This process made a mud of the ore, which was then processed through the
age-old panning method by workers who could swish and pour the contents
from the gold pan until the mud-like substance became a diluted mixture
of ore and gold. The next process involved adding mercury
to the pool of watery liquid. A veteran worker removed a plastic water
bottle from his pocket and poured pure mercury into the pan, swishing
and swirling the mixture by hand until he was satisfied that the residue
had separated the gold fragments from the ore, and attached itself to
the mercury.
http://www.professionaljeweller.com/article-15148-willie-hamilton-on-the-trail-of-fairtrade-gold/
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