Page 74 - gmj144-July-Sept-mag-web

HIDDEN TREASURE

Fool’s gold

not so foolish

after all

esearch has uncovered tiny amounts of gold can be found
Rin pyrite, commonly known as ‘fool’s gold’ – surprisingly
making it more valuable than the name suggests.
The research was conducted in collaboration between Curtin
University, The University of Western Australia and the China
University of Geoscience.
“Invisible” gold was observed through the use of a scientific
instrument known as an atom probe, according to Curtin
School of Earth and Planetary Sciences lead researcher Denis
Fougerouse. The research team also explored possible methods to extract
“The gold is hosted in nanoscale defects called dislocations – the gold with lesser environmental impact than the common
one million times smaller than the width of a human hair – so a pressure oxidising techniques which are energy-hungry.
special technique called atom probe tomography is needed to “We wanted to look into an eco-friendlier way of extraction,”
observe it,” he said. Fougerouse said.
“Previously, gold extractors have been able to find gold in pyrite “We looked into an extraction process called selective leaching,
either as nanoparticles or as a pyrite-gold alloy, but what we using a fluid to selectively dissolve the gold from the pyrite. Not
have discovered is that gold can also be hosted in nanoscale only do the dislocations trap the gold, but they also behave
crystal defects representing a new kind of ‘invisible’ gold. as fluid pathways that enable the gold to be leached without
“The more deformed the crystal is, the more gold there is affecting the entire pyrite.”
locked up in defects.”
INDEX

Alchemy 50-52 Dateline 71 Lefroy 57 Ramelius 56
Alice Queen 73 De Grey 4, 16-21, 52, Liberty 63 Red 5 70
Altan Rio 46 56-57, 62-63 Red Metal 48
AngloGold 57-58, 68 Matador 65 Regis 24-25, 58-59
Antipa 48 Evolution 4, 34, 41, 64, 70 Metalicity 55 Resolute 68
Apollo Consolidated 4, 26-27, Mincor 62 Rio Tinto 48, 62-63
51, 63 Firefinch 68
Mirimar 73 Rox 73
Ardiden 64 Firefly 8 Moneta 63 Roxgold 63
Artemis 48-49 Fortuna 63 Monger Gold 6
Australasian Gold 31
Montage 63 Sandfire 52
Auteco 64 Gascoyne 8 Musgrave 40-41 Silver Lake 34, 42, 50-52
Gateway 72 St George 48
Bardoc 31, 34, 36-37 Genesis 54-56 Newcrest 4, 48-49, 62-63 Stavely 63
Barrick 69 Gold 50 6 Newmont 63, 72 Superior Gold 52
Barto 46 Gold Fields 20, 24 Nex 55
Barton 6 Gold Road 20, 24-25 Northern Star 4, 24-25, Torque 6
Black Cat 51 Golden Rim 72 30, 51-52, 71
Breaker 51 Greatland 62-63
Victory Goldfields 6
OceanaGold 63
Calidus 4, 22-23 IGO 25, 58 OreCorp 4, 69 Westgold 50
Carawine 48 Impact 31 OzAurum 30 Wiluna 31, 34, 53
Carnavale 54, 56-57 IronRidge 31
Chalice 56-57 Pacgold 6
Codrus 6 Latitude 42 Predictive 63

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