How can we detach gold from mercury

Question

How can we detach gold from mercury?

Answer 1

1. Gold (or Au) and mercury (or Hg) are two separate metals. Thus, from pure mercury you can’t extract Gold.

2. Amalgamation is better suited to ores in that the gold takes place in the free and cores state. Fine particles of Gold are better treated through the Cyanidation.

3. Gold suspends in the aqua regia. Aqua Regia is a mixture of hydrochloric acid and nitric acid. It can suspend gold, which single acids alone can’t do. Here we see that each of the acids unconnectedly has no effect on the gold but a mixture of two dramatically reacts with the gold. To three samples of the gold are added (one) concentrated hydrochloric acid (two) concentrated hydrochloric and concentrated nitric acids and (three) concentrated nitric acid. The gold reacts only with concentrated acid mixture that is referred to as aqua regia (or royal water)".