Professional Documents
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8.1 INTRODUCTION
The remainder o f t h i s c h a p t e r i n c l u d e s i n f o r m a t i o n on t h e h i s t o r y o f t h e
two processes, d e s c r i p t i o n s o f t h e a c t u a l processes, c r i t e r i a t o c o n s i d e r i n
s e l e c t i n g a r e c o v e r y process, and commercial d e s i g n and c o n s t r u c t i o n
c o n s i d e r a t i o n s f o r b o t h o f t h e g o l d r e c o v e r y methods. As w i t h o t h e r c h a p t e r s
i n t h i s book, some f a i r l y t e c h n i c a l i n f o r m a t i o n i s presented f o r t h e b e n e f i t
o f t h o s e r e a d e r s needing a g r e a t e r l e v e l o f d e t a i l . However, t h e o v e r a l l
i n t e n t o f t h e c h a p t e r i s t o p r o v i d e an o v e r v i e w o f t h e processes l i k e l y t o be
used i n g o l d e x t r a c t i o n , t h u s g i v i n g t h e r e a d e r a f i r m b a s i s f o r more
t e c h n i c a l r e s e a r c h i n t o t h e t o p i c , s h o u l d t h i s be needed.
D u r i n g t h e l a t e 18901s, z i n c c e m e n t a t i o n was i n t r o d u c e d f o r t h e
p r e c i p i t a t i o n o f g o l d and s i l v e r f r o m c y a n i d e s o l u t i o n s . T h i s o c c u r r e d a t
about t h e same t i m e as t h e i n t r o d u c t i o n o f t h e c y a n i d a t i o n process, t h e
h i s t o r y o f which i s recapped i n Chapter 1.
The i n i t i a l c e m e n t a t i o n process i n v o l v e d i n t r o d u c t i o n o f a g o l d - b e a r i n g
c y a n i d e s o l u t i o n o n t o a bed o f z i n c shavings. I t proved t o be q u i t e
i n e f f i c i e n t because t h e r e a c t i o n r a t e was v e r y slow. The z i n c q u i c k l y became
"passive", i n h i b i t i n g f u r t h e r gold deposition. S h o r t l y a f t e r t h i s f i r s t
i n t r o d u c t i o n , z i n c p r e c i p i t a t i o n was improved by a d d i n g a l e a d s a l t ( u s u a l l y
l e a d n i t r a t e ) t o t h e z i n c . T h i s a l l o w e d a z i n c - l e a d c o u p l e t o form on t h e
s u r f a c e o f t h e shavings, e l i m i n a t i n g p a s s i v a t i o n o f z i n c s u r f a c e s and t h e r e b y
a l l o w i n g continued d e p o s i t i o n o f gold.
As t h e g o l d i s p r e c i p i t a t e d , t h e z i n c combines w i t h t h e c y a n i d e t o form
a z i n c - c y a n i d e complex. H i g h pH (10.0+) i s r e q u i r e d t o p r e c i p i t a t e p r e c i o u s
m e t a l s and t o m i n i m i z e p r e c i p i t a t i o n o f copper which i s a t t i m e s p r e s e n t i n
solution.
Clarificationoftheleachliquor;
Deareat i o n ;
Additionofzinc (andleadsa1ts);and
Recovery o f Zn/Au p r e c i p i t a t e .
The p r e c i p i t a t e i s t h e n smelted t o r e c o v e r t h e p r e c i o u s m e t a l s .
E f f i c i e n t and c o m p l e t e p r e c i p i t a t i o n o f m e t a l s from c y a n i d e l e a c h
1i q u o r s r e q u i r e s t h a t t h e s o l u t i o n , after clarification, be f u r t h e r
c o n d i t i o n e d by t h e removal o f d i s s o l v e d oxygen. Even m i n u t e t r a c e s o f
d i s s o l v e d oxygen have a d e l e t e r i o u s e f f e c t on complete p r e c i p i t a t i o n because
o f p a s s i v a t i o n o f t h e z i n c s u r f a c e . Vacuum d e a r e a t i o n removes d i s s o l v e d oxygen
from s o l u t i o n and appears t o be t h e b e s t process because i t a l s o removes
carbon d i o x i d e . Carbon d i o x i d e can r e a c t t o f o r m c a l c i u m c a r b o n a t e and b l i n d
precipitate f i l t e r s .
When m e t a l l i c z i n c d i s s o l v e s i n a l k a l i n e c y a n i d e s o l u t i o n s , hydrogen i s
formed. P r o v i d e d t h e d i s s o l v e d oxygen has been s u b s t a n t i a l l y removed
( g e n e r a l l y t h r o u g h vacuum d e a r a t i o n , as d i s c u s s e d above), t h e hydrogen w i 11
combine w i t h and n u l l i f y t h e e f f e c t o f any oxygen r e m a i n i n g i n s o l u t i o n . Z i n c
and c y a n i d e consumption t h e n decreases and t h e f o r m a t i o n o f troublesome by-
products i s minimized.
I PREQNANT
SOLUTION I N
CLARIFIER
ADD MAKE-UP
SOLUTION I F NEEDED I
I
r"l
DEAREATOR
ZlNC POWDER a
LEAD S A L T S
QOLD E X T R A C T I O N
PROCESS
ZlNC PRECIPITATE
PRESSES
I
I BARREN LEACH
I
BARREN
SOLUTION O U T
t
FIGURE 8.1
GENERALIZED FLOWSHEET OF A
MERRILL-CROWE PRECIPITATION PLANT
128 PRECIOUS METAL HEAP LEACHING PROJECTS
and s i l v e r p r e c i p i t a t i o n i s u s u a l l y complete. M a i n t a i n i n g h i g h e r f r e e c y a n i d e
c o n c e n t r a t i o n i n t h e p r e c i p i t a t i o n c i r c u i t normal l y keeps t h e copper from
p r e c i p i t a t i n g , thereby reducing passivation o f the zinc surface.
8.2.2 Carbon A d s o r p t i o n
The a d s o r p t i o n o f g o l d c y a n i d e i n t o a porous c h a r c o a l p a r t i c l e
i n v o l v e s t h e simultaneous phenomena o f p o r e d i f f u s i o n and
a d s o r p t i o n o n t o " a c t i v e s i t e s 1 ' o r areas o f t h e carbon h a v i n g an
a f f i n i t y f o r g o l d and s i l v e r (Davidson, 1982; Ha Cho, 1979a and
1979b; McDougall , 1981).
T y p i c a l l y , t h e p r o d u c t i s a v a i l a b l e i n 5 5 - g a l l o n drums.
+
Recover - Gold and s i l v e r a r e recovered from t h e c o n c e n t r a t e d
s o u t i o n by e l e c t r o w i n n i n g o r p r e c i p i t a t i o n on z i n c d u s t ; t h e
r e s u l t i n g barren s o l u t i o n
reactivation,
i s r e t u r n e d t o t h e e l u t i o n and
and t h e r e c o v e r e d p r e c i o u s m e t a l s a r e f i r e - r e f i n e d
t o dore b u l l i o n .
C I C l o a d i n g r e s u l t s when l e a c h l i q u o r i s c o n t a c t e d w i t h carbon v i a a
carbon-packed column. The l i q u o r i s passed t h r o u g h t h e carbon i n an upward
d i r e c t i o n , c a u s i n g t h e carbon column t o expand v e r t i c a l l y . As a r e s u l t o f t h i s
v e r t i c a l expansion, t h e t e r m "expanded carbon bed" i s a l s o used t o d e s c r i b e
t h e process.
CIP l o a d i n g i n v o l v e s t h e i n t r o d u c t i o n o f l e a c h l i q u o r o r o r e p u l p i n t o
an a g i t a t i o n t a n k h a v i n g c o u n t e r - c u r r e n t a c t i o n ( i . e . , t h e carbon f l o w s i n one
d i r e c t i o n , w h i l e t h e 1i q u o r o r p u l p f l o w s i n a n o t h e r ) .
C I L l o a d i n g i s a c t u a l l y a l e a c h c i r c u i t v a r i a n t t h a t serves t o enhance
s i m u l t a n e o u s d i s s o l u t i o n and a d s o r p t i o n .
T h i s s e c t i o n o u t l i n e s c o n s i d e r a t i o n s and g u i d e l i n e s f o r use i n t h e
s e l e c t i o n o f an a p p r o p r i a t e m e t a l r e c o v e r y system. As w i t h t h e o t h e r p a r t s o f
t h i s c h a p t e r , t h e d i s c u s s i o n focuses on two processes - z i n c p r e c i p i t a t i o n and
carbon a d s o r p t i o n . T a b l e 8.1 p r e s e n t s a summary comparison o f t h e two
processes.
Z i n c d u s t cementation, o r M e r r i l l - C o w e p r e c i p i t a t i o n i s t h e most w i d e l y
used method f o r g o l d and s i l v e r r e c o v e r y . Because o f i t s s i m p l e and e f f i c i e n t
o p e r a t i o n , t h e M e r r i l l - C r o w e process i s c u r r e n t l y used a t t h e 10 l a r g e s t g o l d
p r o d u c i n g mines i n t h e f r e e w o r l d , a l l o f which a r e i n South A f r i c a . This
process i s a t t r a c t i v e f o r use a t new mines where t h e o r e e x h i b i t s a h i g h
s i l v e r t o g o l d r a t i o ( r a n g i n g from 5 : l t o 2 0 : l ) . Ores w i t h h i g h s i l v e r values
PRECIOUS METAL HEAP LEACHING PROJECTS
LEACHINQ
LEACHING CRUSHINQ
QRlNDlNQ
BENEFICATION
TAlLlNQS CALCINATION
\I
CARBON-IN- CARBON-IN-
LOADINQ
\r LEACH
CARBON-IN-
COLUMN
TAILINQS
L O A D E D CARBON
1r
CONC. SOLUTION
RECOVERY m
Z I N C DUST
CEMENT ATION
u D O R E BULLION
FIGURE 8.2
FLOWSHEET FOR RECOVERY OF GOLD AND SILVER
USING CARBON ADSORPTION
METAL EXTRACTION (RECOVERY SYSTEMS)
MERRZLL-CROWE
ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
CARBON SYSTEMS
ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
p r e s e n t s i g n i f i c a n t problems t o c a r b o n a d s o r p t i o n c i r c u i t s because t h e s i l v e r
causes h i g h c a r b o n s t r i p p i n g r e q u i r e m e n t s w h i c h may be e c o n o m i c a l l y
prohibitive. Several of the e x i s t i n g operations using Merrill-Crowe
p r e c i p i t a t i o n a c t u a l l y experience higher s i l v e r recoveries than gold.
A c t i v a t e d c a r b o n r e c o v e r y systems have g a i n e d a w i d e a c c e p t a n c e i n t h e
g o l d i n d u s t r y w i t h i n t h e l a s t 1 0 y e a r s . As a l l u d e d t o e a r l i e r , one o f t h e
m a j o r advantages o f t h i s process i s r e l a t e d t o t h e f a c t t h a t l e a c h l i q u o r does
n o t have t o be t r e a t e d p r i o r t o r e c o v e r y . I n t h e C I C p r o c e s s ( w h i c h i s
commonly used i n c o n j u n c t i o n w i t h heap l e a c h i n g ) t h e p r e g n a n t l i q u o r i s r u n
t h r o u g h a bed o f c a r b o n w i t h o u t p r e t r e a t m e n t .
W i t h b o t h M e r r i l l - C r o w e and c a r b o n systems, i t i s p r u d e n t t o i n v e s t i g a t e
t h e e x i s t e n c e and e f f e c t o f m e r c u r y i n t h e p r e g n a n t s o l u t i o n . I n c r e a s i n g l y ,
o p e r a t i o n s a r e having t o deal w i t h o p e r a t i o n a l d i f f i c u l t i e s associated w i t h
t h e e x i s t e n c e o f m e r c u r y . M e r c u r y t e n d s t o be d e t r i m e n t a l t o t h e o p e r a t i o n ,
c a u s i n g an i n c r e a s e i n t h e consumption o f z i n c on t h e one hand, and d e c r e a s i n g
METAL EXTRACTION (RECOVERY SYSTEMS)
t h e u l t i m a t e l o a d i n g o f g o l d o n t o t h e carbon, on t h e o t h e r . M e r c u r y p a s s i f i e s
t h e z i n c i n t h e M e r r i l l - C r o w e p r o c e s s , and o c c u p i e s v a l u a b l e a c t i v e s u r f a c e
space i n c a r b o n a d s o r p t i o n .
8.3.3 Economic C o n s i d e r a t i o n s
F i v e s e p a r a t e c o n v e n t i o n a l m i l 1 s i n v o l v i n g b o t h M e r r i l l -Crowe and t h e
CIP p r o c e s s e s were compared from an economic v i e w p o i n t . The go1 d c o n c e n t r a t i o n
on t h e f e e d l e a c h l i q u o r ranged from 0.428 t o 0.054 oz o f g o l d p e r t o n (14.6
t o 1.8 g/mt) o f s o l u t i o n .
O p e r a t i n g c o s t s v a r y i n t h e CIP p l a n t a c c o r d i n g t o t h e grade o f g o l d i n
t h e l e a c h l i q u o r . T h i s c o s t does n o t v a r y w i t h t h e M e r r i l l - C r o w e e x c e p t i n t h e
case o f z i n c usage w h i c h i n c r e a s e s w i t h h i g h e r i n p u t c o n c e n t r a t i o n s .
G o l d l o s s e s i n c o n v e n t i o n a l CIP p l a n t s r e s u l t f r o m p r e g n a n t v a l u e s w h i c h
are n o t adsorbed o n t o c a r b o n and a r e t h e r e f o r e d i s c a r d e d t o t a i l s . Another
gold l o s s o c c u r s whenever g o l d i s l o a d e d o n t o v e r y f i n e c a r b o n p a r t i c l e s . T h i s
fine c a r b o n passes a l l s c r e e n s and a l s o ends u p i n t a i l i n g s . The main g o l d
loss i n a M e r r i l l - C r o w e c i r c u i t has a much d i f f e r e n t s o u r c e (i.e., it results
from i n c o m p l e t e washing o f t h e f i l t e r cake on t h e p r e c i p i t a t e p r e s s e s ) .
I t i s w o r t h n o t i n g t h a t o p e r a t i o n s do e x i s t w h i c h combine c a r b o n
adsorption with zinc precipitation. Usually a zinc precipitation plant i s
f o l l o w e d b y a C I C s e t up. T h i s i s done t o enchance t h e removal o f g o l d f r o m
b a r r e n s o l u t i o n coming f r o m t h e z i n c c i r c u i t . V e r y f r e q u e n t l y , i f no c l e a r
d i s t i n c t i o n i s e v i d e n t as t o w h e t h e r z i n c o r c a r b o n i s t h e b e s t c h o i c e , t h e
f i n a l d e c i s i o n i s based on t h e p a r t i c u l a r e x p e r i e n c e o f t h e p r o j e c t p e r s o n n e l
who w i l l be o p e r a t i n g t h e proposed p l a n t .
134 PRECIOUS METAL HEAP LEACHING PROJECTS
8.4.1 Zinc P r e c i p i t a t i o n
S m a l l e r skid-mounted u n i t s a r e a v a i l a b l e f r o m s e v e r a l s u p p l i e r s . Each
u n i t comes equipped w i t h a l l t h e n e c e s s a r y pumps and p i p i n g . A l l t h e u s e r must
p r o v i d e i s a feed l i n e t o t h e u n i t , an e f f l u e n t ( b a r r e n ) l i n e o u t , and
e l e c t r i c a l s u p p l y . These u n i t s a r e v e r y u s e f u l f o r ranges o f f l o w s f r o m 50 t o
250 gpm ( 3 t o 16 l l s e c ) . They a r e e a s i l y assembled o r d i s m a n t l e d and o f t e n a r e
mounted on t r a i l e r s f o r easy t r a n s p o r t a t i o n . However, beyond a c e r t a i n p o i n t ,
i t becomes a p p a r e n t t h a t t h e f i l t r a t i o n s u p p l i e d w i t h t h e s e u n i t s i s
i n s u f f i c i e n t f o r optimum o p e r a t i o n . The o p e r a t o r may spend more t i m e c l e a n i n g
t h e c l a r i f i e r f i l t e r s t h a n a c t u a l l y t r e a t i n g s o l u t i o n . I t i s f o r t h i s reason
t h a t o p e r a t i o n s a r e custom d e s i g n e d f o r h a n d l i n g l a r g e d a i l y volumes o f
pregnant s o l u t i o n .
Disadvantages a r e i n h e r e n t w i t h t h e s i z e o f t h e p l a n t s . They a r e u s u a l l y
permanent i n s t a l l a t i o n s and a r e e x p e n s i v e t o r e l o c a t e .
8.4.2 Carbon A d s o r p t i o n
Small Commercial O p e r a t i o n s . As w i t h z i n c c e m e n t a t i o n u n i t s , a l a r g e
v a r i e t y o f s i z e s o f c a r b o n a d s o r p t i o n u n i t s a r e a v a i l a b l e . A l t h o u g h o n l y a few
s h e l f u n i t s a r e a v a i l a b l e , columns a r e designed f o r s p e c i f i c l e a c h l i q u o r f l o w
rates .
S m a l l e r u n i t s a r e designed t y p i c a l l y w i t h f o u r o r f i v e columns i n
s e r i e s . The p r e g n a n t l i q u o r f l o w s t h r o u g h a bed o f a c t i v a t e d carbon. The
s o l u t i o n i s t h e n r o u t e d f r o m t h e t o p o f t h e f i r s t column, t h r o u g h a n o t h e r bed
o f c a r b o n i n t h e b o t t o m o f column 2, i n t h e f o l l o w i n g f a s h i o n ( F i g u r e 8.3).
The c a r b o n i s eductedl c o u n t e r c u r r e n t l y f r o m t h e f l o w o f t h e l e a c h 1 i q u o r .
Thus, i n t h e F i g u r e 8.3 example, t h e c a r b o n f l o w s f r o m t h e l a s t column ( # 3 ) t o
t h e second, and t h e n t o column # l . Fresh c a r b o n i s i n t r o d u c e d t o column #3 and
f u l l y l o a d e d c a r b o n i s removed f r o m column # l .
l ~ d u c t i o nr e f e r s t o t h e t r a n s p o r t a t i o n o f c a r b o n i n a s l u r r y .
METAL EXTRACTION (RECOVERY SYSTEMS)
COLUMN
S O L U T I O N FLOW- t rl
COLUMN
Generally, t h e s o l u t i o n f l o w r a t e r e q u i r e d t o m a i n t a i n f l u i d i z a t i o n i n a
bed o f carbon c o n t a i n i n g minus 6 - p l u s 16 mesh p a r t i c l e s i s about 25 g p m / f t 2
(17 l/s/m2) o f c r o s s - s e c t i o n a l area o f t h e column, whereas f o r t h e minus 12 -
p l u s 30 mesh carbon, t h e r e q u i r e d flow i s 15 gpm/ft2 (10 l/s/m2). Under these
c o n d i t i o n s , t h e carbon bed expands about 60 p e r c e n t .
8.5 REFERENCES
McDougal1 , G. J., and R.D. Hancock (1981). Gold complexes and activated
carbon, J. South A f r i c a n I n s t . Min. Met., pp. 138-152, A p r i l .