A Review of Environmental Considerations on Gold Mining and Production

Abstract

Gold mining is attracting increasing attention in many countries of the world, although it has a major impact on the environment. Large quantities of hazardous chemicals such as mercury or sodium cyanide are consumed to recover gold from its ores. Therefore, this activity should be carefully regulated by means of global directives based on an up-to-date knowledge of ecotoxicity principles and modern environmental standards. This article summarizes the basic information on past and present environmental impacts of gold production. Novel methods, possibly with reduced environmental risks, are briefly mentioned. Global regulatory criteria for minimization of the ecological and human health risks in mining, production, and processing facilities are proposed. Articles from different scientific disciplines distilled from the experiences of actual gold mining operations are cited. The most recent information gathered during the last 10 years of discussions regarding gold prospecting and recovery in Turkey has been added to them.

Keywords:

• gold mining
• environmental impacts of gold mining
• amalgamation
• cyanide leach process
• wastes
• global directives for gold mining