PRECIOUS MlrrAL RECOVERY USING TIHOCYAN ATE LIXIVIANT

FIELD OFTHE INVENTION

The in\ enlJOO descnbcd bf:m;n rda.tcs to mechods for utc in mif)('f'l.I processing

for prttious m<Ul reco>uy, lllld "'"' specifically to thc use of lhiocyonotc h1'UllllS
for gold recovery.
BACKGROUND OFTHE INVENTION
A eommon technique for reoo>'<ring gold fiom pild-bearing ores is to

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leach thc gold into an aqueous cy.midc lcach solution in "h1ch the gold is
solub1hzed as gold cyonidc complex. In some instances, lhc gold is leached
di=tly from the ore or a con(;(."lllrntc prepared from the ore. This is lhc case
for many oxide ores. In ocher inscanees. prior 10 cyanide leaching lhc ore or ore
concentrate is prClttJ.tcd to effect a chemical dlantc to eabanc:e cy>nidc leach

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S

pafonnance. For aample, p>ld-beoring sulfide om arc often rcory to dorca

cyanide 1.-ehing. Thm:f<>tt, pnor to cyonidc
ldlehing. i:UCh rcfr:ictory sulfide ores, or sulfide concentrates prepared from
such

rcfhlctory sulfide ores, arc often subjected to an oxid11he pretreatn1cnt to

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d4XX>mposc S\llfide monm.ls lllld lhercby release gold for

subscqu<ill cyonidc leaching.

""'''C<Y

during

The leach solution looded with gold is often r<f<rr<d 10 os a ..,,..,.... lath solution. After the gold has been di.ssol\ed into 11 cyanide leach solution, the
gold
2.S

1s

then removed from lhe pr<gnanl cyonide leach solu1io11. This is typically

occompli shed by contacting the pregnant cyanide lcoch solution wilh octivated carbon
8J1.11ulcs under
cond1tiom concluci>'C

IOadsoct>tlOCI

orI.he gold-cyonidc <>OmplCX onto l.hc OCbVlled carbon

8JIJ1Ulcs. After thc carbon 8J1.11ules are loaded with a<>ld, I.he =boo annulcs arc
th<n separated from the now bt11 C)'Midc leach .solution, "'hich may be m:y<:lcd

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to leach additionI gold. Gold is rcmo\'ed from the looded corbon granules by
stripping lhe gold from the carbon granules using asuitable strip solu1J0t\1 suclt SJ for
example 1 hot c:auscic soluti<>n. Th< gold is th<n r<mo>...S fioo> the stnp solution,
such as for example by clcctto-w1nn1ng 10 prqrc a cn>de ftlClollic product called
don!. The cJort is s\lb;caed 10 funhcr refining 10hig)I purity gold.
Cyanide IC3ching can be conducted either in a hc:i.p operation or in a rtactor.