SGS MINERALS SERVICES T3 SGS 174 09-2013

PRESSURE LEACHING CAPABILITIES

Pressure leaching is a well established
hydrometallurgical processing alternative
for gold, nickel, PGE and base metal
ores. SGS has been active in this area
since 1985, developing owsheets and
running integrated pilot plants in support
of bankable feasibility studies. Numerous
operating plants have been built based on
our studies.
Batch pressure leaching capabilities are
available at many of our international
metallurgy laboratories while continuous
pressure leaching capabilities for
extended pilot operations are available in
Canada, Australia and Russia. In this case
we use multi-compartment submarine
style pilot autoclaves in combination with
integrated downstream unit processes
to test complex integrated metallurgical
owsheets for bankable feasibility
studies.
SGS metallurgical group has a:
proven track record with
hydrometallurgical pressure leaching.
wide range of equipment to support
lab, batch and pilot scale projects.
extensive experience dealing with
many deposit types.
applied research background to
develop new technologies in this
eld (e.g. the PLATSOL process) or
adapt existing protocols to maximize
grade, recovery or costs efciencies.
reputation of being impartial and fair
and thus able to conduct independent
process reviews.
bankable reputation which means
that our technical reports are
accepted for nancing purposes.
OVERVIEW OF AUTOCLAVE
APPLICATIONS
Acid and alkaline oxidation
of refractory gold ores and
concentrates
Copper, zinc, nickel and/or cobalt
concentrate leaching
Nickel concentrate leaching
Sulphide precipitation of Ni, Co
Uranium ore leaching
Graphite concentrate purication
Arsenic ore leaching (caustic)
Molybdenite concentrate leaching
Scorodite precipitation
Nickel, cobalt laterite leaching
Jarosite stabilization
Hematite precipitation
Caustic leaching
Polymetallic PGM leaching
(PLATSOL
TM
)
SGS MINERALS SERVICES T3 SGS 174 2
SGS IN AUSTRALIA SGS IN CANADA
Commissioned 2001 1992
Design titanium, 5-stage submarine titanium, 6-stage submarine
Working Volume 65-75 L 25-35 L
Maximum Temperature 290C 255-270C
Maximum Pressure 9 MPa 5 MPa
Feed rate 20-50 kg/h 6-12 kg/hr
Pre-heat Steam heat exchange Electric heat exchange
Pressure Control Automatic Semi-automatic
Let Down Single pot continuous discharge of slurry at
100C with control.
Single pot intermittent discharge of
slurry at 100C.
Sample feed and measure parameters during
leaching
Yes, each compartment Yes, each compartment
Process Control Distributed control system,
Windows operator interface
Bailey distributed control system
Data Export and Handling Access or Excel Excel and Access
Flowsheets supported HiPAL* POX, HPAL, PLATSOL
Especially suitable for Generating products for market evaluation Projects with limited ore or if cost of
shipping is a factor
* POX-suitable autoclaves also available at SGS in Australia
OPERATIONAL PARAMETERS, SGS MINERALS SERVICES PILOT-SCALE AUTOCLAVES
SGS MINERALS SERVICES T3 SGS 174 3
PRESSURE OXIDATION FOR
GOLD
When direct treatment with a cyanide
solution results in low gold extraction,
the ore is termed refractory. Gold
encapsulated in a sulphide matrix can
be readily recovered after a destructive
oxidation treatment. After leaching and
neutralization, cyanidation or CIL can
recover the gold. Pressure leaching in
autoclaves has been developed into a
standard operating procedure and is being
applied in many operating mines. Test
work is performed in the laboratory or in a
continuous pilot plant operation.
Since the inception of pressure leaching
for refractory gold ore twenty-ve years
ago, numerous operations have applied
this technology, establishing it as a viable
and robust process. Examples of the
application of this technology are available
worldwide.
PRESSURE LEACHING FOR
BASE METAL SULPHIDES
Condence in pressure oxidation
technology further spurred base metal
(Cu,Zn,Ni,Pb) producers to consider a
hydrometallurgical route for base metal
recovery, particularly from complex
sulphide ore systems. A number
of process options are available for
hydrometallurgical treatment of these
ores, but pressure leaching is a common
starting point.
Low pressure Activox Process
MIM/Mt. Albion Process
Medium pressure Dynatec Process
Anglo American/UBC Process
Oxiana/Mt. Gordon Process
High Pressure Phelps Dodge-Placer Dome Process
PLATSOL Process
SGS has had experience with all the
pressure leaching processes that have
been developed for the treatment of base
metal sulphide ores and concentrates.
PRESSURE LEACHING FOR
NICKEL IN LATERITES
Recently, there has been considerable
interest and development in the pressure
acid leach (PAL) process as applied to
the treatment of nickel laterites. SGS
boasts the most comprehensive laterite
processing test facilities in the world. A
number of major pilot plants have been
operated to test a variety of integrated
owsheets, producing intermediate or
nal LME grade metal products.
PRESSURE LEACHING
FOR PLATINUM GROUP
ELEMENTS
The application of pressure oxidation for
PGM recovery from base metal sulphide
concentrates has attracted much interest
in recent years, as markets for these
materials have increased. We have
worked with a number of clients in the
development of the PLATSOL process.
This unique approach to simultaneous
extraction of PGM group metals and the
host base metals from complex sulphide
orebodies is an excellent example of the
in-house expertise held by SGS in this
area.
PLATSOL is a single step, high
temperature pressure leaching processing
which the base metals sulphides are
oxidized with oxygen to soluble metal
sulphate complexes and sulphuric
acid while the gold and the PGM are
solubilized as chloro-complexes by the
addition a small amount of chloride to the
autoclave feed.
PLATSOL is especially desirable for the
treatment of:
Lean concentrates containing mixed
base metals with relatively low
concentrations of precious metals.
Dirty concentrates containing
deleterious elements.
High chromium and magnesium
bearing concentrates.
Gold concentrates in areas where
cyanide is prohibited.
Concentrates in areas here the
resource base is small or the cost
to transport concentrate or ore from
a remote location to a smelter is
prohibitive.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Email us at minerals@sgs.com
www.sgs.com/mining

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