Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Heap bio-oxidation and gold recovery at newmont mining: First-year results

  • Indutrial Insight
  • Feature
  • Published:
JOM Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Newmont Mining Corporation began commercial gold production using whole-ore bio-oxidation from Carlin Trend ores in 2000. Commercialization of the bio-oxidation process culminates a 12-year R&D project designed to recover gold from low-grade siliceous sulfidic refractory ores and low-grade sulfidic carbonaceous refractory. This paper outlines Newmont’s biomilling process and reviews data from the first year of commercial operation.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. P.C. van Aswegen, “Bio-oxidation of Refractory Gold Ores, the Genmin Experience,”Biomine ’93(Glenside, South Australia: Australian Mineral Foundation, 1993), Chapter 15.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Par Odd, B. Craven, and W. Irvine, “Bioleaching: A Feasible Process for Wiluna Refractory Gold Ores,”Biomine ’93 (Glenside, South Australia: Australian Mineral Foundation, 1993), Chapter 18.

    Google Scholar 

  3. P.C. van Aswegen, “Commissioning and Operation of Bio-oxidation Plants for the Treatment of Refractory Gold Ores,”Hydrometallurgical Fundamentals—Technology and Innovations, ed. J.B. Hiskey and G.W. Warren (Littleton, CO: Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, 1993), pp. 709–725.

    Google Scholar 

  4. J.R. Budden and M.J. Bunyard, “Pilot Plant Testwork and Engineering Design for the BacTech Bacterial Oxidation Plant at the Youanmi Gold Mine,”Biomine ’94 (Glenside, South Australia: Australian Mineral Foundation, 1994), Chapter 4.

    Google Scholar 

  5. C.L. Brierley and R. Brans, “Selection of BacTech’s Thermophilic B-oxidation Process for Youanmi Mine,”Biomine ’94 (Glenside, South Australia: Australian Mineral Foundation, 1994), Chapter 5.

    Google Scholar 

  6. “Bio-oxidation Process for Recovery of Gold from Heaps of LowGradeSulfidicand Carbonaceous Sulfidic Ore Materials,” U.S. patent 5,246,486 (1993).

  7. “Bio-oxidation Process for Recovery of Metal Values from Sulfur Containing Ore Materials,” U.S. patent 5,332,559(1994).

  8. “Bio-oxidation Process for Recovery of Metal Values from Sulfur Containing Ore Materials,” U.S. patent 5,834,294(1998).

  9. Barrick Goldstrike Mines, personal communication with autoclave personnel (August 2000).

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Newmont Mining Corporation, P.O. Box 669, 89822-669, Carlin, Nevada

    Pragna Bhakta (manager) & Brian Arthur (senior metallurgist)

Authors
  1. Pragna Bhakta
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Brian Arthur
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Bhakta, P., Arthur, B. Heap bio-oxidation and gold recovery at newmont mining: First-year results. JOM 54, 31–34 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02709218

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02709218

Keywords

Search

Navigation