{"id":3244,"date":"2026-06-18T13:22:09","date_gmt":"2026-06-18T13:22:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/delplatagreen.com\/?p=3244"},"modified":"2026-07-13T19:45:16","modified_gmt":"2026-07-13T19:45:16","slug":"del-mineral-al-lingote-como-funciona-una-minade-oro-y-plata","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/delplatagreen.com\/en\/del-mineral-al-lingote-como-funciona-una-minade-oro-y-plata\/","title":{"rendered":"From ore to ingot: how a gold and silver mine works"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>And why understanding the process is the first step towards demonstrable sustainability<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>By Silvina Dalton, for DelPlata Green<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>A journey in simple language, based on a real and public case: Cerro Negro Mine, Santa Cruz, Argentina.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When we talk about responsible mining, it&#039;s best to start with the basics: what exactly does a mine do? Behind every gram of gold lies a lengthy industrial process, and understanding it is key to knowing where the environmental impacts lie and how they are managed. In this article, we explore that journey\u2014from rock to ingot\u2014using a real-world case study whose Environmental Impact Assessment is publicly available: the Cerro Negro Mine in the province of Santa Cruz.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"el-caso-mina-cerro-negro\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The case: Cerro Negro Mine<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cerro Negro is a gold and silver mining operation located in the Lago Buenos Aires department of Santa Cruz province. It is an underground mine whose Environmental Impact Assessment\u2014the technical study the company submits to the province to obtain authorization\u2014is publicly available. This makes it an excellent example to demonstrate, transparently, how rock is transformed into metal and what is done with the waste generated along the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"el-proceso-paso-a-paso\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The process, step by step<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The basic idea is simple: rock contains minuscule amounts of gold and silver\u2014just a few grams per ton\u2014so the entire process aims to separate and concentrate this metal from the enormous volume of rock that surrounds it. The following diagram summarizes the complete process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<style data-wp-block-html=\"css\">\n.dp-process-flow {\n  max-width: 760px;\n  margin: 36px auto;\n  font-family: inherit;\n}\n\n.dp-process-flow__wrap {\n  display: flex;\n  justify-content: center;\n  width: 100%;\n}\n\n.dp-process-flow__main {\n  width: 100%;\n  max-width: 620px;\n  display: flex;\n  flex-direction: column;\n  align-items: center;\n}\n\n.dp-process-flow__box {\n  width: 100%;\n  max-width: 330px;\n  min-height: 64px;\n  padding: 12px 18px;\n  border: 1px solid #7f8c84;\n  border-radius: 8px;\n  text-align: center;\n  line-height: 1.25;\n  display: flex;\n  flex-direction: column;\n  justify-content: center;\n  box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.04);\n}\n\n.dp-process-flow__box strong {\n  display: block;\n  font-weight: 700;\n  color: #25322d;\n}\n\n.dp-process-flow__box span {\n  display: block;\n  margin-top: 3px;\n  font-size: 0.92rem;\n  color: #54615a;\n}\n\n.dp-process-flow__box--green {\n  background: #e7f3e9;\n  border-color: #7aad8b;\n}\n\n.dp-process-flow__box--green strong {\n  color: #26764c;\n}\n\n.dp-process-flow__box--neutral {\n  background: #f2efe8;\n  border-color: #b9b2a5;\n}\n\n.dp-process-flow__box--gold {\n  background: #fff0d7;\n  border-color: #d6a852;\n}\n\n.dp-process-flow__box--gold strong {\n  color: #8a661d;\n}\n\n.dp-process-flow__arrow {\n  margin: 6px 0;\n  color: #68736d;\n  font-size: 1.35rem;\n  line-height: 1;\n}\n\n.dp-process-flow__arrow--small {\n  margin: 5px 0;\n  font-size: 1.1rem;\n}\n\n.dp-process-flow__split {\n  width: 100%;\n  display: grid;\n  grid-template-columns: 1fr 0.85fr;\n  gap: 28px;\n  align-items: start;\n  position: relative;\n}\n\n.dp-process-flow__left {\n  display: flex;\n  justify-content: flex-end;\n}\n\n.dp-process-flow__side {\n  display: flex;\n  flex-direction: column;\n  align-items: center;\n  position: relative;\n  padding-top: 4px;\n}\n\n.dp-process-flow__side .dp-process-flow__box {\n  max-width: 250px;\n  min-height: 60px;\n}\n\n.dp-process-flow__label {\n  position: absolute;\n  left: -36px;\n  top: 20px;\n  font-size: 0.78rem;\n  color: #69746d;\n  background: #fff;\n  padding: 0 4px;\n}\n\n.dp-process-flow__side-arrow {\n  position: absolute;\n  left: -18px;\n  top: 54px;\n  color: #68736d;\n  font-size: 1.1rem;\n  line-height: 1;\n}\n\n.dp-process-flow figcaption {\n  margin-top: 18px;\n  text-align: center;\n  font-size: 0.95rem;\n  color: #666;\n  font-style: italic;\n}\n\n@media (max-width: 720px) {\n  .dp-process-flow {\n    margin: 30px auto;\n  }\n\n  .dp-process-flow__main {\n    max-width: 100%;\n  }\n\n  .dp-process-flow__box {\n    max-width: 100%;\n  }\n\n  .dp-process-flow__split {\n    grid-template-columns: 1fr;\n    gap: 10px;\n  }\n\n  .dp-process-flow__left {\n    justify-content: center;\n  }\n\n  .dp-process-flow__side {\n    width: 100%;\n    padding-top: 18px;\n  }\n\n  .dp-process-flow__side::before {\n    content: \"relaves \u2193\";\n    display: block;\n    margin-bottom: 8px;\n    font-size: 0.9rem;\n    color: #69746d;\n  }\n\n  .dp-process-flow__side .dp-process-flow__box {\n    max-width: 100%;\n  }\n\n  .dp-process-flow__label,\n  .dp-process-flow__side-arrow {\n    display: none;\n  }\n\n  .dp-process-flow figcaption {\n    font-size: 0.9rem;\n  }\n}\n<\/style>\n\n<figure class=\"dp-process-flow\" aria-labelledby=\"dp-process-flow-caption\">\n  <div class=\"dp-process-flow__wrap\">\n\n    <div class=\"dp-process-flow__main\">\n\n      <div class=\"dp-process-flow__box dp-process-flow__box--neutral\">\n        <strong>Extracted mineral<\/strong>\n        <span>rock with gold and silver<\/span>\n      <\/div>\n\n      <div class=\"dp-process-flow__arrow\">\u2193<\/div>\n\n      <div class=\"dp-process-flow__box dp-process-flow__box--green\">\n        <strong>Comminution<\/strong>\n        <span>crushes and grinds the rock<\/span>\n      <\/div>\n\n      <div class=\"dp-process-flow__arrow\">\u2193<\/div>\n\n      <div class=\"dp-process-flow__box dp-process-flow__box--green\">\n        <strong>Gravitational concentration<\/strong>\n        <span>separates gold by density<\/span>\n      <\/div>\n\n      <div class=\"dp-process-flow__arrow\">\u2193<\/div>\n\n      <div class=\"dp-process-flow__box dp-process-flow__box--green\">\n        <strong>Leaching<\/strong>\n        <span>dissolves the metal<\/span>\n      <\/div>\n\n      <div class=\"dp-process-flow__arrow\">\u2193<\/div>\n\n      <div class=\"dp-process-flow__split\">\n        <div class=\"dp-process-flow__left\">\n          <div class=\"dp-process-flow__box dp-process-flow__box--green\">\n            <strong>Countercurrent decantation<\/strong>\n            <span>separates liquid from solids<\/span>\n          <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n\n        <div class=\"dp-process-flow__side\">\n          <span class=\"dp-process-flow__label\">tailings<\/span>\n          <span class=\"dp-process-flow__side-arrow\">\u2192<\/span>\n\n          <div class=\"dp-process-flow__box dp-process-flow__box--neutral\">\n            <strong>Tailings dam<\/strong>\n            <span>stores tailings<\/span>\n          <\/div>\n\n          <div class=\"dp-process-flow__arrow dp-process-flow__arrow--small\">\u2193<\/div>\n\n          <div class=\"dp-process-flow__box dp-process-flow__box--neutral\">\n            <strong>Trench system<\/strong>\n            <span>collect leaks<\/span>\n          <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n\n      <div class=\"dp-process-flow__arrow\">\u2193<\/div>\n\n      <div class=\"dp-process-flow__box dp-process-flow__box--green\">\n        <strong>Merrill Crowe Process<\/strong>\n        <span>precipitate with zinc<\/span>\n      <\/div>\n\n      <div class=\"dp-process-flow__arrow\">\u2193<\/div>\n\n      <div class=\"dp-process-flow__box dp-process-flow__box--gold\">\n        <strong>Dor\u00e9 ingot<\/strong>\n        <span>gold and silver bar<\/span>\n      <\/div>\n\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n\n  <figcaption id=\"dp-process-flow-caption\">\n    Figure 1. Gold and silver extraction chain and tailings management. Author&#039;s own elaboration.\n  <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Comminution. <\/strong>It involves breaking the rock into smaller and smaller pieces: first crushing (large chunks) and then grinding until it becomes a fine powder, almost like sand. This is done because the gold is trapped inside the rock; it must be pulverized to release the metal particles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Gravitational concentration. <\/strong>Gold is much heavier than ordinary rock. Taking advantage of this density difference, the material is passed through water in equipment where the heavier material (the gold) sinks and separates, while the lighter material is carried away. It&#039;s the industrial version of classic &quot;gold panning,&quot; and it recovers the coarsest gold particles right away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Leaching. <\/strong>To recover gold and silver that are too fine to separate by weight, the ground material is moistened with a chemical solution that dissolves the metal\u2014in gold mining, this is usually a highly dilute and strictly controlled cyanide solution. The metal dissolves in the liquid, much like sugar in water. Due to its environmental sensitivity, this stage is heavily regulated and monitored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Countercurrent decantation. <\/strong>Now there is a mixture of valuable liquid (with the dissolved metal) and valueless solid sludge. This stage washes and separates them in several successive steps: the rich liquid flows in one direction and the wash water in the opposite direction\u2014hence the name\u2014so as not to lose any metal. The clean solution with the metal comes out on one side; the waste solids on the other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Merrill Crowe process. <\/strong>The metal still needs to be removed from the liquid and solidified. Zinc powder is added, which, through a chemical reaction, forces the gold and silver out of solution and causes them to precipitate as a solid. It&#039;s like making dissolved sugar crystallize again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Dor\u00e9 ingot. <\/strong>This precipitate is melted and molded into bars. \u201cDor\u00e9\u201d is gold and silver together, still impure; it then goes to an external refinery that separates and purifies it. It is the final product that comes out of the mine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"que-pasa-con-lo-que-sobra-los-relaves\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What happens to the leftovers? Tailings<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Not everything that enters the plant leaves as metal: the vast majority is crushed rock, now worthless, mixed with water. This waste is called tailings, and its management is one of the most sensitive environmental aspects of any mine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Tailings dam. <\/strong>It is the large tailings dam where the tailings are deposited. It must remain stable and contained over time; therefore, its design, monitoring, and closure plan are central to the Environmental Impact Assessment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Trench system. <\/strong>These are ditches around the dam that collect seepage\u2014water that might run off\u2014before it reaches the environment, for recirculation or treatment. It&#039;s a concrete and verifiable control measure, not just a statement of good intentions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"del-proceso-a-la-evidencia-la-sostenibilidad-demostrable\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>From process to evidence: demonstrable sustainability<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Understanding the process reveals something important: each stage has an associated environmental impact\u2014water consumption, energy, emissions, tailings generation\u2014and, for each one, a management measure. The true leap in maturity is not having an environmental policy, but being able to demonstrate it with usable, traceable, and auditable evidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is increasingly crucial for accessing markets and financing. Frameworks like the European CSRD and mechanisms like the CBAM\u2014which incorporates carbon into market access starting in 2026\u2014no longer settle for certifications: they demand traceability, verifiable methodology, and data. The strategic question in Latin America is no longer whether this will happen, but who will be prepared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is precisely the space where we work at DelPlata Green. As the exclusive representatives of Zero Carbon One in Latin America\u2014an artificial intelligence, blockchain, and automation platform\u2014we help companies to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Measure your carbon footprint in Scopes 1, 2 and 3 with verifiable data.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Generate auditable evidence, with a clear method, data owner, and repository.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Produce reports aligned with GRI, SBTi, TCFD and CSRD, ready for external verification.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>A mine\u2014like any business\u2014stops merely \u201cclaiming\u201d to be environmentally responsible when it begins to measure, manage, and demonstrate its environmental impact. This is the path from declarative to demonstrable sustainability, and it&#039;s the one we travel together with our clients.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Want to know how to measure and demonstrate the sustainability of your operation? Write to us at <a href=\"mailto:info@delplatagreen.com\">info@delplatagreen.com<\/a> and let&#039;s talk about your environmental strategy.<\/strong>declarative to demonstrable, and it is the one we travel together with our clients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"fuentes\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Sources<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/minpro.santacruz.gob.ar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/180228_020_046_CN_5AIIA_Cap_0_ResumenEjecutivo_Rev00.pdf\">Environmental Impact Report \u2013 Cerro Negro Mine (5th Update), Executive Summary<\/a>. State Secretariat of Mining, Province of Santa Cruz.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>National Law No. 24,585 \u2014 Environmental protection for mining activity, incorporated into the Mining Code of the Argentine Nation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) \u2014 European Union regulations.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The process diagram (Figure 1) is self-made based on the description of the production flow contained in the Environmental Impact Report of Mina Cerro Negro.<\/li>\n<\/ul>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Y por qu\u00e9 entender el proceso es el primer paso hacia una sostenibilidad demostrable. Por Silvina Dalton, para DelPlata Green. Un recorrido en lenguaje simple, a partir de un caso real y p\u00fablico: Mina Cerro Negro, Santa Cruz, Argentina. Cuando hablamos de miner\u00eda responsable, conviene empezar por lo b\u00e1sico: \u00bfqu\u00e9 hace, en concreto, una mina? [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":3253,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_gspb_post_css":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[113],"tags":[114],"class_list":["post-3244","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sostenibilidad-aplicada-por-sector","tag-mineria"],"blocksy_meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/delplatagreen.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3244","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/delplatagreen.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/delplatagreen.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/delplatagreen.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/delplatagreen.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3244"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/delplatagreen.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3244\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3254,"href":"https:\/\/delplatagreen.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3244\/revisions\/3254"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/delplatagreen.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3253"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/delplatagreen.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3244"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/delplatagreen.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3244"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/delplatagreen.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3244"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}