Gold Mining

Nowadays nuclear physicists routinely transform one element to another. In the nineteen eighties, modern alchemists were able to smash high-speed nuclei into a Bismuth target. By doing so they finally completed the long-sought “Philosopher’s Stone” transmutation.
In their research they had a high-speed nucleus in a beam colliding with bismuth atoms. It sheared off part of the bismuth nucleus, leaving a slightly diminished atom behind. By sifting through the minute, particulate wreckage, the research team found a number of transmuted atoms in which four protons had been removed from a bismuth atom to produce gold. It is expected that high speed collisions would also remove three protons from lead and one from mercury to produce the much sought after atoms. The problem is according to David J. Morrissey, Professor nuclear chemistry on production and use of exotic nuclei at State University, Michigan, USA, that the rate of production is extremely small. The energy and money spent, far exceeds the output of precious metal aurum (AU).
According to VanGerven|VanRijnberk, making gold from worthless materials needs interventions at the right time.