Mining

Gold Mining: separating gold from mercury

• placing mercury and sediment in a fine mesh bag while squeezing to get the goal and mercury to mix = amalgam bead

• using a torch to vaporize the mercury = recovered gold

Mercury Contamination: gold becoming gravel when mercury ions border water sources, open sediment, and mining pits

Hg++: inorganic mercury for gola

CH3Hg+: organic Hg by biological process

Mercury & the Body: affects the central nervous system by causing psychiatry disturbances, ataxia, visual loss, hearing loss, and neuropathy

Cyanide to Recover Gold: used in low concentration ores

1. Sodium cyanide added to gold ore

2. Gold ore dissolves

3. Zinc dust added, leaves a gold precipitate

4. Passes through a filter press: leaving gold and cyanide solution separate

Cyanide Effects: contaminated drinking

• water and ag

• major fish killed

• human health impacts

• larger mines