83-455: The Youanmi Gold Mine is a gold mine 82 km south-southwest of the town of Sandstone . It is near the abandoned town of Youanmi , in the Murchison Region of Western Australia . Youanmi mining operations were suspended in 1997 and the mine was placed into care and maintenance . Since 2019, it is jointly owned by Rox Resources and Venus Metals Corporation, with the former managing
166-607: A central processing facility for ore from Youanmi and Gidgee, where it would mine the Wilson deposit. Production was to commence in 18 to 24 months. Parts of the Youanmi processing plant were to be relocated to Gidgee while the remainder would be used for the company's Aphrodite project. Youanmi was to initially contribute 170,000 tonnes of ore to the future gold production, sourced from the existing underground operations below 600 meters, which would have to be dewatered and refurbished first. With
249-698: A combination of factors including the depletion of easily accessible gold deposits, harsh weather conditions, and the political instability at the time. The Welsh gold rush occurred in Wales , more so in the Dolgellau area of Gwynedd , during the 19th century. Gold deposits were discovered in Welsh mountains, with reports of gold being found in rivers Mawddach and Tryweryn . By the mid-19th century, commercial mining operations had begun. Wales' gold gained popularity for its quality and rarity, leading to its use in royal jewelry for
332-716: A critical source of income and livelihood, providing employment opportunities and economic support in regions with limited alternative options. Artisanal mining operations vary in scale, from individuals panning for gold in rivers and streams, to small groups working collectibely in informal mining camps, often referred to as ' galamsey ' in West Africa . Gold mining can create employment opportunities in mining operations and related sectors. Howevers, these jobs may be temporary. The sector's reliance on fluctuating global gold prices can lead to economic stability for communities dependent on mining. The discovery of significant gold deposits in
415-615: A dilapidated relic of the town's former heyday, created much conflict with many people opposed to its presence as an operating pub arising from the conflict and trauma associated with alcohol abuse. In 2019, a major renovation converted the Club Hotel into the Shire of Wiluna administration buildings. The town also has a general store, petrol, caravan park, sports oval, public swimming pool, school, and health clinic. Local water holes are much damaged and overused after years of cattle use. During
498-437: A gravel screening plant and sluice box floating in a temporary pond. The pond is excavated in the gravel bar and filled from the natural water table. "Pay" gravel is excavated from the front face of the pond and processed through the floating plant, with the gold trapped in the onboard sluice box and tailings stacked behind the plant, steadily filling in the back of the pond as the operation moves forward. This type of gold mining
581-467: A large scale to extract gold from extensive alluvial (loose sediment) deposits, such as those at Las Medulas . Mining was under the control of the state but the mines may have been leased to civilian contractors some time later. The gold served as the primary medium of exchange within the empire, and was an important motive in the Roman conquest of Britain by Claudius in the first century AD; although there
664-488: A lower grade. Tailings can contain lead, mercury, cadmium, and arsenic. These toxins can pose health risks for local communities. Arsenic is typically found in gold-containing ores, and gold processing may contaminate groundwater or the atmosphere. This pollution may persist for decades. Furthermore, mining operations use large quantities of water for processing ore and can result in the contamination of water sources with heavy metals, such as mercury and cyanide , used in
747-550: A number of capital raisings, the latest in September 2009, when the company raised A$ 108 million. Consequently, APEX share price fell from a height of A$ 1.40 in early 2008 to below 4 cents by the end of 2009. Subsequently, APEX returned to its previously abandoned strategy of sourcing ore from Gidgee as well as Wiluna for its processing facility. It now planned to commence mining at Gidgee once more in March 2010, while production from Youanmi
830-531: A pilot program in which the Government of Western Australia provided A$ 1 million for road work contractors in collaboration with the Martu-ku Yiwarra Training Centre. The Wiluna area was explored by Lawrence Wells in 1892. Gold was discovered in the area in 1896, and within a few months over 300 prospectors were in the area. The town of Wiluna was gazetted in 1898, the name Wiluna being
913-417: A region often sees a flood of resources and development, which lasts as long as the mines are economic. When goldfields begin to decline in production, local economies find themselves destabilised and overly reliant upon an industry that will inevitably abandon the region when gold deposits are sufficiently depleted; leaving the areas without proper rehabilitation. Wiluna, Western Australia Wiluna
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#1732916135009996-518: A similar process, the BIOX process. The name Youanmi derives from a spring in the area and was first recorded in 1887. It was given to a surveyor by an old Aboriginal accompanying him, but its meaning is unclear. After the first gold discovery at Youanami in 1894 or 1895 by prospector Tom Payne, gold mining at Youanmi was carried out intermittently from around 1908 until 1942, when the Youanmi Gold Mine
1079-727: A tributary of the Klondike River by George Carmack and his Indigenous companions, Skookum Jim Mason and Tagish Charlie . As prospectors arrived in Klondike, makeshift towns and settlements sprang up along the rivers, including Dawson City , which because the largest town in Yukon at the height of the gold rush. Prospectors employed various mining techniques to extract gold from the Klondike's streams and riverbeds, including placer mining, dredging, and hydraulic mining. The Carlin Trend of Nevada, U.S.,
1162-418: Is a cyanide extraction method, or gold cyanidation, introduced in the late 1800s. This a metallurgical technique used to extract gold from lower grade ores by converting gold into a water-soluble coordination complex. Finely ground rock is treated with a solution of sodium cyanide . The extract is absorbed onto carbon and then removed from the carbon with a solution of caustic soda and cyanide. Gold cyanide
1245-429: Is a method of extracting gold from alluvial deposits such as sand, gravel, and sediment. These are known as placer deposits which are typically found in riverbeds, stream beds, and floodplains. These deposits typically contain minerals that are resistant to weathering and eroision like gold , platinum , diamonds , and more. They are characterized by their relatively high concentration of valuable minerals compared to
1328-674: Is a small town in the Goldfields-Esperance region (since 2021) of Western Australia . It is situated on the edge of the Western Desert at the gateway to the Canning Stock Route and Gunbarrel Highway . It is the service centre of the local area for the local Martu people , the pastoral industry, the Wiluna Gold Mine , and many more people who work on other mines in the area on a " fly-in/fly-out " basis. Wiluna's climate
1411-415: Is characterized by its low cost, as each rock is moved only once. It also has low environmental impact, as no stripping of vegetation or overburden is necessary, and all process water is fully recycled. Such operations are typical on New Zealand's South Island and in the Klondike region of Canada. Also called a cradle, a rocker box uses riffles located in a high-walled box to trap gold in a similar manner to
1494-616: Is done by small-scale miners using suction dredges. These are small machines that float on the water and are usually operated by one or two people. A suction dredge consists of a sluice box supported by pontoons, attached to a suction hose which is controlled by a miner working beneath the water. This method is particularly popular in areas where gold is found at river bottoms or submerge deposits . Suction dredging can have environmental impacts, moreso on aquatic habitats and water quality. Regulations and best practices are often in place to minimize these impacts. State dredging permits in many of
1577-436: Is essentially a man made channel with riffles set in the bottom. The riffles are designed to create dead zones in the current to allow gold to drop out of suspension. The box is placed in the stream to channel water flow. Gold-bearing material is placed at the top of the box. The material is carried by the current through the volt where gold and other dense material settles out behind the riffles. Less dense material flows out of
1660-841: Is estimated that the total gold production in Karnataka to date is 1000 tons. The mining of the Hungarian deposit (present-day Slovakia) primarily around Kremnica was the largest of the Medieval period in Europe. In South America, gold mining in the Andes dates back to thousands of years, with the Inca empire employing extensive gold mining operations in regions such as present-day Peru and Ecuador . They used stone tools and simple mining techniques to extract gold from rivers, streams, and surface deposits. During
1743-687: Is hot and dry, with an annual rainfall of 258 mm (10.2 in). Mean maximum temperatures range from 19 °C (66 °F) in July, to 38 °C (100 °F) in January. The closest service centre is in Meekatharra . Wiluna has from 200 to 600 Aboriginal people living within its community, depending upon the nature, time and place of the traditional law ceremonies across the Central Desert region. The traditional Aboriginal owners (a grouping known as
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#17329161350091826-464: Is most fiercely opposed, with over 40 years of clear opposition from traditional owners . In October 1960, two station workers named Fred Vincenti and Frank Quadrio were opening a fence gate on the Millbillillie -Jundee track 11 km (6.8 mi) from Wiluna when they witnessed a bright fireball falling into spinifex ( Triodia ) grassland to the north. The debris from this meteor became known as
1909-677: Is only one known Roman gold mine at Dolaucothi in west Wales. Gold was a prime motivation for the campaign in Dacia when the Romans invaded Transylvania in what is now modern Romania in the second century AD. The legions were led by the emperor Trajan, and their exploits are shown on Trajan's Column in Rome and the several reproductions of the column elsewhere (such as the Victoria and Albert Museum in London ). Under
1992-444: Is operated by Wiluna Mining Corporation and currently produces gold from re-processing of legacy mine tailings. Yeleeri site, located 100 km (62 mi) south has uranium ore , and the region boasts much mineral wealth. The Paroo Station lead carbonate open pit mine is located 30 km (19 mi) west of Wiluna. As of January 2015 it was being placed into care and maintenance due to low global prices for lead. Wiluna and
2075-962: Is produced by major corporations, there are an estimated 10 to 15 million small-scale artisanal gold miners worldwide. Around 4.5 million of them are women, and an estimated 600,000 children work in illegal artisanal gold mines. Artisanal miners use rudimentary methods to extract and process gold. Many of these people are mining to escape extreme poverty , unemployment and landlessness . In Ghana, galamsey miners are estimated to number 20,000 to 50,000. In neighboring francophone countries, such workers are called orpailleurs . In Brazil, Venezuela, Suriname, and French Guiana, workers are called garimpeiros . These workers are not required to claim responsibility for their social and environmental impacts. Miners risk government persecution, mine shaft collapses, and toxic poisoning from unsafe chemicals used in processing, such as mercury. For example, in Ghana during 2009,
2158-405: Is recounted as Peasley, organising the expedition, although it was Stan Gratte of Geraldton (OAM) who organised this party to recover them when urged by Warri's brother Moodjeren, who was concerned, due to old age and the lack of young people who would normally assist the elderly, they would not survive the extended drought which was now gripping Central Australia. Emaciated and likely close to death,
2241-628: Is then converted to relatively pure gold through gold parting . There are many environmental hazards associated with this extraction method, largely due to the high toxicity of the cyanide compounds. Furthermore, there are potentials for accidental spills or leaks to cause harm to aquatic ecosystems and human health. For example, in 2000, the Baia Mare cyanide spill in northern Romania released approximately 100,000 cubic metres (3,500,000 cu ft) of waste water contaminated with heavy metal sludge and up to 120 long tons (122 t) of cyanide into
2324-519: Is unknown, but some of the oldest known gold artifacts were found in the Varna Necropolis in Bulgaria . The graves of the necropolis were built between 4700 and 4200 BC, indicating that gold mining could be at least 6,724 years old. During a series of excavations carried out between 1878 and 1992, several graves were found with more than 6kg of gold. A group of German and Georgian archaeologists claims
2407-615: The British royal family . During the 19th century, numerous gold rushes in remote regions around the globe caused large migrations of miners, such as the California Gold Rush of 1849. This is one of the most famous gold rushes in history. The discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill in California sparked a massive migration of people from around the world to California in search of gold. The rush significantly accelerated westward expansion in
2490-690: The Bronze Age , sites in the Eastern Desert became a great source of gold-mining for nomadic Nubians, who used "two-hand-mallets" and "grinding ore extraction ." By the Old Kingdom , the oval mallet was introduced for mining. By the Middle Kingdom , stone mortars to process ores and a new gold-washing technique were introduced. During the New Kingdom , Nubian mining expanded under Egyptian occupation with
2573-568: The Dompoase mine collapse killed 18 workers. It was the worst mining disaster in Ghanaian history. Children in these mines suffer extremely harsh working conditions and various hazards such as collapsing tunnels, explosions, and chemical exposure. Children may be especially vulnerable to these hazards and many suffer from serious respiratory conditions, hearing, and vision problems. Gold mining by large multi-national corporations produces about 80% of
Youanmi Gold Mine - Misplaced Pages Continue
2656-664: The Kolar gold fields was mined to a depth of 50 metres (160 ft) during the Gupta period in the fifth century AD. During the Chola period in the 9th and 10th century AD, the scale of the operation grew. The metal continued to be mined by the eleventh century kings of South India, the Vijayanagara Empire from 1336 to 1560, and later by Tipu Sultan , the king of Mysore state and the British. It
2739-471: The Martu ) were "settled" as a consequence of the British colonisation process that began in the 1800s. In the 1950s a church-based group were supported by the government of the day to establish a mission. The traditional people lost their lands through many different processes, including the issuing of pastoral leases , the discovery of gold and the influx of non-Aboriginal people onto their lands. Before and after
2822-399: The Millbillillie meteorite and is understood to be pieces of the asteroid Vesta that had at some point been knocked off by a collision in the asteroid belt . Although no official specimens were recovered until 1970 it is understood that members of the local Aboriginal community had collected pieces. Another meteorite fall was recorded near Wiluna on 2 September 1967. This meteorite
2905-457: The Sakdrisi site in southern Georgia , dating to the 3rd or 4th millennium BC, may be the world's oldest known gold mine. Gold has been prized by humans since prehistoric times. Archaeological evidence suggests that humans were mining gold as far back as 4000 BCE, with some the earliest known gold artifacts dating back to ancient Mesopotamia . Particularly in the region of present-day Iraq, gold
2988-511: The Tisza River. Historically, mercury was used extensively in placer gold mining in order to form mercury-gold amalgam with smaller gold particles, and thereby increase the gold recovery rates. First, the gold ore is crushed and ground to a fine powder to expose the gold particles for amalgamation. Then, this finely ground ore is mixed with liquid mercury to amalgamate it. Mercury forms an amalgam, an alloy, with gold particles to allow for
3071-470: The Wati (Aboriginal language) name for the area. By the 1930s, the town had a population of over 9,000 people, but World War II severely affected the gold mining industry, and many mines were shut down. By 1963 the population had fallen to less than 100. Gold mining resumed in the area in 1981. The closest mine site to town is the Wiluna Gold Mine , approximately 3 km (1.9 mi) south of Wiluna. The mine
3154-470: The wet season , large lakes may form that attract an array of wildlife. The region has snakes, kangaroos , bungarras (large lizard/goanna), bush turkeys , donkeys , horses, camels and dingoes . Willuna is home to VMW, a marine weather transmitter operated by the Bureau of Meteorology . Parts of the unsealed and flood-prone road between Wiluna and Meekatharra are as of July 2020 being sealed, as part of
3237-570: The Amazon rainforest, Indigenous peoples have been killed and had their rightfully owned land stolen from them. As a consequence of this, some have left the rainforest to move to cities which further puts them at risk to disease, homelessness, and poverty. Artisanal gold mining is widespread across Africa , occurring in numerous countries including Ghana , Mali , Burkina Faso , Tanzania , Zimbabwe , and many others. For many individuals and communities in rural Africa, artisanal gold mining represents
3320-875: The Eastern Roman Empire Emperor Justinian's rule, gold was mined in the Balkans, Anatolia, Armenia, Egypt, and Nubia. In the area of the Kolar Gold Fields in Bangarpet Taluk , Kolar district of Karnataka state, India; gold was first mined prior to the 2nd and 3rd century AD by digging small pits. Golden objects found in Harappa and Mohenjo-daro have been traced to Kolar through the analysis of impurities – the impurities include 11% silver concentration, found only in KGF ore. The Champion reef at
3403-464: The Highlands during the 16th and 17th century. Gold deposits were discovered in rivers and streams, leading to a surge in prospecting and mining activity. The Scottish Crown took an interest in gold discoveries, in hopes of aiding the kingdom's economy and revenue. King James IV of Scotland established a royal mint to produce gold coins from Scottish gold. The Scottish gold rush eventually waned due to
Youanmi Gold Mine - Misplaced Pages Continue
3486-684: The Mid-West region are the site of Western Australia's most advanced uranium mining projects. Three projects are in the approval process, with the Lake Maitland uranium project and the Lake Way uranium project both owned by Toro Energy Ltd, and the Yeelirrie uranium project which BHP Billiton sold to Cameco . All three are located within 100 km (62 mi) of Wiluna. All three projects were opposed by environmental groups and some local people. Yeelirrie
3569-932: The Middle Ages, Europe experience several gold rushes. Most notably in regions like Transylvania, Scotland, and Wales. These rushes were often small-scale and localised compared to later rushes in history. The Transylvania gold rush took place in the Kingdom of Hungary (present-day Romania ), primarily in the region of Transylvania during the medieval period. Transylvania was known for its rich mineral resources including gold, silver, and other metals. Miners in Transylvania used both surface and underground mining techniques to extract gold from alluvial deposits and veins. These methods include panning, sluicing, and rudimentary shaft mining. The Scottish gold rush occurred in Scotland, primarily in
3652-579: The United States and had profound effects on the region's economy and society. The gold rushes began in 1851 when Edward Hargraves , a prospector, discovered gold near Bathhurst , New South Wales . The most well known gold rush in Australia was the Victorian Gold Rush . Thousands of people, known as 'diggers', came from around the world to Australia in search of gold, which ultimately contributed to
3735-484: The United States gold dredging areas specify a seasonal time period and area closures to avoid conflicts between dredgers and the spawning time of fish populations. Some US states, such as Montana, require an extensive permitting procedure, including permits. Some large suction dredges [100 horsepower (75 kW) & 250 mm (10 in)] are used in commercial production throughout the world. Small suction dredges are much more efficient at extracting smaller gold than
3818-568: The Youanmi mine, which it called its "Enterprise/Penny West Project", to Goldcrest Resources for A$ 2.75 million. APEX purchased Youanmi in May 2007 from Goldcrest Resources Ltd for A$ 10 million, half of this in cash. It was purchased almost simultaneously with the Gidgee Gold Mine from Legend Mining for A$ 11 million. APEX's initial plan was to refurbish and enlarge the Gidgee processing plant and use it as
3901-454: The acquisition of the Wiluna Gold Mine in June 2007, Wiluna replaced Gidgee as the location of the central processing facility. Gidgee, like Youanmi, was to serve as a mining location only, with ore from Youanmi to be transported to Wiluna, over 320 km north-east of Youanmi. APEX also increased their production target from 120,000 to 200,000 ounces per annum because of the larger Wiluna plant and
3984-514: The atomic nuclear testing near Maralinga in South Australia in the 1950s, many Aboriginal people from at least three different tribal and language groups were forced to live within the mission site. This created many conflicts and the legacy continues today. Much traditional knowledge and skill exists today amongst the Aboriginal residents and visitors. The existence of an historical Club Hotel,
4067-580: The box as tailings . Larger commercial placer mining operations employ screening plants, or trommels , to remove the larger alluvial materials such as boulders and gravel, before concentrating the remainder in a sluice box or jig plant. After the gold is sorted through trommels, it is then placed through regular sluice boxes for further sorting. These operations typically include diesel powered, earth moving equipment including excavators, bulldozers, wheel loaders , and rock trucks. Although this method has largely been replaced by modern methods, some dredging
4150-499: The dry Lake Way south of Wiluna, established around 1896, was called Weeloona , derived from an Aboriginal word meaning Place of wind or Windy place . However, the name is also sometimes claimed to come from the cry of the curlew , which is frequent in the area. Wiluna experiences a desert climate ( Köppen climate classification BWh ), though like most of inland Western Australia it has seen its rainfall increase by around 40 percent since 1967 . The heaviest rainfall, however,
4233-432: The efficient capture of gold from the ore. The gold is concentrated by boiling away the mercury from the amalgam . This process is called retorting. This is effective in extracting very small gold particles, but the process is hazardous due to the toxicity of mercury vapour. Large-scale use of mercury stopped in the 1960s. However, mercury is still used in artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM). While most gold
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#17329161350094316-762: The extraction process. This pollution can have detrimental effects on aquatic ecosystems and human health. Soil degradation has also been found to be impacted by gold mining. Mining activities can disturb soil structure, leading to erosion, sedimentation of waterways, and loss of fertile land for agriculture or vegetation regrowth. More evidently, dust and emissions from mining machiner and processing facilities can contribute to air pollution, impacting air quality and potentially causings respiratory problems for nearby communities. Large-scale gold mining projects may require land acquisition and resettlement of local communities, leading to displacement, loss of livelihoods, and disruption of traditional ways of life. In addition to
4399-568: The former holding 70 percent and managing exploration activities, while the latter holds 30 percent. Rox Resources and Venus Metals had purchased the mine for A$ 4.8 million from private owners Oz Youanmi Gold. Previous owners of the Youanmi Gold Mine: Gold mine Gold mining is the extraction of gold by mining . Historically, mining gold from alluvial deposits used manual separation processes, such as gold panning . The expansion of gold mining to ores that are not on
4482-694: The gold supply. Most gold is mined in developing nations. Large mining companies play a key role in globalisation of the economy by linking rich and poor companies. Newmont and Barrick Gold are the largest gold mining companies in the world, but there are many smaller corporations in the industry. Local communities are frequently vulnerable to environmental degradation caused by large mining companies and may lack government protection or industry regulation. For example, thousands of people around Lega Dembi mine are exposed to mercury, arsenic, and other toxins resulting in widespread health problems and birth defects. Vulnerable communities may also lose their land to
4565-553: The growth of cities like Melbourne and Sydney . The discovery of gold in the Witwatersrand led to the Second Boer War and ultimately the founding of South Africa. This transformed the region into one of the wealthiest gold-producing areas in the world. This rush played a crucial role in the development of South Africa's economy and lead to the establishment of Johannesburg, known as the 'city of gold'. Gold-bearing reefs in
4648-750: The heat is unbearable for humans, and air conditioning is required for the safety of the workers. The first such mine to receive air conditioning was Robinson Deep , at that time the deepest mine in the world for any mineral. Gold is also produced by mining in which it is not the principal product. Large copper mines, such as the Bingham Canyon mine in Utah, often recover considerable amounts of gold and other metals along with copper. Sand and gravel pits, like those in Denver (Colorado), may recover small amounts of gold in their wash operations. The largest producing gold mine in
4731-584: The invention of the grinding mill . Additionally, gold was associated with the sun god Ra and was believed to be eternal and indestructible, symbolising the pharoah's divine power and afterlife. Gold has also been found in the tombs of Tutankhamun and other pharoahs. During the Bronze Age, gold objects were also plentiful; especially in Ireland and Spain. Romans employed slave labour and used hydraulic mining methods, such as hushing and ground sluicing on
4814-455: The lack of need to move parts of the Youanmi plant to Wiluna. APEX announced first successful drilling results from Youanmi in December 2007 and anticipated that mining at Youanmi would commence in 2009. In January 2008, APEX begun to dewater the open pit at Youanmi to gain access to the submerged underground portal, the pit being filled with 1.8 million cubic meters of water. It anticipated that
4897-461: The lowest ever recorded for tropical forests, with there being little to no tree regeneration at abandoned mining camps, even after several years. The Amazon rainforest is at risk for 'savannization', which is the gradual transformation of a tropical rainforest into a savannah. This would ultimately lead to a collapse of biodiversity, ecosystems, and climate. Gold mining produces more waste than mining of other minerals, because it can be mined at
4980-611: The mine was closed because low gold prices, below A$ 400 per ounce, made the Youanmi mine uneconomic. At the time of its closure, Youanmi had produced 670,000 ounces of gold throughout its lifetime. On 27 June 2000, Aquilia Resources Limited was listed on the Australian Securities Exchange , thereby becoming the owner of the mine, taking over from their parent companies, Quartz Mountain Mining Pty Ltd and Australian Mineral Investors Pty Ltd . In October 2003, Aquilia sold
5063-663: The mine. Some large companies have attempted to build local legitimacy through corporate responsibility initiatives and local development. Gold mining can significantly alter the natural environment. Gold mining activities in tropical forests are increasingly causing deforestation along rivers and in remote areas rich in biodiversity. Mining has increased rainforest loss up to 70km beyond lease boundaries, causing nearly 11,670 km of deforestation between 2005 to 2015. Up to 9% of gold mining occurs outside of these regulated lease boundaries. Other gold mining impacts, particularly in aquatic systems with residual cyanide or mercury (used in
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#17329161350095146-402: The neighbouring Free State province were found shortly thereafter, driving significant development in the region with the establishment of the Free State goldfields . Also known as the Yukon Gold Rush , brought prospectors from around the world to the Klondike region of the Yukon territory in Canada . The Klondike Gold Rush began in 1896, when gold was discovered in Bonanza Creek ,
5229-413: The old bucket line . This has improved the chances of finding gold. Smaller dredges with 50-to-100-millimetre (2 to 4 in) suction tubes are used to sample areas behind boulders and along potential pay streaks, until "colour" (gold) appears. Other larger scale dredging operations take place on exposed river gravel bars at seasonal low water. These operations typically use a land based excavator to feed
5312-400: The operation, making a reopening now unlikely. In April 2010, APEX announced that it was considering selling the mine as it did not consider it a core asset anymore. Since the first quarter of 2013, APEX engaged the OZ Youanmi Gold Pty Ltd for the sale issue of Youanmi Project. After a lengthy negotiation between the two parties, the final sale agreement was signed in May 2013. The execution of
5395-468: The pit would be dewatered by the end of 2008, underground dewatering would start in early 2009, and ore production in the third quarter of 2009. The company revised this plan, however and decided to only proceed with the development of the Wiluna mine, deferring mining at Youanmi to 2010. It halted all exploration activities at Gidgee and Younami, too. Difficulties encountered in the underground mining and plant commissioning at Wiluna forced APEX to go through
5478-688: The possible respiratory problems that could be acquired, individuals may be exposed to hazardous chemicals used in gold extraction such as mercury and cyanide. These chemicals pose risks to gold miners, communities, and wildlife; resulting in further medical problems involving neurological disorders and waterborne diseases . Gold mining in some regions has been associated with conflicts over land rights, labour rights violations, and exploitation of vulnerable populations, including Indigenous peoples and artisanal miners. Mining activities can damage or destroy cultural heritage sites, artifacts, and sacred areas; further impacting cultural identities and heritages. In
5561-407: The recovery of gold from ore), can be highly toxic to people and wildlife even at relatively low concentrations. Illegal gold mining exacerbates the ecological vulnerability of the remaining forest ultimately leading to permanent forest loss. Gold mining clears native forests for mineral extraction, but also indirectly facilitates access to more land and further clearing. Rainforest recovery rates are
5644-421: The sale agreement between the two parties was conducted in October 2013. APEX went into receivership in July 2013 with Ferrier Hodgso appointed as the Receiver. OZ Youanmi Gold retained the mine on care and maintenance status. The company had a plan to do more drill work and seek business partners to reopen the mine. Since 2019, the mine has been jointly owned by Rox Resources and the Venus Metals Corporation, with
5727-460: The site. In 1994, Youanmi became the first mine to commercially use the BACOX process (previously owned by BacTech Mining Corp, which is now REBgold Corp). This patented process, which is a proprietary of REBgold and BacTech Environmental, is a process of bacterial oxidation and bioleaching technologies that liberate precious metals from difficult-to-treat sulphide ores and concentrates, using naturally occurring bacteria . The Wiluna mine uses
5810-477: The sluice box. A rocker box uses less water than a sluice box and is well suited for areas where water is limited. A rocking motion provides the water movement needed for the gravity separation of gold in placer material. Rocker boxes gained popularity during the California Gold Rush in the 19th century and remain in use today. Although simple and inexpensive, it is not efficient as the previously discussed mining techniques . The dominant method for refining gold
5893-570: The surface has led to more complex extraction processes such as pit mining and gold cyanidation . In the 20th and 21st centuries, most volume of mining was done by large corporations. However, the value of gold has led to millions of small, artisanal miners in many parts of the Global South . Like all mining, human rights and environmental issues are common in the gold mining industry, and can result in environmental conflict . In mines with less regulation, health and safety risks are much higher. The exact date that humans first began to mine gold
5976-467: The surrounding rock or sediments. Unlike hard-rock mining, which involves excavating solid rock formations, water or dredging is used to extract the gold. Using a sluice box to extract gold from placer deposits has long been a very common practice in prospecting and small-scale mining. Sluices work on the principle that heavier particles will sink to the bottom of a stream, while those that are lighter will be carried downstream and expelled. A sluice box
6059-587: The world's gold. Sometimes open-pit mining is used, such as at the Fort Knox Mine in central Alaska. Barrick Gold Corporation has one of the largest open-pit gold mines in North America located on its Goldstrike mine property in north eastern Nevada. Other gold mines use underground mining, where the ore is extracted through tunnels or shafts. South Africa has the world's deepest hard rock gold mine up to 3,900 metres (12,800 ft) underground. At such depths,
6142-711: The world, the Grasberg mine in Papua, Indonesia, is primarily a copper mine. Gold panning , or simply panning , is a form of placer mining and traditional mining that extracts gold from a placer deposit using a pan. The process is one of the simplest ways to extract gold, and is popular with geology enthusiasts especially because of its low cost and relative simplicity. The first recorded instances of placer mining are from ancient Rome , where gold and other precious metals were extracted from streams and mountainsides using sluices and panning ( ruina montium ). Placer mining
6225-663: Was China with 368.3 tonnes of gold mined in that year. The second-largest producer of gold was Russia where 331.1 tonnes was mined in the same year, followed by Australia with 327.8 tonnes. In 2023, the annual gold demand of 4,448 tonnes was 5% below that of 2022. The total gold demand in 2023 was the highest at 4,899 tonnes. Despite its decreasing content in ores, gold production is increasing. This increase can be achieved through ever larger-scale industrial installations as well as innovations, especially in hydrometallurgy . Hard rock mining extracts gold encased in rock, rather than fragments in loose sediment, and produces most of
6308-588: Was a H5 -class object; specimens were collected and housed in the Western Australian Museum . Wiluna Remote Community School is a school that provides education for students from year 1–12, currently having a student population of between 85 and 115 students. The school provides a bus as transport to and from the school for the students. The indigenous language of the area is Martu Wangka dialect , however most students speak Aboriginal English . An early mining settlement of Lake Way Gold, named after
6391-510: Was associated with the April 1900 floods when the town received 527.1 mm (20.75 in), two-and-half-times its normal annual rainfall. Wiluna was the furthest away from Perth that the narrow gauge Western Australian Government Railways system reached. The Wiluna branch was connected to the main Northern Railway at Meekatharra . The branch opened to Wiluna on 2 November 1932. The line
6474-448: Was closed on 5 August 1957. The Indigenous people who have always lived in the region come from different tribal groups. Accomplished hunters, crafts people, pastoralists, bush mechanics and people with many other skills exist today within the community. The former Governor-General of Australia , Major General Michael Jeffery was born in Wiluna on 12 December 1937. A new primary school
6557-537: Was constructed in Wiluna after Jeffery visited the town in 2006 and criticised the condition of the existing school. Warri and Yatungka were a famous Aboriginal couple who died in Wiluna in 1979. They were the last of the Mandildjara people to leave their country and the hunter-gatherer lifestyle. Their Romeo and Juliet -like story was recorded in the best-selling book The Last of the Nomads by Dr W J Peasley. This story
6640-506: Was discovered in 1961. Official estimates indicate that total world gold production since the beginning of civilization has been around 6,352,216,000 troy ounces (197,576.0 t) and total gold production in Nevada is 1.1% of that, ranking Nevada as one of the Earth's primary gold-producing regions. World gold production was 3,612 tonnes in 2022. As of 2020 , the world's largest gold producer
6723-617: Was mined extensively. The ancient Sumerians , around 2500 BCE, developed sophisticated techniques for extracting gold from alluvial deposits and underground mines. These techniques included the use of sluice boxes. Evidence suggests that Nubia had sporadic access to gold nuggets during the Neolithic and Prehistoric Period . Gold mining in Egypt involved both surface mining such as panning for gold in riverbeads and underground mining, where tunnels were dug to extract gold-bearing quartz veins. During
6806-411: Was not planned any more at this time. In late December 2009, APEX announced a further delay with the development of the Gidgee mine because of the need of an upgrade of the Gidgee - Wiluna road. APEX anticipated that mining could be delayed another two or three months. The company, at this point, had no immediate plans with Youanmi at the time and did not state whether it was still continuing to dewater
6889-469: Was shut for the second time. The town of Youanmi rose and fell with the mine, finding itself deserted after the closure of the mine. The mine was, in those days, owned by London -based company Bewick Moreing . The current mine has its origins in the 1980s, when an open pit operation commenced. In 1995, the mine moved to underground mining , where between 50,000 and 60,000 ounces of gold were mined per year, at an average grade of 11.5 g/t. In November 1997,
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