How to get gold from rock

How is gold mined?

How is gold mined?

Gold has been valued as a precious metal for six and a half millennia. This unique substance became a symbol of luxury and the equivalent of wealth in the 3rd millennium BC. The chemical name of the element in the periodic table is Aurum, this term is translated into Sanskrit as yellow, in the Latin interpretation of the translation the word sounds like Aurora or the Goddess of the Dawn.

This element is rare in nature, so its extraction involves a lengthy search for deposits and a labor-intensive process of extracting gold from ore and bulk rocks. Large nuggets of metal found throughout the Earth can be counted on one hand.

How are gold veins found?

Gold is a mineral resource that is developed in several stages:

• Exploration of the deposit and delineation of the site for future developments.
• Economic assessment of deposit volumes.
• Excavation of deposit sites and creation of initial infrastructure for industrial development.
• Extraction of gold-bearing rocks - ore, sand and extraction of precious metal from them.

Related materials:

How is oil extracted?

Quartz vein with gold

Exploration and prospecting work is carried out by studying rock outcrops, examining cores recovered during well drilling, and geophysical studies of strata.

Geologists often determine the zone of possible gold-bearing rocks by accompanying minerals. These include chalcopyrite, pyrite, sphalerite, galena, arsenopyrite, stibnite, and brown ironstone.

The main mineral that geologists look for when searching for gold is quartz. It is in quartz veins that gold inclusions are most often found.

The satellites of gold ore are rocks - diorites and granites. They are formed under the same conditions in the depths as gold-bearing rocks, that is, when magma rises to the surface and cools in the upper layers of the earth's crust.

Bedrock or ore deposits

Primary or ore gold deposit

The first deposits of the precious metal are considered to be primary or ore deposits. It is from them that gold placers are formed during the destruction of strong conglomerates from rocks. Subsequently, rock fragments are transported by water flows, this explains the presence of gold in the channel valleys of small rivers. Such a placer is called alluvial and is considered the most promising for development.

Related materials:

How is salt obtained?

Eluvial deposit

Eluvial gold deposit

An eluvial deposit is a placer of debris and sand that has not been transported. They lie where the gold-bearing rock has been destroyed; they are usually found on the watersheds of large water arteries. This type of deposit is in second place in terms of gold content.

Colluvial placer

Colluvial placer

A colluvial placer is a mass of fragments with gold-bearing inclusions that has slid down from the slopes of mountains. It is always located below the primary deposit, so before laying mines, additional exploration is carried out and the height in the mountains is found where gold-bearing strata lie. Economically, these deposits are considered low-profit.

Extraction of gold from ore and its subsequent processing

Open method of gold mining

The development of gold deposits is carried out using open and closed methods. open pits are quarries in which drilling and blasting operations are carried out to create ore dumps, which are subsequently transported to mining and processing enterprises;

closed - these are mines leading to underground deposits from which gold ore is extracted.

Related materials:

How is coal mined?

Closed mining method

The second is more expensive, since the operation of the mechanisms in the mine requires additional energy, special mechanisms and equipment, and the cost of paying for dangerous working conditions for miners.

Ore processing

Ore processing consists of grinding it to the smallest fractions (into sand) and adding cyanide solution to them.

Ore processing

This substance leaches gold particles, the rock settles, and the gold is released and removed along with cyanide from the rock mass. Cyanide leaching can be of two types: with ore grinding, as described above, and heap leaching. In the second option, the ore is not crushed, but cyanide is poured onto the rock pieces.

Getting gold

This process of gold separation is longer, and the share of gold produced from ore is much lower than in the first option. If 95% of the total gold contained in ore can be extracted from the sand fraction, then only 65% ​​can be extracted from rock pieces. The advantage of heap leaching is the lower cost of the treatment process.

Related materials:

How is mercury mined?

Gold producing countries

Gold is not mined in all countries. This is due to the rarity of this element in nature, as well as the complexity of industrial extraction technologies. There are few open deposits in Russia, mostly closed mines, and our country is a leader in them (4th place).

Previously, the most gold-producing countries were the USA and Canada, then China became the vanguard (it produces about 13% of the world's reserves). The list of the main gold-mining countries is as follows - China, Australia, South Africa, USA, Russia, Peru, Uzbekistan.

Source: https://kipmu.ru/kak-dobyvayut-zoloto/

Metal detector for searching for gold in Russia - how to find nuggets

How to find gold with a metal detector and without its help? Main types and features of metal detectors, design and principles of operation. Where are the gold deposits in Russia?

In Ancient Rus', the issue of gold mining was acute. Prince Ivan III wanted to establish gold mines and invited Italian gold miners to the state. The attempts were unsuccessful - they found only a small piece of precious metal from which a small cross was made.

His descendant, Ivan IV the Terrible, also became interested in the goal of extraction. He conquered Siberia, but did not achieve what he wanted. The remaining rulers of the ancient Russian state continued their futile attempts. The turning point was the beginning of Peter the Great's accession to the Russian throne. From that moment on, precious jewelry and items of clothing with precious metal and stones began to appear in the Russian Empire.

The first nugget was mined by a Russian peasant from the Urals, who was building a house near the river. He found grains of gold, and two years later a mine was dug in this place, which was an extremely successful decision. Large-scale mining of the precious metal began.

What is a metal detector? Device and principle of operation

Metal detectors are special devices for recognizing metals. Professional treasure hunters constantly use them in their activities, searching for nuggets with a metal detector, treasures, gold and silver jewelry and accessories, ancient coins, and so on.

Metals have the ability to conduct electricity, so the device produces electromagnetic waves, which, interacting with various substances, help identify ferrous and noble metals in the environment that have a high level of conductivity. By picking up these signals, the metal detector searches for gold.

New models of metal detectors can be configured based on soil composition, search depth and some distinctive features of the search objects. Low-frequency metal detectors can operate to a depth of up to 4 meters, and high-frequency ones – up to 40 cm. Each type is useful in its own way. So, the former can find large gold objects located quite deep, and the latter will help find small coins and jewelry.

The detectors consist of a pulse transmitter coil, a controller capable of detecting the return signal, control and power units. How does a metal detector react to gold? It contains a small electronic device that emits some kind of detection signal, be it sound, tactile or light. The design is developed based on the specific application. It should be quite light and comfortable.

Search technology has a number of characteristics that indicate quality:

1. Equipment sensitivity is the maximum distance at which a metal detector is capable of detecting signals from precious objects. The dimensions, weight and chemical composition of the metals are important. The metal detector for precious metals is highly sensitive.
2. Separation Capacity – The instrument is capable of separating multiple objects that are in close proximity to each other, creating multiple separate signals. It is measured by the minimum distance between the desired one. The value varies depending on the configuration of the electromagnetic field, which is created by the device itself.
3. The maximum search speed, which characterizes the permissible speed of movement with the detector. The higher the speed of movement, the lower the probability of detection.
4. Selectivity - metal detectors can select from a mass of objects any specific objects that have certain specified parameters. This significantly saves time and reduces the number of false signals. Finding gold with a metal detector is a very difficult task, during which the device must be configured to detect this particular object underground.
5. Resistance to interference helps maintain selectivity parameters if there are interfering objects in the search sector.

Kinds

Metal detectors for searching for gold can be different. Manufacturers take into account the possibility of searching in certain places; such detectors show the best results. Highly specialized devices are equipped with special functions.

Universal and specialized metal detectors respond to precious metals. Generalists can find many different metal objects in addition to nuggets. They are characterized by a wide range of search options, manually adjustable for different purposes. Expensive, highly specialized devices are designed to look for nuggets where universal ones cannot cope.

The ability to search for precious metal depends on the parameters and adjustments of the metal detector. Nowadays you can find many models on the market with different price ranges. It is only important to figure out which detector is suitable for a given consumer.

Types of metal detectors:

• Beach - in sand, with high levels of minerals contained in it, it can be extremely difficult to find metals behind the interference. Beach metal detectors are capable of suppressing interference and successfully searching for precious metals and jewelry.
• Aquatic - they have special requirements. The best metal detectors for finding nuggets have high discrimination and a sealed coil. Tightness refers to the search depth underwater.
• Depth detectors are distinguished by their low frequency. They are effective for searching for metals at high depths. For such purposes, devices equipped with not one, but two coils are perfect.

How to choose?

Metal detectors with a specific operating principle are highly effective for performing certain tasks. When purchasing, it is important to consider the presence of built-in functions, such as search depth, moisture resistance, the ability to reduce the amount of interference due to the high content of minerals in the soil, etc. A professional metal detector for gold can cost more than 150 thousand rubles.

Low-frequency metal detectors respond only to large metal objects located at great depths, while high-frequency ones, on the contrary, respond to small jewelry and coins at shallow depths.

Searching for gold with a metal detector should only be done if the device is pulsed. However, such detectors are very susceptible to interference from small metal debris.

All this is important to consider when choosing the optimal device for conducting searches.

Metal detectors for searching for gold

In fact, this precious metal can be seen by any metal detector, because it is also a metal, but not everyone can recognize the received signal. Gold's characteristics of changing electric fields are very similar to rusty iron. There are special metal detectors that react exclusively to a given metal, but it is important to remember the size of what you are looking for.

To answer the question: “How does a gold metal detector work?”, it is important to take into account the parameters of such equipment and the options offered.

Coins made from precious metals are perfectly detectable by high-frequency instruments. Along with them you can also find precious earrings and rings.

Detectors for searching precious items are equipped with an expanded range of detecting ferrous metals. Since the products are generally quite small, a metal detector for gold should have a high level of sensitivity. The main purpose of these devices is to search for the smallest objects at various depths. Prices for a gold metal detector start at 40 thousand rubles.

Various gold mining companies widely use metal detectors that can find precious metals. A modern metal detector for gold is equipped with a powerful processor, uses many exclusive technologies, and is very successful in searching on beaches.

Where can you find gold with a metal detector?

The versatile, multifunctional metal has always been the cause of wars and strife. The mines attracted miners, destroying the true appearance of a person fighting for survival in difficult conditions.

The precious metal was used as a means of payment; many coins were minted from it in different countries. It was used to make jewelry and was a tool to achieve goals. Now this metal is used in production processes.

Where to look for gold nuggets with a metal detector? In nature, the precious metal can be found in quartz veins and placers. Gold nuggets are highly valued. This precious metal without impurities is very rarely found in nature. Most often, the metal is simply cleaned during processing.

Primary deposits contain crystalline nuggets, and even small grains of precious metal can be found in placers. Nuggets are found in rivers and mountain lakes. Tiny gold particles are found in quartz veins.

Placers can be found near quartz rocks.

Metal detectors can distinguish between a decoy and a nugget. Finding precious rocks is carried out by adjusting frequencies, searching for waves reflected from objects consisting of metals. At shallow water depths, high-frequency metal detectors will be effective. How to set up a metal detector for gold? Radiation frequencies can be adjusted manually or automatically.

To search for precious items such as earrings, brooches and treasures, it is worth searching at night on lake, river and sea beaches. People lose things all the time in places like this. Treasures and coins can be found in the walls and basements of ancient houses abandoned by people fleeing natural phenomena such as fires, floods and volcanic eruptions.

Where to look for gold with a metal detector? There are a lot of locations of the precious metal, but finding them is very difficult. Only luck will be your main assistant. Small particles of precious metal can be found in sea water, but currently there is no single method of such extraction.

Quartz layers are destroyed under the influence of natural phenomena. Solid pieces of nuggets are formed. Reserves are deposited in certain types of sediments:

• eluvial;
• residual (located near veins that have been subjected to physical or chemical influences, they can be found near mountains);
• bottom (on the river bottom in the form of sediments);
• terraced (located at the bottom of the river).

Mining nuggets is practically no different from mining other metals. A fairly deep mine is created, from which large rocks with precious metal are delivered to the surface. The metal is ground to a powder and purified.

Finding gold with a metal detector in Russia

Finding gold with a metal detector in Russia is carried out by many gold miners. However, it is impossible to say exactly where it can be found. Promising directions for searching are the Ural Mountains, the Chukotka coast, Amur and Magadan. At different times, huge nuggets weighing up to 16 kilograms were found in these places.

Before starting the search, it is important to make sure whether there is any metal there at all. Geologists or local residents can give a more accurate answer to this question. Referring to the archives will allow you to find information about the ongoing mines. If nuggets weighing more than 50 grams were found in any place, then this will be a signal to search there. Perhaps these tips will help treasure hunters find gold with a metal detector.

How to find gold in the ground without a metal detector?

The desire to find valuable things is completely justified. But few people want to buy expensive equipment to search for heirlooms. Searching without a detector requires only luck. It is important to choose the search purpose and location. If we are talking about finding precious jewelry that was once lost, then the best place to try your luck is the beach.

To find precious coins, you need to at least have a rough idea of ​​where they might be. Abandoned towns and villages are considered the most common places for search engines. If you are lucky enough to find old maps, then the best place to search will be the royal settlements. It is worth taking a closer look at the doors and windows, looking for any hiding places under the baseboards, and inspecting the space under the floors. Persistence and work, with sufficient luck, will be fully rewarded.

Source: https://md-kit.ru/metalloiskatel-dlya-poiska-zolota

How to make gold yourself: 3 methods of synthesis, methods of obtaining at home

How is gold mined? Perhaps quite a few of our fellow citizens are puzzled by this question: how do they mine gold at home, without going to the mines somewhere? This article will discuss methods for mining (or refining) this precious metal from various sources.

The economic realities of life for the average city resident are such that you have to have your own source of part-time work. But this is also why there is a crisis in the economy and finding a position in a company that brings in enough money is not so easy. Therefore, other than making gold, there are often no options for gold mining.

Gold mining at home can be considered such an additional source of money. In this case, you don’t have to use amalgamation - this is mining based on mercury, because it is known how toxic and harmful this chemical element is not only for the miner himself, but also for his entire environment.

It is known that this method has not been used for a long time by government agencies involved in industrial gold mining. They prefer leaching gold using sodium cyanide.

How to get gold?

Before describing the technology for extracting gold with your own hands, let’s define how gold is made and what can become a “gold mine” in the conditions of a certain region. So, first of all, such a source can be a gilded object from the era of socialist realism:

• wristwatch case;
• bijouterie;
• cutlery such as knives, forks, spoons, plates and even cups.

Not to mention the appearance of these items, if you decide to extract gold from improvised means, the main thing is that in the Soviet Union high-quality materials, as well as precious metals, were actively used in products.

In addition, gold can also be found in electronic devices, and precious metals can be found inside both old and modern models of electronics.

So, you should look for precious metals in radio components, microcircuits, connectors, transistors and other parts.

It should be taken into account that the older any electronic device - a computer or TV - is, the more gold parts it contains inside. You can get them at home and with a small amount of special equipment.

All directions for searching for a rich source of gold will be effective. Of course, the size of the settlement where the gold miner lives may determine how many sources of the precious metal he will find. You can search not only for one source - this will bring more fruits, that is, it will allow you to extract more gold.

Mining gold at home - etching method

There are quite a lot of options for extracting gold with your own hands - from ordinary washing of rock or looking for gold nuggets in gold-bearing places to industrial methods that use chemical reagents, such as mercury. Its difference is that it envelops even the smallest particles of gold.

But it was only the fact that mercury is unusually toxic that caused state-owned enterprises to abandon this method. This should also be taken into account by the city gold miner who extracts the precious metal with his own hands. Let's consider such a convenient home gold mining method as etching. For this process you will need the following items:

• plastic basin and bucket, also made of plastic;
• heat-resistant glass container;
• scales;
• durable cotton fabric as a filter;
• a fireproof device for melting metal - a crucible;
• electric stove;
• a pair of rubber gloves.

Since gold, as a chemical element, is highly inert, etching can be used, which requires a specific oxidizing agent. In this case, such an oxidizing agent is a mixture of hydrochloric acid and nitric acid, taken in a ratio of 1 to 3. It is also popularly called “aqua regia.”

If there is no crucible structure, you can use burnt brick, in which you can cut out a cavity with a grinder.

The oxidizing agent is used immediately after it is prepared, because the settling process leads to the decomposition of nitrogen dioxide. This impairs the performance of the oxidizer and the process such as gold synthesis.

You may be interested in: Where is gold mined in our country?

Having lowered the boards, microcircuits and other parts into the prepared solution, we can see that after a while a thin film of precious metal will form in the liquid. Other parts of instrument parts that are immersed in the solution will completely dissolve in it.

When the process is completed, filter the solution by passing it through a cotton cloth. Thus, the thin gold film obtained by etching remains on the fabric.

To implement this method and obtain gold, you can only take nitric acid.

It is important to know that in this case the nitric acid must be very pure and free of impurities. To test gold, you can look at an open container of nitric acid - if the acid is pure, smoke will appear when the container is opened.

You can get gold using reagents like this:

1. We prepare raw materials and acids. Very carefully separate the gold parts of the boards and parts from the remaining elements. This will help minimize the loss of precious metal during the etching process.
2. Place the prepared parts in acid. When processing microcircuits, the “legs” located next to the gold areas may not all dissolve. You can solve the problem by using a magnet that attracts these parts to you.
3. Filtration process. We melt the resulting gold powder in a crucible, adding borax - it can be obtained from gas welders. They use borax as a solder on brass.

Making gold at home - electrolysis

The next effective way to extract precious metal at home is the electrolysis method. First of all, it must be said that this method is intended to extract gold from small devices, for example, microcircuits, semiconductors, radio boards, SIM cards and similar parts.

This option is more complex than the etching method, but will allow you to extract purer gold and make gold from lead. The process itself looks something like this:

1. A certain container is filled with sulfuric or hydrochloric acid.
2. A pair of lead or iron plates are dipped into the solution. These plates will be the cathode, and the anode will be, in fact, those parts of gold in microcircuits or other devices.
3. Using copper wire, the plates are connected to each other and connected to electricity.
4. We turn on electricity with a power of up to 0.8 amperes per 1 dm2 and lower the prepared parts.
5. After moving the yellow metal from the anode to the cathode, the plate is removed from the solution and the gold is purified.
   The same is repeated as with the etching method. If the process is very slow or there are large losses during gold extraction, you need to change the power of the supplied electricity.

All the methods that were described are cost-effective - by investing a minimum of money, it is possible to get more profit. Among other things, this technology does not take much time, and this method of gold mining can be combined with other activities.

You don't need much experience or special equipment. Among the disadvantages is that you can get injured. However, if you follow safety precautions - have an apron, rubber gloves, a respirator, you minimize all risks.

Source: http://VseoZolote.ru/dobycha/mozhno-li-sdelat-zoloto-svoimi-rukami.html

How to extract gold from stone at home

For centuries, gold was considered the most valuable noble metal, which played a key role in a wide variety of areas of human activity.

But if in ancient times there were no specific methods for extracting this material, in addition to developing mines, then today things are much better and it is possible to extract a certain amount of gold from stone.

general information

Modern science knows which stones contain gold, so there are practically no difficulties with its extraction. Particles of precious metal are present in the veins of various rocks, and advanced technologies make it possible to determine their authenticity, as well as distinguish them from other, worthless materials.

In nature, gold can be found in the following forms:

• Nuggets.
• Fine-grained placers.
• Powder dust.

It is found in veins of stones and rocks, which are located in mountain rivers, among rocks and mountains, in sea sand, and also together with other minerals. Knowing which stones contain gold, you can remove it without much difficulty. The extraction of precious metal occurs through refining.

Before you start extracting it, you need to make sure that it is really a precious metal and not iron pyrite or zinc. Many minerals resemble yellow treasure with their characteristic shine, but they crumble very quickly under mechanical stress. As for gold-containing stones, they only scratch.

Fake gold sands and placers may look identical to pure gold, but they differ from it in a number of properties. The satellites of gold are intrusive rocks that were formed due to the solidification of magma.

Among them:

• Quartz diorites.
• Granite.
• Quartz.

The closest neighbors of the yellow metal are galerites, pyrites, stibnites, arsenopyrites and other similar minerals. Removing a valuable find from granite is incredibly difficult; this requires complex installations and professional equipment.

When figuring out how to extract gold from stone at home, you need to understand that mining methods may differ depending on its composition and other features. To accomplish this task, a lot of chemical methods are used. When processing lead sulfite, a mechanical action is carried out, which allows you to break the stone into small cubes, and then get the desired find from there.

Quartz diorites and quartz also have an impressive content of precious metal. They can be found in rocks, rivers and rocks, as well as in sea sand and on the pebbles of the bottom of various natural bodies of water. Tiny metal particles look like gold deposits.

Search for gold

How to find rock that may contain valuable yellow metal is not difficult to understand. The gold mining industry is developing in several countries where natural deposits of this rock are located. Among them:

• China, which ranks first in terms of gold mining volumes.
• Australia.
• Russian Federation.
• USA.
• Canada.
• SOUTH AFRICA.
• And some other countries where gold mining is carried out on a smaller scale.

Russia is in third place on the list, behind China and Australia in terms of precious metal production. Several deposits were found on the territory of the state, 95% of which are located in the regions of the Far East, in the Amur, Krasnoyarsk and Irkutsk regions, as well as in Chukotka. Gold is also mined in Buryatia, Transbaikalia, Khabarovsk and Krasnoyarsk territories. The latter region is considered the leader in terms of volumes of precious metal extraction from the ground.

Identification of deposits in nature

In the era of free access to any information, it is not difficult to understand how to identify gold in a stone. But before that, you need to consider the list of the most promising places where such a metal is likely to be present.

Theoretically, particles of gold can be present in a wide variety of stones, but their quantity is so minute that it is not of particular value.

If you want to engage in more serious mining, you need to count on luck and follow the principles of identifying deposits.

A small amount of the precious metal is found in sea water . Experts say that if all gold reserves are removed from the waters of the World Ocean, their quantity will reach 10 billion tons. The figure looks shocking, but modern science does not know any methods for extracting metal from the hydrosphere.

In its pure form, gold is extremely rare, especially when it comes to stones containing this noble metal. In most cases, yellow treasure is found along with various impurities that need careful processing.

It is possible to find pure material in large quantities in quartz formations. Such formations are constantly exposed to wind and rain, which causes their destruction.

As a result of this process, a single piece of gold nugget is formed.

Natural reserves of gold are also contained in the following deposits:

• Eluvial.
• Residual.
• Bottom.
• Terraced.

Residual deposits are observed near the vein itself, which was under physical or chemical influence. The eluvial type is found directly at the foot of the mountains.

Terrace deposits can be identified at the bottom of reservoirs, usually rivers, which erode the earth, forming an additional bottom. The old bottom layer turns out to be above ground level, which makes it look like a kind of terrace. And the older this terrace, the higher the likelihood of successfully identifying a large number of valuable reserves. Sediments end up at the bottom through precipitation, and under the influence of rain and currents they are washed ashore.

Extraction methods

One of the oldest, but also the most dangerous methods for extracting gold from stones is amalgamation. Today, the technique is officially prohibited in the Russian Federation, but continues to be in demand in other countries, as well as among “black” miners. To extract the precious metal, mercury is used, which is placed in a plastic or glass tray with existing sand and the smallest fractions of the yellow treasure.

It is known that mercury is not able to dissolve gold, but can draw it into its balls. To speed up the process, the gold miner regularly turns the tray, allowing the substance to roll completely over its entire surface.

Mercury beads combined with gold are called amalgam . After separating such a mixture from the sand, it is additionally treated with hydrochloric acid, which promotes the dissolution of mercury, but has no effect on gold.

The method of evaporating toxic mercury under the influence of fire is also practiced. Similar manipulations were carried out directly in the frying pan. Once in the acid, the gold settles to the bottom in the form of flakes, after which it is subjected to deep washing.

If you want to preserve mercury for further operations, a piece of foil is lowered into the acid. Thus, mercury precipitates.

The next method of gold extraction, known since ancient times, is panning. Unlike the previous method, washing is considered completely safe for the body and does not harm the environment. The method is based on the special properties of the precious metal, namely its high density. Flushing is relevant for both industrial and private mining. It also continues to be practiced in placer deposits.

The technological process itself consists of washing the sand with water, as a result of which the light fractions are quickly removed, while the heavy fractions remain at the bottom. The disadvantage of this technique is that too small particles are washed out by water, which significantly reduces production productivity. When wondering whether it is possible to engage in private gold mining in this way, you need to pay attention to the relevant law. It involves the purchase of a prospector's license valid for up to five years.

Home techniques

Industrial gold mining differs significantly from private gold mining, and the methods used have many advantages. If you know how to identify gold in a stone, you can successfully remove it from there using the most primitive methods.

And you don’t have to go to distant Siberia in search of abandoned mines. You can implement the idea of ​​withdrawing precious metals at home. Back in the days of the Soviet Union, skilled craftsmen extracted it from old watches and other yellow metal products.

In the recent past, gold plating was present on many radio components and household appliances, which was justified by its practicality and resistance to corrosion. Without a doubt, the percentage of gold content in such objects is negligible, but in the rock it is not that high.

If you want to get the precious yellow material at home, just take an old wristwatch and then fill it with nitric acid in glass or plastic containers. The substance will quickly dissolve any materials except gold. The resulting solution must be carefully passed through several layers of gauze, and the seized gold must be infused in vodka for 24 hours. This will result in a brownish tint.

In the future, it is necessary to rinse the composition with plain water, filter again and put on low heat to melt. To improve the efficiency of the latter process, soda is added to the gold. We must not forget about the ability of the yellow metal to evaporate, but through melting it is cleared of excess impurities and becomes like a tiny ingot.

Gold can also be extracted from radio components , in which it was used back in the Soviet Union due to its inertness and minimal electrical conductivity. To implement such an idea, you need to use “regia vodka”, which consists of nitric and hydrochloric acid.

Such a substance can dissolve gold at room temperature. By the way, there are historical facts about the dissolution of gold medals in order to hide them from the fascist military.

Under the influence of aqua regia, gold precipitates, after which it is thoroughly filtered and washed.

Historical facts

If you familiarize yourself with historical facts, you will know that during the times of Ancient Rus', the state had practically no gold deposits, despite its vast area. Prince Ivan III devoted a significant part of his life to the issue of searching for precious metals, because...

was almost obsessed with the idea of ​​finding treasures. To realize his dream, he even invited Italian specialists and allocated impressive sums.

But the efforts were not justified; he managed to find only a small piece of gold, which was only enough to make a tiny cross.

After him, Ivan the Terrible began to actively search for yellow sand. To find the valuable metal, he even went to war against the Siberian settlements, but was also doomed to failure. A similar story happened with the rest of the rulers of Ancient Rus', until a turning point in the history of the state occurred. This was the rise to power of Peter I. The legendary ruler began to actively introduce clothing items and jewelry containing precious metals and valuable stones.

The first gold nugget was mined by a Ural peasant in 1945. This happened spontaneously while digging a hole. The happy owner of the precious stone immediately showed the find to a friend, who turned out to be a silversmith and confirmed the authenticity of the nugget.

The place where the find was discovered immediately attracted the attention of specialists, which led to the start of numerous search operations. However, they were unable to find anything, so work was suspended. Soon the authorities decided to resume the search and equip the mine. This decision paid off. At the bottom of the dug mine there was an impressive amount of gold reserves, which became the basis for large-scale gold mining.

Since ancient times, people have been interested in the idea of ​​mining gold at home. Today, this trend is no less popular, only the methods of its implementation have changed significantly. Of course, you won’t be able to get rich through private gold mining, but finding a new hobby, as well as a little extra income, is quite possible.

Source: https://VseoMetallah.ru/zoloto/kak-dobyt-iz-kamnya

Different ways to mine gold

How is gold mined? Even those who have never had anything to do with such a craft are interested in this issue. It should be noted that there is not so much precious metal on our planet; its production does not exceed 1 thousand tons per year. Gold mining itself began a little over 6.5 thousand years ago.

The first gold products were found on the territory of Bulgaria and dated back to 4500 thousand BC. e. Such a short mining history allowed humanity to replenish its reserves of this metal by only 168.9 thousand tons.

Mined gold bars

How does gold appear?

Interest in gold arose relatively recently, but despite this, the metal itself appeared on our planet at the time of its formation. Many scientists believe that gold arises during the explosion of a neutron star, particles of which trigger the process of formation of planets and solar systems, in some way consisting, among other things, of gold.

Most of the metal is concentrated in the Earth's molten core, and only a small amount is close enough to the surface to be mined. In addition, some of the metal reaches the surface with volcanic lava flows. The metal can also be found in places where post-magmatic and hydrothermal processes occur.

When talking about how gold appears and how to mine it on Earth, we should not forget about space. Every year, many meteorites fall onto the surface of the planet, some of which are made of gold. The discovery of such a meteorite is rare, but still possible.

Gold has been and remains one of the most valuable metals. Given its limited quantity, the demand for it has remained unchanged for many centuries.

History of the development of gold-bearing veins

The first large gold-bearing veins were found in Africa, Asia and America. Legends about the mysterious and inaccessible Eldorado - a land full of gold and precious stones - still excite the hearts of adventure lovers to this day. Modern gold mining is carried out on all continents; gold-bearing veins have been found in South America, Australia and China.

Amateur gold miners use various mini-equipment

One of the largest gold-mining countries is the Russian Federation. The country is in fourth place in the production of the precious metal.

The first gold-bearing veins in Russia, and throughout the world, were mined manually, which had an impact on the quality, quantity and speed of gold mining. The first industrial extraction method was used in 1745. The first gold mine was discovered by the peasant Erofey Markov, later it was known as Berezovsky.

Today, about 16 companies are engaged in metal mining in the Russian Federation, each of which replenishes the state gold reserves by several tens of kilograms per year. Gold mining is carried out in the Irkutsk Territory, Magadan, Chukotka, Amur Region, Krasnoyarsk and Khabarovsk Territories.

Before the invention of the industrial mining method, the essence of which is described below, gold was mined exclusively by hand. This process was costly, time-consuming and even dangerous. What actually made it dangerous was the presence of other gold miners, wild animals, weather conditions and the vicissitudes of fate, which even the luckiest profit seekers had to face more than once.

All about artisanal gold mining

During its existence, humanity has mined and processed more than one hundred thousand tons of gold. About half of this stock is used in jewelry, one third is stored in state banks and one fourth is used in industrial enterprises. Amateur gold mining using artisanal methods has been going on for a very long time.

All the gold mined in human history will be a cube with an edge of 21 meters.

Several methods for extracting yellow metal

The main share of gold is mined using two methods - sand washing with a stream of water and mining in mines.

Artisanal gold mining is carried out in those places where mining has already been carried out using industrial methods and when the latter have become unprofitable, artisanal mining can give good results from the remnants of the former “luxury”. Basically, gold is mined by people from developing countries, whose financial situation pushes citizens to seek alternative income.

In Africa, Asia, and South America, more than 10 million people mine gold in their free time. They take risks to help their family make ends meet. This method of gold mining is easily accessible to uninitiated people.

To imagine how gold is mined independently using an artisanal method, you can watch thematic videos filmed by numerous hunters for the yellow metal.

Artisanal gold mining in Africa provides livelihoods to millions of people.

Gold deposits formed due to volcanic activity are quite important for gold mining. Such deposits lie close to the earth's surface.

Among them are Khakanja in the Far East, Kuranahanskoe in Aldan and many others.

Gold is also mined from pyrite-polymetallic deposits of Rudny Altai, magmatic copper-nickel deposits located in the north of the Krasnoyarsk region, and gold-bearing skarns, which are located in Olkhovka and Chibizhka at the junction of the Minusinsk Basin and the Eastern Sayan.

Primary deposits are inferior to placer deposits in many respects. THE MAIN advantage of alluvial deposits is that their development requires much less money.

These deposits are conducive to gold mining “the old fashioned way” – by hand. That is why, in the Soviet years, the state actively developed alluvial deposits, putting the indigenous ones “on the far shelf.” The decrease in the intensity of alluvial gold mining, which has been occurring in recent years, can increase the growth of unemployment in Siberia and the Far East, which could provoke an outflow of population from these parts of the country.

The technology of washing gold particles in a tray has been known for a long time.

Gold miners use the time-tested technology of washing precious metal particles in a tray. This technology has come to this day from ancient times, when washing was done using sheep skins. It happens that rains can wash gold into the river. Miners are hunting for such “consequences” of the elements.

One of the most grueling and difficult methods is digging out (presumably) gold-bearing rock with a shovel. Since in this case the coveted gold is mined only by hand, all the work consists of the following: a small amount of rock is dug out, then washed in a small tray. Heavy, unwanted metals are ground down to sand, then washed again. Then the most grueling part is the careful selection of gold particles, which is done manually.

Facts about artisanal mining in Russia and other countries

In many countries, including Russia, artisanal mining is illegal gold mining. In the Russian Federation, gold mining is prohibited in the absence of an agreement with gold mining companies that have a license to carry out gold mining operations. The latter is very expensive.

In contrast to Russia, in Australia and America, a license to mine the precious metal costs mere pennies – $30. Gold mining tourism is very developed, therefore all citizens have the opportunity, without fear of punishment, to arm themselves with a metal detector and look for their small “increase in salary.” Small gold miners contribute about a ton of gold per year to global production. Although such a mass is impressive, it does not affect the price of the precious metal in any way.

In Australia and America, anyone can become a prospector by purchasing an inexpensive license.

Artisanal gold mining was carried out by the ancient Greeks, who extracted it by washing gold-bearing sand on sheep skins. The essence of the method is that denser types of metals settle on the lattice when less dense ones leave it. Since gold is one of the densest materials, it is mainly retained in the lattice.

Artisanal gold mining is an extremely difficult and inefficient method. The ancient Greeks had no choice, and neither do modern miners from developing countries.

But there are also positive aspects: this technology does not involve the construction of chemical plants, expensive equipment, or high production costs for rock crushing. Rock washing is not used in dispersed gold deposits, where the size of the precious metal particles does not reach one millimeter, and in deposits where the rock is not separated from the gold after crushing.

By the end of the nineteenth century, virtually all gold was mined using the method of extraction from gold-bearing ores.
This method was chosen due to the depletion of river deposits, in which less and less gold was found. Now mining is underway for ore gold, which is mined from the depths of the earth's crust and chemically separated from various foreign impurities.

Non-industrial methods for extracting precious metal from ore

There are several ways to mine gold without using industrial equipment:

• Mercury amalgamation;
• Cyanidation and flotation;
• Chlorination.

The first method involves the amalgation of sand with a gold fraction not exceeding one millimeter in size. The technology is quite simple: the metal is dissolved in mercury to form an amalgam. It is then separated from the rock by straining through a fine-mesh cloth. In the resulting alloy, gold makes up about half of the total mass. To separate it, the mercury is evaporated.

Mercury amalgamation was known and widely used in the Middle Ages.

The second method includes leaching, concentration and a purification step. The precious metal is leached due to the interaction of cyanide with oxygen, then the concentrate is removed using activated carbon, filtration and calcination.

Cyanidation allows you to obtain a purer metal than with amalgation.

The disadvantage of this method is the high danger of cyanide vapor. Cyanidation is essentially a hydrometallurgical process. In the first years of using this method, only potassium cyanide was used; later, calcium cyanide became widespread.

As this type of gold mining developed, it became clear that fine grinding gives better results than the previously used coarse grinding of ores. To grind various ores, tube and ball mills are used, which operate on closed classifiers.

Nowadays combined air-mechanical agitators are used.

Scheme for extracting gold from ore using cyanidation and flotation.

The third method involves the use of hydrochloric acid and chlorine, which can dissolve gold. After this, the gold is sifted out from the harder inclusions and fused into an ingot.

Is it possible to mine gold in Russia?

We must not forget that illegal gold mining in Russia is considered a criminal offense and is punishable by restriction of freedom for several years. This is stated in Article 191 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. The punishment can be increased to seven years by mining gold in groups.

Many scientists are convinced that the practice of the United States and Canada, where a gold mining license can be easily purchased for a small amount, would be appropriate in Russia. Connections between companies and small gold miners can significantly increase the production of the precious metal.

The consequences of the introduction of a ban on independent gold mining was that one tenth of gold production is illegal, that is, bypassing the state treasury.

Artisanal Gold Mining Basics

Artisanal gold mining is based on the following principles.

The water flow supports lighter particles by weight, and acts on heavier particles in inverse proportion to their weight, depositing them on the bottom.

The forward movement of masses that are on an inclined surface and which is affected by the flow of water completely depends on the speed of the water, which is less at the bottom than at the surface. Because of this, when washing occurs, the larger diameter grains are most affected, while the smaller grains remain motionless on the bottom.

When the mixture, which is in a loosened state in the form of a semi-liquid mass, settles, smaller grains pass into the spaces between the large ones.

The further fate of gold mining

Many scientists are struggling to find a new source for the precious metal because, according to some estimates, gold reserves will run out within half a century. One of the most promising methods is gold leaching.

A progressive method of mining from the bottom of the Bering Sea.

In addition to chemical methods, the development of the water element - the ocean - can help discover new deposits. Sea gold deposits are quite common, not to mention the ocean floor, about which little is known. It is likely that there, under water, there are rich reserves of the precious metal.

We also recommend that you read our article about the features of gold mining in Russia.

Source: http://golden-inform.ru/dobycha-zolota/kustarnym-sposobom/

Where is gold hidden and how is it mined?

Gold is one of the most common metals in the world. In tiny doses it is everywhere: in sea and river water, sand, plants. But at the same time it is one of the rarest metals. It's all about his concentration.

Deposits with an industrial volume or just at least a relatively large one are rare. Many people know from books and films about the “gold rush” in the USA and about the mysterious mythical country of Eldorado, where metal the color of the sun is everywhere.

What is it really like? How is gold mined and where are its deposits located?

There is a theory that gold is located in the molten core of the planet - in magma. Actually, from there it rises to the surface and becomes available for extraction. Scientists suggest that after the formation of the earth's core, meteorites containing a certain amount of precious metal fell on the planet. It ended up in the continental crust of the planet.

Moreover, this ancient meteorite shower was so strong that it pierced the earth’s crust and “hid” gold in deep layers. From there, under the influence of high temperatures, the metal comes to the surface. Therefore, especially large deposits are located near ancient and long-extinct volcanoes. Gold bars are often found in those places.

Scientists believe that they are the ones who prove the volcanic “exit” of the precious fossil to the surface.

Return

How to find solar metal

Where is gold mined? Mainly in several countries: Australia, China, South Africa, USA, Peru, Russia and Uzbekistan. This does not confirm that it is not present in other countries, but its concentration does not allow for significant industrial development and production. Thus, this precious metal is quite successfully extracted from the subsoil in Mexico and Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Kazakhstan. But these countries are not among the world leaders.

Mining the most precious metal is very difficult and expensive. The process consists of several stages.

1. Reconnaissance and determination of the site contour.
2. Assessment and analysis of gold-bearing vein volumes from the point of view of economic feasibility.
3. Creation of infrastructure for industrial production.
4. Extraction of gold-bearing rocks: ore, sand.
5. Precious metal extraction.

Some gold is extracted by artisanal methods, and industrial mining is carried out using closed (in mines, pits) and open (from a pit) methods.

Return

Satellites of gold

It all starts with geological exploration, which finds out where gold-bearing layers may lie and where gold-bearing veins may lie. Geologists study rock outcrops, examine cores (fragments of rock that are removed during drilling) and conduct geophysical samples of formations.

So in what rocks is gold found? Making things easier for scouts are precious metal satellites that show signs of gold in the ground. These are rocks: diorites and granites, as well as minerals:

• pyrite;
• chalcopyrite;
• galena;
• sphalerite;
• arsenopyrite;
• antimonite

These rocks are formed in the same place as gold-bearing rocks (in the depths of the planet), and come to the surface with magma.

As a rule, gold is closely related to iron. This means that it may be close to the “black sands” (magnetite and hematite). In river beds that dried up a long time ago (for example, back in the Jurassic period), gold-bearing sand is mixed with black sand. That is, red, black and orange soil are signs of gold. Another companion is quartz; gold veins are often found in quartz rocks. But quartz is probably the most common mineral. How can you tell whether this quartz is “golden” or not? Identified by color.

If quartz is found where gold mining once took place, and besides, its color is not the usual white, but has a rusty tint or reddish and brown spots - this may well be a signal of a gold-bearing vein.

Return

How gold was mined in the old days

People have been hunting for this precious metal for a long time. In the old days, the process was very labor intensive and risky. The danger consisted not only in the high level of injury to workers, but also in the enormous competition among miners, who sometimes did not hesitate in squeezing out successful rivals. Of course, the extraction rate was low, and the quality of the metal left much to be desired.

Most often, gold was washed by hand. This method is called soil washing. In a special tray with a fine mesh grid (sometimes just in a bucket with holes in the bottom), soil (usually sand or pebbles) was placed with a shovel and washed with water.

In very ancient times, miners used animal skins, such as sheep, as a tray. Heavy particles of gold (and this is a heavy metal) settled on the grate, and the soil was easily washed away. Prospectors were mainly looking for placer deposits. Gold sand was washed in layers of loose clastic sediments.

It is simply impossible to find a lot of metal in this way - just a few grains, and only if you are lucky.

Return

Artisanal mining method

Nowadays, some of the gold is also extracted manually, but gold miners have improved this method by using an electronic device - a metal detector (metal detector), which shows the presence of metal in the soil and the depth of its occurrence. Usually, prospectors go for gold to places where mining has already been done and stopped for some reason. This is understandable: if industrial development is not economically feasible, then it is quite possible to find a little more manually (this method is called residual).

Another process improvement is dredging. This is a set of trays through which soil is sifted or washed mechanically. Prospectors mainly explore the mouths and banks of rivers. There you can find terrace or bottom deposits. Heavy particles of precious metal settle to the bottom, filling the recesses and depressions.

In some countries, it is prohibited for individuals to mine gold. In any case, this is a licensed type of activity - you need to draw up a lot of documents. And, for example, in the USA and Australia, citizens can legally engage in the mining business. Obtaining a license is easy and inexpensive (about $30).

Gold miners worldwide account for about a ton of the precious metal. But this figure is quite approximate. After all, where mining activities are prohibited and records are not kept, it is difficult to calculate exactly how much gold floats away from the watchful eye of the state.

In addition, this metal is sometimes mined not as a mineral in natural conditions, but also from radio components, circuit boards, processors, broken jewelry (including gold-plated), etc.

For example, the refining (evaporation) method is a complex procedure that requires knowledge and caution. Refining is carried out using aqua regia (a mixture of hydrochloric and nitric acids) as a solvent.

“Home” miners melt the resulting metal in a crucible and obtain an ingot (more precisely, an ingot) of gold.

Many large companies find it profitable to hire miners.

Return

Industrial gold mining technologies

Extracting minerals from the subsoil is a complex and strictly regulated process. In general, there are two methods of industrial mining of solar metal: open-pit mining and underground.

Return

Open way

It is used when gold lies very close or comes to the surface. This is the most feasible method from an economic and environmental point of view. It looks like this: a huge depression in the ground with ribbons of roads and lifts.

Rock is removed from the bowels of the earth using explosives and special heavy equipment. The machines deliver the necessary tools and transport the extracted ore. The costs of all this are very high.

It is believed that the price of diesel fuel alone accounts for about 30% of the cost of gold mining.

In a good open pit mine, each ton of ore may contain about one-tenth of an ounce of metal (an ounce is equal to 31.1034768 grams). Based on the cost of an ounce of gold being $900, the cost of a ton of ore is $90. Considering that the carrying capacity of the vehicles used in the mines reaches 300 (or more) tons, a truck of ore can cost about $28. But the reality differs from expectations and calculations: during mining, some batches are richer than others, and many turn out to be dummies.

Return

Closed method

When gold lies deep, underground mining is used. These are deep mines with a network of tunnels, each of them reaching the deposits. Here you need to drill holes into which explosives are placed, then pull out the rock fragments.

Sometimes workers use jackhammers, shovels and carts, although, of course, this is a thing of the past. Modern gold mining uses explosives, powerful rock-loading machines, rail vehicles or huge trucks.

Very rarely, natural conditions allow the use of the most effective self-propelled equipment, and then the number of people at this very labor-intensive and rather dangerous stage of production is reduced.

To ensure uninterrupted energy supply to such mines, wind or solar power plants are sometimes installed nearby, and if this is not possible, diesel generators are installed. Gold mines are very deep, which means ventilation is important, as is the transportation of people and rock. Without electricity, all this cannot be achieved.

As a rule, mines are located in areas difficult to live in, so the availability of electricity is always extremely important.

Return

Ore processing

But this is not the whole process of gold mining, but only part of it. The next step: you need to extract the precious metal from the ore.

Work performed	Result
First, large pieces of rock are crushed.	They shrink to the size of large grains of sand.
Then a cyanide solution is added and everything is mixed.	The result is a dirty, thick, liquid mixture. A cyanide solution in the presence of air liberates gold from the rock and trace metals.
As soon as the process is completed, the liquid is pumped out, and solid particles fall into a special tank.	There the reaction continues: the remaining cyanide solution isolates the rest of the gold. Heavy and large particles settle.
Zinc is added to the saturated solution, which releases the remaining gold from the mixture.	This process - called cyanide leaching - despite its high costs, is very profitable for gold mining companies. When used, up to 98% of gold is released from ore.

For further purification, the metal is sent to a smelting furnace. Here gold is mixed with flux (a special chemical cocktail) and heated to one and a half thousand degrees. Result: approximately 80% cleansing of dirt and toxins. Further remelting makes the metal even purer.

Well, then it is used in medicine, microelectronics, aviation, astronautics and other industries. Bank bars of the famous gold standard are poured from it - 999 fine. It is extremely rare to use metal of this purity for jewelry because it is easily subject to deformation, which is impractical. In jewelry, the gold content is usually less than in bank bullion - due to additional metals (ligatures), which make the alloy more durable and even change its color.

There are fewer and fewer ores left in the world from which gold can be extracted using relatively simple methods. Perhaps only the gold-bearing conglomerates of South Africa allow such methods. In all other countries, the extraction of this metal is constantly becoming more complex and technologically advanced.

Source: https://grammzolota.ru/dobycha/kak-dobyvayut-zoloto.html

The main methods of gold mining. Evolution of gold mining technologies

Gold is rightfully considered a rare noble metal, the content of which in the earth’s crust does not exceed 4 mg per ton of rock. Such a small amount is complemented by the inaccessibility of most places where gold-bearing rocks occur. Accordingly, all methods of gold mining from time immemorial have been characterized by high labor intensity and significant time costs. That is why this rare precious metal was highly valued back in the days of the Egyptian pharaohs.

Today, all developed gold mining countries determine the potential of their own gold and foreign exchange reserves. The more nature has endowed the territory of a particular state, the sooner the strategic reserves of universal metal currency are replenished.

In this area, research and development of new methods of extracting the desired wealth from the bowels of the earth are constantly underway. Nowadays, gold production in the world is about 2,700 tons annually.

If the process continues at the same pace, then by approximately 2034 the available deposits of this mineral will be completely exhausted.

Evolution of gold mining technology

History has preserved for us the following stages of the evolutionary development of methods for selecting gold from Mother Nature:

1. Collecting nuggets and sand in places where gold-bearing veins come to the surface.
2. Primitive excavations and search for gold grains in coastal river pebbles.
3. Washing river rock using sheep skins
4. Separating gold grains using a mesh tray.
5. Digging mines and cutting down rock with washing at the top.
6. Mixing gold-bearing rock with mercury and then separating the precious metal - amalgamation.
7. Extraction of gold from hard rocks using hydrochloric acid compounds.
8. Cyanidation is the process of treating an ore layer with sodium cyanide solution.

With the exception of chemical enrichment and processing processes, the listed technologies for extracting placer gold were owned by representatives of ancient empires and tribes. However, in those days, the extraction of precious metal was carried out exclusively using manual labor, and the discovery of promising areas was carried out by inspiration and special signs.

How gold is mined today

Modern methods of the gold mining industry have retained a general principle that has essentially remained unchanged. This is crushing and sifting of gold ore, carried out in our time using special expensive machines. The general stages of the process can be described by the following activities:

1. Geological exploration. The longest and most important stage, the results of which directly determine the payback of the mines being organized. In this case, geologists give preference to areas where rocks of different composition collide, as well as lowlands of rivers, the water of which contains a high content of precious metal. A good sign is the abundance of quartz, calcined pebbles, black sands and everything associated with iron. During the exploration process, pits are dug, soil and water samples are taken, and the external conditions of a particular landscape are assessed.
2. Drawing up a competent opinion on the feasibility of organizing a mine in a given area. At the same time, a gold mining map is being developed, which will be the main topological guide for ore collection. The expert opinion includes calculations of costs and estimated volumes of gold that can be recovered at a particular site.
3. Organization of a mine with the supply of gold mining equipment, construction of a camp for workers, arrangement of access roads. The gold mining site requires the creation of a control system and a guarded perimeter.

In most cases, such mines produce gold sand or nuggets, which are subsequently purified and enriched by industrial methods. The equipment used is powerful dredges operating on the chute principle. A large amount of rock is placed in such units, which is sifted through a sieve under water pressure and vibration. Since gold-bearing sand and nuggets are heavier and denser than any pebbles or crushed stone, they remain in the washing tank.

This method has come to us since time immemorial, and modern science has only equipped it with mechanized productive units.

Often, amalgamation is used in this process, which can significantly reduce the loss of the precious metal, which, when interacting with mercury, remains in full at the bottom of the barrel.

If gold is contained in the ore in small quantities, it is separated using cyanidation technology. The same method makes it possible to extract the remains of precious metal from waste mine dumps of washed rock.

A positive decision on the organization of a mine is made if, during test washings, there is at least 3 grams of pure gold per 100 kilograms of ore. If the amount of precious metal is 8-10 grams, then such a deposit is considered rich.

Gold mining in Russia - key features

✪ Private mining is prohibited in our country. Therefore, gold mining is carried out by large gold mining enterprises, which, despite their impressive capabilities, are not able to fully cover all promising territories.

✪ Insufficient funding for geological exploration does not allow the discovery of rich deposits in areas with difficult climates located in Chukotka, Yakutia and Siberia.

✪ The Krasnoyarsk Territory provides the country with the most gold, accounting for about 47% of all production. This is followed by Chukotka - 24% and the Republic of Sakha - 22%.

✪ Obtaining a license for gold mining by private entrepreneurs involves a large number of bureaucratic formalities.

✪ Currently, Russia ranks third in the ranking of gold-mining countries, behind only China and Australia.

Gold production in 2019 may amount to about 250-300 tons, which will significantly replenish the country’s gold and foreign exchange reserves. However, taking into account the problems listed above, this industry does not use the powerful natural potential of explored and as yet unknown deposits. Perhaps in the near future there will be positive changes in this segment that will take our country to first place in the world in gold mining.

Source: https://goldenlab.ru/interesnoe-o-zolote/dobycha-zolota/osnovnye-sposoby-dobychi-zolota-jevoljucija-zolotodobyvajushhih-tehnologij/