About the Book: Chemistry of Gold Extraction
Gold extraction or recovery from its ores may require a combination of
comminution, mineral processing, hydrometallurgical, and pyrometallurgical
processes to be performed on the ore. Gold mining from alluvium ores was once
achieved by techniques associated with placer mining such as simple gold panning
and sluicing, resulting in direct recovery of small gold nuggets and flakes.
Placer mining techniques since the mid to late 20th century have generally only
been the practice of artisan miners. Hydraulic mining was used widely in the
Californian gold rush, and involved breaking down alluvial deposits with
high-pressure jets of water. Hard rock ores have formed