Cyanidation is the main process for gold and silver recovery from its ores. In this study, a process is proposed to recover copper and cyanide from barren solutions from the Merrill-Crowe cementation process with zinc...Cyanidation is the main process for gold and silver recovery from its ores. In this study, a process is proposed to recover copper and cyanide from barren solutions from the Merrill-Crowe cementation process with zinc dust. This technology is based on inducing nucleated precipitation of copper and silver in a serpentine reactor, using sodium sulfide as the precipitator, and sulfuric acid for pH control. Results show that pH value has a significant effect on copper cyanide removal efficiency, and it was determined the optimal pH range to be 2.5 - 3. At this pH value, the copper cyanide removal efficiency achieved was up to 97 and 99%, when copper concentration in the influent was 636 and 900 ppm. respectively. In this process (sulphidization-acidification-thickening-HCN recycling), the cyanide associated with copper cyanide complexes, is released as HCN gas under weakly acidic conditions, allowing it to be recycled back to the cyanidation process as free cyanide. Cyanide recovery was 90%. Finally, this procedure was successfully run at Minera William in México.展开更多
The majority of the refractory gold and silver occurs in occlusion in sulphides, then precious metal dissolution is possible by first oxidizing auriferous sulfide concentrate using sodium hypochlorite-sodium-hydroxide...The majority of the refractory gold and silver occurs in occlusion in sulphides, then precious metal dissolution is possible by first oxidizing auriferous sulfide concentrate using sodium hypochlorite-sodium-hydroxide solution followed of pressure cyanidation of the oxidized concentrate, for the extraction of precious metals. This process was conducted and evaluated under cyanide and oxygen pressure. This versatile approach offers many advantages, including low temperatures, low pressure and less costly materials of construction than conventional pressure oxidation. In this study, the effect of oxygen pressure, concentration of sodium hypochlorite, temperature, and initial pH, in precious metals recovery and As removal were evaluated using a 24 factorial design. Characterization of the ores showed that pyrite and arsenopyrite were the main minerals present on the concentrate. The best results for gold extraction were obtained with oxygen pressure of 80 psi, 10% (w/w) sodium hypochlorite, temperature of 80℃, at pH = 13, and a constant stirring speed of 600 rpm. These conditions allowed an approximated 60% of gold and 90% of silver extractions in 1 hr.展开更多
This paper is a brief overview of the role of inducing the nucleated electro winning of copper by using iron electrodes in electrocoagulation (EC) process. Cyanide compounds are widely used in gold ore processing plan...This paper is a brief overview of the role of inducing the nucleated electro winning of copper by using iron electrodes in electrocoagulation (EC) process. Cyanide compounds are widely used in gold ore processing plants in order to facilitate the extraction and subsequent concentration of the precious metal. Owing to cyanide solution employed in gold processing, effluents generated have high contents of free cyanide as well as copper cyanide complexes, which lend them a high degree of toxicity. In this regard, two options for the treatment of cyanide barren solutions has been used;in two ways;first for cyanide destruction by oxidation with the use of the EC process, in theory, has the advantage of decomposing cyanide at the anode and collecting copper simultaneously by a sludge of copper magnetic iron. In both cases excellent performance can be achieved using the high capacity of the bipolar iron EC technology. We found that it is possible to reduce the copper cyanide complex from 720 mg·l-1 to below 10 mg·l-1 within 20 minutes.展开更多
The conventional processes for recovery of silver from cyanide leach solutions are the carbon adsorption, the Merrill-Crowe zinc dust cementation, the Ion Exchange, and Solvent Extraction processes;among other availab...The conventional processes for recovery of silver from cyanide leach solutions are the carbon adsorption, the Merrill-Crowe zinc dust cementation, the Ion Exchange, and Solvent Extraction processes;among other available options for recovery of precious metals from cyanide solutions, Electrocoagulation (EC) is a very promising electrochemical process that does not require high concentrations of silver in cyanide solutions to yield excellent results and neither pretreatment of cyanide solutions like Merrill-Crowe process (deoxygenating and clarification). The present study has been done for the recovery of silver contained in pregnant solution from the cyanidation process using the electrocoagulation technology with iron electrodes, and therefore develops an alternative technology for Merril-Crowe process. The average silver content in pregnant solution was of 52 ppm, recovery was obtained of 99% of silver, with this optimum operating parameters, pH = 8, residence time = 20 minutes and conductivity by addition of sodium chloride = 4 grs/L. Finally the characterization of the solid products formed during the EC process with X-ray Diffraction and Scanning Electronic Microscope was performed, results suggest that magnetite particles and amorphous iron oxyhydroxides are present (Lepidocrocite).展开更多
The Merrill-Crowe zinc-precipitation process has been applied worldwide on a large number of operations for recovering gold and silver from cyanide solutions. However, in some of the large plants this precipitate is o...The Merrill-Crowe zinc-precipitation process has been applied worldwide on a large number of operations for recovering gold and silver from cyanide solutions. However, in some of the large plants this precipitate is of low quality, because copper and especially lead are precipitated along with gold and silver resulting in a higher consumption of zinc powder, fluxes in the smelting of the precipitate, formation of mate and short life for crucibles. In this research, a method is proposed to recover lead, zinc and copper cyanide ions from barren solutions, from the Merrill-Crowe process with hydroxyapatite before the filter press. This technology is based on inducing nucleated precipitation of zinc, copper and silver ions in a serpentine reactor, using sodium sulfide as the precipitator and sulfuric acid for pH control. This procedure was successfully applied at WILLIAM Mining and BACIS Mining Group in México.展开更多
文摘Cyanidation is the main process for gold and silver recovery from its ores. In this study, a process is proposed to recover copper and cyanide from barren solutions from the Merrill-Crowe cementation process with zinc dust. This technology is based on inducing nucleated precipitation of copper and silver in a serpentine reactor, using sodium sulfide as the precipitator, and sulfuric acid for pH control. Results show that pH value has a significant effect on copper cyanide removal efficiency, and it was determined the optimal pH range to be 2.5 - 3. At this pH value, the copper cyanide removal efficiency achieved was up to 97 and 99%, when copper concentration in the influent was 636 and 900 ppm. respectively. In this process (sulphidization-acidification-thickening-HCN recycling), the cyanide associated with copper cyanide complexes, is released as HCN gas under weakly acidic conditions, allowing it to be recycled back to the cyanidation process as free cyanide. Cyanide recovery was 90%. Finally, this procedure was successfully run at Minera William in México.
文摘The majority of the refractory gold and silver occurs in occlusion in sulphides, then precious metal dissolution is possible by first oxidizing auriferous sulfide concentrate using sodium hypochlorite-sodium-hydroxide solution followed of pressure cyanidation of the oxidized concentrate, for the extraction of precious metals. This process was conducted and evaluated under cyanide and oxygen pressure. This versatile approach offers many advantages, including low temperatures, low pressure and less costly materials of construction than conventional pressure oxidation. In this study, the effect of oxygen pressure, concentration of sodium hypochlorite, temperature, and initial pH, in precious metals recovery and As removal were evaluated using a 24 factorial design. Characterization of the ores showed that pyrite and arsenopyrite were the main minerals present on the concentrate. The best results for gold extraction were obtained with oxygen pressure of 80 psi, 10% (w/w) sodium hypochlorite, temperature of 80℃, at pH = 13, and a constant stirring speed of 600 rpm. These conditions allowed an approximated 60% of gold and 90% of silver extractions in 1 hr.
文摘This paper is a brief overview of the role of inducing the nucleated electro winning of copper by using iron electrodes in electrocoagulation (EC) process. Cyanide compounds are widely used in gold ore processing plants in order to facilitate the extraction and subsequent concentration of the precious metal. Owing to cyanide solution employed in gold processing, effluents generated have high contents of free cyanide as well as copper cyanide complexes, which lend them a high degree of toxicity. In this regard, two options for the treatment of cyanide barren solutions has been used;in two ways;first for cyanide destruction by oxidation with the use of the EC process, in theory, has the advantage of decomposing cyanide at the anode and collecting copper simultaneously by a sludge of copper magnetic iron. In both cases excellent performance can be achieved using the high capacity of the bipolar iron EC technology. We found that it is possible to reduce the copper cyanide complex from 720 mg·l-1 to below 10 mg·l-1 within 20 minutes.
文摘The conventional processes for recovery of silver from cyanide leach solutions are the carbon adsorption, the Merrill-Crowe zinc dust cementation, the Ion Exchange, and Solvent Extraction processes;among other available options for recovery of precious metals from cyanide solutions, Electrocoagulation (EC) is a very promising electrochemical process that does not require high concentrations of silver in cyanide solutions to yield excellent results and neither pretreatment of cyanide solutions like Merrill-Crowe process (deoxygenating and clarification). The present study has been done for the recovery of silver contained in pregnant solution from the cyanidation process using the electrocoagulation technology with iron electrodes, and therefore develops an alternative technology for Merril-Crowe process. The average silver content in pregnant solution was of 52 ppm, recovery was obtained of 99% of silver, with this optimum operating parameters, pH = 8, residence time = 20 minutes and conductivity by addition of sodium chloride = 4 grs/L. Finally the characterization of the solid products formed during the EC process with X-ray Diffraction and Scanning Electronic Microscope was performed, results suggest that magnetite particles and amorphous iron oxyhydroxides are present (Lepidocrocite).
文摘The Merrill-Crowe zinc-precipitation process has been applied worldwide on a large number of operations for recovering gold and silver from cyanide solutions. However, in some of the large plants this precipitate is of low quality, because copper and especially lead are precipitated along with gold and silver resulting in a higher consumption of zinc powder, fluxes in the smelting of the precipitate, formation of mate and short life for crucibles. In this research, a method is proposed to recover lead, zinc and copper cyanide ions from barren solutions, from the Merrill-Crowe process with hydroxyapatite before the filter press. This technology is based on inducing nucleated precipitation of zinc, copper and silver ions in a serpentine reactor, using sodium sulfide as the precipitator and sulfuric acid for pH control. This procedure was successfully applied at WILLIAM Mining and BACIS Mining Group in México.
