Optimization studies of gold cyanidation leaching process for an oxide gold ore
- Author
- Chirikuutsi, Rabson
- Title
- Optimization studies of gold cyanidation leaching process for an oxide gold ore
- Abstract
-
Gold recovery has been a significant difficulty to metallurgist today with lot of gold lost in solution
to slimes dam. There is need to investigate optimum conditions for gold leaching. The present
study sought to establish the optimum conditions for gold leaching. The conditions employed
during leaching, which includes,pH , cyanide concentration and leaching period were investigated.
In this thesis the bottle roll process was employed as a substitute of leaching tanks used in a plant
scale to study the optimal conditions. The main aim being to allow 80 % > gold dissolution and
90% > reagent use to prevent their effects during adsorption.
Optimum conditions of the dissolution process were determined through bottle roll experiments.
Lime and caustic soda, were contrasted to choose the one with highest recovery. In this study pH,
leaching time, cyanide concentration, grinding time and particle size proved to be important
parameters in the gold recovery. Comparison between lime and caustic soda as pH modifier
showed that lime worked better on this type of ore. Maximum gold dissolution occurred at pH
11.5. Optimum cyanide concentration being 65.00 ppm. The size of ore was also compared with
the -75 μm being the most effective. An experiment to check the effectiveness of the above
conditions with relationship to AC capacity to bind gold was designed and tested. The overall
adsoption was 93.7 % showing improvement with less amount of gold lost to slimes dam. - Date
- 2023
- Publisher
- BUSE
- Keywords
- Gold cyanidation leaching process
- Gold leaching
- Supervisor
- Dr Muchanyereyi, N.
- Item sets
- Department of Chemistry
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