Advances in Gold Process Recovery From Complex Ores

MINING MAGAZINE CONGRESS 2010
Advances in Gold Process Recovery From Complex Ores
Click to edit Master title style
Click to edit
Click
Master
to edit
subtitle
Masterstyle
subtitle style
Presented by Dean Mitchell, Senior Metallurgist

Mineral Engineering Technical Services Pty Ltd 2010
> RESOURCE
> Mineral Processing >PROJECTS
Engineering Design > Specialist Services >> TECHNOLOGY > INTEGRATED
Simulation & Optimisation > Project Management SERVICES
> Risk Management > Training
Who We Are
Mineral Engineering Technical Services

> 22 years in Mineral Processing
> Global & Local Experience
> Consulting
> Studies
> Detailed Design
> Due Diligence, Ni, U, Pb-Zn, Au, Cu, Fe, Al
> Laboratory Testwork
> RESOURCE
Introduction
> Mineralogy
> CIP was a quantum leap in technology- now mature
> Gravity gold advances
> Leaching advances
> Stripping advances
> Electrowinning advances
> General discussion
> RESOURCE
Gold Can Be Free Milling & Refractory
Gold & Silver Ores
> RESOURCE
Complex & Refractory Gold Ores
> Ores which give poor recoveries when treated with conventional
methods
> Complex sulphide ores
> Causes of refractory ores

Fine gold in sulphides
Insoluble gold compounds
Coating on the gold
Preg-robbing gangue minerals
Cyanide and oxygen consumers
Deleterious elements Cu, Sb, As etc
> RESOURCE
Mineralogy
Click to edit
Click
Master
to edit
subtitle
Masterstyle
subtitle style
> RESOURCE
Gold Can Be Difficult & Complex
> These are at ppm levels
> Free milling oxide ores straight forward
> MLA (Qemscan) may tell you if the gold is associated with say
pyrite or arsenopyrite
> MLA will describe the minerals and liberation has a problem with
low levels of gold
> Concentration of the sample assists optical assessment. SEM.

would be necessary to describe the gold in the mineral
> RESOURCE
QEMSCAN Or MLA & SEM
> RESOURCE
Samples
> Geometallurgy
> Drill core not RC chips
> Sample all ore >10%
> Include mine waste 10%?
> Geology- recognise ore domains

> Mineralogy
> Processing
> Economics
> Risk management
> Metallurgical mapping
> RESOURCE
Flowsheet Selection
Click to edit
Click
Master
to edit
subtitle
Masterstyle
subtitle style
> RESOURCE
Flowsheet Selection
> Free milling gold ores- oxide & sulphide- gravity recovery
> Transition ores
> Complex ores- cyanide, oxygen consuming or preg robbing
> Refractory- slightly or highly- roast, bacterial, POX, UFG
> Ore variability, nature of the gangue
> Comminution circuits

> Gravity
> Flotation
> Leaching
> Adsorption
> Stripping
> RESOURCE
Gravity Gold Recovery
Click to edit
Click
Master
to edit
subtitle
Masterstyle
subtitle style
> RESOURCE
Advantages Of Gravity
> Faster cash flow > Reduced carbon loading
> Higher overall recovery > Reduced locked-up gold in

circuit
> Lower unit cost
> Reduced cyanide
> Reduced CIP feed grade consumption
> Improved leach kinetics > Environmentally-friendly
> The late Andre Laplante used the term-recovery effort
> RESOURCE
Shaking Table Mechanics
> Minerals are subjected to two forces

> Table motion:
Moves the particles across the table
> Fluid flow :
Moves the particles down the table
Effect depends upon the size and density of the particles
> The net result is particles move diagonally across the deck
> But also fan out along the table
FEED
ater
Wash W
Dense VIBRATION
Material Riffles
Light
Material
Middlings
> RESOURCE
Gravity Gold Equipment
> Knelson Concentrator-CD,MD,XD models
First concentrator 50 g to 200 g
Spinning bowl, VG package
Requires fluidising water
Batch or semi batch
Riffled cone, motor, perforated bowl
> BCC-Batch centrifugal concentrators-

yields 0.05%
> CGR-Continuous gravity concentrators-

> Revolutionised fine gold recovery
10% -20% yield
> Falcon Concentrator-C,SB,UF models

C-300 g, UF 650 g
Spinning bowl
SB most common
Cyclone feed application
> RESOURCE
Gravity Gold Equipment (cont)
> Kelsey Jig

Cylindrical spinning jig using
ragging
Less commonly used for gold
> Inline Pressure Jig (IPJ)

Low water consumption
Very good coarse gold
Stroke can be varied
> RESOURCE
Gravity Gold Equipment (cont)
> Multi-Helix Spiral
> Low-G Horizontal Centrifuge

Effectively shaking tables
wrapped around a cylinder
Use is not widespread
> Equipment selection depends on

the results required-IPJ coarse gold,
Falcon/Knelson for fine gold
> RESOURCE
AMIRA P420 Project
> Model for predicting gravity

gold recovery
> More suited to optimising

recovery for Brownfields
projects
> Requires 3 stage GRG test
> Parker Centre has an

extensive data base
> RESOURCE
Piloting Gravity Circuits
> Rare for Greenfields projects
> Very costly and difficult to justify
> More common for Brownfields

projects
> RESOURCE
CAPEX
> Gravity concentrator circuit

Approximately AU$1 million based on a 1.2 Mtpa gold project
For larger plants the cost is higher
> Intensive leaching

Between approximately AU$600,000 to AU$900,000
> The economic justification current cut point for most projects is
20% gravity gold recovery
> RESOURCE
OPEX
> Centifugal concentrators have operating costs between $0.08

to $0.12 per tonne of new feed
> Costs include:

Power
Water
Spares
Maintenance
> RESOURCE
Process Risks & Problems
> Testwork not based on representative samples

Mt McClure
Resolute, Southern Cross
Bronzewing, Granites
> Presence of galena and tramp iron for tabling
> Poor planning and/or execution of the testwork
> Poor interpretation of the results
> Insufficient bleed of re-circulating load
> Incompatible feed

Too coarse
Too dense
Too many flakes
> RESOURCE
Trends With Gravity Gold
> Transition from batch to continuous operation
> Gradual replacement of inefficient equipment
> Increased capacities all machines
> Increased mass recovery from <1% to >10%
> Recovering gold as a by-product
> Use of intensive leaching to process concentrates
> RESOURCE
Examples Of Installations
> IPJs at Ballarat Goldfields

>300 installed worldwide
IPJs at Ballarat Goldfields

> IPJs at Pirquitas mine
Argentina
> Kelsey Jigs, Barrick Granny

Smith, WA
2 by J1800 jigs KnelsonXD70 at Paracuta, Brazil
Gekko IPJ Pirquitas mine, Argentina
> RESOURCE
Examples Of Installations (cont)
> Falcons-Sadiola, Mali

2 by SB 5200-6.9 &14.8 increase
recovery on oxide and sulphide
ore
> Falcons-Telfer, WA
8 by SB5200
> Falcons-Kansanshi Copper,

Zambia
4 by SB5200
> Falcons-Sekisovskoye,
Kazakhstan
1 by C2000
Overall increase 5% recovery
> RESOURCE
Example Installations
> Knelson XD70 at Paracuta

mine Brazil
> Knelson- Kinross, Alaska

1 by XD 70
1 by CS6000 Acacia reactor
> Knelson-Vasgok, Kazakhstan

2 by XD70
> RESOURCE
Intensive Leaching
Click to edit
Click
Master
to edit
subtitle
Masterstyle
subtitle style
> RESOURCE
Flowsheet Acacia Reactor
> RESOURCE
In Line Leach Reactor
> RESOURCE
Developments
> Continuous ILR
> Automation
> Modular Supply
> RESOURCE
Cyanide Leaching
Click to edit
Click
Master
to edit
subtitle
Masterstyle
subtitle style
> RESOURCE
Cyanide Leaching
Sodium cyanide: - used for leaching gold and silver from their ores:
2 Au 4 NaCN O2 2H 2O 2 NaAu (CN ) 2 2 NaOH H 2O2
Preg Robbing- kerosene passivation
Lead Nitrate, Oxygen Sparging to maximise kinetics
> RESOURCE
Oxygen Sparging
> RESOURCE
IsaMill for Fine Grinding Fine Gold
> RESOURCE
Cyanide Soluble Copper & Nickel
pH-Potential Diagram for the copper-cyanide-water system
2.0
Cu2+
CuO
CuO22-
1.0
Cu2O
Cu(CN)32-
Cu(CN)2-
Eh
0.0
Cu Cu2O
-1.0
[Cu] = 10-4 M
[CN] = 10-3 M
-2.0
0.0 4.0 8.0 12.0 16.0
pH
> RESOURCE
Other Advances
> CIL not CIP
> Silver ores
> Complex sulphides
> Kemix screens
> Pump cells
> Cyanide DETOX
> RESOURCE
Bacteria Leaching
> Common bacteria Thiooxidans Ferrooxidans
> Bioleaching performed on:-
Gold/Copper
Zinc
Uranium
Nickel
Cobalt
> Bioleaching oxidises the metal and dissolves it into the solution
> RESOURCE
BacTech / Mintek
> This involves bio-leaching of

secondary sulphides with
mesophiles at 36-40C, and
moderate and extreme
thermophiles for chalcopyrite at
45-40C and 70C respectively
> Ultra-fine grinding assists greatly

with the process
> The process usually occurs in a

slightly acidic environment
> The BacTech process has been

applied to a 500 kg/day plant in
Mexico
> RESOURCE
POX Gold Sulphide Concentrates
> Chemistry ok, fast kinetics,

recovery 96%+
> Stable waste products-

arsenates
> Materials of construction

problematic
> Operability- difficult
> History- poor
> Future- very promising
> RESOURCE
Albion
> Developed by
MIM (now
XSTRATA)
> Requires ISAMILL

fine grinding
> Atmospheric
leach
conditions- no
pressure- 70C
> High recoveries

+95%
> Pilot plant

Brisbane
> RESOURCE
Intec Gold Process
> Leach without

Cyanide?
> RESOURCE
Resin Adsorption
Click to edit
Click
Master
to edit
subtitle
Masterstyle
subtitle style
> RESOURCE
Ion Exchange
> RESOURCE
Advantages/Disadvantages Of Resins
> Advantages
Not poisoned by organics no thermal regeneration
Unaffected by clay ores
Do not absorb calcium reduced acid washing requirements
Improve recovery in the presence of preg-robbing ores
High selectivity resins offer advantages with Cu/Au ores
High loading capacity (100,000 g/t) and faster loading kinetics
Better abrasion resistance (5 g/t)
Reduced capital costs for small to medium operations
> Disadvantages
Smaller particle size 0.8-1.2 mm screening more difficult
Strong base resins less selective for gold over base metals compared with activated
carbon
Resin is approximately ten times more expensive than carbon ($30,000/t)
Database of experience is limited
> RESOURCE
Penjom Gold Project
> RESOURCE
Stripping Or Elution
Click to edit
Click
Master
to edit
subtitle
Masterstyle
subtitle style
> RESOURCE
Elution AARL, Zadra
> Elution is a reverse process to

adsorption
> Gold can be stripped off by

disruption of thermodynamic
equilibrium between gold in
solution and gold on the carbon
> Equilibrium Disruptive features:-

High temperatures
Lack of cations (Ca2+ , Mg2+, etc)
High anion concentration (CN-, OH-)
> RESOURCE
Integrated Pressure Stripping (IPS)
> IPS involves

Acid washing
Stripping
Electrolysis
> RESOURCE
IPS
> Advantages
Water quality is not a limitation
Higher temperatures
Faster
More efficient than pressure Zadra
The same capital cost but lower operating cost over time
A reduced need for reactivation
A safer operation as no cyanide is used
> RESOURCE
Electrowinning
Click to edit
Click
Master
to edit
subtitle
Masterstyle
subtitle style
> RESOURCE
Electrochemical Series
> RESOURCE
Electrowinning
> Self sludging cells
> Stainless steel wool
> Wash gold from wool using

HP water
> Faster cashflow- smelt

same day
> RESOURCE
EMEW Cell
> Cell efficiency drops with solution tenor
> Pre concentration would make these applicable
> Could be used for ILR pregnant solution
> Resin EMEW combination would have

significant advantages
> RESOURCE
EMEW Results - Ag Solutions
> RESOURCE
New Uses of Old Technology
Click to edit
Click
Master
to edit
subtitle
Masterstyle
subtitle style
> RESOURCE
Cost/Revenue
> Silver price US$16.61/ounce
> Gold price US$1093/ounce (26th March 2010)
> The refining charge is US$ 0.64/oz for both gold and silver.
> Once Ag:Au ratio >10:1 Merrill Crowe preferable
> Silver ores >50 g/t Ag, Merrill Crowe preferable
> Elution of silver not cost effective - $800-$1000/tonne to strip

carbon
> RESOURCE
Leaching Characteristics
> Mineralogy dependent (Ag, Ag2S, etc)
> High cyanide
> High DO
> Long leach times
> Chemical reaction:
4Au (s ) + 8NaCN (aq ) + O 2(g ) + 2H 2 O 4NaAu(CN) 2(aq ) + 4NaOH(aq )
4Ag(s ) + 8NaCN (aq ) + O 2(g ) + 2H 2 O 4NaAg(CN) 2(aq ) + 4NaOH(aq )
> RESOURCE
Leach Kinetics
> RESOURCE
Relative Kinetics Difference Silver Minerals
> RESOURCE
Lead Nitrate Potential Benefits
> Lead nitrate addition is a function of the mineralogical composition

of the ore:
Removal of sulphide ions from solution by precipitation as lead sulphide,

thus:
Minimising the possibility of sulphide film formation on gold and silver surface
The formation of thiocyanates in the subsequent of cyanidation stage
Improved passivation of reactive mineral surfaces due to the deposition

of insoluble lead hydroxide precipitate
2S 2 2CN O2 H 2O CNS 2OH

Disruption of films or coatings on the gold or silver surface prior to
cyanidation
Pb 2 2OH Pb(OH ) 2
> RESOURCE
Adsorption Character
EQUILIBRIUM RELATIONSHIP
Gold on Carbon Vs. Gold in Solution
> Fleming k lower 100000
> More stages

10000
Gold on Carbon g/t

> Higher carbon inventory
1000
> Load capacity Au +Ag

100
10
Equilibrium Actual CIP
0 0.003 0.03 0.3 3 10
Gold in Solution mg/l
> RESOURCE
Stripping Character
> Lower temperature for optimum silver
> Silver complex less stable form

metallic silver
> Silver comes off first
> Longer stripping times
> RESOURCE
Electrowon Silver Profile
> RESOURCE
Process Plants
> Waihi NZ-high silver CIP plant
> Mt Muro-mixed CIP and Merrill Crowe
> Toka Tindung-CIP plant
> Kelian-CIP plant
> Misima-CIP plant
> Medusa-CIP plant
> Casposo-Merrill Crowe plant
> RESOURCE
Merril Crowe-Unit Operations
> Cyanide leaching
> CCD solid liquid separation
> Clarification of pregnant solution
> De aeration of clarified solution
> Precipitation using zinc and Pb(NO3)2
> Filtration of precipitate, aciding
> Smelting of precious metals
> RESOURCE
Merrill Crowe Limitations
> Water balance
> Effective settling rates and clear overflows.
> Clarified liquor required - <1 ppm solids
> De aeration of solutions - <1 ppm O2
> pH, CN concentration, DO, scale formation
> Solution bleed (build up of zinc)
> Reactive sulphides
> Cementation - 0.33 g Zn/g Au
> RESOURCE
Water Quality & Mass Balances
> Gravity circuits use large volumes of water and usually they
require good quality water
> Reverse Osmosis
> Vacuum Distillation
> RESOURCE
Conclusions
> Mineralogy is critical - variable
> Low ratio Ag/Au ores best treated using CIP/CIL
> When ratio >10:1 Merrill Crowe is superior
> Merrill Crowe is more capital intensive and water balance issues
are a constraint
> Gravity processes not as efficient for silver ores
> Leaching silver ores requires higher cyanide, higher oxygen and
longer leach times, resulting in lower silver recoveries
> Silver increases the carbon inventory, reducing k values
> RESOURCE
Gravity Circuit Conclusions
> Mineralogy drives the > Gold price record

process
> Advantages of gravity
> Sample selection, recovery
representivity
> Equipment selection
> GRG prediction
> Sizing equipment
> Qemscan-Nugget effect
> CAPEX, OPEX
> Centrifugal concentrators
are revolution > Process risks, problems
> Water balance issues > Examples
> Cyclone feed rather than

underflow
> RESOURCE
Conclusions
> Silver strips first at a lower temperature during elution
> Electrowinning times are lengthened because of silver
> RIP may offer advantages in the future
> EMEW cell or in combination with a smaller Merrill Crowe is likely

in the future
> RESOURCE
THANK YOU
Download this presentation at
www.mets.net.au
> RESOURCE

Advances in Gold Process Recovery From Complex Ores - MINING MAGAZINE CONGRESS 2010 PDF

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Advances in Gold Process Recovery From Complex Ores - MINING MAGAZINE CONGRESS 2010 PDF

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

MINING MAGAZINE CONGRESS 2010

Click to edit Master title style

Presented by Dean Mitchell, Senior Metallurgist

Mineral Engineering Technical Services

> CIP was a quantum leap in technology- now mature

> Gravity gold advances

> Leaching advances

> Stripping advances

> Electrowinning advances

> General discussion

Gold & Silver Ores

> Complex sulphide ores

> Causes of refractory ores

Insoluble gold compounds

Coating on the gold

Preg-robbing gangue minerals

Cyanide and oxygen consumers

Deleterious elements Cu, Sb, As etc

Click to edit Master title style

> These are at ppm levels

> Free milling oxide ores straight forward

> Concentration of the sample assists optical assessment. SEM.

> Geology- recognise ore domains

Click to edit Master title style

> Comminution circuits

Click to edit Master title style

> Faster cash flow > Reduced carbon loading

> Higher overall recovery > Reduced locked-up gold in

> Improved leach kinetics > Environmentally-friendly

> The late Andre Laplante used the term-recovery effort

> Minerals are subjected to two forces

> BCC-Batch centrifugal concentrators-

> CGR-Continuous gravity concentrators-

> Falcon Concentrator-C,SB,UF models

> Kelsey Jig

> Inline Pressure Jig (IPJ)

> Multi-Helix Spiral

> Low-G Horizontal Centrifuge

> Equipment selection depends on

> Model for predicting gravity

> More suited to optimising

> Requires 3 stage GRG test

> Parker Centre has an

> Rare for Greenfields projects

> Very costly and difficult to justify

> More common for Brownfields

> Gravity concentrator circuit

> Intensive leaching

> Centifugal concentrators have operating costs between $0.08

> Costs include:

> Testwork not based on representative samples

> Presence of galena and tramp iron for tabling

> Poor planning and/or execution of the testwork

> Poor interpretation of the results

> Insufficient bleed of re-circulating load

> Incompatible feed

> Transition from batch to continuous operation

> Gradual replacement of inefficient equipment

> Increased capacities all machines

> Increased mass recovery from <1% to >10%

> Recovering gold as a by-product

> Use of intensive leaching to process concentrates