Gold

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GOLD NOTES
Click on EGGINK GOLD NOTES above for the basics
The Purpose of this page is to collect random notes off the internet that lead to novel methods of non intrusive extraction of gold from ore bearing strata in the eastern United States. Basicly the a zone that stretches from Georga north to New Foundland.
http://www.nanoprobes.com/
"a fine structure of nearly pure gold microtubules approximately 1 micrometer in diameter."

Wanted, the precursor of all life -- a single molecule containing both genetic code and an enzyme capable of triggering self-replication. RNA or DNA

Cells and there shape http://www.utep.edu/~biology/courses/lectures/cell.asc
Index of /~biology/courses/lectures/ http://www.utep.edu/~biology/courses/lectures/

the voltage gradient that exists across the plasma membrane of a cell having a membrane potential of -85 mV is about 42,500 V/cm!

HIGH ENERGY GOLD beams are now produced at Brookhaven. The gold ions, gold atoms stripped of 78 electrons, are accelerated to an energy of 11.4 GeV per nucleon or 2 TeV per ion, and then doled out to 11 different experiments poised along four beamlines. In Brookhaven's Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC), now under construction, gold ions will attain energies of 100 Gev per nucleon or 20 TeV per ion. (CERN Courier, June 1992.)

THE GOLD RECOVERY MODULE MONEY IN YOUR POCKET, NOT IN
YOUR DRAIN

Researchers from the University of Colorado, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Yale University grew crystals of an isolated region of an RNA enzyme, analyzed the position of atoms, and accurately reconstructed the shape of the molecule with x-ray beams.

the double-helix-shaped regions of the molecule are packed together with the aid of "glue" provided by the magnesium ions commonly found in living organisms today. Since these ions are found in abundance in the oceans,

RNA,l ike proteins, can function as an enzyme and catalyze chemical trans-formations. RNA enzymes or 'ribozymes' adopt defined secondary and tertiary structures and, with the aid of divalent metal ions, catalyze several important chemical reactions in biological systems.

X-ray Crystolography

which came first - the informational molecule (nucleic acid) or the catalyst (protein enzyme)

RNA self-assembly, specifically, in the Tetrahymena intron, the first RNA shown to have catalytic
activity.

Molecular biology, biochemistry databases
ION BEAM LAB
Microtubule Formation

"The first stage of formation is called "nucleation ". The process requires tubulin, Mg++ and GTP and also proceeds 37 C. This stage is relatively slow until the micro tubial initially formed. Then the second phase, called "elongation proceeds much more rapidly. During "nucleation", an alpha and a beta tubulin molecule join to form a heterodimer. Then these attach to other dimers to form oligomers which elongate to form protofilaments. Each dimer carries two GTP molecules. However the GTP that appears to function binds to the beta tubulin molecules. When a tubulin molecule adds to the microtubule, the GTP is hydrolyzed to GDP. Eventually the oligomers will join to form the ringed microtubule. The hydrolysis of GTP of course is facilitated at a temperature of 37 C and stopped at emperatures of 4 C. This figure shows that, as the oligomers assemble, they form a series of rings, 25 nm in diameter. In cross section, each ring consists of 13 beads. The rows of beads in longitudinal section are called protofilaments."

Virtual Mitosis
New Colloid Structures
Cellular Automata Laboratory
"It has been proposed that these hollow gold structures are the exact shape and size of the cellwall of bacterium genus Pedomicrobia. These bacteria are believed to derive energy from the precipitation of gold around themselves. A close examination of the microtubuals reveals branching structures of smaller diameters connected to the larger diameters. This observation is remarkable similar to the observed method of reproduction for Pedomicrobia. Instead of reproducing by fission, the splitting of the cell in two, these bacteria often reproduce by budding, a process remarkable similar in appearance to the gold microtubles "
Equisetum laevigatum
Scouring Rush or Horsetail
INFO-MINE
INDEX
Merrill-Crowe Plants
Gold Mining and Water Treatment Process Equipment
THE BASIC PROCESSES OF GOLD RECOVERY
The Loaded Carbon Stripping Plan
Colloidal Gold as an Enzyme Immobilization Matrix for Electrochemical Biosensors

"A Carrageenan hydrogel stabilized colloidal gold multi-enzyme biosensor electrode utilizing immobilized horseradish peroxidase and cholesterol oxidase/cholesterol esterase to detect cholesterol in serum and whole blood",
Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 8, 331-337 (1993).

GOLD FEVER
http://molly.hsc.unt.edu/~tmcnulty/gold_sea.htm
These chemosynthetic bacteria derive energy unlike their surface dwelling relatives (assuming that they are related). Instead of deriving energy from the oxidation of organic mater, or from photosyntheses, they oxidize sulfide compounds directly from the scorching hot hydrothermal liquids. How these bacteria can live and even thrive at 200o C is a matter of much discussion and investigation, but evidence suggest that these bacteria can efficiently remove gold, silver, copper, and other metals and minerals from dilute aqueous solutions. Proposed methods for this deposition vary. One such method involves the increase in pH in the micro-environment of the microbial mats that line these vent chimneys. These metals are less soluble at the higher pH's and precipitate out of solution and are then stored within the cell walls Mullen 1989<
. Recent evidence suggests that most of the placer gold found in Alaska originated from bacterial scavenging. An analysis of the microstructure of Alaskan placer gold, and that of many of the epithermal deposits around the world, has revealed a fine structure of nearly pure gold microtubules approximately 1 micrometer in diameter. It has been proposed that these hollow gold structures are the exact shape and size of the cellwall of bacterium genus Pedomicrobia. These bacteria are believed to derive energy from the precipitation of gold around themselves. A close examination of the microtubuals reveals branching structures of smaller diameters connected to the larger diameters. This observation is remarkable similar to the observed method of reproduction for Pedomicrobia. Instead of reproducing by fission, the splitting of the cell in two, these bacteria often reproduce by budding, a process remarkable similar in appearance to the gold microtubules >Rennie 1992. The gold casings around the Pedomicrobia are extraordinary because of their high degree of purity, in excess of 98% gold Pain 1988 It has been argued by these researchers that much of the Earth's placer gold deposits, have originated from similar biological processes with these or other bacteria. It is believed that the bacteria can concentrate the gold around themselves in such massive amounts because of an electrochemical reaction whereby the gold is gathered on specifically adapted membrane receptors to which the bacteria discharges excess electrons from its biological processesthus precipitating the gold out of solution (Watterson 1992). 
The possibility that certain bacteria can concentrate gold in amounts sufficient to comprise a major share of the Earth's gold ores suggest that with the right application, these or similar bacteria may be employed in the extraction of gold from low grade deposits or solutions. Already, there are commercial applications of bacteria in the mining of gold. Specifically,
the bacteria Bacillus cereus is being used by the Canadian Genprobe Company to increase the yield of gold from pyrite ores. In this case the bacteria are after the pyrite matrix that binds
the gold and prevents economic recovery otherwise. Bacterial processing of these pyrite ores is relatively inexpensive and has increased yields from an average of about 65% to as much as 96% (<a HREF="#Dworetzky">Dworetzky 1988</a>). Given the affinity that some bacteria have for the concentration of gold, the question arises as to whether it might be feasible to employ such a bacterium, or one specifically engineered for the task, to scavenge gold directly from the dilute concentrations present in sea water. 
<a NAME = Conclusion><h2>Conclusion: </h2>
Even at the conservative estimates of 10 ppb of gold in seawater, there is a great deal of gold in solution in the oceans. Humankind has unearthed perhaps a total of 3.3 billion ounces of gold or the course of history, an amount equivalent To a cube of gold 55 feet on a side (<a HREF="#Dworetzky">Dworetzky 1988</a>), but the sea water of the Earth's oceans contain about 25 billion ounces of gold (<a HREF="#Burk">Burk 1989</a>). If the ability of some of these bacteria to concentrate gold around their cell membranes to the degree that they form massively dense
agglomerations of hollow gold microtubuals, as the evidence suggests, then perhaps a similar bacterium may find a practical application in sea water. It is believed that these bacteria concentrated gold from solution concentrations
similar to that of sea water, though perhaps not similar with regard to other constituents. If such a bacterium could be identified and grown in sufficient amounts, it might then be fixed to substrates that could then either be moved through large volumes of sea water, or placed in stationary positions in areas of relatively swift currents. Once enough time had elapsed

for these bacteria to gather sufficient amounts of gold, these substrates could then be gathered and processed to recover the gold. The problems in these approaches are not trivial, and the work and research needed for an evaluation of its practicality are not simple. I believe that such research might pursue exploring the precise biochemical and bioelectrical pathways for the deposition of gold in these naturally occurring bacteria. Perhaps with a sufficient understanding of these pathways, these gold scavenging abilities might be artificially promoted or enhanced sufficiently to achieve an economic recovery of gold from sea water.

Thiobacillus ferrooxidans and Leptospirillum ferrooxidans,
Nanoparticle Composites

Nanoscale particles possess several unique properties such as large surface areas, unusual
adsorptive properties, surface defects and fast diffusivities. The proposed research combines the
advantages of pulsed laser vaporization with controlled condensation in a diffusion cloud chamber
under well defined conditions of temperature and pressure. Furthermore, the application of this
method under a microgravity environment is expected to allow better control of the microstructure
and morphology of these particles since particle size-induced segregation effects will be dramatically
reduced relative to ambient conditions. It will also be possible to grow clusters of certain sizes and
make layered structures by artificially applying a gravitational force of specific duration. The use of
laser vaporization will make it possible to vaporize several different metals either simultaneously or
sequentially and, by controlling gravitational forces, it will be possible to deposit multilayers of
engineered compositions and particle size distributions.

This multi-disciplinary project that combines nucleation, polymerization and nanoparticles' formation
from the vapor phase is expected to have a significant impact on these and related fields. A
successful study could lead to a powerful approach for the synthesis of a wide variety of new
materials with unique properties such as stability, strength and photo and electric conductivity. In this
case, the work will have a direct technological impact.

Return to Microgravity Materials Science Conference home page

THE TIME CONE METHOD FOR NUCLEATION AND GROWTH
KINETICS ON A FINITE DOMAIN.
Molecular materials
Crystal Growth
Piezoelectric transducers
BIOCHEMICAL ENGINEERING
NEW REASEARCH

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