Most of the gold in this area of Nevada is measured in the milli-ounces per
ton of ore. In order to separate it from the rock it is disolved in a weak cyanide solution that is drip irrigated onto large hills of the ore. This picture shows the beginnings of a new leach pad with the drain lines and vinyl liner being put in place to drain off the "pregnant" solution after it percolates through the ore. Typical hill sizes are better measured with an odometer and weigh into the hundreds of millions of tons of gold bearing rock.
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