Near Red Mountain in Kern County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
The Baltic Mine Project
Photographed By Denise Boose, September 6, 2011
1. The Baltic Mine Project Marker
Few local miners still burrow underground, lured by the rich yellow gleam of gold. Most gold now recovered from California’s Rand Mining District is microscopic in size, and so finely dispersed that it is invisible to the naked eye. Rock containing as little as .02 ounces of gold per ton is considered “ore” meaning that it can be mined at a profit. From this vantage point, you can watch the Baltic Mine’s excavation of approximately 50,000 total tons per day. When tests reveal that gold content in one area is too low to be mined economically, material is hauled to a waste rock stockpile. Rock classified as ‘ore”is added in thin layers to the “heap leach pad” on your right, which was started in July 1993. The leach pad is constructed with an impermeable liner beneath it. Atop the pad, a network of tubes constantly drip a “barren” dilute sodium cyanide solution. Cyanide exhibits a strong affinity for gold and silver, which is dissolves from the ore, one minute particle at a time, as gravity draws the solution downward through the heap leach pad toward waiting collector pipes.Topics. This historical marker
this page online
Location. Marker has been reported permanently removed. It was located near 35° 21.051′ N, 117° 37.904′ W. Marker was near Red Mountain, California, in Kern County. Marker was on Red Mountain Road, 0.8 miles west of U.S. 395, on the left when traveling west. Located at the end of an un-marked dirt road, at the top of a hill. Touch for map. Marker was in this post office area: Randsburg CA 93554, United States of America.
We have been informed that this sign or monument is no longer there and will not be replaced. This page is an archival view of what was.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this location, measured as the crow flies. The Kelly Silver Mine (here, next to this marker); The Baltic Mine (here, next to this marker); Yellow Aster Gold Mine (a few steps from this marker); a different marker also named Kelly Silver Mine (approx. 0.7 miles away); The Owl Hotel (approx. 0.7 miles away); Silver Dollar Saloon (approx. 0.8 miles away); The King Solomon Mine (approx. 1.2 miles away); Rand District Community Cemetery (approx. 1.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Red Mountain.
Photographed By Denise Boose, September 6, 2011
2. The Baltic Mine Project Marker - Center
Additional commentary.
1. The Carbon Adsorption Process - See Photo #5
For processing, “pregnant” gold bearing sodium cyanide solution is recovered from beneath the “heap leach pad” in the collector pipes. The solution then flows to the solution holding pond and is pumped to the large vertical tanks at the recovery plant. Gold and other valuable minerals in solution are adsorbed by activated charcoal as the pregnant solution flows through one tank after another. As the charcoal in each tank reaches its capacity, it is replaced. Collected minerals are stripped from the charcoal and electroplated onto steel wool. The resulting “dore”, a mixture of gold and silver, is melted in a furnace and poured into an ingot. Impurities are removed by an off-site refiner, yielding 99.99% “pure” gold. The dilute cyanide solution is not thrown away. Instead, it is reconstituted and recycled back to the heap leach pad to continue this round the clock, seven day a week gold recovery process. The gold recovery/recirculation process will continue for some time after excavation in the pit ceases. The heap leach pad will eventually be rinsed to eliminate toxic cyanide concentrations. At the conclusion of the Baltic Mine Project all equipment will be dismantled and removed.
Photographed By Denise Boose, September 6, 2011
3. The Baltic Mine Project
— Submitted April 4, 2012, by Denise Boose of Tehachapi, California.
Photographed By Denise Boose, September 6, 2011
4. The Baltic Mine Project Marker
Photographed By Denise Boose, September 6, 2011
5. The Carbon Adsorption Process
See Additional Comment #1
Photographed By Craig Baker, June 27, 2020
6. Baltic Mine Marker
This is one of three new markers that have replaced the originals. See 'Other Nearby Markers.'
Credits. This page was last revised on July 19, 2020. It was originally submitted on March 24, 2012, by Denise Boose of Tehachapi, California. This page has been viewed 772 times since then and 144 times this year. Last updated on July 18, 2020, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on March 24, 2012, by Denise Boose of Tehachapi, California. 6. submitted on July 18, 2020, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.
