Application of Atmospheric Oxygen Enriched Leaching in Gold Cyanide Production

In the gold cyanidation industry, enhancing leaching efficiency is a crucial pursuit for maximizing resource utilization and economic returns. To address this, a series of comprehensive experimental studies on the application of atmospheric-pressure oxygen-rich leaching in a cyanidation plant were carried out, focusing on the gold concentrate of the plant.

Experimental Setup

Three distinct scales of experiments—bench-scale, semi-industrial, and industrial—were conducted. The bench-scale experiment was the starting point, aiming to initially evaluate the potential of the oxygen-rich leaching process. Next, the semi-industrial experiment served as a bridge between the laboratory and full industrial implementation, providing more practical insights. Finally, the industrial experiment validated the effectiveness of the process under real - world production conditions.

Experimental Results

Bench - scale Experiment

The bench-scale test results demonstrated that the oxygen-rich leaching process could increase the gold leaching rate by 0.30%. This initial success indicated the viability of the technology.

Semi-industrial Experiment

During the semi-industrial experiment, it became evident that the gold leaching rate was significantly higher compared to the air-leaching process. This acceleration in leaching speed was a strong indicator of the superiority of the oxygen-rich leaching process.

Industrial Experiment

The three-month industrial experiment solidified the advantages of oxygen-rich leaching. Compared with the conventional air-leaching process, the oxygen-rich leaching process not only increased the leaching rate by 0.18% but also significantly accelerated the leaching speed. Additionally, the silver grade in the leaching residue decreased by 5×10⁻⁶ - 6×10⁻⁶. Economically, the annual economic benefit increased by 4.901 million yuan, highlighting the substantial financial gains associated with the new process.

Conclusion

This research on the atmospheric-pressure oxygen-rich leaching process has achieved excellent economic and technical results. The findings can serve as a valuable reference for gold enterprises looking to enhance their cyanidation leaching processes. Moreover, this study contributes to the advancement of cyanidation leaching technology, opening up new possibilities for the gold mining industry to improve resource utilization and profitability.