ECONOMICS

OF REFRACTORY

GOLD ORE PROCESSES

John E. Litz and R. Wayne Carter

119th TMS Annual Meeting February 18-22, 1990

Hazen Research, Inc. 4601 Indiana Street Golden, Colorado 80403

Abstract Refractory gold ore pretreatment processes continue to receive much attention. This paper compares the relative economics of treating ores by oxygen pressure oxidation, roasting and bacterial oxidation with or without preconcentration by froth flotation. Capital and operating cost estimates for each method of pretreatment were prepared and these estimated costs and ore sulfide grades then are used to compare the process economics. The study indicates that the most significant item affecting the economics is the amenability of the ore to flotation. The cost benefits of flotation are $10-13 per tonne ore processed (2%-4% Sa, 10:1 ratio of concentration). In most cases bacterial oxidation has the lowest overall cost, especially if less than complete oxidation of the sulfides will give acceptable recovery, however bacterial oxidation has yet to be practiced on a large scale. In all situations pressure oxidation shows the highest cost. However, the cost differences between the treatments are small, less than $7 per tonne.

INTRODUCTION Refractory gold ores present a number of problems to the gold producer. Much has been written about the suitability of particular pretreatment processes for specific gold ores. We at Hazen Research have had the opportunity to participate in the development and application of a number of gold ore processes and to review others' results from applying processes to gold ores. This experience gives us the background necessary to compare the available processes on their technical merit. However, technical merit does not necessarily translate to the bottom line. It is the bottom line which is most important to the gold producer. DISCUSSION

Potential Processes
A number of processes have been applied to the treatment concentrates. These include: Alkaline air oxidation Chlorination Chlorination and alkaline air oxidation tend to be the lowest capital cost pretreatment methods, and in cases of ores with very low sulfide content, they also can have very low operating costs. These processes, however, do not have wide application as only a few ore types show good response to them. These are not considered in this paper since their applicability is limited. Chloride catalyzed, oxygen pressure oxidation (Cashman) Nitric acid catalyzed oxidation (Nitrox, Redox) The chloride and nitric catalyzed processes have excellent technical merit, but as yet have not been thoroughly tested at either pilot or commercial scale. Therefore, they are not considered in this paper. Bacterial oxidation Oxygen pressure oxidation Roasting This paper is restricted to comparing the economics of biological oxidation, oxygen pressure oxidation and roasting. of refractory ores and

Basis of Costing
The basic process evaluated is shown in Figure 1. The steps essentially include crushing and grinding, followed by cyanidation and CIP recovery of the gold. The effect of concentrating by means of flotation also was investigated in each process. Process flowsheets were developed for each of the three pretreatment processes. These flowsheets are shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4. A series of cases then was developed using ores containing 2 and 4% sulfide sulfur. The cases considered total ore cyanidation, cyanidation of flotation concentrates, and cyanidation of either total ore or flotation concentrates after oxidative pretreatment. For the cases which included flotation, 90% recovery of the sulfide into 10% of the weight was assumed.
BASIC PROCESS FLOWSHEET

r---

FIGURE

The biological oxidation process uses an initial 20% solids content. The venting air contains sufficient heat that no additional heating or cooling is required to maintain the desired 35C operating temperature, if 80% oxidation of the sulfide and 5% utilization of the oxygen in the air are assumed. Others have shown that 50 to 80% sulfide oxidation is suitable for good liberation of the gold and that oxygen utilization greater than 5% is difficult to achieve. The oxygen pressure oxidation of total ore uses a 40% solids feed and uses heat exchangers on both the flashed slurry and vapor to preheat the autoclave feed prior to oxidation at 200C for 90 minutes. Oxygen utilization during leaching is assumed at 80%. The flashed slurry is neutralized and cooled to 40C prior to cyanidation. In the case of the

FEED SLURRY

TO
GRIND

THICKENER

FEED

BACTERIAL

OXIDATION

FLOWSHEET

FLOCCULANT

,~

TH ICKEHE"

NEUTRAL PULP TO CYANIDATION

PREPARATION

HYDRATED

LIME

COOLING WATER

NEUTRALIZATION

BIO-OXIDATION
BLOWER

FIGURE

PRESSURE

OXIDATION

FLOWSHEET
TO ATMOSPHERE

SLURRY FEED

...

I
HEAT EXCHANGER HEAT

TO GRIND~

THICKENR

I j~
FEED

EXCHANGER
WATER

Ihl
PREPARATION
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FLOCCULANT OVERFLOW TO RECYCLE

NEUTRAL PULP TO CYANIDATION

rOXYGEN

HYDRATED

LIME

11-11
NEUTRALIZATION
COOLING TOWER

FIGURE

FLUID

BED

ROASTING

FLOWSHEET
TO ATMOSPHERE

SLURRY FEED TO GRIND

.,

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~

HYDRA TED LIME

----}l ~
~ THICKENER

BLEED

DUST

SCRUBBER

FEED

PREPARATION

NEUTRAL TO CYCLONE

PULP

CYANIDATION

FUEL

COOLI NG

TOWER

NEUTRALIZATION

FIGURE

7 concentrate oxidation, preheating is not required and the oxygen leach temperature is controlled by reducing the feed density to 17% solids with the 2% sulfide ore and <10% solids with the 4% sulfide ore. The roasting cases utilize low cost, high sulfur fuel oil when necessary to reach the 650C operating temperature. The air volume used in all cases is sufficient to leave 4-5% oxygen in the roaster off-gas. When total ore is used, dry grinding to 10-mesh is assumed prior to roasting. A fluidized cooler on the bed overflow is used to preheat the combustion and oxidation air in all cases except the concentrate from 4% sulfide ore. The quenched slurry is neutralized and cooled to 40C prior to cyanidation. Preparation of Costs Mass and energy balances using the METSIM Process Simulation software were prepared for each oxidation process and each sulfur level with and without flotation. The mass and energy balances then served as the basis for preparing a series of capital and operating cost estimates. Assumptions used in preparing the estimates were that the plant would be sited in central Nevada, power would be available at the property line, and fuel oil would be the source of thermal energy. No costs for tailings disposal are included as such costs are too site-specific for inclusion in a general study. The costs were developed using the United States Bureau of Mines Costing Handbook for the crushing, grinding, flotation, cyanidation and CIP portions of the flowsheets. The pretreatment portions were costed by pricing the major equipment items and factoring the installed costs. Since at this time there is no "standard" commercial apparatus for the biological oxidation, we made an estimate for the equipment which we felt would accomplish the oxidation. We have assumed low power type agitation in vertical tanks having 48-hours retention for the oxidation. Table 1 shows the capital cost estimates determined for treating 2000 tonnes of 2% sulfide sulfur total ore per day by all three pretreatment methods after flotation to produce 200 tonnes of concentrate. Operating costs then were estimated for each size and type process. Operating costs for the crushing, grinding, flotation, leaching and CIP circuits were determined using the Bureau of Mines Handbook; whereas the operating costs for the treatment steps were estimated separately for each size and type of process. The operating costs assume that the ore is not acid consuming and that lime will be required to neutralize all acid or sulfur dioxide produced during the preoxidation. Table 2 lists the operating costs for the cases listed in Table 1.

194 56 56 20% 6,890 952 332 103 591 332 103 65 622 213 222 213 222 213 622 222 Oxidation Bacterial 194 194 952 380 380 380 640 176 65 640 332 591 176 640 591 176 8 Pressure 1,637 2,612 2,612 2,612 22,810 22,837 14,890 3,387 2,472 16,048 16,657 19,869 2,244 4,855 6,914 3,093 3,702 4,855 4,855 2,244 --.M --.M 2,024 2,027 1,699 1,321 18,445 19,145 Roasting 80% Oxid. Oxid. 3,387 2,472 19,845 5.488 5.488 5.488 ~ 1Q ----B1 12,955 2000 tonnes Flotation per day, concentrate 2% sulfide ore Table 1 (OOO'sdollars) Estimated Capital Costs Oxygen

Estimated

2.95 8.33 6.86 2.85 1.27 8.97 1.80 0.33 1.18 0.10 0.04 0.07 0.08 0.15 4.37 0.85 0.01 0.54 3.70 0.25 0.75 0.38 4.74 1.09 4.74 0.33 0.10 0.01 1.80 1.18 0.08 0.12 0.54 7.79 0.37 0.07 0.02 0.02 1.27 0.05 1.21 1.29 0.05 1.29 1.21 20% Oxid. 1.30 0.08 Pressure Oxidation Bacterial 1.30 16.30 10.18 15.66 14.19 7.33 Roasting: 80% Oxid. 2000 TPD - 2% Sulfide Ore (Dollars/tonne) Oxygen Costs Operating

0.85

10

The data generated from the capital and operating cost estimates were used to generate a number of graphs which compare the costs for the various treatment processes at differing tonnages. Figure 5 compares the capital costs for a plant to treat a 2% sulfide sulfur bearing are. The capital costs are very similar at the 500 te/d rate and show about a 10% spread at 4000 te/d.

COMPARISON OF CAPITAL COSTS 2% SULFIDE

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L L A

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L

A 0
N

L I

5 5

1000 1500 2000 2500 3000

SIZE. ~fl'ERDAY

3500 4000

FIGURE 5

The operating costs for treating the same are are graphed in Figure 6. Because of high reagent requirements, costs for pressure leaching remain high regardless of the tonnage. Since biological oxidation requires the least reagent, the costs decrease the most with increasing tonnage.

COMPARISON OF OPERATING COSTS 2% SULFIDE

L

o 0 5 A A 0 A L E

T N E N

$35 $20 $15

$10 $30 $25

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1000 1500 2000 2500

FIGURE 8

3000 3500 4000

lilt

11 The bottom line includes the recovery of capital, which often can be the most significant per tonne cost. Figure 7 includes a four-year recovery of capital with the operating costs in comparing the processes. When the recovery of capital is included, the roasting costs are a few dollars per tonne less than pressure leaching. Biological oxidation has the lowest cost at all tonnages, but by only $3-4 dollars per tonne. The inclusion of flotation to the process reduces the capital costs significantly. Figure 8 compares the capital costs for plants which include flotation as well as oxidative pretreatment by oxygen pressure, bacterial oxidation and roasting. Flotation reduces the total capital costs about
50%.

COMPARISON OF OPERATING PLUS CAPITAL RECOVERY COSTS FOR 2% SULFIDE

o
L L
A R

E R

1000

1500 2000 2500 3000

SUE. 'fCNrEB
PER DAY

3500 4000

FIGURE

COMPARISON OF CAPITAL COSTS 2% SULFIDE WITH FLOTATION

o
L L R

A 0
N

... , L L ,

S S

$1

1000 1500 2000 2500

SIZE.

3000 3500 4000

TCNEII

PER DAY

12

Concentrating the ore by flotation significantly reduces the operating costs. Figure 9 shows that at high tonnages the total operating costs with flotation are only $1418/tonne versus $1622/tonne with whole ore.

COMPARISON OF OPERATING COSTS 2% SULFIDE WITH FLOTATION

p o E OR L L T A 0 R N S N
E

1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000

SIZE. TCNM:S PEA DAY FIGURE

Figure 10 compares operating plus capital recovery costs for roasting 2% sulfide sulfur total ore and concentrates derived therefrom. Figure 10 also shows that when flotation is used, the overall costs for the three types of pretreatment converge as the tonnage increases to 4000 te/d.

COMPARISON OF OPERATING PLUS CAPITAL RECOVERY COSTS FOR 2% SULFIDE WITH FLOTATION
$40 $35

$30 $25
T

~
e

$20 $15 $10

1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000

FIGURE 10

13

The effect of flotation on the costs is illustrated in Figure 11 which compares operating plus capital recovery for ClP, roasting and biological oxidation. This graph shows how flotation dramatically reduces the overall costs to only $20/tonne at 4000 te/d versus $27-32/tonne with whole ore.

EFFECT OF FLOTATION ON OPERATING PLUS CAPITAL RECOVERY COSTS USING 810OXIDATION AND ROASTING ON 2% SULFIDE

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) E

" L L

R T

A 0
" 5 N N
E

1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000

F1Gl.II 11

The sulfide sulfur content of the ore has significant impact on the operating costs pius recovery of capital. As shown in Figure 12, the increase in costs when the sulfide doubles from 2 to 4% ranges from only $2 per tonne for roasting to $5-10 per tonne for bacterial oxidation.

EFFECT OF SULFUR CONTENT ON OPERATING PLUS CAPITAL RECOVERY COSTS

o
L L R

p E R T

A 0
5 N
E

1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000

FIGURE 12