Gold was originally mined in Wales dating back 75 AD under a strict military operation by Roman Wales. The methods used were Hushing and fire setting.
Hushing consisted of creating a flood to remove soil revealing veins of gold hidden beneath. They would build large tanks containing water above the suspected gold rich area and released it suddenly forcing loose rock exposing the bedrock and potential gold held within.
Fire Setting was a technique that worked alongside hushing. Next to the suspected gold rich rock a fire would be situated. This would make removal simpler as the heat passes through the rock creating disruption. Once inspected and the process undergone several times hushing would work alongside, quicker removing the loose rock allowing work to continue.
The process was soon become redundant with the introduction of explosives. Gold mining today normally falls under the miners term of sub-surface mining. This is one if not the most dangerous forms of mining as there are several variables held such as: gas leaks, falling rock and heat stroke. Although procedures enforced lowering the risks are stringent, there is always a risk working in such conditions and now coinciding with heavy machinery. Machinery is used for the removal of gold know as hard rock mining. This technique is the main process used for the removal of gold the world over, although there are other techniques used such as the cyanide process that consists of mixing sodium chloride with fine rock where gold or silver is found. This process shall remove the gold from the rock.