Curious about artisanal mining

[Paul Moynagh]

Hi guys, I've recently become curious about artisanal mining. While I'm clear that mercury is bad for the environment, I'm wondering what kind of recovery % the miners are getting by using this method. Also, is mercury only useful for dissolving elemental gold, i.e. that is not held in an oxide or sulphide rock?

 

[Yggdrasil]

Hi guys, I've recently become curious about artisanal mining. While I'm clear that mercury is bad for the environment, I'm wondering what kind of recovery % the miners are getting by using this method. Also, is mercury only useful for dissolving elemental gold, i.e. that is not held in an oxide or sulphide rock?

As said before, ut all depends on the conditions.
The Gold and Mercury forms an Alloy (as Amalgam) and as such dissolves the Gold into itself.
How it is behaving with complexed Gold I do not know.

 

[goldshark]

Hi guys, I've recently become curious about artisanal mining. While I'm clear that mercury is bad for the environment, I'm wondering what kind of recovery % the miners are getting by using this method. Also, is mercury only useful for dissolving elemental gold, i.e. that is not held in an oxide or sulphide rock?

First, only IRRESPONIBLE use of Mercury is bad for the Earth. Mercury can be found, naturally occurring, in virtually every rock type on the planet. At least in trace amounts.
Second, it will be impossible to get a % figure on Au recovery, using Mercury, As many Au deposits vary chemically to a large degree. Placer and free mill will allow the Mercury to capture the very finest particles, which depending on occurrence, may constitute up to 99% of total Au.
Thirdly, yes, there are a variety of minerals, namely the sulphides, which "sickens" the Mercury. They coat the Mercury with a layer, that does not allow the attraction, or wetability of the 2 elements to combine. Oxides usually need to be put in a ball mill to remove the surface tarnishing, usually a layer of Limonite, to expose fresh Gold surfaces.