Influence of copper minerals on cyanide leaching of gold

来源期刊：中南大学学报(英文版)2001年第1期

论文作者：JIANG Tao ZHANG Yu-zu YANG Yong-bin HUANG Zhu-cheng

文章页码：24 - 28

Key words：copper mineral; gold; cyanidation; leaching

Abstract: The paper thermodynamically examined the behavior of various copper minerals in cyanide solutions and investigated the influence of copperminerals on cyanide leachingofgold. In elucidatingthe influence of copperminerals on cyanide leachingofgold, coppermineralswere classified intotwotypes accordingtotheir solubility in cyanide solutions by proposing two concepts, cyaniding easily soluble copper (ECu) and cyaniding insoluble copper. The former involves copper occurrence in metal, oxides and secondary sulfides, and the latter refers mainly to primary sulfides. Experimental results showthat not all the total copper in an ore affected cyanide leachingofgold, while cyaniding easilysoluble copperturns outto be the decisive factorthat interferes with gold cyanidation by causing decrease in gold cyanidation recovery and increase in cyanide consumption.When cyaniding easily soluble copper content (wE(Cu)) lies in the range of 0-0.25%, it linearly affects gold cyanidation recovery (R) as well as cyanide consumption (mc). The regression equations have been worked out to beR(%)=94.177 5-142.735 7wE(Cu)with a correlation coefficient of -0.902 andmc=5.590 7+33.572 9wE(Cu)with a correlation coefficient of 0.945, respectively.