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The recovery of gold from refractory ores by the use of carbon-in-chlorine leaching

  • Refractory Gold Ores and Concentrate
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Abstract

Recently, the U.S. Bureau of Mines examined the recovery of gold by chlorination of refractory carbonaceous and sulfidic ores, comparing various treatment methods in which a ground ore pulp is contacted with chlorine gas and activated carbon is added to the pulp for a carbon-in-chlorine leach (CICL). The objective of this research was to demonstrate the basic feasibility of CICL technology. Results showed that the organic carbon deactivating environment of CICL lowers, but does not eliminate, the adsorption of gold on activated carbon. In this environment, the refractory ore is altered, and gold is extracted and then recovered on activated carbon. With highly carbonaceous ores, CICL achieved a higher recovery than with primarily sulfidic refractory ores. Basic cyanide amenability testing of two carbonaceous ores achieved recoveries of only 5.5% and 46%. With CICL treatment, recoveries on carbon were 90% and 92%.

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References

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. U.S. Bureau of Mines, Salt Lake Research Center, USA

    John N. Greaves B.S. (chemical engineer), Glenn R. Palmer B.S. (group leader for refractory gold, advanced materials scrap and scandium recovery projects) & William W. White III M.S. (geologist)

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  1. John N. Greaves B.S.
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  2. Glenn R. Palmer B.S.
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  3. William W. White III M.S.
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Greaves, J.N., Palmer, G.R. & White, W.W. The recovery of gold from refractory ores by the use of carbon-in-chlorine leaching. JOM 42, 12–14 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03221070

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03221070

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