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Toxic Gold Mining Spills
By Natasha Vanpelt of The Sage's Cupboard
Gold is treasured by many cultures, governments and individuals all over the world. Although 2400 tons of raw gold was used to make jewelry in 2007, there are few people who know or understand the environmental impact that this metal has on the envirnoment, and our health. Although many companies and individuals still dig mines by hand, carrying out rock from within deep tunnels to sort out ore bearing morsels, most of the world’s gold comes from open-pit mining. This process uses large machines to peel away layers of earth that contain trace amounts of gold ore. Once the rock has been hauled away, the metal is separated by a process known as gold cyanidation or cyanide leaching. The highly toxic chemicals draw out the gold, allowing for quick and easy collection. Once the process is complete, the cyanide liquid is dumped into pools called tailings ponds. The storing and transporting of cyanide is extremely dangerous. Even a tiny amount can kill an adult human, and even less is needed to kill wildlife such as birds and fish. Major spills of cyanide can disrupt ecosystems, farming and sanitation for weeks or more. Some of the most ‘notable’ cyanide spills related to gold mining include: 1985-91 - Leakage from leach pad in Summitville, USA 1995 - The collapse of tailings dam in Omai, Guyana 1998 - A truck drove over bridge, spilling it’s contents into the water in Kumtor, Kyrgyzstan. 2000 - The collapse of a tailings dam in Baia Mare, Romania. 2000 - A helicopter dropped a crate into the rainforest in Tolukuma, Papua New Guinea 2001 - Overflow from tailings pond caused damage in Tarkwa, Ghana. Listed below are some excellent resources for learning about the impact of gold mining, and what you can do about it.
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Contributor's Note
The Sage's Cupboard is committed to offering informative, easy-to-understand information to jewelry designers of all skill levels. We encourage crafters to use eco-friendly products and practices in their work whenever possible.
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No Dirty Gold
| Grinning Planet
| Mining Watch
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This intel was contributed by Mortira
Mortira
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May, 2012
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