Working over a bin, an expert panner recovered the three largest particles. Remaining particles caught by Cleangold from her tails.

Axi Mine tails from cyanide processes.

From a hardrock mine in Suriname. Oxide coatings on the gold particles cause it to resist amalgamation resulting in great losses for the miner.

A partially amalgamated gold particle cluster from tailings of a sluice in Suriname where amalgamation is performed in the sluice. The formation of high surface area/low mass clusters of gold result in their loss from the sluice box. Magnification 40X (nom). Size range of individual particles 50-200 microns in diameter.

Beach placer gold and platinum from a Waldport, OR clay deposit. Magnification 50X (nom). Size range 60-150 microns in diameter. Photomicrograph courtesy of Stan Cassell of Chemoptix.

Beach placer gold and amalgamated gold from the east beach in Nome Alaska, with mercury from amalgamation lost during past mining operations. Magnification 50X (nom). Size range 70-300 microns in diameter. Photomicrograph courtesy of Stan Cassell of Chemoptix.

Beach gold and a trace of amalgamated gold from the west beach of None, Alaska. Magnification 50X(nom). Size range 70-500 microns in diameter. Photomicrograph courtesy of Stan Cassell of Chemoptix.

Beach placer gold and platinum from "Dudley's", near Gold Beach, OR. Magnification 50x(nom). Size range 100-800 microns in diameter. Photomicrograph courtesy of Stan Cassell of Chemoptix.

Beach placer gold and platinum from Wreck Beach near University of British Columbia. Sample provided by A.J. Gunson. Magnification 100x.

Lincoln City beach gold and platinum

Beach placer of gold and platinum (nom mag 40X)