Extraction Process of Gold (Au) and Silver (Ag)

Generally, extraction process of all metal always include the Comminution (Size Reduction)to liberate achieve mineral. he next process of !old extraction from "ydrometallur!y route is #eachin!. here are rea!ents that can be used to !old leachin! process$ %ercury ("!), Cyanide (C&') usual as (C& or &aC&, hiosulphate (&a)S)*+), and hiourea. Reagent vote for leaching process depend on: 1. Kind of Ore 2. Grade of Gold in the Ore 3. Cost 4. Material Handling 5. Govern ent Reg!lation "ntil no#$ the ost reagent for gold leaching process in %nd!str& is C&anide 'C()* altho!gh ha+ardo!s aterial. %t,s ca!sed -& highest recover& of gold './50*$ short ti e process$ and ore econo i+e. %n the ne1t ti e$ the position of c&anide #ill -e changed -& another reagent that environ ental friendl& -!t the recover& of gold still high. an& reagents -eing tried -& researcher and 2hios!lphate is the -est reagent to change c&anide. 3ased on o!r research$ thios!lphate give high gold recover& for O1ide and 4!lphide Gold Mineral altho!gh the cons! ption of this reagent higher than c&anide. 3!t thios!lphate is ore environt ental friendl& and cash cost can -e lo#er -eca!se there is not additonal cost s!ch as c&anide destr!ction. 2he pro-le for this reagent is a-o!t sta-ilisation. 2hios!lphate is not sta-le hence need a good process controlling. 3elo# is the flo#sheet of gold e1traction process in ind!str&:

Concentration 2he Concentration process #ill -e done #hen an& native gold in the ore. (ative gold #ill not -rea5 -& grinding 6 illing$ it #ill -e changed to another shape$ float on the sl!rr& and go together to the tailing da -efore -e leached perfectl&. 2here are an& concentration ethod$ the ost ethod that often -e !sed: H! phre&s 4piral$ 4ha5ing 2a-le$ or 7igging. 2his ethod #or5 -& the difference of densit& -et#een gold and i p!rities hence cost of prod!ction lo#er. 2he 8dvance of gravit& concentration is Knelson Concentrator Leaching 2here are an& theor& of the gold leaching: 9lsner,s O1&gen 2heor&$ 7anin,s H&drogen 2heor&$ 3odlanders,s H&drogen :ero1ide 2heor&$ 3oonstra,s Corrosion 2heor&$ !ntil Kinetic proving 2heor& -& Ha-ashi. 9lsner,s O1&gen 2heor& is 2he ost of theor& that !sed$ reaction of gold and silver leaching: 28! ; <(aC( ;O2 ; 2H2O = 4(a8!'C(*2 ; 4(aOH 28g ; <(aC( ;O2 ; 2H2O = 4(a8g'C(*2 ; 4(aOH 3elo# is the echanis of reaction in a electroche ical cell :

2he process para eter of leaching : 1. :article 4i+e >epend on ineral$ !s!all& <?)/?0 )2?? esh ')@4 icron* (aC($ depend on

2. C&anide 4trength . C&anide strength a5e . 5inetics of reaction. "s!all& @5?)<5? pp ineral.

3. >issolved O1&gen '>O* Generall&$ . >O a5e . 5inetic of reaction depend on ineral. 3!t -ased on li iting theor&$ the c&anide)>O ratio is A 'constant*. 4o if #e !se c&anide e1cess$ the 5inetic of reaction is controlled -& dissolved o1&gen. "s!all&$ standard para eter for dissolved o1&gen is A)< pp . 4. pH 1?)1?$5 %f pHB1?$.1?$5$ the possi-ilit& is: H2O2 #ill -e for ed and recover& also decrease. 5. 0)4olid . 0)solid a5e gold and silver recover& decrease. %f 0)solid is too lo#$ a&-e gold recover& #ill increase -!t c&anide cons! ption #ill increase significantl&. 3eside that prod!ction capacit& #ill decrease. "s!all&$ an& ind!str& operate 0)solid -et#een 4?) 5?0)#eight. A. 2e perat!re . 2e perat!re a5e . 5inetic of reaction$ -!t li ited -& >issolved o1&gen. 3eca!se .2e perat!re a5e dissolved o1&gen decrease. "s!all&$ process te perat!re is not controlled. @. Retention 2i e . Retention ti e a5e gold recover& increase -!t prod!ction capacit& decrease. "s!all&$ retention ti e for gold processing a-o!t 4< ho!rs. Route 1 Adsorption 2his process is the first process fro gold recover&. 2here are an& 5ind of adsor-ans that can -e !sed$ activated car-on$ +eolit$ or resin. Co on adsor-an in an& gold processing ind!str& is activated car-on. 4everal factor to choose activated car-on are:

1. Hardness6attrition resistant 2. 8ctivit& 3. 2otal gold capasit& adsorption 4. 4hape and si+e distri-!tion 5. 8sh content A. 3!l5 >ensit& @. Moist!re <. 4!rface area /. 0)Car-on 2etrachloride 'CCl4* 1?. 0)#6#t 3en+ene adsorption Hardness6attrition resistant is the ost i portant$ -eside that activit& and total gold capacit& adsorption also i portant. Elution 9l!tion process is divorce of co ple1 8!'C(*2) and 8g'C(*2) fro activated car-on. 2here are an& standard than can -e !sed$ depend on ineral and adsor-an. Co on el!tion ethod is 88RC '8nglo 8 erican Research Ca-orator&*. 2his el!tion standard is divided to A stage: 1. 8cid Dash 2he ai of acid #ash is sol!te of car-onate 'CO32)*$ !s!all& in calci! car-onate 'CaCO3* for . HCl 30 is !sed at this stage and the reaction is : CaCO3 ; 2HCl =CaCl2 ; CO2 ; H2O 3eside this acid$ #e also can !sed the other acid for e1a ple: H(O3. -eca!se this acid ore o1idative than HCl$ so #e !st control #ell in order that the car-on 'CO* is not o1idi+ed to CO2. 2. Dater Dash 2his stage onl& for Car-on cleaning fro HCl.

3. :retreat ent 6:resoa5 8-sol!tel&$ pretreat ent6presoa5 is the first process for divorcing 8! and 8g fro activated car-on 'C)8!'C(*2)*. (aOH 30 and (aC( 30 are !sed in this process at <?)/? C. 4. Rec&cle 9l!tion after C)8!'C(*2) is divorced$ #ater rec&cle is flo#ed at 1??)12?oC and press!re 3??) 4?? Kpa. Dater fro el!tion col! n is :regnant 4ol!tion and read& to ne1t process '9lectro#inning* 5. Dater 9l!tion A. Dater Cooling 8t stage 5 and A$ #ater fro el!tion. Electrowinning el!tion col! n enter to rec&cle tan5 for ne1t rec&cle

2he :rinciple of electro#inning is etal sedi entation fro pregnant sol!tion -& electricit&. >irect c!rrent is !sed in this process hence res!lting red!ction)o1idation reaction at electrode: 1. 8node O1idation reaction al#a&s: 2H2O =O2 ; 4H; ; 4 e 3eca!se of H; for ed$ pH)sol!tion decrease and HC( gas #ill -e for ed. 2his gas is corrosive and the cons! ption of anode #ill increase hence #e !st control pH) sol!tion ore than 12$5. 2. Cathode Red!ction reaction al#a&s: 8!; ; e = 8! and 8g; ; e = 8g 4! total of cathode is ore than anode: Cathode = 8node ;1 Eoltage and c!rrent for electro#inning can -e got -& (erst,s eF!ation. 2he prod!ct of electro#inning process is ca5e and then read& to -e s elted. Route Precipitation :recipitation can -e done for clarified pregnant sol!tion. 3efore precipitation$ solid) liF!id separation is done at thic5ener. "s!all&$ #e !se CC> 2hic5ener 'Co!nter C!rrent >ecantation*. :recipitation can -e done -& an& ethod: 1. Gas precipitation 2. %on e1change precipitation 3. Ce entation Ce entation is the ost pop!lar ethod. %n the ce entation ethod$ etal po#der is !sed to red!ction of achieve etal. Co onl&$ Gn po#der is !sed for gold ce entation. Metal #ith lo#er potential red!ction can -e !sed in ce entation process: Ci$ K$ 3a$ Ca$ (a$ Mg$ 8l$ Gn$ C!$ He$ :-$ 8g$ :t$ 8!. Hor e1a ple : if #e #ant to get 8! and 8g$ #e !st add :-$ He$ C!$ Gn etc. 8l can not -e !sed for c&anide co ple1 8!'C(*2) -eca!se 8l o1ide is protective hence red!ction reaction finished. 2he reaction of gold ce entation -& Gn is : 8!; ; 8g; ; Gn = 8! ; 8g ; Gn2; 2he prod!ct of ce entation is ca5e and read& to s elting process.

S!elting 4 elting process #or5 at 12?? C$ -ora1 '(a234O@I1?H2O* added as fl!1 to retain slag and increase of -asicit& hence tapping can -e done easier. 2he prod!ct of s elting process is >ore -!llion '8!)8g allo&*. Refining Refining process is done to get p!re gold '//$//0*. "s!all&$ there are t#o ethod that !sed -& refiner& ind!str&: 1. High 8g 3!llion 9lectrorefining is the first process$ the principle of electrorefining is the sa e as electro#inning. 3!t anode for this process is 3!llion$ and 8g(O3 is the sol!tion. 4ilver #ill -e at cathode and gold at anode$ then s elting process is done to get gold and silver -ar. De !st do the electrol&sis to get //$//0$ the sol!tion of gold electrol&sis is 8!'Cl*2).

2. High 8! 3!llion 3!llion is s elted directl& #ith flo#ing Cl2 gas$ chloride gas #ill retain 8! and #e #ill get 8! and 8g -ar. De also have to do the electrol&sis to get //$//0$ the sol!tion of gold electrol&sis is 8!'Cl*2). :osted -& 8ndi5 J!diarto at <:3/ 8M Ca-els: 8g$ 8!$ e1tract$ gold$ process$ silver " co!!ents# lative said... De #o!ld li5e to 5no# #here #e can p!rchase 2hios!lphate for gold e1traction and other technolog& that goes #ith it. 2han5 &o! Rgds Moha ed 3a5sh March <$ 2??/ A:5A :M :rince said... Can % have detailed diagra s of heat e1change in the el!tion cell March 1A$ 2??/ 4:1? 8M

:rince said... Can % please have detailed diagra processK 2han5 &o! March 1A$ 2??/ 4:11 8M 2rong >anh said... % a a st!dent in Eietna . % a doing the proLect for recover& of gold fro a onia thios!lfate sol!tions. % intend to !se activated car-on -!t i have no echanis or reactions. Co!ld &o! give e doc! ents a-o!t thisK M& e ail : pha trongan<5M&ahoo.co 2han5 &o! 7an!ar& @$ 2?1? 5:24 :M 8ndi5 J!diarto said... >ear all$ %a ver& -!s&...so sorr& if % a co ing late for &o!. of heat e1change process in the el!tion

MCative...&o! can search on ali-a-a etc M:rince...% have detailed diagra -!t % canNt give...% a reall& sorr&. 3!t principall&$ !s!all& !sed plate heat e1changer. Hor 88RC$ H9 is !sed to rise the te perat!re -!t in +adra is !sed to decrease the sol!tion te perat!re. M2rong >anh...%Nll give it to &o! 7!l& 2A$ 2?1? 11:41 8M :ost a Co ent