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(190066807) 1 Historical
(190066807) 1 Historical
1. Historical Introduction
Fathi Habashi
Laval University, Quebec City, Canada
Fathi.Habashi@arul.ulaval.ca
1
That is why prospectors and
adventurers rush to the scene
as soon as news of a gold
discovery are rumoured.
GOLD
First exploited by the ancient Egyptians
The basis of currency
Mass migrations to USA,
Canada, Australia, etc.
San Francisco, Johannesburg,
Sydney, Denver, etc.
An ounce costs $ 1800
The Golden Fleece
The alchemists transmutation of metals
In Banks
Oriental
bazaar
Gold in ancient world
5
Melting of gold
Beating of gold
6
Gold
foil
Aqua Regia
It was the Arab alchemist
Jabir Ibn Hayyan (720-813
AD) who discovered that
a mixture of hydrochloric
and nitric acids can
dissolve the noble metal,
neither of which alone
can attack gold.
In modern terms the
action of the mixture is
due to chlorine and
nitrosyl chloride:
3HCl + HNO3 Cl2
+ NOCl + 2H2O
Amalgamation process
Ore
Water
Grinding
in Arra stres
NaCl + CuSO4
Mixing in Patio
Mercury
Amalgamation
in Patio
Water
Washing
in Lavaderos
Squee zing
through canvas
Amalgam
Mercury
Storage Distillation
Ingots
Mixing in patio
Retorting
Stamp mill
Amalgamation table
12
Plattner process
Chlorine water or
bleaching powder
acidified with dilute
sulfuric acid were used
as early as 1848 to
leach gold from its ores;
the process was known
as the Plattner Process
after its inventor.
In this process, a
solution of AuCl3 was
obtained, from which
gold was precipitated
by ferrous sulfate or
activated charcoal.
Patera process
13