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In an era of global economic crises, the enterprising part of the population is thinking about creating primary or additional sources of income that do not require impressive start-up capital.

Based on historical examples of the rapid enrichment of gold miners, a person is puzzled by the question of how to make gold without leaving the comfortable conditions of his own living space. After all, going to the mines in the remote corners of Russia for the “yellow devil” is a dubious prospect, even if it ultimately promises economic benefits. Well, let's reveal the secrets of mining precious metal in everyday conditions and answer the question whether this activity contradicts the legislation of the country.

Refining is an industrial-scale process in which high-grade gold or other precious metal is obtained by purifying it from impurities. Some methods of refining rare earth metals are quite suitable for domestic use.

Where to find gold outside of deposits?

Before you begin your home gold mining plan, you need to secure your future workplace appropriate equipment and materials (chemicals).

And also understand where to find raw materials. In order not to reinvent the wheel, let's go the beaten path and use radio components as raw materials, adding to them SIM cards, which also have a share of gold in their composition.

The more source material, the more high-grade gold you can “wash” at home.

So, having found out that there is no need to look for gold nuggets on your own or someone else’s plot, we proceed to arranging the workplace. To do this you will need the following equipment:

• large durable tweezers;
• 500 ml flask made of heat-resistant glass;
• steel knitting needle 3 mm thick;
• electric stove with hidden incandescent coil and burner;
• a cone with a hole in the bottom (you can make it yourself by mixing gypsum and asbestos in equal parts);
• mortar;
• a piece of gauze;
• several clean crucibles.

Answering the question of how to wash gold at home, or more precisely, to separate the precious metal from minor impurities, it should be noted that this process will require the following chemicals:

• 70% nitric acid solution;
• 38 percent solution of hydrochloric acid;
• pharmaceutical borax;
• zinc baking powder.

Gold dissolves only in aqua regia and a solution of cyanide salts. IN in this case Nitric acid separates gold from other metals. The final cleaning of the precious metal is carried out with baking powder.

Mining gold using zinc

So, let's start refining. First of all we carry out preparatory work– dry it and then heat the crucible on an electric stove to get rid of moisture, the presence of which can lead to its splitting during heating. Then we carry out the following actions:

Since the melting point of zinc is two times lower than that of gold, it must be added to the crucible in small portions so as not to provoke the release of the alloy. That is, the next piece of zinc is added to the crucible when the previous one melts.

We take the hardened pieces of the gold-zinc alloy (silver-colored balls) out of the crucible with tweezers and lower them into water to cool. After this procedure, we proceed to prepare the next stage of mining the precious metal at home - we crush the pieces of the alloy in a mortar to a powder state. This will not be difficult to do, since the alloy is very fragile. Further, according to the following instructions:

During the above procedure, toxic fumes are released. Therefore, it must be carried out on fresh air, for example, in a personal plot or in a fume hood.

In any case, wearing a respirator on your face is a must.

Gold sediment

The final stage is washing the gold, or rather the sediment. Pour into the cooled flask cold water to half the volume and shake it. After the gold particles settle to the bottom of the vessel, carefully pour out the water. We repeat the procedure until the water in the flask becomes clear. Next, filter the golden sediment through cheesecloth:

We remove the solidified gold (ingot) from the crucible and boil it in bleach. Its composition is 20 ml hydrochloric acid, 10 ml nitric acid and 500 ml water. Place the ingot in a flask and fill it with prepared bleach. Boiling time – no more than 5 minutes. Then rinse the ingot in running water.

So, using the above method, you can mine a decent amount of the precious metal at home without washing gold into the river or hard labor in the mines somewhere in the Siberian expanses.

In conclusion, a few words about the legality of refining gold at home from the point of view of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. Let’s make a reservation right away that any manipulations with precious metals on the territory of Russia (mining, refining, and so on) are the prerogative of the state, which issues the appropriate licenses permitting such activities.

However, manipulations with legally acquired raw materials (radio components), not to mention equipment and chemicals that can be freely purchased in specialized stores, are not criminally punishable. Crime begins when the gold received is sold at a price higher than the nominal price and taxes are not paid to the treasury on this income. Also in the case if enterprising person deals with mine or industrial gold.

Gold extraction technology is based on several procedures that have been used by many people for a long time. You can also get gold yourself at home. Let's look at everything in order.

As you can see, you don’t need to have deep knowledge of chemistry to extract gold. Just follow the above steps in order and follow safety precautions. Take the last point seriously, since harm can occur even if you inhale acid vapors.

Most of the population in Lately I am puzzled by the question of how gold is made without the need to go to any mines - that is, at home. Let's consider how to carry out refining (extraction) of precious metals from various sources.

Economic realities modern life encourage citizens to actively seek additional sources of income. However, for the same reason - economic decline, it is not easy to find a profitable position in any organization.

An alternative could be gold mining at home, without resorting to amalgamation - the refining of a precious metal based on mercury, since this chemical element is incredibly toxic and harms not only the gold miner himself, but also the environment.

Fact! This method has long been abandoned by state-owned enterprises engaged in industrial gold mining, preferring leaching of the precious metal with sodium cyanide.

What is gold mined from?

Before moving on to a description of manual mining technologies, let’s consider what can act as a “gold mine” in a populated area. First of all, any gilded objects from the era of socialist realism:

• wristwatches - or rather their cases;
• bijouterie;
• cutlery, not only spoons, forks, knives, but also plates, cups and so on.

One can argue about the design of these products, but for the urban gold miner the main thing is that in the USSR they did not skimp on the use of high-quality materials, including precious metals, in their products!

In addition, electrical appliances, both “ancient” and modern models– more precisely, their “insides”:

• radio components;
• microcircuits;
• connectors;
• transistors and so on.

Fact! The older the device - a PC or TV, the more gold you can mine without leaving own home and with a minimum amount of equipment designed to remove precious metals.

Both directions of searching for a “gold mine” are effective. Moreover, the more locality, in which the future prospector lives, the higher the chance of collecting a sufficient amount of source material to organize the extraction of yellow metal in large quantities! By the way, nothing prevents you from combining these two directions of search, which will significantly increase the implementation of your goal!

Manual gold mining technology at home: etching method

Actually, there are dozens of gold mining methods - from traditional washing of gold-bearing rock or a banal visual search for nuggets along the coast of promising rivers to industrial options using chemical reagents, for example, mercury, characteristic feature which is the ability to “envelop” even the smallest particles of precious metal.

However, the incredible toxicity of mercury led to its abandonment chemical element state-owned enterprises, which should also be followed by the city gold miner, who will have to mine the precious metal with his own hands. We are exploring a gold mining technology that is more suitable for home conditions - the etching method. To set up the process, let’s consider what needs to be done for this and what equipment we need:

• plastic containers - basin and bucket;
• container made of heat-resistant glass;
• laboratory scales;
• a filter, which is suitable as thick cotton fabric;
• crucible - a fireproof structure for melting metal;
• electric stove;
• latex gloves.

It is the high inertness of gold, as a chemical element, that makes it possible to use the etching method for its extraction, which requires an appropriate oxidizing agent. A mixture of nitric and hydrochloric acid in a ratio of 1/3 is exactly the oxidizing agent that is needed. This solution is known as “Royal Vodka”.

Attention! It is necessary to use an oxidizing agent immediately after its manufacture, since nitrogen dioxide decomposes during the settling process, which leads to a significant deterioration in the working qualities of the solution.

Having immersed radio components, microcircuits and other devices in the prepared oxidizing agent, we observe how a thin film of the precious metal forms in the solution over time. All other parts of the devices being processed are completely dissolved.

After completing the process, we filter the solution through a cotton cloth, thus collecting the thin film of gold obtained by etching. To implement this method of extracting precious metals, you can also use only nitric acid.

Attention! Nitric acid must be of high purity - that is, without foreign impurities. You can check this when opening the container with it - if smoke appears after uncorking, it means the acid is free of impurities!

Step-by-step instruction extraction using reagents:

1. Preparation of raw materials and acids. As carefully as possible, separate gold-plated elements of radio components and other devices from contacts, solders, and the like. This minimizes the loss of precious metal during etching.
2. Place the prepared parts in the solution. When processing microcircuits, their “legs” in the immediate vicinity of the gold areas may not completely dissolve. The problem is solved with the help of a magnet that will attract this “junk” to itself.
3. Filtration. In a crucible furnace we smelt the mined gold powder with the addition of borax, which can be purchased from gas welders who use it as solder for brass.

Attention! If there is no crucible structure, you can get by with burnt bricks, in which, for example, you should cut out a cavity with a grinder.

Manual gold mining technology at home: electrolysis method

One more effective way Private mining of precious metals within the walls of your own home is a method of electrolysis. It should be noted right away that this method is intended for obtaining yellow metal from mini devices - microcircuits, semiconductors, radio boards, SIM cards, and so on. This option is more labor-intensive than the previous one, but allows you to extract purer precious metal. The technology looks like this:

1. Pour sulfuric or hydrochloric acid into an appropriate container.
2. We lower two plates of lead or iron into the filled container. They act as a cathode, and the gold elements of microcircuits or other devices themselves will serve as the anode.
3. We fasten the plates together with copper wire and connect them to electricity.
4. We pass a current of up to 0.8 amperes per 1 dm2 through the circuit and immerse the prepared radio components.
5. After all the yellow metal has moved from the anode to the cathode, we remove the plate from the container and begin to clean the gold, repeating the same process as when etching.

Attention! If the process is slow or gold is removed with large losses, it is necessary to change the amount of current supplied.

The described technologies are cost-effective – with a minimal investment you can achieve high profits. In addition, the process does not require full-time work, which allows you to combine it with your main place of work. No years of experience or special equipment is required either.

The only drawback is the risk of injury. But, observing safety precautions - the presence of an apron, rubber gloves, a respirator, the risk of causing damage to health is reduced to zero.

Gold is one of the most famous metals on Earth. Humanity has been mining it since time immemorial. For its yellow color, which is no longer characteristic of any metal, gold has received the nickname “gift of the sun” among many peoples. Therefore, various ceremonial and everyday decorations were made from it, statues of rulers were erected, and the most valuable coins were minted.

Historical excursion

Gold mining in Russia is associated primarily with beginning of the 19th century century, when Siberia was gripped by a real fever. Now it is no longer possible to establish for certain who started the rumor that one of the fugitive (according to other sources, exiled) peasants found a deposit with large nuggets in the bed of one of the rivers. But many industrialists of that time immediately went to the emperor to obtain a patent for the development. Thus began the era of gold mining in Russia.

In the nearly two centuries since then, surprisingly little has changed in terms of technology. Of course, now no one washes out gold sand using wooden strainers, but the principle of extraction remains the same. Its effectiveness has only increased due to the use latest technologies. Now it is possible to select even the smallest grains of sand from among the garbage, which would be difficult to notice with the naked eye. All production is strictly controlled by the state, although numerous cases of illegal fishing are recorded every year.

The so-called “black miners” cause significant damage to the economy of the region, since they do not pay any contributions to the treasury. Artisanal gold mining is not as efficient as the industrial approach. But the owners of illegal mines still receive fabulous profits, and hired workers are not left deprived.

Even despite regular monitoring by observers, it is still possible to hide at least a dozen large nuggets, which can then be sold at a high price and earn much more than the salary.

In total, there are two methods for extracting gold from the bowels of the earth. The use of a particular option depends on the type of metal being mined. If we're talking about About nuggets, they are mined by washing large volumes of earth containing a small amount of metal.

Therefore, mines are often located near large rivers so that there is regular access to a large number water. If we talk about gold ore, then it is mined using the mine method, and then sent for processing, as a result of which it is possible to extract pure metal from the rock.

In industry, the most applicable method is electrolytic gold mining, since it allows one to obtain metal of the highest standard, with a minimum amount of impurities. The process of gold mining from the moment of discovery of the deposit until its smelting into the target product is very interesting and educational. It is necessary to familiarize yourself with it general development. You can watch a video on gold mining in Russia on the Internet.

These methods of gold mining have been known to mankind for many centuries or more. effective method not yet invented. A century ago, many were ready to take a gamble, sell all their property and go to the mines in search of untold riches.

But now in many countries, illegal gold mining is a serious economic crime, so there are practically no people left to search for it. Although another type of “gold rush” has been preserved - the search for treasures. According to approximate calculations of scientists, there are at least a hundred real caches in the world, which contain several hundred kilograms of gold coins and jewelry.

World gold production

Gold mining in the world this moment is about 3 thousand tons per year. Moreover, more than half of all metal obtained is used for the production of jewelry and investment coins. Only 12% is used in industry to create technical elements. Rest the material is coming for the production of ingots of various weights, which are stored in the vaults of state banks.

This is done with the aim of forming the so-called “gold reserve”, which shows the welfare of the state and ensures its external debt to creditors. The higher a country’s indicator, the more seriously it is taken internationally and the easier it will be to obtain a targeted loan from any state or organization.

In 2013, the following countries became the leaders in gold mining in the world:

• 1. Chinese People's Republic - 12,8%;
• 2. Australia - 9.4%;
• 3. South African Republic - 8.9%;
• 4. United States of America - 8.89%;
• 5. Russian Federation - 7,9%;
• 6. Peru - 7.7%;
• 7. Uzbekistan - 6.3%.

At the moment, there are no particular trends towards an increase in gold production in the world. The indicators have fluctuated at approximately the same level for many years. This is because many of the investments and savings of influential people are in gold and it is necessary to maintain a stable price for it. And a shortage or surplus of material on the market will cause significant fluctuations, which always worsen the condition of the financial sector.

That's why the mighty of the world They are trying to maintain balance. And there is no particular need for a sharp increase in production volumes, because gold is a rather rare metal, so it is difficult to extract it from the ground. And the cost of each gram is then transferred to the finished product. And an increase in production volumes will require an immediate investment of colossal funds, which will pay off for many years.

The magic word that makes dreams come true does not only exist in fairy tales. It sounds simple - gold. At its core, it is ordinary metal. yellow color, which is how it got its name. The question of how to mine gold interested people 7 thousand years ago, in the distant Neolithic era. It was then that it began to gain incredible popularity due to its color, which was associated with the sun and the power given by the gods. Nowadays, few people associate it with the inhabitants of heaven, but as a symbol of power and wealth, gold not only has not lost its meaning, but has also become the standard of economic, and with it, political independence of all countries.

Gold in nature

It is important to know not only how to mine gold, but also where it came from on our planet. The answer to this question helps you understand where to look for this coveted metal. Scientists suggest that gold is formed during the explosion of neutron stars, when tons of dust containing gold, along with other metals, are thrown into space. Subsequently, the dust concentrates, forming star systems and planets. So it was with our Earth. Now the bulk of the gold is in its molten interior and is thrown out “drop by drop” to the surface with lava. That is why gold-bearing veins, where gold can be mined relatively easily, are mainly located in places of post-magmatic and hydrothermal processes. Other igneous rocks, being lighter ones, are washed away over time, and gold remains in placers. The same thing happens with gold brought to Earth by meteorites. It may be located in pure form(gold nuggets), or in some minerals, such as sulfides, arsenides and 15 others.

Properties of gold

Before we tell you how to extract gold and from what, let’s get acquainted with its properties. This knowledge will help you not to lose a single milligram of precious metal during extraction. So, what are the properties of gold?

1. It is very dense and heavy. A golden ball with a diameter of only 5 cm weighs a whole kilogram! This property is used in the main method of its extraction - washing.
2. It is very plastic, soft, and, as a result, malleable. Gold can be used to make threads as thick as a human hair and translucent plates thinner than paper. This makes it possible to use it even in SIM cards!
3. It can melt and boil, however, the temperatures must be quite significant. Important: in its molten form, even without waiting for it to boil, gold can quickly evaporate.
4. It is unusually inert, that is, practically insoluble in acids (only in aqua regia and a few other solvents).

All these properties of gold are used in methods of its extraction both in nature and at home.

Where is gold mined?

There are several countries in the world to which nature has given gold deposits. These are China (the leader in gold mining), Australia, Russia, Canada, the United States, South Africa, once-Soviet Uzbekistan, Peru, Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Indonesia, Ghana and New Guinea. Gold mining is also carried out in other countries, but in too small quantities. Our country ranks third after Australia and China. Russian citizens, no doubt, is interested in where gold is mined in Russia. We have 37 companies engaged in this business. The leader among them is Polyus Gold. Almost 95% of the total volume of gold is located in Far East, in Amur, Krasnoyarsk, Magadan, Irkutsk regions, in Chukotka, Khabarovsk Territory, Yakutia (Sakha), Buryatia, Transbaikalia, Chelyabinsk and Sverdlovsk regions. At the same time, the maximum production is carried out in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, and the maximum dynamics of its increase is observed in the Sverdlovsk and Magadan regions and in Chukotka. But in Transbaikalia, less and less gold is being mined. Among the mines and deposits are Kupol, Kyuchussky, Maysky, Karalveemsky, Vorontsovsky, Eldorado, Devil's Trough, Sukhoi Log and others.

Amalgamation

This is one of the oldest and most harmful methods of gold mining, officially prohibited in Russia, but used in other countries by our artisanal gold miners. It involves the use of mercury. How to extract gold by amalgamation? To do this, mercury is added to a plastic or glass tray containing sand and very fine fractions of gold. She will not dissolve the coveted metal, but will draw it into her balls. To help the process, you need to turn the tray, allowing the mercury to roll over the entire surface of the sand. Mercury beads containing gold are called amalgam. It is collected, separated from the sand and subjected to either treatment with hydrochloric acid, in which mercury will dissolve but gold will not, or by evaporating the mercury over a fire. This can be done in a simple frying pan. In acid, the gold freed from mercury settles in flakes to the bottom, after which it is thoroughly washed. If you don’t want to lose mercury, you need to dip a piece of foil into the acid. This simple technique allows the mercury to precipitate. You can extract gold from amalgam by simply filtering it through suede or tarpaulin, but in this case there is always a large loss of expensive metal.

Flushing

This is the most ancient and environmentally friendly method based on the high density of gold. Flushing is used both in industrial mining and in individual mining at placer deposits. It consists of washing the rocks with water. In this case, all light particles are removed, and heavy particles, including gold, remain at the bottom of the tray. The disadvantage of this method is that too small particles of gold are washed out with water, significantly reducing its production. Some people are interested in whether it is possible for private individuals to mine gold. Yes, you can. Russia has passed a law allowing prospectors to work in small deposits and spent gold-bearing veins. To do this, you need to buy a license, which is valid for 5 years.

Cyanidation

This least labor-intensive method is based on dissolving gold in hydrocyanic acid. How to extract gold by cyanidation? It is necessary to crush the rock that contains the noble metal, pour it into a waterproof tray, and fill it with hydrocyanic acid, in particular sodium cyanide. It will begin to seep through the rock, dissolving the gold in the process. The resulting solution is poured into a separate container. The gold it contains is precipitated, for example, with zinc dust, and hydrocyanic acid is returned to the process.

Flotation

This method cannot be called pure gold mining, but it significantly enriches the rocks and facilitates the further process. “Fleet”, “flotter” in translation, is what keeps afloat. It turns out that there are rocks that get wet well and settle to the bottom, and there are those that do not get wet, but are only enveloped in particles of liquid, like air bubbles, and thanks to this they “float” on the surface. This is flotation. It is used to extract gold from sulfide, gold-pyrite, gold-copper and some other minerals. The ore is crushed, filled with water and oil (for example, pine), and mixed. Gold particles float to the surface. In industry, instead of oil, they can use air passed through a mixture of water and crushed ore, and some other reagents. Further purification of gold is most often carried out by cyanidation.

How to mine gold at home

The methods of industrial gold mining are, of course, interesting, but for most citizens they are not very practical. Not everyone can afford to go somewhere to Siberia, to abandoned mines. Yes, this is not necessary, because you can become a prospector without leaving the walls of your own apartment. How to mine gold at home? There are several methods. The easiest and most popular since the times of the Union is the extraction of precious metal from watches and other yellow products. It turns out that previously, using the inertness of gold, that is, its anti-corrosion properties, many metal objects were coated with it. Of course, the percentage of gold in them is small, but it is also small in rocks.

Thus, ore containing only 5-10 grams of gold per ton is considered rich. What should you do with your watch? First, collect as many of them as possible. Next, take an inert container (glass, plastic), put the watch there, fill it with nitric acid and wait until it dissolves everything except the gold. The resulting solution must be filtered through several layers of gauze, and the gold that has settled on it must be placed in vodka and allowed to stand for a day. You will get a brownish precipitate. Next, rinse it all thoroughly with water, filter again and set to melt. For the effectiveness of this last stage Soda is added to the melting gold. It must be remembered that the desired metal can evaporate, but when melted, excess impurities leave it, and it itself turns into a small ingot.

Gold from radio components

Gold is used in circuit boards and radio components due to its inertness and low electrical conductivity. How to extract gold from radio components and microcircuits? Aqua regia (a mixture of nitric and hydrochloric acids), which is prepared immediately before the process, is suitable for this. This infernal mixture dissolves gold at room temperature. There are even historical example dissolving gold medals in aqua regia to hide them from the Nazis. The process produces the chloraurate ion, to which sodium sulfide is added. The gold should precipitate. It is filtered, washed and melted into an ingot.

Before starting the dissolution process, you need to sort gold-containing parts from others. Next, you should try to remove as much as possible from the “correct” radio components everything unnecessary. Special attention you need to pay attention to metal parts, such as caps and legs. If possible, they should be collected with a magnet. Boards can be placed in a mixture of hydrochloric acid and hydrogen peroxide in a 2:1 ratio.

Gold from water

Incredible, but true: gold is contained in any water, from which it can theoretically also be extracted. In what concentration is it contained there? It turns out that it is approximately 5 kg per square km, and in sea water it is several times more than in tap water. There is also a relatively large amount of gold in melt water flowing from the mountains and in silt sediment, especially mineralized ones. It is estimated that a ton of Red Sea mud contains approximately 5 g of gold. The main way to extract it is as follows: add quicklime to water, filter out the precipitate, pour the water back into the sea or river, and subject the sediment to further processing, for example cyanidation.

Virtual gold

For all gambling people who care about the process of gold mining, computer scientists have come up with the game “Minecraft”, the goal of which is to become a successful gold miner after passing dozens of tests. How to get gold in Minecraft? You need to go through several levels, “work” as a miner, turn the mined ore into ingots, and only then use it to make, for example, battle armor. You can also look for the desired metal in ancient castles and dungeons, “ask around” people you meet on difficult roads passing levels. To real gold miners, this seems like empty fun, but the game Minecraft has conquered all continents except Antarctica, and brought its developers so much money that any miner would envy.