Amateur Gold miner Dead

LAURENS, S.C. — Authorities say the body of an amateur gold miner was found in a Laurens County home among toxic chemicals that could be explosive.

Multiple media outlets report the chemicals found at the scene Tuesday afternoon are used to separate gold from soil. The man's identity has not been released, but officials say he was known to dig for gold in the area. The home is located outside Sumter National Forest near Clinton. Investigators don't think his death is suspicious.

Deputies suspect the man died from chemical exposure. An autopsy is scheduled Wednesday.
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I also dabble in gold hunting, I just wanted to post this to alert everyone to be careful when using any chemicals for any reason. I work just a few miles from where this happened.

Tom in SC

cyanide?

cyanide and mercury are the two I know of. I dont screw around with them

Does he dump that in the creeks?

LowBoy

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If you don’t dig it, then how are you going to know what you’re missing!
How can you have your pudding if you don’t eat your meat!

No Lowboy.

He might have been burning some mercury amalgam off with nitric and taken a big whiff of the vapors down wind. I have heard that can kill you or make so stupid you won't remember your name but I don't recall who told me that.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/03/2015 04:17AM by shoveler.

most likely Cyanide. Steve h would know bout that more than me...Im just. hsppy to pop out a picker,lol.

Nobody cooks off amalgam indoors. Well, hopefully no one.

The "toxic chemicals that could be explosive" would be his gold leaching solutions, which could be either Agua Regia, Potassium Iodine or Potassium Cyanide.
I wonder how much gold he had in solution? I wonder if anyone is going to check, or just dispose of them?

Potassium Cyanide is really out of favor when you can use Potassium Iodine much more safely. Of course, hard cores still like Agua Regia, and Mercury still works wonders on fines. You just don't cook it off indoors.

Might have just had a heart attack.

HH
Mike

Thank you DeathRay. There is NO evidence/mention,or hint that he "dumps that in creeks".
There are responsible gold miners just like there are responsible MD'ers. And irresponsible ones on both sides.

This ole boy may have been cooking something besides Gold too???

Hi,,,hey thanks for the alert....I take it he was using these chemicals inside...It was probably concentrates and not just plain soil...I'm glad he did not dump that toxic stuff in that creek too....JJ