1 oz. of gold = 30 tons of toxic waste*, by Jane Rainwater © 2005. Digital illustration.Click on the picture for a larger view.
In the past, gold was mined in shafts and was very dangerous to the miners who died in collapsed mines. (see Miner's Peril, below) Today, gold is extracted by a process called "Heap Mining." Gold is found in microscopic quanties in ore. The mountainsides of South America, Africa and the United States are blown up and the ore is stacked in a open heap. Cyanide is sprayed over the heap and the gold is dissolved and sent to a building where it is reclaimed and the cyanide is returned to a pool where it is used again. The treated ore (called tailings) is dumped back into the open pit mine. This ore has never been exposed to air or water. When it rains on the treated ore, sulfuric acid is created. This acid flows into the surrounding water table of the mine. This toxic waste flows into rivers, resevoirs and drinking water killing fisk and poisoning people on the process.
* To read more see, The Cost of Gold | 30 Tons an Ounce, Behind Gold's Glitter: Torn Lands and Pointed Questions , By JANE PERLEZ and KIRK JOHNSON, The New York Times, Published: October 24, 2005)
For more information about this process visit www.dirtygold.com You can purchase a wedding ring that has been certfied environmentally safe by visting www.greenkarat.com
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