gov/ardf/show-ardf. ... _num=BN035

The link above provides additional links at the end which provide further discussion on the history of mining on the Kougarok River. Reading the history of the work that was done in the Kougarok Mining district will give a perspective not often seen about the conditions miners endured in those times.

Stick around, there's more!

- Geowizard