The process of producing gold can be divided in to six main phases: finding the ore body; creating access to the ore body; removing the ore by mining or breaking the ore body; transporting the broken material from the mining face to the plants for treatment; processing; and refining. 

 

This basic process applies to both underground and surface operations.

World Gold Council members account for over 40% of all gold mining, and take

their social and environmental responsibilities seriously. 

A glossary of common mining terms.

An explanation of some of the high profile socio-economic and environmental issues facing the gold industry.

An explanation of the natural weathering process in gold mining that produces acid. 

This section explains the distinction between artisanal (small scale) mining and large scale gold mining

The use of cyanide is an important aspect of gold mining and needs to be managed very carefully. This section explains why cyanide is used, what the risks are, how those risks are managed, and refers to the International Cyanide Management Code, the accepted authority for use of cyanide in gold mining. 

There are several ways that gold mines deal with waste once gold is extracted: the most prevalent term for such waste is "tailings". This section explains the different forms of "tailings" and how the gold industry manages this issue.

 

All you need to know about how gold is mined and the different types of gold mining including

There are two types of mines, Open Pit and Underground, each developed to fit with the circumstances where the ore is found and to fit with which processes are optimal to extract gold.

An explanation of the two main gold mining methods; surface and underground mining.

An explanation of a number of different ways in which gold is extracted from rock and ore.

Gold deposits are formed via a wide variety of geological processes. Deposits are classified as primary, placer deposits, or laterite deposits. Often a deposit will contain a mixture of all three types of ore.

Sampling of the ore body leads to various levels of confidence in the amount of gold present which are referred to reserves and resources.