The Cost of Gold

This 3 part series by Jane Perlez is extremely powerful.

Part 1
The Cost of Gold: 30 Tons an Ounce

India, Montana, Guatemala, and Ghana mines. Cyanide mines in Montana have polluted the water of the area. Mines in Ghana steal the water from the region (used for people and animals). Environmental hazards associated with gold production – an ounce of gold requires the removal of over 100 tons of rock. Open pit mines are drilled and blasted with explosives. Gold-containing ore is crushed, loaded on trucks or trains, and taken to ore heaps where it is flattened. The heap is soaked with cyanide solution to leach out the gold (through a series of steps) into pools of water at the base of the heap pads. It is then melted into gold ore, which contains impurities (e.g. silver and copper). It is then shipped to a refinery where it’s purified into bullion.


Part 2
The Cost of Gold: Treasure of Yanacocha

In Peru is the world’s most productive gold mine. It sits 13,000 feet high in the Andes. Mining isn’t bringing natives out of poverty but, rather, encroaches on their property and pollutes their water, causing water shortages from water contamination. Also has social/economic impact – corruption of authorities in cities. Finally, landscape loss – losing mountains and lagoons disappearing. Oppression, death, stealing natural resources. “Dirty” gold.


Part 3
Questions on the Cost of Gold

Copper and gold, in particular, are both often found in conjunction with sulfide rock that can produce acid and in turn release metal contaminants.


I found this pic on the RUST BELT research blog. It is of a mine in Montana and the paragraph below reads, "...today’s mining practices involve large open pit mines, and often use toxic chemicals such as cyanide and sulfuric acid to extract minerals like gold and copper."

The blog also says, "We started this blog after so much frustration in our own research, trying to access information from suppliers, processors, and other jewelers about their materials and methods. We hope that our research will be useful to other designers and help to create a more transparent jewelry manufacturing industry. We will continue to update. If you have any relevant information that you would like to post, please contact us." I think it's very cool that they are inviting others that are learning about this terrible problem to post their own thoughts on the blog.