Heap Leaching Heap leaching is a most commonly used method for gold mining. Along with heap leaching comes many environmental concerns and considerations. To reduce these environmental concerns, there needs to be regulations on gold mining. Regulations can arise from regulatory acts, enforced by the Department of Energy and other similar agencies, to simple regulations regarding the equipment that companies must use in their daily excavations. The leaching method used to extract gold uses cyanide as part of the process. This can be “toxic to fish and wildlife” and is therefore an environmental problem related to gold mining (Bartlett 79). Some other concerns taken into consideration when dealing with gold mining and heap leaching are "prevention of bird poisoning on wet heaps and solution storage ponds [...as well as quantities of ] wind-blown dust and other air contaminants [which] can be serious" problems spreading throughout the environment (Bartlett 79). Surface and groundwater contamination is a major concern as a side effect of heap leaching (Bartlett 79). Measures have been taken to reduce the possibility of any of these environmental considerations occurring during and after the pile leaching process. It is recommended that, to regulate gold heap leaching, companies use containment methods along with careful monitoring to recognize problems before they occur (Bartlett 79-80). As I stated in my second essay, the ore and solution removed by the pile leaching process are discarded onto leach pads. These bearings are the “most important elements of the solution containment system” (Bartlett 80). Leaching pads help prevent toxic solutions from leaking into surrounding areas and therefore reduce the risk of harming living organisms living in the area where mining takes place. “Proper foundation preparation is necessary to prevent movement and tearing of the liner” of the leach pad (Bartlett 80). If this were to happen, the leaching pad would not be a sufficient means of protection for the environment. Another way to protect the environment is to have a solution collection system.