December 2000

Technical Note 122000

Florin Analytical
Services
Amalgamation Assay

The process of utilizing mercury to entrap gold goes very far
back in time (Vitruvius 13 B.C.). It was predominant as a
method for gold extraction from the 16
th
Century until the ar-
rival of cyanidation.

In mineral processing, amalgamation is the process of sepa-
rating gold and silver from gangue material by binding them
into a mixture with mercury. The process by which gold and
silver binds with mercury is not very well understood; it is
thought to be part adsorption and part chemical alloy. The
amalgamation process is designated as a wetting process; a
process in which the gold is surrounded and drawn up into the
mercury.

Gold is slightly
soluble in mer-
cury (at room
temperature ap-
proximately
0.06 %) and sev-
eral compounds
of gold and mer-
cury have been
identified.
When nitric acid
is used to dis-
solve the mer-
cury from the
amalgam, the
gold particles are recovered in their original form.

The most important consideration in amalgamation is that the
surface of both the mercury as well as the gold be clean.
The surface of mercury can be cleaned by the addition of
either sodium hydroxide or calcium oxide so that the slurry is
alkaline. If the gold is coated with oil or the surface of the
gold is stained it will likely contaminate the mercury and an
appropriate fix (typically wet attritioning) must be completed
prior to amalgamation.

The separation of the amalgam from the residual pulp is com-
pleted by gravity. Mercury has a density of 13.5 gms/cc, gold
19.2 gms/cc. Most gangue material (i.e quartz) has a density
of less than 2.7 gms/cc.
Amalgamation Assay
Florin Analytical Services LLC (FAS) employs amalgamation
as an assay tool. The procedure utilized by FAS is as follows:

1. The sample to be amalgamated is dried and then weighed.
2. The material is slurried with water to 50% solids and
mercury is added (mercury equivalent to 100 grams per
kilogram of solids). The pH is adjusted, as necessary, to
10 with a solution of caustic (1N NaOH).
3. The slurry is rolled on a laboratory-rolling table for a pe-
riod of two hours.
4. After rolling, the slurry is panned to collect the mercury
and the mercury is dissolved in nitric acid. The amalga-
mation tailings (gangue material) is dried weighed and
then assayed in duplicate for gold and silver.
5. The residue from the mercury is dried, annealed and
weighed (reported as Placer product).
6. The Placer product is inquarted with a known amount of
silver, wrapped in lead and assayed for gold and silver.

The amalgamation tailings can also be leached with cyanide
and the residual cyanide soluble gold and silver reported.

Notes on Health Hazards

Chronic mercury poisoning can develop in stages. Poisoning
can result from mercury vapor or metallic mercury. Mercury
should be stored in sealed flasks and not left open to the air.
Mercury should only be handled by a responsible profes-
sional.
7950 Security Circle Reno, Nevada 89506 Telephone: 775 677 2177 Facsimile: 775 972 4567 E-mail: fas@florinanalytical.com
Placer product following amalgamation.
Black sand amalgamation in process.