CZECH GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, PRAGUE 2011 PRESENTED IN ASSOCATION WITH FIELD TRIP ORGANIZED IN COOPERATION WITH COVER PHOTOGRAPH Reprocessing of old slag in the Chambeshi Smelter

Borax gold extraction has been carried out in the Philippines for over thirty years and presently around 15000 small-scale miners (ssm) use the method. Early 2010 the method was successfully tested in the Mbeya region of Southern Tanzania. In Ghana a recently completed EU funded project proved that the borax process worked on Ghanaian gold ores. A very successful teaching and training programme of the use of borax in gold extraction was carried out in August 2011 in the Philippines. Borax reduces melting point of minerals including gold to such an extent that small-scale miners can melt gold out of their concentrates in their villages without using sophisticated equipment. All what is needed is borax, a clay bowl, a hand-powered blower and a charcoal burner of the type used for cooking. The borax method of in situ melting of gold provides an environmentally benign gold extraction method. Borax is not only environmentally benign but it is shown to increase gold recovery considerably. The borax method also produces high quality of gold with no traces of mercury which will fetch a higher price than gold produced by amalgamation.