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Gold Extraction from Refractory Sulfide Gold Concentrates: A Comparison of Bio-oxidation and Neutral Atmospheric Pre-treatment and Economic Implications

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Abstract

The effect of bio-oxidation and neutral atmospheric oxidation pre-treatment of refractory gold concentrates on gold and silver extraction during cyanidation was investigated. A series of pre-treatment experiments was conducted on three high sulfur (> 9%) refractory concentrates with 0.92–1.25 g/t gold and 64–90 g/t silver. Cyanidation of the pre-treated concentrates using both methods was compared with respect to gold and silver leaching efficiency and reagent consumption. Bio-oxidation experiments were carried out using a mixed culture of Acidithiobacillus ferroxidans, Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans, and Leptospirillum ferrooxidans. The experimental results showed that both neutral atmospheric oxidation and bio-oxidation processes led to improvements in gold and silver extractions. The best result was achieved using neutral atmospheric oxidation at 20% pulp density, increasing gold and silver extraction to 78 and 73%, respectively. This corresponds to increases of 47 and 37% over direct cyanidation of the untreated concentrate. For bio-oxidation pre-treatment, increasing the duration had a negative effect on silver leaching efficiency due to jarosite formation. Cyanide consumption was reduced after neutral atmospheric oxidation and increased after bio-oxidation pre-treatment. Lime consumption increased while thiocyanate production was decreased after both pre-treatment methods. In terms of economic efficiency, neutral atmospheric oxidation pre-treatment was superior to bio-oxidation pre-treatment.

Graphical Abstract

Potential value in $USD per ton of three refractory concentrates with and without pre-treatment with neutral atmospheric oxidation and bio-oxidation.

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Funding

James McNeice, Omid Marzoughi, and Dr. Ahmad Ghahreman would like to acknowledge the financial support of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), Glencore Technology, and Newmont Corp. for funding this project through the Collaborative Research and Development Grant programs CRDPJ 531189-18 and CRDPJ 523048-17. Dr. Rina Kim is also grateful for the support of the Basic Research Project (GP2020-013) of the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM), funded by the Ministry of Science and IC of Korea.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hydrometallurgy and Environment Group, Robert M. Buchan Department of Mining, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON, K7L 3N6, Canada

    James McNeice, Omid Marzoughi & Ahmad Ghahreman

  2. Resources Recovery Research Center, Mineral Resources Division, Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM), 124 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34132, Republic of Korea

    Rina Kim

  3. Resources Recycling, Korea University of Science and Technology, Daejeon, 34113, Republic of Korea

    Rina Kim

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  1. James McNeice
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Correspondence to James McNeice.

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The contributing editor for this article was Grace Ofori-Sarpong.

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McNeice, J., Marzoughi, O., Kim, R. et al. Gold Extraction from Refractory Sulfide Gold Concentrates: A Comparison of Bio-oxidation and Neutral Atmospheric Pre-treatment and Economic Implications. J. Sustain. Metall. 7, 1354–1367 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40831-021-00427-2

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