Gold Mining: The Four Different Types Of Gold Mining

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Gold mining

Gold mining is the process of mining of gold or gold ores from the ground. Placer mining, hard rock mining, byproduct mining and processing gold ore are the 4 different types of gold mining. Metal detecting, panning, cradling, sluicing and dredging are different techniques of placer mining. These processes use separating techniques to find the gold. This technique involves using gravity and water to separate the dense gold from the other materials that are around it. Hard rock mining is the process of using open pit or underground mining tunnels to collect the gold from the rock. This process is in control of most of the world’s findings of gold. Byproduct mining is related to hard rock mining in terms of that it uses an open pit or underground mining tunnels as well. In byproduct mining the main purpose of it is to recover things like copper, sand and gravel. Although gold is the secondary product in byproduct mining it still produces a lot of gold. Gold ore is the last category in gold mining. Chemical processes like Cyanide are used to extract gold from finely crushed rock containing gold ore or earth containing trace amounts of gold.

Definitions:
Cyanide: a salt or ester of hydrocyanic acid, containing the anion CN− or the group −CN. The salts are generally extremely toxic.
Karat: a measure of the …show more content…

The Zortman-Landusky mine illustrates how modern mine operations continue to impact landscapes and leave behind massive environmental problems and liabilities. The mine experienced many problems, such as cyanide spills, and surface and groundwater contamination from acid mine drainage. This was one of the first massive cyanide heap-leach operations to open, as well as one of the first to close, leaving behind significant pollution and cleanup

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