Effect of mechanical activation on thiosulfate leaching of
gold from complex sulfide concentrate
gold from complex sulfide concentrate
(1. Iran Mineral Processing Research Center, Karaj, Iran;
2. Institute of Geotechnics of Slovak Academy of Sciences, Watsonova 4504353 Košice, Slovakia;
3. Department of Mining Engineering, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran)
2. Institute of Geotechnics of Slovak Academy of Sciences, Watsonova 4504353 Košice, Slovakia;
3. Department of Mining Engineering, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran)
Abstract: The use of mechanical activation to enhance gold recovery from a CuPbZn complex sulfide concentrate was investigated. The effects of milling time, ball size, sample to ball ratio and milling speed on thiosulfate leaching were studied. Under optimum conditions of milling time 1 h, ball size 20 mm, sample to ball ratio 1/15 and mill speed 600 r/min, nearly 78% of sample is amorphized, particle size decreases from d100=30 µm to d100=8 µm, specific surface area increases from 1.3 m2/g to 4.6 m2/g and gold recovery enhances from 17.4 % in non-activated sample to 73.26 %.
Key words: mechanical activation; thiosulfate leaching; refractory ore; extraction of gold