An established presence in Guyana resource extraction, Barry Kevin O‘Rourke directs S.A.B. Mining and identifies deposits of precious minerals and metals. A particular focus for Barry Kevin O‘Rourke is sourcing gold, which continues to be one of the most sought after rare metals in the world today.
When it comes to extracting metals, a key factor is the metal's reactivity, which determines the its stability within the ore surrounding it. As a general rule, oxides of extremely reactive metals like aluminum form stable compounds. This increases the energy required in the extraction process, which is electrolysis. By contrast, less reactive metals like iron or zinc contain oxides and other compounds that are not as stable. Thus, a less energy intensive process such as reduction by carbon monoxide or carbon can be used.
At the extremely low end of the reactivity spectrum are copper, silver, gold, and platinum, with the latter being the least reactive of the major metals. These types of metals can be extracted through the relatively straightforward use of chemical reactions.
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