Following discussions on assessment of gold tailings dumps at the Deloraine Goldfield near Williamstown, between the mineral lessee Mr C. Woods, and representatives of SADME and Amdel, a project was devised whereby Amdel technicians would evaluate the economic feasibility of setting up a plant to extract gold from the dumps.Previous work on various samples from the dumps had indicated that the gold content was 3 to 5 ppm and that the particle size distribution was about 95% minus 0.42 mm (36 mesh BSS), with a variable proportion (40% to 90%) of minus 0.075 mm material. Only a small proportion of the gold appeared to be recoverable by gravity treatment, but cyanidation had given extractions of about 80%; secondary copper minerals (approx. 0.3% Cu) were present and caused high cyanide consumption. The dumps are estimated to contain about 15,000 tonnes of tailings.The proposed programme of investigation was as follows:(1) Obtain a representative composite sample of the dumps. It was understood that Mr Woods had auger drilled and sampled the dumps, and that a bulk sample had been lodged with Amdel.(2) Carry out a gold mineralogy/liberation study of this composite to determine how the gold occurs and to assess the possibilities of gravity concentration.(3) Carry out cyanidation testing of the composite to determine gold extraction, cyanide consumption and lime consumption. Testing would be carried out on material (a) as received, (b) after grinding, and (c) after leaching out the secondary copper minerals.(4) on the basis of the results of steps (2) and (3), carry out a preliminary paper feasibility study to indicate likely costs for various alternative processes (e.g. cyanidation alone, cyanidation plus gravity concentration, gravity concentration alone).