TREATMENT OF ALASKAN REFRACTORY GOLD ORES

By W. R. McDonald, J. L. Johnson, and R. G. Sandberg

U.S. Department of Interior
Bureau of Mines
Salt Lake City Research Center
729 Arapeen Dr
Salt Lake City, Utah 84108

Presented and preprinted at the Northwest Mining Association Annual meeting

in Spokane, WA, Dec. 3-5, 1987.

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CONTENTSPage

Abstract .............................................................
Introduction .........................................................
Materials ............................................................
Crow Creek.........................................................
Haines Road Cut ....................................................
Fern Mine ..........................................................
E Pluribus Unum ....................................................
Identification of refractory ores ....................................
Cyanide amenability ................................................
Target grind size ..................................................
Pretreatment of refractory gold ores .................................
Gold locked in sulfides ............................................
Gold robbers .......................................................
Gold rob test ....................................................
Gold rob treatment ...............................................
Preoxidation with air ..........................................
Preoxidation with hypochlorite .................................
Acid pressure oxidation ........................................
Roasting ........................................................
Carbon in leach ................................................
Gold rob results ...............................................
Gold locked in placer sand .........................................
Conclusion ...........................................................
References ...........................................................

5
6
6
6
6
7
7
7
8
9
9
10
10
11
11
11
11
11
12
12
13
13
14

TABLES
1. Distribution of gold in the magnetic and nonmagnetic
fractions of Crow Creek placer sand .............................

Cyanide amenability results for the four gold ores ..............

3. Summary of target grind tests and assay screen analyses

of the leach residue for Fern and E Pluribus Unum ores ..........

4. Cold extraction from Haines Road Cut as a function of

oxidation method ................................................

10

5. Gold recovery from Haines Road Cut ore by flotation as a

function of particles size .......................................

10

6. Gold robbed by ore as a function of oxidation treatment

for Fern and E Pluribus Unum ores ...............................

12

7. Summary of gold extraction from E Pluribus Unum and Fern Mine

samples for cyanide amenability and carbon in leach tests .......

12

8. Gold and silver recovery from Crow Creek ore with and without
grinding ........................................................

13

9. Gold recovery from Crow Creek ore as a function of particle

size ............................................................

13

2.

3
UNIT OF MEASURE ABBREVIATIONS USED IN THIS REPORT

0c
g
h
lb/st
mm
oz/st
pct
ppm
psig
wt
wt pct

degree Celsius
gram
hour
pounds per short ton
millimeter
Troy ounce per short ton
percent
part per million
pound per square inch, gauge
weight
weight pct

TREATMENT OF ALASKAN REFRACTORY GOLD ORES

By W. R. McDonald,'

J. L. Johnson,2 and R. G. Sandberg3

ABSTRACT
The U.S. Bureau of Mines investigated treatment of gold and silver
refractory ores and concentrates that respond poorly to conventional
cyanidation techniques due to the complex mineralogy of the ore. Three
types of ores were investigated: gold locked placer sands, gold locked in
sulfides, and gold that is robbed from the pregnant cyanide solutions by
minerals in the ore. Ore treatment included grinding, flotation,
cyanidation, air oxidation, pressure oxidation, hypochlorite oxidation,
roasting, and carbon in leach.
Metallurgist.
2Chemical engineer.

3Research supervisor.
Salt Lake City Research Center, Bureau of Mines, U.S. Department of the
Interior, Salt Lake City, UT.

5
INTRODUCTION

The U.S. Bureau of Mines has joined in a cooperative effort with the
State of Alaska to study mineral deposits in the Juneau (AK) Mining
District. This study will provide information to economically evaluate
gold deposits in the district with a final goal of obtaining information on
deposit development and stimulating growth in the area. Similarly the
Bureau has ongoing site-specific mineral studies throughout Alaska, in this
case investigating gold recovery problems of the Fern (Willow Creek
District) and Crow Creek (Anchorage District). This paper is given as a
progress report and discusses the treatment of representative refractory
ores identified by these studies. Refractory gold ores are those ores that
do not respond to standard gravity and cyanidation processes.
Worldwide investigations (1)4 have shown that possible reasons for poor
response of gold-bearing material to cyanidation include (1) physical lockup (if the fine gold particles can be liberated by economic grinding the
gold is locked, if they can not, the gold is encapsulated), (2)
carbonaceous materials (active carbon in the material adsorbs the gold from
solution), (3) decomposition of host minerals (sulfides decompose to form
cyanicides and deplete the oxygen), (4) coated gold (particles associated
with sulfides in contact with a lixiviant can develop coatings), and (5)
insoluble alloys or compounds of gold [gold-bearing tellurides and
arsenides, aurostibnite (AuSb 2 ), and maldonite (Au2Bi)].
In addition, some sulfides, such as Sb2 S3 adsorb on gold particles as
charged colloidal particles when in solution. Roasted lead-containing ores
can contain lead compounds that coat the gold particles, rendering them
insoluble to cyanidation.
For gold ores to react completely, certain requirements must be met.
Gold must be in the form of discrete and clean particles, impurities that
may inhibit the reaction must be absent, and an adequate supply of oxygen
must be available.
A common technique to treat refractory ores has been roasting of
flotation concentrates prior to cyanidation. Other techniques include fine
grinding, pressure oxidation of sulfides, bacterial digestion, chemical
pretreatment (preaeration and acid washing), and hypochlorite or chlorine
oxidation.
As part of the overall objective of evaluating the potential of gold
deposits in the Juneau Mining District, test procedures were developed to
identify the refractory nature of ores and to investigate methods for
pretreating refractory ores prior to cyanidation. The three ore types will
be discussed in this paper: (1) gold locked in sulfides, (2) gold robbed
from pregnant cyanide solutions by minerals in the ore (also referred to as
preg rob), and (3) gold encapsulated placer sands. Four Alaska deposits
that can be classified in one or more of these types of ores are (1) Crow
Creek, (2) Haines Road Cut, (3) Fern Mine, and (4) E Pluribus Unum.
'Underlined numbers in parentheses refer to items in the list of
references at the end of this report.

MATERIALS.
CROW CREEK
The Crow Creek gold placer (3-)9 is located about 30 miles east of
Anchorage, AK. This material is a refractory gold ore because only 41 pct
of the jig concentrated gold (28 oz/st Au and 16 oz/st Ag) was recoverable
by amalgamation. Mineralogical examination showed that about one-half of
the sample comprise mica schist. The remainder was largely a mixture of
iron oxides (magnetite, hematite, and limonite). Iron pyrite made up
several percent of the sample. Other commonly occurring minerals were
scheelite, galena, zircon, and native gold. The native gold was abundant.
Some of the gold contained inclusions of iron oxide and about 20 pct of the
gold reports with the magnetic fraction of the sample as shown in table 1.
TABLE 1. - Distribution of gold in the magnetic and nonmagnetic
fractions of the Crow Creek placer sand
Product
Magnetic fraction .....
Nonmagnetic fraction..I

wt pct
26
74

Analysis, oz/st Distribution, pct

Au
Ag
Au
Ag
19.5
11.5
17.7
18.2
32
18.3
82.3
81.8

HAINES ROAD CUT

The Haines Road Cut was discovered by personnel from the Bureau in
1986, and is located 3 miles south of Haines, AK. Chemical analysis of the
ore showed it contained up to 0.33 oz/st Au, 0.88 oz/st Ag, and 8 pct Cu.
This is the first significant report of such mineralization in the Chilkat
volcanics and opens up a large area to exploration for similar
mineralization. A mineralogical examination of the samples of the ore
showed that the major minerals present were chalcopyrite, quartz, and
pyrite. Smaller amounts of malachite, chromite, magnetite, ilmenite,
pyroxene, K-feldspar, sphalerite, covelite, bornite, rutile, chalcocite,
and arsenopyrite were present in the sample. Traces of lead, nickel, and
scandium were also detected.
Several gold metallic grains were picked from a gravity concentrate and
examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The grains contained about
80 pct Au, 15 pct Ag, and the remainder as iron and chromium minerals.
FERN MINE
The Fern Mine (5) is located 50 miles northeast of Anchorage, AK. Ore
from the mine was processed in the past by flotation and then treated by
amalgamation to recover the gold. Analysis of the ore sample showed as
much as 7 oz/st Au and 0.19 oz/st Ag. Samples that represent the deposit
consist of gold-bearing quartz vein material. The veins contain ankerite,
calcite, and considerable clay, probably the result of hydrothermal
alteration. The veins are hosted by diorite and locally contain scheelite.
Concentrates from bulk sulfide flotation contained visible free gold (30
oz/st Au) with much of it being 24 mesh (0.707 mm), plus pyrite,
chalcopyrite, and perhaps other sulfide minerals. In addition, the ore

contains some carbonaceous material that was determined to be a preg

robber; that is, the carbonaceous material is active so that when it comes
in contact with gold in solution it adsorbs the gold from solution. The
apparent gold extraction is lowered by the amount of gold adsorbed.
E PLURIBUS UNUM
The E Pluribus Unum () was discovered before 1904 and developed as an
underground mine in southeast Alaska about 24 miles northwest of Juneau.
Samples from the deposit contained about 0.24 oz/st Au. Mineralization
consists of three types of material: (1) a low-grade stringer lode, (2)
medium-grade massive quartz veins, and (3) high-grade lenticular pods. The
stringer lode and the quartz veins have pyrite and arsenopyrite. The pods
contain arsenopyrite, galena, sphalerite, stibnite, and 4.8 to 14.5 oz/st
Au. Carbonaceous material was also found in the samples.
IDENTIFICATION OF REFRACTORY ORES

To evaluate the ores, a testing routine was developed that included (1)
mineralogical examination with a SEM on a minus 10-mesh sample to determine
the minerals and their liberation size, and (2) cyanide amenability tests
to determine whether or not the ore responds to cyanide leaching.
CYANIDE AMENABILITY TESTS
Tests were initiated by ball mill grinding a sample of an ore at 50 pct
solids to greater than 85 pct minus 325 mesh, adjusting the pH to 10.5 with
lime, adding 20 lb/st NaCN, and agitating the 50-pct solids slurry for 72 h
in a rolling bottle. The slurry was filtered, washed, and the products
assayed. Cyanide and lime consumption was determined by difference between
the amount added at the beginning of the leach and the amount left in the
leach solution at the end of the leach. Cyanide concentration in the leach
solution was determined by titration with silver nitrate and the lime with
oxalic acid.
The cyanide amenability results shown in table 2 give a low extraction
for the Haines Road Cut, 65 pct. This fact, combined with the
determination of substantial sulfides by SEM analysis suggest refractory
tendencies. The sulfides may be depleting the oxygen and/or the cyanide,
and/or the gold is locked in the sulfide matrix.
The extraction percent for the Fern and E Pluribus Unum ores were not
extremely low but the residue grade is still high and suggests further
treatment may improve the extraction. Additional evidence of their
refractory behavior is seen in the target grind test results discussed
below.
The Crow Creek sample was treated by amalgamation because of the high
concentration of gold in the sample. Amalgamation is more convenient than
cyanidation for recovery of gold from concentrated samples. The Bureau
research was performed using amalgamation to provide meaningful
information. The results of the amalgamation test indicate that the gold
is not free and is difficult to extract, and since this is a placer sand
deposit lockup was suspected.

TABLE 2. - Cyanide amenability results tor the four gold ores

Extraction,

Assay, oz/st

Sample

Ag

Au

Haines Road Cut.. 0.39

3.01
Fern .............
.12
Unum.,.
E Pluribus
Crow Creek ...... 53.40

0.74
NA
NA
19.80

Tail

Head

Ag
Au
0.72
0.14
NA
.55
NA
.02
31.42 j12.04

_PC

Ag

Au

2.7
NA
NA
39.2

64.1
81.7
83.3
41.2

NA - Not analyzed.

Extraction by amalgamation.
TARGET GRIND SIZE
The target grind size test follows the cyanide amenability test in the
usual evaluation of any gold ore. The purpose is to find the size where an
acceptable tail grade will be obtained. In addition, refractory tendencies
can be seen from the results. Target grind size tests were conducted by
leaching samples that had been crushed to minus 0.5-in ore, the pH adjusted
to 10.5 with lime and 20 lb/st NaCN. The slurry was agitated in a rolling
bottle for 72 h. After leaching, the sample was filtered and washed. The
leach residue was screened into size fractions and each size fraction
assayed. From the results of this test the required grinding for gold and
silver extraction was estimated. Generally a decrease in the grind size
shows a decrease in residual gold in the residue. However, in the case of
some refractory gold ores this is not true. The results of target grind
tests for Fern and E Pluribus Unum ores are given in table 3, they show
that for the larger size fractions the gold recovery with cyanide leaching
increased with decreasing mesh size as is normally expected. However, at
the finer size fractions the residue grade begins to rise until at minus
325 mesh gold in the cyanide leach residue increased significantly,
indicating particle locking or gold robbing.
TABLE 3. - Summary of target grind tests and assay screen analyses of
the leach residue for the Fern and E Pluribus Unum ores
fractions, mesh

E Pluribus Unum

Fern ore

Leach residue size

wt
pct

Assay,
Au

Au
dist.,

oz/st

pct

wt
pct

Assay,
Au

Au
dist.,

oz/st

pct

53
0.023
55.1
87
0.67
Plus 20 ............. 34.4
18
.020
21.5
4.4
.059
.... 19.7
Minus 20 plus 35
7
.016
10.5
1
.023
.... 11.8
Minus 35 plus 65
2.6
.017
3.6
.5
.032
4.5
Minus 65 plus 100...
1
.016
1.5
.6
.045
3.3
150..
Minus 100 plus
.9
.027
.8
.2
.030
Minus 150 plus 200.. 1.8
.7
.030
.5
.2
.032
Minus 200 plus 325.. 1.4
18
.066
6.5
5.7
.065
Minus 325 ............ 23.1
2 Gold extraction from the Fern ore was 87 pct with cyanide and 61 pct
for the E Pluribus Unum.

9
PRETREATMENT OF REFRACTORY GOLD ORES
GOLD LOCKED IN SULFIDES

Gold ores containing sulfides can be refractory to cyanidation. These

ores typically contain sulfides (2 that include pyrite (FeS2 ), pyrrhotite
(Fe5SO), arsenopyrite (FeSz2FeAs2 ), realgar (AsS), orpiment (As2 S3 ),
stibnite (Sb2 S3 ), galena (PbS), anglesite (PbSO4 ), and many of the copper
minerals. The sulfide minerals can react with oxygen in the cyanide
solutions, thus depleting the solution of oxygen, and others not only
consume oxygen but form cyanicides, depleting the cyanide content. When
arsenopyrite is agitated in a concentrated solution of lime in the presence
of air, alkaline arsenites form as shown below.
4 FeAsS + 4 Ca(OH) 2

11 02

4 FeSO 4 + 4 CaHAsO3

+ 2 H20.

(1)

This is a strongly deoxidizing reaction, which results in a loss of

dissolved oxygen, consequently, gold does not extract. Pyrrhotite is an
example of both cyanide and oxygen consumption as shown in the following
equations:
Fe5 S6

FeS
FeSO 4

NaCN

2 02

6 NaCN

NaCNS

5 FeS

(3)

FeSO4

Na4Fe(CN) 6

(2)

Na2 SO4 .

(4)

The Haines Road Cut is an example of a sulfide containing gold ore that
is refractory to cyanidation. Direct cyanide leaching of this ore yielded
64 pet of the gold being extracted. To improve gold recovery the ore must
be further treated. Treatments included air oxidation and acid pressure
oxidation of the concentrate followed by cyanidation (using test procedure
described earlier).
Air oxidation tests were initiated by ball mill grinding to greater
than 65 pct minus 325 mesh at 50 pct solids. The slurry was then
transferred to a bottle, the pH raised to between 11 and 12 with lime, and
the sample agitated and air sparged for 24 h. Cyanidation of the resulting
slurry increased gold extraction to 73 pct.
Acid pressure oxidation tests were conducted on a bulk flotation
concentrate containing 86 pct of the gold [concentrate produced with
Cyanimide A-2085 (sodium diethyl and sodium di-secondary butyl dithio
phosphate), potassium amyl xanthate, copper sulfate and frother] at 20 pct
solids, 220 C, and with 50 psig 02 for 2 h. Cyanidation of the leach
residue resulted in greater than 96 pct gold extraction; total gold
extraction was greater than 83.6 pct.
A summary of the air oxidation and acid pressure leach tests followed
by cyanidation is given in table 4.
5 Reference

of Mines.

to specific products does not imply endorsement by the Bureau

10

TABLE 4. - Gold extraction from Hainqs Road Cut as a function

of oxidation method
Assav, oz/st
Head
Tail

Test condition
_

Cyanide amenability..
Air oxidation ........
Pressure oxidation'..

Au
0.393
.329

Ag

0.74
.88
J904
NA

Au

Recovery,
Pct
Ag

0.140
.089
<.05

Au

0.72 64.4
.88 72.9
NA >95.6

Ag

2.7
0
NA

NA - Not analyzed.

lPressure oxidation conducted on flotation concentrate.

Improved overall extraction for the pressure oxidation treatment will
result if the flotation is more efficient. Finer grinding can be
beneficial to a point and then counter productive. Splits of the sample
were ball mill ground so that 62, 80, and 90 pct of the each split passed
325 mesh. The gold was concentrated in each split by bulk sulfide
flotation. The results of these tests are given in table 5. This table
shows the extraction drop as the slimes begin interfering with the
flotation.
TABLE 5. - Gold recovery from Haines Road Cut ore
by flotation as a function of particle size
Minus 325-mesh, Assay, oz/st
Head
Tail
pct
0.078
62 .0.336
80 .243
.032
.072
89 .431

Extraction,
pct
76.8
86.8
83.3

GOLD ROBBERS
Ores containing minerals that cause the gold to redeposit from the
leach solution are considered gold robbers. Carbonaceous or carbon-bearing
materials are usually the cause of this problem and must be deactivated by
oxidation or by some other approach. Even though 80 pct of the gold is
recovered during cyanide amenability and testing is continued, it is
important to beware of gold robbing indications. The E Pluribus Unum and
the Fern ores are examples of materials that exhibit this behavior.
Gold Rob Test
The purpose of the gold rob test is to determine if the ores suspected
of being a gold robber will adsorb gold from the cyanide leach solution. A
gold-bearing solution, which was prepared by dissolving AuC13 in a cyanide
solution and then neutralizing the excess cyanide, was contacted with a
ground sample of each ore. The AuC1 3 solution was made basic with sodium
hydroxide prior to cyanide leaching. The excess cyanide in the gold
robbing solution was destroyed to prevent the leaching of any gold from ore
and thus biasing the test results. The results are given in ounces of gold
that is robbed from the known solution per short ton, a decrease in the
gold that is robbed shows the degree that the gold robbing material is
neutralized. Test results showed that samples of the Fern Mine and the E

Pluribus Unum Mine contained gold robbers..

The gold robbing material in the Fern Mine and the E Pluribus Unum ores
is carbonaceous matter. Early operations at the Fern mine recovered the
gold by flotation and amalgamation and thus avoided the gold robbing
problems.
Gold Rob Treatment
A gold robbing ore can be treated either by neutralizing the robbing
portion by oxidation or by competing with the robbing portion during the
leaching of the gold by adding carbon to the leach slurry. Tests conducted
to reduce the gold robbing effects of the ore included preoxidation with
air, preoxidation with hypochlorite, acid pressure oxidation, roasting, and
carbon in leach (CIL).
Preoxidation With Air
Preoxidation with air tests were conducted
the laboratory ball mill at 50 pct solids to 82
modifying the pH with lime to about 11, heating
sparging air into the pulp for 16 h. After air
filtered and the gold rob test was repeated.

by grinding the sample in

pct minus 325 mesh,
the pulp to 45 C, and then
oxidation the sample was

Preoxidation With Hypochlorite

The hypochlorite tests were conducted by first repeating the air
oxidation test to the end of air sparging, and then adding hypochlorite in
stages (5 to 20 lb/st OCI-) until the concentration of hypochlorite in
solution stabilized at 20 lb/st OCl-. The OC- concentration was
determined by KI addition and titration of the formed iodine with sodium
thiosulfate. The sample was then filtered, washed, and repulped. The
residual hypochlorite was destroyed with hydrogen peroxide. The sample was
refiltered and the gold rob test was conducted.
Acid Pressure Oxidation
Bulk sulfide flotation concentrates were used for acid pressure
oxidation. The ore sample was ball mill ground at 50 pct solids to 82 pct
minus 325 mesh, then a bulk sulfide flotation concentrate was made using
Cyanimide A-208, potassium amyl xanthate, and copper sulfate. The sulfide
concentrate was placed directly in the reactor vessel, diluted to 20 pct
solids, and oxidized at 195 C with 50 psig 02 overpressure for 2 h. The
residue was filtered and washed. The gold rob test was conducted on the
residue.
Roasting
Flotation concentrates were used for roasting. The ore sample was ball
mill ground at 50 pct solids to 82 pct minus 325 mesh, and a bulk sulfide
flotation was conducted with Cyanimide A-208, potassium amyl xanthate, and
copper sulfate. The sulfide concentrate was dried at 95' C and then dead
roasted at 450 C for 2 h. The gold rob test was performed on the roasted
concentrate.

12
Carbon In Leach
The sample was ball mill ground at 50 pct solids to 82 pct minus 325
mesh, the pH was adjusted to 10.5 with lime, then 20 g of 6X16 Westates
activated carbon, and 20 lb/st NaCN were added. The sample was agitated in
a rolling bottle for 72 h, then filtered, and the products assayed. The
gold loading on carbon was determined by ashing the carbon and then the ash
fire assayed.
Gold Rob Results
The results of the gold rob treatment are listed in tables 6 and 7.
They show that the Fern ore required only minimal treatment to prevent
robbing of the gold, while the E Pluribus Unum required severe treatment
such as acid pressure oxidation or roasting. The gold robbed by the Fern
decreased to 0.06 oz/st with air oxidation; whereas, a pressure oxidation
leach was required for the E Pluribus Unum to achieve similar results, 0.02
oz/st.
TABLE 6. - Gold robbed by ore as a function of oxidation
treatment for Fern and E Pluribus Unum ores
Feed
solution
Wt.
Assay,
9 I pPM
E PLURIBUS UNUM
Feed ...................... 500
25
Air oxidation .............
500
25
Hypochlorite oxidation
.... 500
25
Pressure oxidation leach..
38
25
Roast ...................... 90
25
FERN
Feed ...................... 500
25
Air oxidation .............
500
25
Hyp
ohlorite oxidation ..... 500
25
P
ressure oxidation
........
27
25
Roast ...................... 49
25
Test

Robbed
solution
Wt.
Assay,
|PPM
687
592
525
230
170

Gold
robbed,
oz/st

0.5
7.0
17
4
.8

0.71
.43
.25
.02
.7

628 17
603
19
79
115
200
3.1
150
.9

0.25
.06
.03
.07
.6

Table 7 compares results of CIL tests with cyanide amenability tests.

The data show CIL improves gold extraction from the Fern Mine sample from
81.7 to 89.3 pct. The CIL did not improve gold extraction from the E
Pluribus Unum mine sample. The gold extraction was 80.6 and 79.8 pct,
respectively, for cyanide amenability and CIL tests.
TABLE 7. - Summary of gold extraction from E Pluribus Unum and
Fern Mine samples for cyanide amenability and carbon in
leach tests.
Cyanide amenability
Assay, oz/st Recovery,
Head
Tail
pct
Fern .
3.012 0.55
81.7
E Pluribus Unum... .124
.024
80.6
Sample

CIL
Assay, oz/st
Head
Tail
1.871 0.200
.119
.024

Recovery,
pct
89.3
79.8

13
GOLD LOCKED IN PLACER SANDS
In the Crow Creek ore the gold is locked in a placer sand. This is an
example of a material for which particle size reduction is all that is
needed to improve gold recovery. Typically, a placer sand is processed by
gravity separation techniques. A sample is screen sorted into size
fractions and then the size fractions that contain the gold are further
treated by a variety of gravity techniques. This particular sample of Crow
Creek placer sand was concentrated with a jig. The jig concentrates from
the property contained from 2 to 400 oz/st Au. By the nature of the gold,
individual splits show a wide fluctuation in assay because the coarse
particle size of the gold made it difficult to assay a representative
sample. The initial test on the first Crow Creek sample showed that
grinding to 67 pct minus 325 mesh increased the gold recovery from 41.2 to
97.7 pct. The test results are shown in table 8.
TABLE 8. - Gold and silver recovery from Crow Creek ore, with
and without grinding
Head, oz/st
Ag
I Au
Without grinding..,. 53.40 19.80
With grinding ...... 46.56 19.92
lGold recovered by amalgamation.
Product

Tail, oz/st
Ag
Au
31.42 12.04

Recovery,' pct
Ag
Au
39.2
41.2
95.7

The principle of size reduction to improve recovery was also

demonstrated with a lower grade sample (1 to 2 oz/st Au and about 1 oz/st
Ag), as shown by the test results in table 9. Splits of the sample were
ball mill ground so that 67, 78, and 89 pct of the each split passed 325
mesh. The samples were amalgamated to recover the gold. The results show
that the amalgam tail decreased from 0.29 to 0.044 oz/st when the ore mesh
size was decreased from 67 to 89 pct minus 325 mesh, respectively. There
was poor agreement between head sample assays because of the occurrence of
abundant free gold in the samples.
TABLE 9. - Gold recovery from Crow Creek ore as a function of particle size
Minus 325-mesh,
pct

Assay
He 4
Au

Recovery,
Pti

oz/st
Tail
Au

Ag

1.02 .292 .83

67 .0.857
.73 .172 .25
78 .1.523
.76
.044
1.19
89.............207
'Gold recovered by amalgamation.

Au

AR

65.9 18.6
88.7 65.7
36.1
0..
9

CONCLUSION
Haines Road Cut and E Pluribus Unum deposits were investigated as part
of a study to determine the potential of gold and silver deposits in the
Juneau Mining District. The Fern and Crow Creek deposits were investigated
as site-specific studies elsewhere in Alaska (Anchorage and Willow Creek
Mining Districts). Cyanide amenability tests determined that these ores
were refractory in nature. Tests on these refractory ores included air

14
oxidation, hypochlorite oxidation, acid pressure oxidation, roasting, and
carbon in leach.
Gold recovery from gold locked in sulfides ores, represented by the
Haines Road Cut, was improved by proper grind size and by preoxidation.
Recovery increased from 65.3 pct by cyanide leach to greater than 83.6 pct
by pressure oxidation-leach of a flotation concentrate.
Gold loss by absorption on gold robbing material was reduced by
oxidation. The Fern ore required minimum oxidation treatment to decrease
the gold loss from the preg solution, while the E Pluribus Unum required
pressure oxidation treatment to obtain similar reduced gold loss.
The recovery from gold locked placer sands, as represented by the Crow
Creek deposit was improved by grinding. Gold recovery increased from 41.2
to 97.7 pct.
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