How Is Gold Mined Today?

Recreational Gold Mining

People still go panning for gold in the United States. This was the main way that miners obtained their gold during the late nineteenth century gold rush era. Today, though, while not a very efficient method, panning for gold still happens in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, California, and Alaska in shallow river beds. The miners pass the gravel containing gold ore through a sieve. After the gravel and mud passes through the holes, any gold is left in the pan. Most people today consider this method of mining gold to be recreational.

Underground Gold Mining

Underground gold mining is big business. The miners use a jack-leg drill to gain access to the gold. Sometimes they use dynamite to blast larger openings in the underground mine. A scaling bar takes any loose rock off the mine roof. The damp muck is removed from the mine in a muck machine which is a kind of cart. When the miners find gold, the ore is placed into a slusher which is a hoist that takes the ore up to the surface to be processed.

Open Pit Gold Mining

Open pit gold mining is another industrial method of obtaining gold from the earth. It involves a chemical process in addition to the mechanical task of removing rock. The ore gets pressed through carbon pillars. If there is even a trace of gold in the ore, it will be absorbed by the carbon. When the carbon interacts with caustic soda and cyanide, the gold gets leached out. When this process is used, even when there is as little as 0.15 ounces of gold per ton of ore, the gold will be separated from the ore.

Resources

• Maps of Working Gold Mines
• About Gold Mining