Author 1:
Name & Surname: Litvinova N. M.
Company: Mining Institute, Far East Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences (Khabarovsk, Russia)
Work Position: Head of laboratory
Scientific Degree: Candidate of Engineering Sciences
Contacts: e-mail: nauka22@yandex.ru

Author 2:
Name & Surname: Aleksandrova T. N.
Company: National Mineral Resources University — University of Mines (Saint-Petersburg, Russia)
Work Position: Head of department
Scientific Degree: Doctor of Engineering Sciences

Author 3:
Name & Surname: Lavrik N. A.
Company: Mining Institute, Far East Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences (Khabarovsk, Russia)
Work Position: Researcher

The possibilities of intensification of gravity concentration on the basis of preliminary reagent treatment of gold-containing alluvial sands are considered in the article. Substantial characteristics of the material are presented with the aim of examining the element and mineralogical composition, estimating gold content and its distribution by fractions and identifying “refractory factors” complicating gravity concentration process. The main mineral forms of gold are established as a result of rational analysis for Svetlyi area. Mass concentration of gold processed by gravity is no more than 30%; amalgamated and cyanated gold is up to 39.5%; about 20% is associated with the sulfide minerals; up to 10.5% is inside the silicate matrix. The portion of gold in fine fractions is 69.75%; the bulk is contained in –0.071+0.040 mm fraction, laminar and scaly particle morphology prevails. General content of the determined forms and associations of gold is 0.3±0.05 ppm. The technological sample of Kolchan field features 74.3% gold content in –2.0+0.0 mm fraction. Gold is fine, very fine and thin; only several percents of gold particles are larger than 1 mm. Average weighted gold content is 0.27±0.05 ppm. On the basis of results of the experimental research of gravity concentration, it has been stated that the application of preliminary reagent treatment of Svetlyi area mining waste material and alluvial Kolchan field makes it possible to increase the refractory gold extraction by 15 %; the application of hexapolyphosphate helps decrease gold losses up to 9%. 

The work has been supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, Project No. 13-05-00422, and the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences, in the framework of the program 42 Far East, Project No. 12-I-Р27-03 “Fundamental basis for innovative technologies of prediction, appraisal, mining and deep comprehensive processing of the Russia’s Far East strategic raw materials required for modernization of the economy of Russia”.

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