Would there be new mining technologies that might make different types of deposits more financially attractive?
RP: That’s always been the case. Cyanide technology, which recovers gold beautifully, is 110 years old now. It was a real boon for the industry around 1890. The advent of heap leaching in the late ’60s revolutionized our ability to process low-grade ores. The next breakthrough may be a means whereby the so-called refractory gold ores — those not directly amenable to cyanide — might be treatable by some new low-cost process that would allow you to treat ores in the range of a gram or two. If you have a large gold deposit consisting of refractory material that’s in the 1 to 2 gram range, it’s very difficult to find a way to treat that kind of material. A new technology for treating lower grade refractory ores would be very good for the industry. TGR: Is that new technology required and/or are there enough existing mines or properties to satisfy the demand? RP: Worldwide gold production has been slowly declining over the last six or seven years. At the same time, demand has increased. Thi
