What are the environmental impacts of mining platinum?

The environmental impacts include high waste rock and tailings generated (about 98% of the ore becomes tailings), high electricity consumption (average 175 GJ/kg PGM), water usage (average 400 m 3 /kg PGM) and CO 2 e emissions (average 40 t CO2_e/kg PGM) (Glaister and Mudd, 2010). …

What is byproduct mining?

by-product In mining, subsidiary material worked from ore deposits in which other materials are dominant. In some cases the revenue from the by-products can exceed that from the major type, e.g. gold from porphyry copper deposits. Compare CO-PRODUCT.

What products are made from platinum?

Platinum is used in catalytic converters, laboratory equipment, electrical contacts and electrodes, platinum resistance thermometers, dentistry equipment, and jewelry.

What is a byproduct of silver mining?

Natural Silver Alloys and Amalgams A significant amount of today’s silver production is a refining byproduct of gold mining. Silver also forms a natural alloy with mercury. This silver amalgam is sometimes found in the oxidation zones of silver deposits and is occasionally associated with cinnabar.

Where is the most gold mined in the world?

China is currently the world’s biggest miner of gold, while Canada, Russia, and Peru are also major producers. In terms of companies, Barrick Gold’s majority-owned Nevada Gold Mines is the single largest gold-mining complex in the world, producing about 3.5 million ounces a year.

What is the largest silver mine in the world?

Penasquito
Penasquito, Mexico Penasquito, located in the north-eastern part of the state of Zacatecas, Mexico, is the world’s biggest silver mine by reserve. The proven and probable silver reserves of the mine as of December 2012 stood at 911.8 million ounces (Moz).

What happens if I eat platinum?

When ingested or inhaled, platinum metal and insoluble salts are very poorly absorbed (<1% of a dose) and cleared from the body within a week after a single dose. Most absorbed platinum accumulates in the kidneys and is excreted in urine (Moore et al., 1975a, 1975b).

Who privately owns the most gold?

the U.S. government
The biggest gold investor in the world The largest single owner of gold on the planet is the U.S. government. At last count, Uncle Sam had 8,133.5 tons of gold (260 million ounces) stashed in vaults around the country like Fort Knox, which holds 147.3 million ounces.

How much unmined gold is left?

The below-ground stock of gold reserves is currently estimated to be around 50,000 tonnes, according to the US Geological Survey. To put that in perspective, around 190,000 tonnes of gold has been mined in total, although estimates do vary. Based on these rough figures, there is about 20% still to be mined.