gold extraction methods

[drumsticknick]

Hey everyone I'm new to the gold world and was wondering if anyone knows of any extraction from rock methods other than the amalgam/mercury process I keep hearing a out. The mercury seems to be the way to do it but was mercury being used by ancient people? How did they get their gold? Does anyone here have any methods they came up with? I believe I have come up with two ways to get the gold out of rocks. The first way involves using just water and the Second way doesn't use any liquid or chemicals. I tested out my second theory with other materials and the process worked... The only problem is I need a rock with gold in it and I need to be able to crush it to fine salt like grains. Anyone have any good methods for crushing rock?

 

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[kuger]

You can either use Hydrochloric acid which eats away the quartz,or do what the majority of people do and crush it,via a pestle and mortar,ball crusher,chain mill,stamp mill....etc,then pan it out....no need for mercury.You wont get away from panning