Gold Mining

Gold mining consists of a number of processes and techniques, employed to extract raw gold from earth. These gold extraction techniques include gold panning, metal detecting, sluicing, dredging etc. This metal is an expensive element; thus, individuals and nations have always been interested in gold extraction, mainly to gain economic benefits. Gold was discovered in Alabama around 1830, shortly after the Georgia Gold Rush. Mining is generally very destructive to the environment. It is one of the main causes of deforestation. In order to mine, trees and vegetation are cleared and burned. With the ground completely bare, large scale mining operations use huge bulldozers and excavators to extract the metals and minerals from the soil. In order to amalgamate (cluster) the extractions, they use chemicals such as cyanide, mercury, or methyl mercury.