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The SART Process: An attractive technology to recover copper and

cyanide from gold mining

Conference Paper · April 2012

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Humberto Estay Pablo Patricio Carvajal

University of Chile Universidad Tecnológica Metropolitana
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 The SART process:
an attractive technology to recover
copper and cyanide from gold mining
Humberto Estay Cuenca, Pablo Carvajal Febre and
Francisco Arriagada House
Arcadis Chile

Imagine the result

 Contents
1. Introduction
2. The SART process
• Description of the SART process
• SART process integration in cyanidation
circuit
3. Main aspects of design and safety of the SART
process
4. Case of study
5. Overview of the current SART plants in the world
6. Conclusions
2 6 April 2015 © 2009 ARCADIS
 1. Introduction
• Gradual increment in the
concentration of copper in
solution circuit
• Increases the cyanide
Copper Presence of consumption
content in Cyanide • Reducing Au adsorption in
Gold Ore Soluble Copper carbon stage
• Increasing elusion cycle
• In some cases, contaminating
dore metal

Increases the operational cost and reduces the incomes,

reducing the mine resources and profitability of the project

3 6 April 2015 © 2009 ARCADIS

 1. Introduction
Cu2S
Cu-CN SART
(aq) Process

CN-
The SART Process (Sulphidization, Acidification, Recycling and Thickening) is a new
technology developed by Lakefield Research in Canada (MacPhail, P., Fleming, C., Sarbutt, K.
1998)

ARCADIS CHILE has conducted the design of SART plant for Maricunga (750 m3/h), the
second largest SART plant in the world, among others studies (design and pilot plants
operations)
4 6 April 2015 © 2009 ARCADIS
 2. The SART process - description
H2SO4
Treated
Solution NaSH
Air
NaOH
Flocculant

SART Scrubber
Reactor
Lime
Precipitate
THK Flocculant
NaOH
Treated
Neut
Solution
Wash Reactor
Water
Pp Filter
Gypsum
THK
CN-

Cu2S

Wash
SART Rx, pH 4-5 Water Gypsum
 2
2CN  H 2 SO4  2HCN (ac)  SO 4 Neut Rx, pH 11 Gypsum
Filter

2Cu(CN ) 32  S 2  6H   Cu 2 S (s)  6HCN (ac) 2HCN (ac)  Ca(OH ) 2  Ca(CN ) 2  2H 2O

5 6 April 2015 © 2009 ARCADIS
 2. The SART process - integration

NaSH, H2SO4
Cu2S
Ca(OH)2
HEAP LEACH
Gypsum
SART

PLS Pond ADR/EW

NaCN
Barren Solution
Dore
Metal

Barren Pond

6 6 April 2015 © 2009 ARCADIS

 3. Main aspects of design and
safety of the SART process

• Copper recovery and reagents consumptions Laboratory tests

• Defining plant capacity Q(SART)=f([Cu]eq)

• Design of solid-liquid separation operations Pilot plant tests

Extraction system,
• Design focused to personnel safety sealed equipments and
gas sensors
7 6 April 2015 © 2009 ARCADIS
 4. Case of study
NaSH, H2SO4 Operational Data:
Cu2S
Ca(OH)2
• HL treatment: 20,000 t/day
HEAP LEACH
Gypsum • Gold grade: 0.8 g/t
SART

• Gold recovery: 60%

• Copper CN-sol grade: 600 g/t
ADR/EW • Copper dissolution: 65%
PLS Pond
NaCN
Barren Solution • NaCN base consumption: 0.15
Dore
kg/t (not include CN cons. by Cu)
Metal
• Life of mine: 10 years
Barren Pond • SART Recovery: 90%

8 6 April 2015 © 2009 ARCADIS

 4. Case of study
Metallurgical Impact
Copper Production and NaCN Recovered
[Cu] Concentration in ADR Plant
5000 7.000
Cu Prod
4500
6.000 NaCN Rec
4000
3500 5.000

Mass, ton/year
[Cu], mg/l

3000
4.000
2500
2000 3.000
1500
1000 2.000
500 1.000
0
0 20 40 60 80 100 0
0 15 30 50 65 90 100
PLS Fraction Treated in SART Plant, %
PLS Fraction Treated in SART Plant, %

9 6 April 2015 © 2009 ARCADIS

 4. Case of study
Economic Impact
Impact of SART Plant in NPV
• Gold Price: 1,200 US$/Oz 350.000

• Copper Price: 2.4 US$/lb 300.000

• NaCN Cost: 2,200 US$/ton 250.000

NPV, kUS$
• Base Op. Cost: 5.0 US$/ton 200.000

(not include NaCN cost) 150.000

• SART Op. Cost: 0.8 US$/m3 100.000

• Invest. Cost: 500 MUS$ 50.000

• SART Invest. Cost: 60,000 0

US$/(m3/h) No Cu 0% SART 15% 30% 50% 65% 90% 100%

SART SART SART SART SART SART
Cases
• Discount Rate: 5%

10 6 April 2015 © 2009 ARCADIS

 4. Case of study
Economic Impact (Assuming increasing mining resources)
Impact of SART Plant in NPV
600.000

500.000

400.000
NPV, kUS$

300.000

200.000

100.000

0
No Cu 0% SART 50% SART 10 50% SART 12 50% SART 15
years years years

Cases

SART Process could increase the mine resources and NPV of the project
11 6 April 2015 © 2009 ARCADIS
 5. Overview of Current SART
Plants in the World
Maricunga
Lluvia de
Plant Telfer Yanacocha Gedabek Mastra (under
Oro
construct.)
Country Australia Peru Mexico Azerbaijan Turkey Chile
Capacity, m3/h 40 1,200 340 140 120 750
Flow Treated PLS PLS - PLS - PLS
[Cu], mg/l 1,000 1,000 - 800 1,500 450
Cu Rec, % 90 70 95 95 99 80
Cu Prod, t/d 0.9 20 1.0 2.5 4.0 6.5
Year Op. 2006 2008 2008 2009 2010 2012

12 6 April 2015 © 2009 ARCADIS

 6. Conclusions
• The SART process is a strong option to treat cyanide solutions with copper
contents, recovering copper and cyanide from the process.

• The correct design of a SART plant must include laboratory and pilot plant test
works, in order to define the main equipments. Additionally, design must be
focused on ensuring the safety of the personnel.

• The case of study demonstrates that SART process increases the profitability
of a cyanidation plant with copper contents and make possible the treatment
of gold ores with high soluble copper contents, even increasing the mine
resources.

• Five SART plants are currently operating in the world, and one under
construction, showing the high interest and feasibility of this technology.

13 6 April 2015 © 2009 ARCADIS

 Thank you
Imagine the result

14 6 April 2015 © 2009 ARCADIS

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