The problems associated with gold mining are considered from the standpoint of application of heap leaching, a method for gold recovery. Data on the kinetics and mechanism of gold dissolution in cyanide and alternative solvents [thiocarbamide solutions containing Fe(III) ions and hypochlorite-chloride bromine-bromide, iodine-iodide, and copper-thiosulfate solutions], which make it possible not only to improve the working efficiency in gold mining, but also to lessen the contamination of the environment with highly toxic compounds.The method of heap leaching (HL) is a geotechnological method for processing of low-grade goldcontaining ores and rejects of concentration plants. Alkaline solutions of cyanides are used in enormous amounts as solvents for gold [1,2], which gives rise to quite a number of ecological problems. From the standpoint of environment protection [3], it is unsafe to use the HL technique in countries with fertile soils and high population density. Therefore, an exceedingly important problem of the HL technique is that alternative solvents for gold are to be developed [3].In the HL of gold, special attention is given to taking into account the natural factors, absence of rifts, density of the surface layer of soil, presence of clay strata, and absence of compounds of such elements as arsenic, selenium, cadmium, thallium, lead, etc. in the ores. An exceedingly important specific feature of the HL technique is the possibility of processing of both moderate amounts of gold-containing ores and concentrates (tens and hundreds of thousands of tons) and enormous quantities of gold-containing raw materials of technological origin (tens and hundreds of millions of tons) [1,2]. At present, the HL of gold is the most cost-effective method for leaching of lowgrade gold-containing ores. However, despite the high economical efficiency of the HL of gold, proper attention is not, paradoxically, paid to the environment protection in gold-mining regions [3].The rise in gold output in many countries all over the world is clearly seen from the data in Fig. 1. A steep rise in the output of gold has been noted in Fig. 1. Output of gold, Q Au in some countries. (N ) Years; the same for Fig. 2.
