A Comparative Study of Sodium Cyanide and JinchanTM Gold

Leaching Reagents: A Case Study at Goldfields Ghana Limited

M. Beyuo, G. B. Abaka-Wood, R. K. Asamoah, A. Kabenlah, R. K. Amankwah

Beyuo, M., Abaka-Wood, G. B., Asamoah, R. K., Kabenlah A and Amankwah, R. K. (2016). ―A Comparative
Study of Sodium Cyanide and JinchanTM Gold Leaching Reagents: A Case Study at Goldfields Ghana Limited‖,
4th UMaT Biennial International Mining and Mineral Conference, pp. MR 195-199.

Abstract
The continuous increase in environmental regulations coupled with ore refractoriness towards conventional sodium cyanide
have inspired the search for alternative reagents. The current study compares the efficacy of Jinchan TM leaching reagent with
conventional sodium cyanide. Specifically, the role of particle size, residence time, and lixiviant concentration for standard
agitation leaching have been investigated. JinchanTM gold leaching reagent has been previously identified as an alternative
lixiviant that is environmentally friendly in heap leaching of gold but has not been extended into agitated leaching. The
results showed that sodium cyanide has higher efficiency and effectiveness of leaching gold from the mineral ores compared
with JinchanTM independent of the reagent concentration and particle size. Whilst increasing cyanide concentration above
230 ppm does not significantly influence the recovery, elevation of JinchanTM leaching reagent above 400 ppm reduced the
gold yield. Generally, decreasing particle size increases the kinetics of gold extraction from both reagents. Whilst 24 h is
enough for sodium cyanide to attain the desired plant recovery, 48 h is required for JinchanTM leaching reagent. Chemical
analyses of the leached solution revealed that JinchanTM leaching reagent is more environmental friendly compared with
sodium cyanide. To increase the application of JinchanTM leaching reagent for the Gold Fields Ghana Limited ores, its
leaching rate requires improvement.

Keywords: Benign reagents, sodium cyanide, leaching, Jinchan gold dressing agent

1 Introduction were measured via a rotating electrochemical

Cyanide has dominated the gold production
industry over the past century, due to its efficiency
and relatively low cost. However, some challenges
and detrimental effects, of which the environment
is key, as a result of its application has been
identified and reported by Hilson and Monhemius
(2006). The environmental challenges associated
with sodium cyanide application in the gold mining
industry has fueled extensive investigations into
development of a more benign alternative reagents.
Hilson and Monhemius (2006), also review the
widely-researched alternative lixiviants for gold
ores, which includes thiourea, thiocyanate,
thiosulphate, coal-oil agglomeration and halides.
Senanayake (2004) reviewed the kinetics of gold
oxidation from rotating gold discs, gold colloid,
gold–silver alloy and gold ores in non-cyanide
lixiviants. Results from rotating disc studies in
different lixiviant systems showed that the rate of
gold oxidation depends on the temperature and
concentration of oxidant and ligand used and is
represented by a shrinking sphere/core model
(Senanayake, 2004). Thiosulphate leaching, has
been identified as the most promising of the
existing alternatives (Jeffrey et al., 2001). Jeffrey et
al. (2001) presented a detailed kinetic study of gold
leaching in cyanide, ammonia/thiosulfate, and
chloride/hypochlorite solutions. Gold leaching rates
quartz crystal microbalance, which allows the mass
of gold to be measured in-situ. Through a series of
investigations, it was reported that leaching of gold
in cyanide solution is dependent on the solid- and
solution-phase purity. Leaching in thiosulphate
system was dependent on reaction between Cu (II)
and thiosulphate, whiles that in chloride system
was diffusion controlled (Jeffrey et al., 2001).
Gold leaching with cyanide and non-cyanide
lixiviants is well documented and the reader is
referred to a number of classic references and
reviews (Asamoah et al., 2014; Aylmore and Muir,
2001; Breuer and Jeffrey, 2000; Grosse et al.,
2003; Ha et al., 2010; Jeffrey and Breuer, 2000;
Srithammavut et al., 2011).
1.1 Jinchan Gold Dressing (JGD) Agent
JGD is a new leaching reagent which is believed to
be applicable to heap leaching, pond leaching and
carbon-in-leaching of gold-bearing oxidized ore,
which is a high-tech patented product of Guangxi
Senhe High Technology Ltd. (China). In the gold
mining industry, the product has many advantages
such as simple operation (similar to the
conventional cyanidation), high leaching rate, short
leaching time, low toxicity and environmental
protection, convenient transportation and storage
and so on. It is currently known to be the only

1
patented non-cyanide product for ―environmentally
friendly gold extraction‖ around the world. The
main chemical compounds in the product include
SC(NH2)2, NaSiO3, NaOH, (NaPO3)6 and their
elemental composition is presented in Table 1. The
present study aims at comparing the leaching
performance of JGD and NaCN on oxide gold ores
supplied by Gold Fields Ghana Limited, Tarkwa
Mine.
2 Materials and Methods Used
2.1 Experimental Objectives
The test works include a full scale laboratory
investigation to ascertain the efficiency and
effectiveness of JGD leaching reagent relative to
the conventional sodium cyanide (NaCN). The tests
will include bottle roll tests that can be translated
into agitation leaching during scale-up. The
specific tests include the following optimization
studies; effect of reagent concentration, particle
size and residence time on leaching.
2.2 Experimental Materials
Leach feed material obtained at the CIL plant of
Gold Fields Ghana Limited was used to carry out
the bottle roll leach test. Sodium cyanide (Barbex,
Tarkwa) and JGD (Guangxi Senhe Mining
Technology, China) were employed as lixiviants.
The chemical composition of the JGD is presented
in Table 1. Lime used as pH-modifier was supplied
by Carmeuse Ghana Limited (Takoradi, Ghana).
Table 1 Chemical composition of JGD
Elements Percentage by weight,%
Carbon 22.04
Sodium 38.3
Ammonia 15.42
Oxygen 22.92
Iron 0.96
Chlorine 0.36
2.3 Experimental Methods
2.3.1 Effect of Reagent Concentration on
Leaching
Plant pulp material (55 wt. %) was rolled for 24-
hour period at varying lixiviant concentrations.
This was conducted to ascertain the optimum
concentration for each lixiviant to obtain the plant’s
design recovery of 97%. The pulp pH was
maintained between 10.5 and 11.0 by periodically
dosing lime when pulp pH reduces below 10.5.
2
2.3.2 Effect of particle size on leaching
The leach feed material obtained was dried and
screened using 150 µm and 106 µm test sieves. The
oversize and undersize of each screen size were
composited to obtained 50% and 80% passing both
150 µm and 106 µm. The various size fractions
were leached with the optimum lixiviant
concentrations obtained from section 2.3.1.
2.3.3 Effect of Residence Time on Leaching
Leaching kinetics of both leaching reagents was
investigated at the optimum reagent concentrations.
Leach feed samples were leached over 72 hours
and samples taken at designated periods and
submitted for analysis (say 2, 4. 6. 8, 24, 48 and 72
hours). Pulp pH was checked periodically to ensure
the right level of alkalinity is maintained for
leaching, as was done in section 2.3.1.
2.3.4 Lime Consumption
The amount of pH modifier used in conditioning
the pulp and its consumption are important. The
natural pulp pH was measured prior to each
leaching test. A known weight of lime (specifically,
0.2 g) was added to the pulp and allowed to
equilibrate and the pH noted. This was repeated till
the pulp pH increased to 11.50. The pulp pH was
measured after at designated time within 24 h.
3 Results and Discussion
3.1 Effect of Reagent Concentration on
Leaching
The first aim of this investigation is to determine
the optimum reagents concentration for leaching.
This is important because it is anticipated that both
lixiviants will react differently with the ore, hence
different amount of each lixiviant will be required
by given mass of ore. The recovery of gold as a
function of both lixiviants have been determined
and presented in Figure 1. As expected, gold
recovery increased with increasing lixiviant
concentration for both NaCN and JGD. Gold
recovery obtained using JGD were all below the
plant’s desired recovery of 97%. For all the
concentrations investigated, the recoveries obtained
using NaCN were higher than for JGD. Highest
recovery of 91.68% was obtained using 400 ppm of
JGD. The recovery increased steadily from the least
concentration used (100 ppm) to 400 ppm, and
thereafter gradually reduced. On the other hand
recovery in the presence of NaCN yielded the
plant’s desired recovery of 97% at 250 ppm. There
is no statistical difference in recovery at NaCN
concentrations from 230 – 250 ppm. The recoveries
obtained at 230, 240 and 250 ppm are 96.63%, selected particle sizes are presented in Figure 3.
96.28% and 97.21%, respectively. Gold recovery Gold recovery using each lixiviant increased with
declined and plateaued above cyanide decreasing particle size. The gold recovery using
concentration of 250 ppm.2D Graph 1 JGD were lower than that of NaCN for all the
particle sizes investigated. The results show that
100 60.09 % gold recovery was achieved using JGD for
NaCN
JGD
50% passing 106 µm particles, however, 76.79 %
80
gold recovery was achieved with NaCN. The
recovery of gold from the ore increased to 90.01
Gold Recovery, %

and 97.86% using JGD and NaCN, respectively,

60
40
20
0 obtained for particles of sizes 80% passing 106 µm
100 150 200 210 220 230 240 250 300 350 400 450 500
Lixiviant Concentration, ppm
Fig 1 Recovery graph showing leaching of gold
using JGD and NaCN
The results obtained showed that, for all the
concentrations, it is impossible to achieve the
plant’s design recovery of 97% using JGD. Further
tests were conducted by increasing the
concentration of JGD up to 800 ppm. The results
have been presented in Figure 2. Gold recovery was
when 80% passing 106 µm particles were tested. A
similar trend was observed with 50% and 80%
passing 150 µm. The recovery attained using JGD
on 50% passing 150 µm was 54.13% whiles that
for NaCN at the same particle size was 71.09%.
For both JGD and NaCN, the gold recovery
and 80% passing 150 µm are statistically similar.
For NaCN, recovery of gold from 80% passing 150
µm is 97.31%, whilst that of JGD was 90.30%.
This implies that, energy spent in further reducing
particles below 80% passing 150 µm, may not be
economical. 2D Graph 2
100
NaCN
JGD
80

observed to decrease significantly from when

Gold Recovery, %

concentration of JGD was increased from 500 ppm 60

to 550 ppm, thereafter increased marginally with
increase in JGD concentration to 750 ppm and
decreased sharply at 800
2D ppm.
Graph 2 40

80
20

70

0
50% -150 µm 50% -106 µm 80% -150 µm 80% -106 µm
Gold Recovery, %

60

Particle Size
50 Fig 3 Effect of particle size on gold recovery

40
30
20
450 500 550 600
JGD Conc., ppm
Fig 2 Recovery graph showing the leaching of
gold using higher JGD concentrations.
Further increase in the concentration of JGD was
not enough to achieve the plant’s design recovery.
The increase in concentration had an inverse
relationship with recovery.
3.2 Effect of Particle Size on Leaching
Four different particle sizes were investigated in
this section. The results obtained for leaching at the
3.3 Effect of Residence Time on Leaching
The gold recovered at designated leaching time is
very important in studying the leaching kinetics of
650 700 750 800 850
lixiviants. Figure 4 is a representation of the
recovery-time graph of the two lixiviants under
investigation at the optimum concentrations
selected from section 3.1. Cumulative recovery of
gold was plotted against residence time of the pulp
(55 wt. %, 80% passing 106 µm). The leaching rate
using JGD was slower than that of NaCN
throughout the leaching period. The plant’s desired
gold recovery of 97% was attained after 48 h
leaching with JGD, whiles the same recovery was
obtained over 24 h using NaCN. It can be deduced
that gold recovery using NaCN peaks at 24 h and
thereafter declines marginally. Recovery was
observed to increase from 92.42% to 97.57%

3
between 24 h and 48 h, and thereafter decreased to analysed in the samples after leaching were higher
93.02%. It appears that JGD has slower rate of in NaCN-leach residue solution. It can be deduced
leaching with respect to achieving a recovery of that much detoxification is required after leaching
97%. 2D Graph 3 with NaCN than with JGD.

100 Table 3 Chemical analysis on tailings solution

NaCN
after leaching
JGD Chemical Species,
80 NaCN JGD
mg/L
Gold Recovery, %

60 Nitrate as NO3- 51.80 44.50

Phosphate as PO43- 0.18 0.15

40 2-
Sulphate as SO4 49.00 13.00
-
Chloride Cl 510.20 287.50
20
Ammonia as N 13.86 18.45
Free CN- 101.84 17.15
0
2 4 6 8 10 24 48 72

Leaching Time, h 4 Conclusions and Recommendations

Fig 4 Recovery-time graph for JGD (400 ppm)
and NaCN (230 ppm) The efficacy of JGD and NaCN gold leaching
reagents have been investigated. In terms of
3.4 Lime Consumption leaching contact time, JGD is uneconomical to be
considered as it requires longer residence time to
The amount of lime in kg/t added to the pulp to obtain the desired recovery of 97%. It takes 48 h to
attain desired pH (11.50) for leaching has been achieve a recovery of 97% with JGD, whiles
presented in Figure 5. The natural pulp pH NaCN, needed only 24 h. On the effect of particle
averaged 8.70, and required 1.27 kg/t and 1.99 kg/t size, the recovery of gold using NaCN was higher
of lime in the presence of JGD and NaCN, than that of JGD. In attempt to adjust pulp pH for
respectively, to increase pH to about 11.50. The leaching, less pH modifier is required when using
pulp was allowed to roll for 24 h while pH was JGD as compared to when using NaCN. About
measured at designated times (2, 4, 6 and 24 h). 1.27 kg/t of lime is required to increase the pulp pH
to acceptable range for leaching when using JGD,
Table 2 Pulp pH measured at designated time whiles 1.99 kg/t is required for NaCN leaching.
interval for JGD (400 ppm) and NaCN (230 JGD is shown to be environmentally-friendly due
ppm) to marginal concentration of free cyanide produced
pH in residue solution after leaching.
Time, h
NaCN JGD
Start 11.51 11.54 JGD is proven to be a potential lixiviant for
2 11.30 11.31 leaching at Gold Fields Ghana Limited, due to it
4 11.03 11.01 non-toxic nature and low consumption of pH-
6 10.80 10.76 modifier. It is recommended that the reagent’s
leaching rate is improved to ensure full application
24 9.70 9.38
on pilot-scale, as longer time is required to attained
gold recovery of 97%.
The amount of lime used was noted for each
adjustment made. Lime consumption for cyanide
leached pulp was higher than that for JGD leached Acknowledgement
pulp for each pH adjustment.
The authors gratefully acknowledge the assistance
from the CIL Plant of Gold Fields Ghana Ltd,
3.4 Tailings Solution Analysis Tarkwa Mine; Metallurgy Department.
In order to confirm and ascertain the toxicity of
residue solution yielded after leaching, samples References
were submitted for chemical analysis. The results
obtained have been presented in Table 3. From the Asamoah, R., Amankwah, R. and Addai-Mensah,
results, JGD releases significantly less amount of J., 2014. Cyanidation of Regractory Gold
free cyanide in leach residue solution. With the Ores: A Review, 3rd UMaT Biennial
exception of ammonia, all other chemical species

4
 International Mining and Mineral the CIL Plant of Gold Fields Ghana Limited, Tarkwa Mine
(2012 – 2014). His research interests are in Rare earth elements
Conference, Tarkwa, Ghana, pp. 204-212.
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Aylmore, M.G. and Muir, D.M., 2001. Thiosulfate optimization issues.
leaching of gold—a review. Minerals
Engineering, 14(2): 135-174. Richmond Komla Asamoah obtained his
Breuer, P. and Jeffrey, M., 2000. Thiosulfate BSc(Hons) degree in Mineral Engineering
leaching kinetics of gold in the presence from University of Mines and Technology
(UMaT), Tarkwa, Ghana in 2012. He
of copper and ammonia. Minerals
worked as a teaching assistant (national
Engineering, 13(10): 1071-1081.
service) in Mineral Engineering
Grosse, A.C., Dicinoski, G.W., Shaw, M.J. and Department of the same institution (2012),
Haddad, P.R., 2003. Leaching and and as a research associate in Process Innovations, Ghana
recovery of gold using ammoniacal (2013). In 2014 Richmond commenced his PhD in the
thiosulfate leach liquors (a review). University of South Australia under Future Industries Institute
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M.K., 2010. Thiosulfate leaching of gold Alfred Kabenlah, obtained his BSc.
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Hazardous Materials, 178(1): 1115-1119. Cape Coast in 2013. He worked as a
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Authors
Martin Beyuo, CIL and Extraction
Superintendent at Gold Fields Ghana
Limited, Tarkwa. He obtained both MPhil
(2013) and BSc (2005) degrees in Minerals
Engineering from the University of Mines
and Technology (UMaT), Tarkwa. He has
worked as an Assay Technician at Precious
Minerals Marketing Company Limited (PMMC), Ghana (1996-
2005). His research interests are in CIL operations and gold
desorption from activated carbon.

George Blankson Abaka-Wood, PhD

candidate at the Future Industries Institute
(FII) of the University of South Australia,
Australia. He holds a BSc degree in
Minerals Engineering from the University
of Mines and Technology, Tarkwa (2011).
He was a research assistant at Process
Innovation, Ghana (2011). George, worked as a Metallurgist at