Short Note: A new still for the prevention of mercury poisoning in small-scale gold mining by amalgam extraction
A system for the recovery of mercury in small-scale gold mining in Colombia has been designed and tested. Distillation of up to 300 g of gold amalgam takes ten to 20 minutes, and more than 90% of the mercury formerly lost in the atmosphere is recovered for recycling. The equipment pays for itself an...
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Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
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Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto de Geofísica
2003-06-01
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Series: | Geofísica Internacional |
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Online Access: | http://www.geofisica.unam.mx/unid_apoyo/editorial/publicaciones/investigacion/geofisica_internacional/anteriores/2003/04/pinzon.pdf |
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author | C. Bernardy R. Contreras J. M. Pinzón |
author_facet | C. Bernardy R. Contreras J. M. Pinzón |
author_sort | C. Bernardy |
collection | DOAJ |
description | A system for the recovery of mercury in small-scale gold mining in Colombia has been designed and tested. Distillation of up to 300 g of gold amalgam takes ten to 20 minutes, and more than 90% of the mercury formerly lost in the atmosphere is recovered for recycling. The equipment pays for itself and may be locally built using available materials. It has been widely accepted by miners because of the improved safety to miners and their families. The furnace can be fueled either with gasoline or LP gas. It may also be used for smelting small amounts of gold, thus getting rid of the sponginess which detracts from marketability. The new system is popular in Colombia because of the improved safety to mine operators. |
first_indexed | 2024-03-12T09:20:22Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-a0643e21d9834a148e9061c55fcd617f |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 0016-7169 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-03-12T09:20:22Z |
publishDate | 2003-06-01 |
publisher | Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto de Geofísica |
record_format | Article |
series | Geofísica Internacional |
spelling | doaj.art-a0643e21d9834a148e9061c55fcd617f2023-09-02T14:35:47ZengUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto de GeofísicaGeofísica Internacional0016-71692003-06-01424641644Short Note: A new still for the prevention of mercury poisoning in small-scale gold mining by amalgam extractionC. BernardyR. ContrerasJ. M. PinzónA system for the recovery of mercury in small-scale gold mining in Colombia has been designed and tested. Distillation of up to 300 g of gold amalgam takes ten to 20 minutes, and more than 90% of the mercury formerly lost in the atmosphere is recovered for recycling. The equipment pays for itself and may be locally built using available materials. It has been widely accepted by miners because of the improved safety to miners and their families. The furnace can be fueled either with gasoline or LP gas. It may also be used for smelting small amounts of gold, thus getting rid of the sponginess which detracts from marketability. The new system is popular in Colombia because of the improved safety to mine operators.http://www.geofisica.unam.mx/unid_apoyo/editorial/publicaciones/investigacion/geofisica_internacional/anteriores/2003/04/pinzon.pdfSmall-scale gold extractionColombiaamalgam method. |
spellingShingle | C. Bernardy R. Contreras J. M. Pinzón Short Note: A new still for the prevention of mercury poisoning in small-scale gold mining by amalgam extraction Geofísica Internacional Small-scale gold extraction Colombia amalgam method. |
title | Short Note: A new still for the prevention of mercury poisoning in small-scale gold mining by amalgam extraction |
title_full | Short Note: A new still for the prevention of mercury poisoning in small-scale gold mining by amalgam extraction |
title_fullStr | Short Note: A new still for the prevention of mercury poisoning in small-scale gold mining by amalgam extraction |
title_full_unstemmed | Short Note: A new still for the prevention of mercury poisoning in small-scale gold mining by amalgam extraction |
title_short | Short Note: A new still for the prevention of mercury poisoning in small-scale gold mining by amalgam extraction |
title_sort | short note a new still for the prevention of mercury poisoning in small scale gold mining by amalgam extraction |
topic | Small-scale gold extraction Colombia amalgam method. |
url | http://www.geofisica.unam.mx/unid_apoyo/editorial/publicaciones/investigacion/geofisica_internacional/anteriores/2003/04/pinzon.pdf |
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