IRGIREDMET JSC, Irkutsk, Russia

Yu. E. Emelianov, Leading Researcher
A. V. Bogorodskiy, Senior Researcher, e-mail: bav@irgiredmet.ru
S. V. Balikov, Business Centre Director
A. V. Epiforov, Junior Researcher

Test work and comparison of options for refractory flotation concentrates treatment are carried out when designing flow sheets to recover gold from ores and concentrates. To liberate refractory gold-bearing ores and concentrates, ultrafine grinding, oxidative roasting, biooxidation and POX are used. Four options for three refractory flotation concentrates obtained during the concentration of primary ores of large gold-bearing deposits from the Amur, the Chita and the Krasnoyarsk regions were tested. It was found that ultrafine grinding of refractory concentrates did not provide for a significant increase in gold recovery. Oxidative roasting increased gold recovery, up to 88–93% during a subsequent cyanidation. High gold recovery was achieved using POX. In this case, almost all sulfides are oxidized with the decomposition of several rock-forming minerals (feldspar). However, pregrobbing carbonaceous matter became active during POX. Gold recovery achieved from POX and biooxidation products was the same for preg-robbing concentrates I and II. However, the degree of sulfides oxidation was much higher during POX. Gold recovery is important but the following strategies would have an impact on a process option and would be recommended to be considered when developing an option to treat gold-bearing ores and concentrates: capital and operating costs; ore reserves; mine location; infrastructure and qualified personnel. Detailed test work and feasibility study should be carried out for each deposit.

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