The concentration of silver in U.S. deposits from which silver is economically minable as the principal product at 2001 silver prices was typically about four orders of magnitude greater than the crustal average, or about 700 g/t.
I think, it is a very high grade for average run of mine. Typically 200 g/t suitable for mineral processing as average grade.
In a recent publication, authors have reported anomalous silver concentration in the range of 2 to 5 ppm( g/t). In my view, it is not a significant concentration of silver to be recovered as a bye product. The minimum concentration of silver should be above an average of 30 ppm (g/t) to be recovered as bye product.
The producible concentration of silver (or optimum grade) may be very different on types of ore deposits. Precious metals such as Au, Ag, Cu, ect. can be found in together as complex ores or as placer ore. Placer ores processing methods are cheaper than complex and refractory ores. Fine grinding and cyanidation processes should be necessary. Therefore minimum silver grade is changeable for production.
Low grade gold and silver ore deposits are economically processed using heap
leaching methods by cyanide solutions. These methods are successfully applied to ores containing 1 g Au/ton.
Thanks Huseyin Vapur, Can you enlighten me with the meaning of Anomalous concentration of silver ? I am specifically interested for anomalous silver concentration in Volcano Plutonic rocks
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