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Improving gold recovery of Pb–Zn sulfide ore by selective activation with organic acid

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Abstract

Free gold and gold wrapped in sulfides are considered as the object of gold floatation. However, floatation of free gold exhibits more variables in practice. In this study, improving gold recovery of a Pb–Zn sulfide ore from Yunnan Province, China, was investigated. The results show that free gold and auriferous sulfides account for 94.99 % of total gold. Without adding organic acid in floatation, only 82 % recovery of gold could be obtained. Gold recovery in Au/Pb concentrates increases by 9.29 % with oxalate added and by 7.35 % with citric acid added, respectively, while performances of lead and arsenic nearly keep a constant. A possible reason is that free gold is of wonderful selectivity against pyrite with organic activators. A new method to enhance gold recovery is proposed.

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Acknowledgments

This paper was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51374247).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China

    Dai-Xiong Chen & Jun Xiao

  2. Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Complex Copper Lead Zinc Associated Metal Resources Comprehensive Utilization, Hunan Research Institute for Nonferrous Metals, Changsha, 410083, China

    Dai-Xiong Chen & Jun Xiao

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  1. Dai-Xiong Chen
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  2. Jun Xiao
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Correspondence to Dai-Xiong Chen.

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Chen, DX., Xiao, J. Improving gold recovery of Pb–Zn sulfide ore by selective activation with organic acid. Rare Met. 35, 198–203 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12598-014-0425-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12598-014-0425-x

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