Olympic Dam

Refinery Process Flow Diagram

Bundling
Weighing
Sampling

Anode Scrap

Copper Anodes
From Smelter
99.7% Cu
365kg each

Feed In
Trolley

2.5-2.7 tonne
cathode
Bundles
99.99% Cu

Washing
Feed In

Anode Preparation Machine

Cathode Sampling/Bundling

Flexing
Stripping

Feed In
Conveyor

Anode Scrap
Washing Machine

To Customer

Edge Waxing

Scales

Racks Of 54
Cathode Plates
To CSM

Rejects

Cathode Stripping Machine

Rejects

Bottom Waxing

Press
Spacing
Conveyor

Head Tank

Scrap To Smelter
15% Of Original Anode

Lug Milling

Reagents
Thiourea
Glue
Avitone
Chloride

Anodes To Cells
Racks Of 54

Flowrate
40l/min/cell

Electrowinning Cells

Cathode Plates
Returned To Cells

Electrolyte Flowrate
150 l/min/cell

Crane

Electrolytic Refining Cells

Steam

Acid

Temperature
o
90 C

Slimes Treatment
Batchwise Processing
Slimes Collection
Tank
Slimes
5-10% Ag
0.5-1% Au
20-25% Cu

Filter
Decopperised
Slimes Cake
7-12% Ag
0.7-1.3% Au
<1% Cu

Disposable
Cartridge Filters

Cyanide
Solution

Cyanidation
Tank

Neutralisation
Tank

<1% CN

pH 9.0

Cyanide
Residue

Reagents
Cobalt
Guar
Electrolyte
45 g/l Cu
175 g/l Acid
63 oC

Electrolyte
Polishing
Decant
Electrolyte Filter

1st Stage
Anode

First Stage
Gold Refining
Cell
2nd Stage
Anode

10-12g/l Ag
0.8-1.1g/l Au
8 m3/batch

Ferrous Sulphate

Sulphuric Acid

Zinc
Precipitation
Tank

Filter

Gold
Furnace

Silver
Bullion 99.99%

Hydrogen
Peroxide
Nitre

Filtrate To
Refinery
Bleed

Aciding
Tank

Filtrate

Filter
Gold Mud
55% Au

Gold Mud
Leach Tank

Salt

Spent Electrolyte
35 g/l Cu

Precipitate

Centrifuge

Balbach-Thrum
Silver Cells

Silver
Crystal

Silver
Induction
Furnace

To
Scrubber

Dore Anode
89% Ag
11% Au

Sponge
95% Au

EW Electrolyte
Bleed
Bleed To
Hydromet

Zinc
Dust

Nitric Acid
Sulphuric
Acid

Pre Bullion

Gold Bullion
99.99%

Feed To Gold Room

(Accounting checkpoint)

Strong Electrolyte
50 g/l Cu

Electrolyte
Circulation
Tank

Refinery Bleed
Tank

Electrolyte
Collector Box

ER Electrolyte Bleed
90 l/min

Ferrocyanate
To Tailings

Filter

1st Stage
Cathode
Auric Chloride
Electrolyte

Pregnant
Liquor
Tank

Filter
Filtrate
To Aciding
Tank

Permanent
Lead Anodes

Anode Cycle 20 Days

Cathode Cycle10 Days

Slimes Decopperising
Caustic

Second Stage
Gold Refining
Cell

Slimes
750-800 kg per 16 cell batch

Silver Nitrate
Electrolyte
110 gpl Ag

Acided
Precipitate
Cake
6-8% Au
45-50% Ag

Furnace

Oxygen

Dore
Button
89% Ag
11% Au

Dore
Induction
Furnace

Burner
Air
Fluxes

Dryer

Dry Precipitate
300 - 400 kg per
furnace Batch

ODECH450