Biogeochemical, Health, and Ecotoxicological Perspectives on Gold and Gold Mining

Despite the esteemed nature of gold in society, evidence of adverse ecotoxicological effects and risk to human health in various mining and extraction techniques has generated increasing interest in the biological and environmental implications of gold. Biogeochemical, Health, and Ecotoxicological Perspectives on Gold and Gold Mining is the first comprehensive book to evaluate the effect of gold production and use on human health as well as the environmental impact of gold mining and extraction. Dr. Ronald Eisler, a well-known senior research biologist and expert in the chemical and biological effects of various compounds on wildlife, provides a thorough risk assessment of gold, including its geology and sources and physical, chemical, and metabolic properties. The author documents gold concentrations and field collections of abiotic materials and biota and presents research on the lethal and sublethal effects of gold on plants and animals. Supported by case histories, the book examines health risks in gold miners, human sensitivity to jewelry and dental implants, and medicinal uses. It uses examples in several countries to thoroughly explore the environmental effects of gold extraction, including tailings disposal, acid mine drainage, cyanide, arsenic, and mercury contamination, water management issues, and abandoned mines. Unlike traditional risk assessments, the author also takes into account social, political, economic, medicinal, and psychological variables for a more complete perspective on gold's impact on health and the environment. Biogeochemical, Health, and Ecotoxicological Perspectives on Gold and Gold Mining concludes with a discussion on mining legislation, safety, and procedures. 2898fm......Page 1 BIOGEOCHEMICAL, HEALTH, AND ECOTOXICOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES ON GOLD AND GOLD MINING......Page 2 Dedication......Page 4 Preface......Page 5 Acknowledgments......Page 6 About the Author......Page 7 Books by Ronald Eisler......Page 8 List of Tables......Page 9 Contents......Page 10 PART 1: Gold and Gold Compounds......Page 16 Table of Contents......Page 0 CHAPTER 1: Introduction......Page 17 LITERATURE CITED......Page 19 CHAPTER 2: Geology, Sources, and Production......Page 20 2.1 GEOLOGY......Page 21 2.2 SOURCES AND PRODUCTION......Page 23 2.2.2 Canada......Page 25 2.2.3 Europe......Page 26 2.2.6 United States......Page 27 LITERATURE CITED......Page 32 3.1 JEWELRY......Page 35 3.2 COINAGE......Page 36 3.4 RADIOGOLD......Page 38 3.5 MEDICINE......Page 40 3.6 DENTISTRY......Page 43 3.8 ELECTRON MICROSCOPY......Page 44 LITERATURE CITED......Page 45 4.1 PHYSICAL PROPERTIES......Page 50 4.2 CHEMICAL PROPERTIES......Page 52 4.3 BIOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES......Page 54 4.4 SUMMARY......Page 58 LITERATURE CITED......Page 59 5.1 ABIOTIC MATERIALS......Page 61 5.2 PLANTS......Page 66 5.3 ANIMALS......Page 69 5.4 SUMMARY......Page 70 LITERATURE CITED......Page 71 6.1.1 Monovalent Gold......Page 74 6.1.2 Trivalent Gold......Page 75 6.2 ACCUMULATION......Page 76 6.2.1 Microorganisms, Fungi, and Higher Plants......Page 77 6.2.2 Aquatic Macrofauna......Page 81 6.3.1 Metallic Gold......Page 82 6.3.2 Monovalent Gold: Obese Mouse Model......Page 83 6.3.3 Monovalent Gold: Other......Page 84 6.3.4 Trivalent Gold......Page 89 6.4 SUMMARY......Page 90 LITERATURE CITED......Page 91 PART 2: Human Health Impacts......Page 97 7.1 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND......Page 98 7.2.1 Australia......Page 100 7.2.2 North America......Page 101 7.2.3 South America......Page 102 7.2.5 Africa......Page 103 7.3 HEALTH RISKS: SURFACE MINERS WHO USE MERCURY......Page 107 7.3.1 Case Histories......Page 108 7.3.2 Mercury in Tissues......Page 109 7.3.3 Mercury in Air and in Fish Diet......Page 111 7.4 SUMMARY......Page 112 LITERATURE CITED......Page 113 8.1 HISTORY......Page 119 8.2.3 Hypersensitivity......Page 121 8.3.1 Hypersensitivity......Page 124 8.3.2 Goldschlager Syndrome......Page 127 8.3.3 Prostheses......Page 128 8.4.1 Allergic Reactions and Sensitization......Page 129 8.4.2 Case Histories......Page 131 LITERATURE CITED......Page 132 9.1 HISTORY......Page 136 9.2 PROPOSED MODES OF ACTION......Page 139 9.2.1 Au+ and Au+ Metabolites......Page 140 9.2.2 Immunomodulatory Activity......Page 144 9.2.3 Tumor Necrosis Factor......Page 146 9.2.6 Lysosomal Enzymes......Page 147 9.2.9 Sulfhydryl Binding Sites......Page 148 9.3 TREATMENT REGIMES, CASE HISTORIES, AND ADVERSE EFFECTS......Page 149 9.3.1 Treatment Regimes......Page 150 9.3.2 Case Histories......Page 151 Aplastic Anemia......Page 153 Chrysiasis......Page 154 Dermatitis......Page 155 Enterocolitis......Page 156 Parotid Glands......Page 157 Psychiatric/Neurological......Page 158 9.4 SUMMARY......Page 159 LITERATURE CITED......Page 160 PART 3: Effects of Gold Extraction on Ecosystems......Page 165 10.1 OVERVIEW......Page 166 10.1.1 Lode Mining......Page 168 Panning and Sluicing......Page 169 Dredging......Page 170 10.2 ACID MINE DRAINAGE......Page 171 10.2.1 Effects......Page 172 10.2.2 Mitigation......Page 173 Field Investigations......Page 175 Laboratory Studies......Page 180 Field Investigations......Page 181 Laboratory Studies......Page 183 10.5 SUMMARY......Page 186 LITERATURE CITED......Page 187 11.1 HISTORY OF CYANIDE USE IN GOLD MINING......Page 191 11.2.1 Aquatic Ecosystems......Page 197 11.2.2 Birds......Page 201 11.2.3 Mammals......Page 203 11.3 CYANIDE MITIGATION AND RESEARCH NEEDS......Page 205 11.4 WATER MANAGEMENT ISSUES......Page 208 11.4.1 Affected Resources......Page 209 11.4.2 Pit Lakes......Page 213 11.5 WATER QUALITY AND MANAGEMENT RESEARCH NEEDS......Page 215 11.6 SUMMARY......Page 216 LITERATURE CITED......Page 217 12.1 ARSENIC SOURCES TO THE BIOSPHERE FROM GOLD MINING......Page 222 12.2 ARSENIC RISKS TO HUMAN HEALTH......Page 224 12.3 ARSENIC CONCENTRATIONS IN ABIOTIC MATERIALS AND BIOTA NEAR GOLD EXTRACTION FACILITIES......Page 226 12.4 ARSENIC EFFECTS ON SENSITIVE SPECIES......Page 231 12.5 PROPOSED ARSENIC CRITERIA......Page 242 12.6 SUMMARY......Page 245 LITERATURE CITED......Page 246 13.1 HISTORY OF MERCURY IN GOLD MINING......Page 252 13.2.1 Brazil......Page 256 Mercury Sources and Release Rates......Page 257 Mercury Concentrations in Abiotic Materials and Biota......Page 259 Mitigation......Page 265 13.2.2 South America Other than Brazil......Page 266 13.2.3 Africa......Page 268 13.2.5 The Philippines......Page 269 13.2.7 Canada......Page 270 13.2.8 The United States......Page 271 13.3 LETHAL AND SUBLETHAL EFFECTS OF MERCURY......Page 277 13.3.1 Aquatic Organisms......Page 278 13.3.2 Birds......Page 282 13.3.3 Mammals......Page 285 13.4 PROPOSED MERCURY CRITERIA......Page 287 13.5 SUMMARY......Page 293 LITERATURE CITED......Page 294 14.1 HABITAT FOR BIOTA......Page 307 14.2 LAND DEVELOPMENT......Page 309 14.3 EFFECTS ON WATER QUALITY......Page 310 LITERATURE CITED......Page 312 PART 4: Mining Legislation, Concluding Remarks, and Indices......Page 315 15.1.1 Federal Laws......Page 316 Clean Water Act (CWA)......Page 317 Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA)......Page 318 Wilderness Act of 1964......Page 319 General Mining Law of 1872......Page 320 Migratory Bird Treaty Act......Page 321 15.1.2 Mining Public Lands in the Western United States......Page 322 15.1.3 State Laws......Page 326 15.2 FOREIGN......Page 327 15.3 SUMMARY......Page 329 LITERATURE CITED......Page 330 1. Reliable production data......Page 331 6. Gold effects on biota......Page 332 11. Gold mine wastes......Page 333 16. Mining legislation......Page 334 "Biogeochemical, Health, and Ecotoxicological Perspectives on Gold and Gold Mining is the first comprehensive book to evaluate the effect of gold production and use on human health as well as the environmental impact of gold mining and extraction." "Supported by case histories, the book examines health risks in gold miners, human sensitivity to jewelry and dental implants, and medicinal uses. It uses examples in several countries to thoroughly explore the environmental effects of gold extraction, including tailings disposal, acid mine drainage, cyanide, arsenic, and mercury contamination, water management issues, and abandoned mines." "Unlike traditional risk assessments, the author also takes into account social, political, economic, medicinal, and psychological variables for a more complete perspective on gold's impact on health and the environment. Biogeochemical, Health, and Ecotoxicological Perspectives on Gold and Gold Mining concludes with a discussion on mining legislation, safety, and procedures."--Jacket This book is the first comprehensive book to evaluate the biological and environmental effects of gold. Dr. Ronald Eisler provides a thorough risk assessment of gold, including its geological, physical, chemical, and metabolic properties; gold concentrations and field collections of abiotic materials and biota; its effects on plants and animals; health risks in gold miners; and medicinal uses. It explores the environmental effects of extraction, including tailings disposal, acid mine drainage, cyanide, arsenic, and mercury contamination, water management issues, and abandoned mines. The author takes into account social, political, economic, and psychological variables and concludes with a discussion on mining legislation, safety, and procedures As a research biologist with the US Geological Survey, Eisler has been charged over the past several decades with assessing the risk to wildlife of various compounds. Among the most difficult assessment, he has found, are those relating to gold and gold mining, because none of the preceding reports relied significantly on social, political, economi