gold mined and refined
Gold is a precious metal that is mined from the earth and refined to separate it from impurities to create pure gold bars. While the exact process of mining and refining varies depending on the location and type of gold, there are some general principles that are followed.
The first step of the gold refining process is finding the gold. This is accomplished by geologists studying a particular area and looking for signs of gold deposits. Once the gold has been located mining engineers will determine how to extract it. This includes figuring out what sort of equipment will be needed and building the necessary infrastructure. This could include roads and buildings for processing the gold.
Once the Gold is extracted it is moved to a processing plant. This may be a large facility or a smaller workshop. It is important to remember that gold has a very high density and as such is very heavy. This means that in order to move it from the ground or from the mine it must be hauled by truck, train or plane. This adds to the cost of mining gold.
How is gold mined and refined?
When the gold is in a processing plant it will be weighed to establish its value. This is also the time when any impurities will be removed. It is also when the quality of the gold can be assessed by a fire assay. This is the most accurate method for assessing purity and can provide a very high level of accuracy.
Once the impurities have been removed the gold is then moved to a centrifuge. A centrifuge is a machine that uses the force of rotation to separate materials by their density. In the case of gold a centrifuge will spin at very high speeds and as it does so denser material like gold is caught in ridges while lighter sediments are ejected from the machine.
Another way that gold is separated from impurities is by direct smelting. This process is usually done at refineries and not on the individual mine site. In this case the high-grade concentrate is heated until it melts. The resulting liquid is known as gold dore and it can be up to 95% pure.
One last way that gold is separated from impurities in a small scale is by using acid. Typically, a mixture of nitric and hydrochloric acid is used to purify gold. This is done by placing the gold in a porous cup called a cupel and heating it. When the gold is heated in this way the lead will seep out of the cupel leaving behind a bead of pure gold that is known as a prill.
While these are some of the most common ways that gold is mined and refined, there are other methods that can be used as well. For example, some refiners use recycled gold which comes from things such as old jewelry, coins and decorative items. This is often a more sustainable way to produce pure gold as it makes use of materials that would otherwise be thrown away.