SGS MINERALS SERVICES T3 SGS 174

09-2013

PRESSURE LEACHING CAPABILITIES

Pressure leaching is a well established
hydrometallurgical processing alternative
for gold, nickel, PGE and base metal
ores. SGS has been active in this area
since 1985, developing flowsheets and
running integrated pilot plants in support
of bankable feasibility studies. Numerous
operating plants have been built based on
our studies.
Batch pressure leaching capabilities are
available at many of our international
metallurgy laboratories while continuous
pressure leaching capabilities for
extended pilot operations are available in
Canada, Australia and Russia. In this case
we use multi-compartment submarine
style pilot autoclaves in combination with
integrated downstream unit processes
to test complex integrated metallurgical
flowsheets for bankable feasibility
studies.

SGS metallurgical group has a:

proven track record with

hydrometallurgical pressure leaching.
wide range of equipment to support
lab, batch and pilot scale projects.
extensive experience dealing with
many deposit types.
applied research background to
develop new technologies in this
field (e.g. the PLATSOL process) or
adapt existing protocols to maximize
grade, recovery or costs efficiencies.
reputation of being impartial and fair
and thus able to conduct independent
process reviews.
bankable reputation which means
that our technical reports are
accepted for financing purposes.

OVERVIEW OF AUTOCLAVE
APPLICATIONS

Acid and alkaline oxidation

of refractory gold ores and
concentrates
Copper, zinc, nickel and/or cobalt
concentrate leaching
Nickel concentrate leaching
Sulphide precipitation of Ni, Co
Uranium ore leaching
Graphite concentrate purification
Arsenic ore leaching (caustic)
Molybdenite concentrate leaching
Scorodite precipitation
Nickel, cobalt laterite leaching
Jarosite stabilization
Hematite precipitation
Caustic leaching
Polymetallic PGM leaching
(PLATSOLTM )

SGS MINERALS SERVICES T3 SGS 174

OPERATIONAL PARAMETERS, SGS MINERALS SERVICES PILOT-SCALE AUTOCLAVES

SGS IN AUSTRALIA

SGS IN CANADA

Commissioned

2001

1992

Design

titanium, 5-stage submarine

titanium, 6-stage submarine

Working Volume

65-75 L

25-35 L

Maximum Temperature

290C

255-270C

Maximum Pressure

9 MPa

5 MPa

Feed rate

20-50 kg/h

6-12 kg/hr

Pre-heat

Steam heat exchange

Electric heat exchange

Pressure Control

Automatic

Semi-automatic

Let Down

Single pot continuous discharge of slurry at

100C with control.

Single pot intermittent discharge of

slurry at 100C.

Sample feed and measure parameters during

leaching

Yes, each compartment

Yes, each compartment

Process Control

Distributed control system,

Bailey distributed control system

Windows operator interface

Data Export and Handling

Access or Excel

Excel and Access

Flowsheets supported

HiPAL*

POX, HPAL, PLATSOL

Especially suitable for

Generating products for market evaluation

Projects with limited ore or if cost of

shipping is a factor

* POX-suitable autoclaves also available at SGS in Australia

SGS MINERALS SERVICES T3 SGS 174

PRESSURE OXIDATION FOR

GOLD
When direct treatment with a cyanide
solution results in low gold extraction,
the ore is termed refractory. Gold
encapsulated in a sulphide matrix can
be readily recovered after a destructive
oxidation treatment. After leaching and
neutralization, cyanidation or CIL can
recover the gold. Pressure leaching in
autoclaves has been developed into a
standard operating procedure and is being
applied in many operating mines. Test
work is performed in the laboratory or in a
continuous pilot plant operation.

SGS Group Management SA 2013 All rights reserved - SGS is a registered trademark of SGS Group Management SA

Since the inception of pressure leaching

for refractory gold ore twenty-five years
ago, numerous operations have applied
this technology, establishing it as a viable
and robust process. Examples of the
application of this technology are available
worldwide.

PRESSURE LEACHING FOR

BASE METAL SULPHIDES
Confidence in pressure oxidation
technology further spurred base metal
(Cu,Zn,Ni,Pb) producers to consider a
hydrometallurgical route for base metal
recovery, particularly from complex
sulphide ore systems. A number
of process options are available for
hydrometallurgical treatment of these
ores, but pressure leaching is a common
starting point.
Low pressure

3
SGS has had experience with all the
pressure leaching processes that have
been developed for the treatment of base
metal sulphide ores and concentrates.

PRESSURE LEACHING FOR

NICKEL IN LATERITES
Recently, there has been considerable
interest and development in the pressure
acid leach (PAL) process as applied to
the treatment of nickel laterites. SGS
boasts the most comprehensive laterite
processing test facilities in the world. A
number of major pilot plants have been
operated to test a variety of integrated
flowsheets, producing intermediate or
final LME grade metal products.

PRESSURE LEACHING
FOR PLATINUM GROUP
ELEMENTS
The application of pressure oxidation for
PGM recovery from base metal sulphide
concentrates has attracted much interest
in recent years, as markets for these
materials have increased. We have
worked with a number of clients in the
development of the PLATSOL process.
This unique approach to simultaneous
extraction of PGM group metals and the
host base metals from complex sulphide
orebodies is an excellent example of the
in-house expertise held by SGS in this
area.

Activox Process

Dynatec Process
Anglo American/UBC Process
Oxiana/Mt. Gordon Process

High Pressure

PLATSOL is especially desirable for the

treatment of:

MIM/Mt. Albion Process

Medium pressure

PLATSOL is a single step, high

temperature pressure leaching processing
which the base metals sulphides are
oxidized with oxygen to soluble metal
sulphate complexes and sulphuric
acid while the gold and the PGM are
solubilized as chloro-complexes by the
addition a small amount of chloride to the
autoclave feed.

Phelps Dodge-Placer Dome Process

PLATSOL Process

Lean concentrates containing mixed

base metals with relatively low
concentrations of precious metals.
Dirty concentrates containing
deleterious elements.
High chromium and magnesium
bearing concentrates.
Gold concentrates in areas where
cyanide is prohibited.
Concentrates in areas here the
resource base is small or the cost
to transport concentrate or ore from
a remote location to a smelter is
prohibitive.

CONTACT INFORMATION
Email us at minerals@sgs.com
www.sgs.com/mining