National University of Science and Technology “MISiS”, Moscow, Russia

L. S. Strizhko, Professor of a Chair of Non-ferrous Metals and Gold, e-mail: sls_2007.47@mail.ru
I. R. Boboev, Post-graduate Student of a Chair of Non-ferrous Metals and Gold
K. K. Gurin, Post-graduate Student of a Chair of Non-ferrous Metals and Gold

Subsidiary of National University of Science and Technology “MISiS” in Dushanbe, Dushanbe, Tadzhikistan

F. B. Rabiev, Student

In this article is presented a method for extracting gold from iron and copper-containing products, which is one of the main problems of gold mining industry of the XXI century. Generally, the presence of iron reduces efficiency of technological processes and performance of gold recovery due to the high cyanide consumption, which makes it necessary to use additional operations on the transformation of iron into an insoluble form, and intensification of the cyanide process. In this regard, shown are results of research on pre-treatment of gold containing product with caustic soda in laboratory agitators with ultrasonic transducers to increase dissolved oxygen content. The influence of oxygen on rate of transition of iron into the form that is not soluble in cyanide solutions, was studied. Another important factor affecting the extraction of gold and high cyanide consumption is the presence of copper minerals in gold-containing products. Copper consumes large amounts of cyanide. Copper cyanide is more stable than free cyanide, and has a detrimental impact on the environment. In connection with this, the ammonium cyanide method for extracting gold from copper-containing products was proposed. Optimum conditions for carrying out the process of gold dissolution from copper-containing product in ammonium cyanide solutions were determined. Influence of copper and ammonia on kinetics of extraction of gold was investigated. It was shown that the presence of ammonia in solution reduces the consumption of cyanide to 0.7 kg/t without change of indicators of extraction of gold. Presented are results of study on gold sorption from ammonium cyanide solutions using activated carbon brand NWS G6*12 and resins AuRIX®100, as well as the advantage of the sorption properties of carbon compared with resins.

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