| How Is Gold Processed? |
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| Written by Kathryn Smith |
| Tuesday, 27 April 2010 23:11 |
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Removing the gold from the ground is just the first step in gold extraction. The mining companies use complex processes in order to isolate the gold. After it is extracted from the ground, the precious rocks are put in big machines called crushers. When taken out, the material that resulted has to have reached a road gravel consistency. This is further put in a rotating drum until it becomes a fine slurry or a powder.
Removing the gold from the ground is just the first step in gold extraction. The mining companies use complex processes in order to isolate the gold. After it is extracted from the ground, the precious rocks are put in big machines called crushers. When taken out, the material that resulted has to have reached a road gravel consistency. This is further put in a rotating drum until it becomes a fine slurry or a powder. Afterward, the powder is mixed with water until it becomes pulp. This pulp is later on run through a series of leaching tanks. This process uses a chemical solvent that dissolves the gold. The most common solvent used by the companies is cyanide. The workers then add small grains of carbon in the pulp and the gold that was dissolved adheres to the carbon. After all this, the carbon is put in hot caustic solution that separates the glittering metal from the carbon. The precious metal is now submitted to yet another process called electro-winning. Smelting is the final procedure that the glittering metal is submitted to. The yellow metal is put in a furnace at about 2.100 degrees F (1.149 C). After it becomes liquid, it is taken out of the furnace and poured into solid bars called dore bars. The bars are low-quality and they have to be submitted to other procedures this is why they are sent to refineries all over the . Gold has become a very sought after precious metal in our days. Economists say that it would be wise if we invested part of our savings in the yellow metal. The glittering metal is a safe investment and it is also profitable. It cannot lose value as paper currencies and it is a safe haven for the ones that own it. Investing in gold has become a very easy thing to do in our days. Almost everybody can invest part of their savings in this precious metal. One can choose from gold coins, shares, accounts or bars. DISCLAIMER: This article is provided as information only and is not to be taken as financial advice. Learn from professionals how to buy gold bullion in times of recession. |