Method to improve recovery of gold from double refractory gold ores
First Claim
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1. A method, comprising:
- (a) providing a feed material comprising a precious metal, at least about 0.1 wt. % sulfide sulfur, and 0.3 to about 10 wt. % carbonaceous materials;
(b) oxidizing at least a portion of the sulfide sulfur in the feed material to provide an oxidized material, wherein at least most of the gold and/or silver and carbonaceous materials remain in the oxidized feed material;
(c) comminuting the oxidized material to remove, at least partially, an oxidative film on at least some particles of the oxidized feed material;
(d) after step (b), floating the comminuted and oxidized feed material to separate the material into a first fraction comprising at least most of the gold and/or silver and a second fraction comprising at least about 25 wt. % of the carbonaceous materials in the feed material, wherein the comminuted and oxidized feed material is free of precious metal leaching prior to the floating step;
(e) comminuting the second fraction to provide a comminuted second fraction;
(f) floating the comminuted second fraction to form cleaner tails comprising most of the gold and/or silver in the comminuted second fraction and a cleaner concentrate comprising most of the carbonaceous material in the comminuted second fraction; and
(g) after floating is completed, thereafter recovering the gold and/or silver from the first fraction and the cleaner tails, wherein the first fraction and the cleaner tails comprise at least about 90% of the gold and/or silver in the oxidized material.
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Abstract
The present invention is directed to a precious metal recovery process in which carbonaceous material, such as preg robbing carbon, is floated after sulfide oxidation to separate the carbonaceous material from the precious metal.
149 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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(a) providing a feed material comprising a precious metal, at least about 0.1 wt. % sulfide sulfur, and 0.3 to about 10 wt. % carbonaceous materials; (b) oxidizing at least a portion of the sulfide sulfur in the feed material to provide an oxidized material, wherein at least most of the gold and/or silver and carbonaceous materials remain in the oxidized feed material; (c) comminuting the oxidized material to remove, at least partially, an oxidative film on at least some particles of the oxidized feed material; (d) after step (b), floating the comminuted and oxidized feed material to separate the material into a first fraction comprising at least most of the gold and/or silver and a second fraction comprising at least about 25 wt. % of the carbonaceous materials in the feed material, wherein the comminuted and oxidized feed material is free of precious metal leaching prior to the floating step; (e) comminuting the second fraction to provide a comminuted second fraction; (f) floating the comminuted second fraction to form cleaner tails comprising most of the gold and/or silver in the comminuted second fraction and a cleaner concentrate comprising most of the carbonaceous material in the comminuted second fraction; and (g) after floating is completed, thereafter recovering the gold and/or silver from the first fraction and the cleaner tails, wherein the first fraction and the cleaner tails comprise at least about 90% of the gold and/or silver in the oxidized material. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method, comprising:
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(a) providing a feed material comprising a precious metal, at least about 0.1 wt. % sulfide sulfur, and 0.3 to about 10 wt. % carbonaceous materials; (b) pressure oxidizing at least a portion of the sulfide sulfur in the feed material to provide an oxidized material, wherein at least most of the gold and/or silver and carbonaceous materials remain in the oxidized feed material; and (c) after step (b) floating the oxidized feed material to separate the material into a first fraction comprising at least about 70 wt. % of the gold and/or silver in the oxidized feed material and a second fraction comprising no less than about 40 wt. % of the carbonaceous materials in the feed material; (d) comminuting the second fraction to provide a comminuted second fraction; and (e) floating the comminuted second fraction to form cleaner tails comprising most of the gold and/or silver in the comminuted second fraction and a cleaner concentrate comprising most of the carbonaceous material in the comminuted second fraction, wherein the first fraction and the cleaner tails comprise at least about 90% of the gold and/or silver in the oxidized material. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method, comprising:
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(a) providing a feed material comprising a precious metal, at least about 0.1 wt. % sulfide sulfur, and 0.3 to about 10 wt. % carbonaceous materials; (b) pressure oxidizing at least a portion of the sulfide sulfur in the feed material to provide an oxidized material, wherein at least most of the gold and/or silver and carbonaceous materials remain in the oxidized feed material; and (c) thereafter floating the oxidized feed material to separate the material into a first fraction comprising at least most of the gold and/or silver and a second fraction comprising at least about 25 wt. % of the carbonaceous materials in the feed material; (d) comminuting the second fraction to provide a comminuted second fraction; and (e) floating the comminuted second fraction to form cleaner concentrate comprising most of the gold and/or silver in the comminuted second fraction and a cleaner tails comprising most of the carbonaceous material in the comminuted second fraction, wherein the first fraction and the cleaner concentrate comprise at least about 90% of the gold and/or silver in the oxidized material. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification