After the liquid mercury reacts with gold, it forms an amalgam that has the consistency of paste. These amalgams are typically 40-80% mercury. The amalgams are combined by hand and the excess mercury is recovered by squeezing the amalgam in a porous cloth. The remaining amalgam is then burned directly with a torch or over a stove to vaporise the mercury and isolate the gold. Photo credits: Yayasan Tambuhak Sinta and Pure Earth.