Co-intensification of gold leaching with heavy metals and hydrogen peroxide
(School of Mineral Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China)
Abstract: Co-intensification was researched to accelerate gold leaching with regards to its electrochemical nature by using anodic intensifiers of heavy metal ions (Pb2+, Bi3+, Tl+, Hg2+ and Ag+) on the basis of hydrogen peroxide assistant leaching on three different types of materials which were classified as a refractory sulphide gold concentrate, an easily leachable sulphide gold concentrate, and a low grade oxide gold ore according to their leaching characteristics. The results showed that, favorable co-intensification effects on the three materials were obtained and leaching time of gold was effectively shortened to no longer than 12 h from 16 to 24 h for hydrogen peroxide assistant leaching. For the five tested heavy metal ions, Bi3+and Tl+ presented co-intensifying effect on all the three materials, and Hg2+ caused co-intensifying effect on both refractory and easily leachable sulphide gold concentrates, and Pb2+ and Ag+ only had co-intensifying effect on the easily leachable sulphide gold concentrate.
Key words: gold leaching; co-intensification; cyanidation; heavy metals; hydrogen peroxide