Abstract
Since 1984, nitrogen-species catalyzed pressure leaching has been utilized at the Sunshine Mining and Refining Company for the recovery of precious metals from a refractory sulfide concentrate. The process operates without the use of cyanide. The plant is now the only industrial-scale commercial application of this technology. Since the inception of the process, changes have been implemented to improve efficiencies and throughputs. Two of these changes, the replacement of nitric acid by sodium nitrite anda concentrate regrind, have recently been implemented. This paper will discuss the outcomes of these recently patented plant-process changes. In particular, a comparison between the previously used method and the new leach method is made. Also discussed is the potential applicability of the process to other materials. A companion publication (Anderson, Harrison and Krys, 1996) indicates possible mechanisms responsible for the success of these process changes.
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SME nonmeeting paper paper 94–626B. Discussion of this peer-reviewed and approved paper is invited and must be submitted, in duplicate, prior to May 31, 1996.
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Anderson, C.G., Harrison, K.D., Krys, L.E. et al. The application of sodium nitrite oxidation and fine grinding in refractory precious-metal concentrate pressure leaching. Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration 13, 12–18 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03402710
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03402710