Barrick’s Goldstrike Mine, located in the Carlin Trend in Nevada, processes 30,000 tons of gold ore daily through combined open-pit and underground operations. The North Block Tailings Disposal Facility (NBTDF) stores Goldstrike’s tailings and is one of the largest rockfill tailings dams globally, commissioned in 1994. Tierra Group joined Goldstrike in 2003 and, in 2012, Barrick appointed them as Engineer of Record for 12 dams, including NBTDF.
A false-color image captured by NASA’s Terra satellite on September 25, 2016, highlights the mine’s landscape. Vegetation is depicted in red, water in dark blue, and bare rock in various shades of brown and gray. The Betze-Post open-pit mine dominates the scene, with smaller open-pit mines operated by other companies visible northwest and southeast of Betze-Post.
The ore extraction process involves trucks transporting ore from the bottom of the pit to nearby processing facilities. Gold concentration and extraction occur through procedures such as crushing ore into powder, subjecting it to high temperatures and pressures, and leaching materials from liquid slurries. The leftover slurry is stored in tailing ponds, where solids settle out.
Goldstrike’s significance extends beyond its large open-pit mine, as it also operates two underground mines contributing to ore production. The average gold content is approximately 0.1 ounce per ton of ore. The mining operations at Goldstrike exemplify a comprehensive and intricate process, making it a key player in the global gold mining industry.
Goldstrike, owned by Barrick Gold since 1986, is situated in the prolific Carlin Trend and has produced 44.4 million ounces of gold by 2018. The mine’s history traces back to the first gold discovery in 1962, with Barrick gaining full ownership in 1986 and commencing mining in 1987.
Geologically, Goldstrike comprises the Betze-Post-Screamer and Meikle-Rodeo deposits, with gold epithermally deposited in sedimentary rocks. The Betze-Post deposits exhibit significant dimensions, with varying gold grades for open-pit and underground ore.
The Goldstrike complex operates three mines: Betze-Post (open-pit), Meikle, and Rodeo (underground). Ore from all mines undergoes milling, roasting or autoclave oxidation, and leaching in either CIL cyanidation or calcium thiosulfate circuits. Recovered gold is processed into doré on-site and sent to external refineries.
In 2015, Goldstrike contributed significantly to Nevada’s gold production, with the Betze-Post open-pit mine producing 642,493 oz of gold, and the Meikle-Rodeo underground operations yielding 411,003 oz. By 2018, Goldstrike became the world’s eighth-largest gold mine, producing 795,663 ounces of gold.