Hunting Around the ground around Pyrites Works and Quartz Roasting Kilns

[tinpan]

Hi All, In most 19th century hard rock gold mining sites there are often to be found Pyrite Works and Quartz Roasting Kilns . The toxic waste smoke from these sort of practises seems to be present in and around the site. All fine to help newbies get started but i think a little more detail may be required to educate all. Many different toxic processes involved in retrieving gold and in the past little was understood about toxic waste.

Example In 1867 Koch,s Pyrites works . Smoke from the works would blow down hill over the top of a stock drinking water supply . After a while numerous cows died from the waste settling in the water. Dept of Mines served a notice of improvement on the works. The brick chimney stacks were made higher . Well what can you say. Dump the waste in a bigger area .

I don,t to detect around such sites but I know of others who do . Some good finds are made in with the sites , most being from unprocessed ore or drops . Your thought on this subject ?

tinpan

 

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[goldenIrishman]

It seems that our forefathers did a good job of messing things up all over the place in the search for gold. Granted they didn't really know the effects but we all have to live with them today. Mercury in the streams, erosion from hydrolic mining creating wastelands etc etc etc. I feel that everyone should research any area they plan on going to and find out as much as possible about what went on there in the old days. It's a matter of personal safety to know if there's anything in that area that could cause you health issues. Much better to be safe than dead from something you can't even see!

 

[Hard Prospector]

No amount of gold is worth profound toxic exposure and dying of cancer.

 

[goldentruth]

It seems that our forefathers did a good job of messing things up all over the place in the search for gold. Granted they didn't really know the effects but we all have to live with them today. Mercury in the streams, erosion from hydrolic mining creating wastelands etc etc etc. I feel that everyone should research any area they plan on going to and find out as much as possible about what went on there in the old days. It's a matter of personal safety to know if there's anything in that area that could cause you health issues. Much better to be safe than dead from something you can't even see!

Talking about Mercury in streams,My friend saw a mountain side of pure Cynabar. The Cynabar when weather was hot leacked out pure mercury into the stream! Many blame miners but is natural nature too my friend.

 

[Oakview2]

All the more reason to get dredgers back in the water. The salmons life cycle is recirculates ocean mercury back into the rivers at every spawning cycle