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Recovery of Gold from Its Ores: An STM Investigation of Adsorption of the Aurocyanide onto Highly Orientated Pyrolytic Graphite

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Solid—Liquid Interfaces

Part of the book series: Topics in Applied Physics ((TAP,volume 85))

Abstract

The development of new ways of recovering gold from low-grade ores has been of great importance to the gold mining industry throughout the world. In Australia, as a consequence of the occurrence of such ores, the developments have been even more significant. The Carbon-In-Pulp (CIP) process relies on the selective adsorption of the gold dicyanide ion from a slurry of crushed ore. A detailed explanation of how this occurs has yet to be offered, despite the widespread application of this technique for more than 30 years.

In this work, we report on the history of the development of the Carbon-In-Pulp (C-I-P) process. We then describe a series of experiments where we have used in situ Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM) to investigate the adsorption of gold dicyanide on Highly Orientated Pyrolytic Graphite (HOPG). In these studies, we determined the effects on adsorption of the addition of calcium ions to the solution.

From these experiments, we propose that the adsorption onto graphite occurs as a consequence of intercalation of calcium ions between the carbon sheets. The consequent modification of the electron distribution in the carbon sheets makes possible the adsorption of gold dicyanide ion.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, Murdoch University, 90th South Street, Murdoch, Western Australia

    Eddy Poinen & Steve M. Thurgate

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  1. Eddy Poinen
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  2. Steve M. Thurgate
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Physikalische Chemie, Universität Bonn, Wegelerstr. 12, 53115, Bonn, Germany

    Klaus Wandelt

  2. School of PSET, Murdoch University, South Sreet, Murdoch, 6150, WA, Australia

    Stephe Thurgate

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Poinen, E., Thurgate, S.M. (2003). Recovery of Gold from Its Ores: An STM Investigation of Adsorption of the Aurocyanide onto Highly Orientated Pyrolytic Graphite. In: Wandelt, K., Thurgate, S. (eds) Solid—Liquid Interfaces. Topics in Applied Physics, vol 85. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-44817-9_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-44817-9_4

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