Skip to main content
Log in

Detoxification of Cyanide in a Gold Processing Plant Tailings Water Using Calcium and Sodium Hypochlorite

  • Technical Communication
  • Published:
Mine Water and the Environment Aims and scope Submit manuscript

An Erratum to this article was published on 25 April 2008

Abstract

In laboratory experiments, cyanide in waste water from the Muteh gold mine in Iran was oxidized by sodium and calcium hypochlorite to cyanate (CNO), which is 1,000 times less environmentally hazardous than cyanide. Experiments were conducted using waste water containing 270 mg/L cyanide over a pH range of 6–13 and temperatures between 25 and 50°C. Cyanide was removed completely at a pH of 12.3 at the higher temperatures. The experimental results were simulated in Visual MINTEQ 2003 EPA software using all of the components in the waste water. The model readily predicted most of the chemical reactions in the experiments and explained the mechanism of complexation of cyanide with metals, free cyanide, and cyanide acid formation.

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

Access this article

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

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Adhoum N, Monser L (2002) Removal of cyanide from aqueous solution using impregnated activated carbon. Chem Eng Process 41:17–21

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • APHA (American Public Health Assoc) (1995) Standard methods for the examination of water and waste water, 19th edn. American Public Health Assoc, Washington, DC, USA, pp 153B

  • APHA, AWWA, WPCF (1992) Standard methods for the examination of water and waste water, 18th edn. American Public Health Admin, Washington, DC, USA

  • Chapman D (ed) (1992) Water quality assessment: a guide to the use of biotas sediments and water in environmental monitoring. Chapman and Hall, London, 585 pp

  • Eisler R, Clarke DR Jr, Wiemeyer SN, Henry CJ (1999) Sodium cyanide hazards to fish and other wildlife from gold mining operations. In: Azcue JM (ed) Environmental impacts of mining activities. Springer, Berlin, pp 55–67

  • Gustafson JP (2005) Visual MINTEQ 2.32, EPA, www.epa.gov

  • Henny CJ, Harlock RJ (1994) Cyanide and migratory birds at gold mines in Nevada, USA. Ecotoxicology 3:45–58

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ingles J, Scott JS (1993) State of the process for the treatment of gold effluents. Mining, Mineral and Metallurgical Process Div, Internal report, Ontario, Canada

  • Korte F, Coulston F (1998) Some considerations on the impact on ecological chemical principles in practice with emphasis on gold mining and cyanide. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 41(2):119–129

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kouzam K (2004) Optimisation aspects in photovoltaic electro-chlorination systems. Proc, Solar 2004, Melville, Perth, Australia, pp 110–117

  • Kurama H, Catalsarik T (2000) Removal of zinc cyanide from a leach solution by an anionic, ion-exchange resin. Desalination 129:1–5

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lordi DT, Lue-King C, Whitebloom SW, Kelada N, Dennison S (1980) Cyanide problems in municipal waste water treatment plants. J Water Pollut Control 52:597–609

    Google Scholar 

  • Ma J, Pritsos CA (1997) Tissue-specific biogenergetic effects and increased enzymatic, activities following acute sublethal peroral exposure to cyanide in mallard duck. Toxicil Appl Pharmacol 142:297–302

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mosher JB, Figueroa L (1996) Biological oxidation of cyanide: a viable treatment option for the minerals processing industry. Miner Eng 9:573–581

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Patil YB, Paknikar KM (2000) Of metal cyanides from waste waters. Process Biochem 35:1139–1151

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wild SR, Rudd T, Neller A (1994) Fate and effects of cyanide during treatment processes. Sci Total Environ 156:93–107

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to A. Khodadad.

Additional information

An erratum to this article can be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10230-008-0042-8

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Khodadad, A., Teimoury, P., Abdolahi, M. et al. Detoxification of Cyanide in a Gold Processing Plant Tailings Water Using Calcium and Sodium Hypochlorite. Mine Water Environ 27, 52–55 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10230-007-0024-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10230-007-0024-2

Keywords

Navigation