2 Unique Ways Gold Is Extracted
Growing up,every fairy-tale we ever heard said you could find gold or how the Gold Is Extracted at the end of a rainbow. But what if you aren’t a leprechaun? What process does gold go through before it makes its way to a jewelry store or a gold distributor, and then to you?
Over 197,000 tons of gold have been mined throughout history, making it a booming industry. This isn’t surprising, given the various uses for gold in the industrial and fashion industries. And of course, it’s also a fantastic asset to invest in.
Throughout history, various methods have been used to extract gold. Here are four of the most popular and widely used ones.
Placer Mining
A beginner-friendly method that’s employed by amateurs, placer mining, includes sluicing, dredging, and metal detecting.
The idea is to separate dense gold from other minerals through the use of water and gravity. This method is ideal for gold that is not chemically bonded to surrounding rocks, making it easier to separate and extract.
Non-chemically bonded gold is usually found due to rock erosion and changing weather. The denser gold washes ashore and settles into rocks and minerals, which can then be separated and extracted.
Hard Rock Mining
Unlike placer mining, which is mostly for surface level extraction, hard rock mining is reserved for underground gold extraction.
Through an underground tunnel, gold is extracted from the rocks it is chemically bonded to. Miners use a cut and fill method to dig horizontal passageways for extraction and ventilation.
Apart from underground tunnels, you also have open-pit mining. A large pit is cleared out using explosives, which removes the surface rocks. Then, gold is extracted via the large opening.
Hard rock mining is used mostly by commercial miners, since it is quite an expensive process that’s not suitable for local or small-scale miners.
Get Your Own
It’s always interesting to see the troubles industry professionals go through to bring you the ease to purchase gold online. Thankfully, you don’t have to go underground to search for a nugget of gold!
Contact us at Orion Metal Exchange for all your gold and silver investment and purchase needs. Our team is always ready to serve you and answer all your questions!
