Gold smelting separates metal from ore through chemical reactions and high temperatures. The process has been used since early human development, and modern facilities carefully assess ore quality and control pollution. The resulting metal is refined to remove impurities and can be alloyed for specific traits.
Gold smelting is a metallurgical process used to separate metal from ore, rocks that contain gold. The ore is ground and treated with chemicals to remove some impurities before being heated to high temperatures with a flux which sets off a chemical reaction, precipitating the metal out of the mix. After the gold has been smelted, it must be refined to purify it so it can be used in the manufacture of a variety of products, from jewelry to electronic components.
The discovery of ores and smelting marked an important point in human development, as people could access previously inaccessible metals related to ores for use in metalworking projects. Early humans built furnaces for their gold smelting, controlling temperatures with bellows and combustible materials to achieve the high heat needed. Similar equipment is used in modern processing plants, although temperature controls are much stricter.
This process causes an actual chemical change in the mineral; it doesn’t just melt gold. Once gold has been smelted, it cannot be reverted back to mineral form. Facilities that do gold smelting start with processed ore that has been carefully inspected to assess its quality and estimate how much usable metal it will produce. It is stirred in melting pots so it can be heated, and when flux is added, the metal begins to flow down, while the slag rises to the top. The slag can be eliminated, leaving the metal behind.
After the gold has been smelted, the metal still has impurities. These include other metals along with a mineral content in some cases. In refining, it is further processed to remove these impurities and produce a product that in most cases is between 95 and 99% pure. Higher purity requires more work, making it more expensive, but may be necessary for some products. It can also be alloyed with other metals to develop specific traits such as gold with a particular color or a stronger metal for use in projects where pure gold is too soft.
Pollution is a concern of the smelting process. The extraction and processing of ore tends to generate pollution in the form of chemicals and damage to the natural environment, while the slag can also be dangerous to the environment if not managed responsibly. Environmentally concerned companies control their supply chain and can use a variety of measures to minimize metallurgical pollution in their production processes.
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