Gold Ore Processing

Project Development and Operations

2nd Edition, Volume 15 - May 3, 2016
Editor: Mike D. Adams
Language: English
Hardback ISBN:
9 7 8 - 0 - 4 4 4 - 6 3 6 5 8 - 4
eBook ISBN:
9 7 8 - 0 - 4 4 4 - 6 3 6 7 0 - 6

Gold Ore Processing: Project Development and Operations, Second Edition, brings together all the technical aspects relevant to modern gold ore processing, offering a practical… Read more

Purchase options

Institutional subscription on ScienceDirect

Request a sales quote

Gold Ore Processing: Project Development and Operations, Second Edition, brings together all the technical aspects relevant to modern gold ore processing, offering a practical perspective that is vital to the successful and responsible development, operation, and closure of any gold ore processing operation. This completely updated edition features coverage of established, newly implemented, and emerging technologies; updated case studies; and additional topics, including automated mineralogy and geometallurgy, cyanide code compliance, recovery of gold from e-waste, handling of gaseous emissions, mercury and arsenic, emerging non-cyanide leaching systems, hydro re-mining, water management, solid–liquid separation, and treatment of challenging ores such as double refractory carbonaceous sulfides. Outlining best practices in gold processing from a variety of perspectives, Gold Ore Processing: Project Development and Operations is a must-have reference for anyone working in the gold industry, including metallurgists, geologists, chemists, mining engineers, and many others.

Chapter 1. Gold – An Historical Introduction

1. Gold in Ancient Egypt
2. Early Gold-Mining Centers
3. Gold and Alchemy
4. Uses of Gold
5. Occurrence of Gold
6. Processing of Gold Ores
7. Gold Standards and Assaying
8. Gold in Currency
9. Banks
10. Gold Museums

Part I. Project Development

Economic Evaluation of Gold Projects

Chapter 2. Overview of the Gold Mining Industry and Major Gold Deposits
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Gold Discovery and Deposits
- 3. Gold Production
Chapter 3. Evaluation and Funding of Capital Projects in Mining
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Evaluation of Capital Projects in Mining
- 3. Principles of Project Financials and Assessment
- 4. Common Errors
- 5. Project Risk
- 6. Financing of the Project

Feasibility Study Management

Chapter 4. Sampling Procedures
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Sampling Basics
- 3. Components of Sampling Error
- 4. Percussion Hole Sampling
- 5. Blast-Hole Sampling
- 6. Plant Sampling
- 7. Sampling from Stationary Situations
- 8. Sample Preparation
- 9. Conclusions
Chapter 5. Mineralogical Investigation of Gold Ores
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Gold Mineralogy
- 3. Process Mineralogy of Gold
- 4. Methodology for Studying Gold Minerals
- 5. Instrumental Analysis for Gold
- 6. Concluding Remarks
Chapter 6. Geometallurgical Characterization and Automated Mineralogy of Gold Ores
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Geometallurgy Overview
- 3. Geometallurgical Characterization of Gold Ores
- 4. Automated Mineralogy of Gold Ores
- 5. Summary and Conclusions
Chapter 7. Process Flowsheet Selection
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Comminution Process Options
- 3. Free-Milling Ore Process Options
- 4. Complex Ore Process Options
- 5. Refractory Ore Process Options
- 6. Refractory Process Selection
- 7. Factors for Consideration in Refractory Gold Process Selection
- 8. Discussion
- 9. Recent Commercial-Scale Technical Developments
Chapter 8. Metallurgical Test Work: Gold Processing Options, Physical Ore Properties, and Cyanide Management
- 1. Background
- 2. Ore Preparation and Assessment
Chapter 9. Process Simulation and Modeling
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Benefits of Simulation
- 3. Classification of Simulation Models
- 4. Steady-State Continuous Simulation
- 5. Dynamic Continuous Simulation
- 6. Dynamic Discrete Simulation
- 7. Computational Fluid Dynamics
- 8. Selecting a Good Simulation Package
- 9. Comminution and Size-Separation Simulations
- 10. Gold Extraction Simulations
- 11. The Future of Process Simulation
Chapter 10. Feasibility Study Plant Design
- 1. Introduction
- 2. General Site Issues
- 3. Crushing and Ore Storage
- 4. Grinding
- 5. Gravity Concentration
- 6. Leaching and Adsorption
- 7. Cyanide Detoxification and Tailings Disposal
- 8. Elution and Gold Room
- 9. Flotation
- 10. Refractory Ore Processing
- 11. Services and Utilities
- 12. Special Issues for Large Facilities
- 13. Constructability
- 14. Pitfalls in Feasibility Design

Commissioning

Chapter 11. Commissioning
- 1. Introduction
- 2. An Overview
- 3. Impact of Project Size, Contracting Strategy, and Process Complexity
- 4. Commissioning Planning
- 5. Precommissioning
- 6. Process Commissioning
- 7. Performance Verification and Testing
- 8. Postcommissioning Optimization
- 9. Definitions

Safety, Process Control and Environmental Management

Chapter 12. The International Cyanide Management Code: Ensuring Best Practice in the Gold Industry
- 1. Background
- 2. Continuing Code Development 2002–2005
- 3. The Cyanide Code
- 4. The Cyanide Code's Evolution
- 5. Is the Cyanide Code a Success?
- 6. Benefits and Costs
- 7. Challenges
Chapter 13. Approaches to Cyanide Code Compliance for Tailings Storage Facilities
- 1. Background
- 2. The International Cyanide Management Code
- 3. Tailings Storage Facilities
- 4. Moving Toward Compliance with the Code
- 5. Conclusions
Chapter 14. Process Control
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Measurements
- 3. Basics of Process Control
- 4. Advanced Control and Optimization

Closure and Rehabilitation

Chapter 15. Closure and Rehabilitation of Gold-Processing Plants
- 1. Process Closure and Clean-up
- 2. Relocation and Sale – Owners' Perspectives
- 3. Relocation and Sale – The Marketing Manager's Perspectives
- 4. Scrap, Recycle, and Reuse
- 5. Consideration of Heritage Values Before Closure and Decommissioning
- 6. Infrastructure Removal and Site Decommissioning
- 7. Closure Plant Sites – Contamination and Risk
- 8. Final Land Use and Rehabilitation – Plant Sites
Chapter 16. Closure and Rehabilitation of Gold Mines with a Focus on Tailings Storage Facilities
- 1. Standards and Closure Criteria
- 2. Closure Preparation, Provisioning, and Planning
- 3. Stakeholder Engagement and Acceptance of Plans
- 4. Decommission Planning, Rehabilitation, and Closure
- 5. Postclosure Management, Monitoring, and Relinquishment
- 6. Conclusions

Part II. Unit Operations

Comminution and Solid-LiquidSeparation

Chapter 17. Comminution Circuits for Gold Ore Processing
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Comminution Circuit Design Considerations
- 3. Mining Factors
- 4. Primary Crushing, and Stockpile Management
- 5. Primary Milling
- 6. Secondary Milling
- 7. Gold Recovery in Comminution Circuits
- 8. Alternative Grinding Technologies
- 9. Ore Sorting
Chapter 18. Liquid–Solid Separation in Gold Processing
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Sedimentation
- 3. Filtration
- 4. Conclusions

Concentration

Chapter 19. Advances in Gravity Gold Technology
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Centrifuge Units
- 3. Gold Rooms: Tabling and Intensive Cyanidation
- 4. Measuring Metallurgical Performance
- 5. Conclusions and Future Trends
Chapter 20. Flotation of Gold and Gold-Bearing Ores
- 1. Background
- 2. Collectorless Flotation of Naturally Occurring Gold
- 3. Collectors in Gold Flotation
- 4. Frothers in Gold Flotation
- 5. Activators in Gold Flotation
- 6. Depression of Gold in Flotation
- 7. Flotation of Gold and Gold-Bearing Minerals
- 8. Influence of Conditions on Gold Flotation
- 9. Flotation Circuits
- 10. Flotation Practice

Oxidation of Sulfide Ores and Concentrates

Chapter 21. Pressure Oxidation Overview
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Gold Pressure Oxidation
- 3. Acidic Pressure Oxidation – Whole Ore
- 4. Alkaline Pressure Oxidation–Whole Ore
- 5. Acid and Alkaline Autoclave–Comparison
- 6. Acidic Pressure Oxidation–Concentrate
- 7. Pressure-Oxidation Summary
Chapter 22. Bacterial Oxidation of Refractory Gold Concentrates
- 1. Introduction and Background
- 2. Bacterial-Oxidation Plant Design and Practice
- 3. Comparison of Bacterial Oxidation with Process Alternatives
Chapter 23. Roasting Developments – Especially Oxygenated Roasting
- 1. Rabble Roasters
- 2. Fluidized-Bed Roasters
- 3. CFB Roasters
- 4. Oxygenated Roasters
- 5. Oxygenated Roasting
Chapter 24. Roasting of Gold Ore in the Circulating Fluidized-Bed Technology
- 1. History of Gold Ore Circulating Fluidized-Bed Roasting Technology
- 2. Fluid-Dynamic Background of Roasting and Pilot Testing
- 3. Some Advanced Metallurgical and Mineral Applications
- 4. Performance of Existing CFB Gold Roasters
- 5. Conclusions

Leaching

Chapter 25. Heap Leaching of Gold and Silver Ores
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Factors Influencing Heap Leach Efficiency
- 3. Design
- 4. Conclusions
Chapter 26. Advances in the Cyanidation of Gold
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Mechanism of Cyanidation
- 3. Control Strategy for Cyanide, Oxygen, and Lead Nitrate
- 4. Applications
- 5. Conclusions
Chapter 27. Alternative Lixiviants to Cyanide for Leaching Gold Ores
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Thiosulfate Leaching
- 3. Thiourea Leaching
- 4. Halide Leaching
- 5. Oxidative Chloride Leach Processes
- 6. Sulfide/Bisulfide/Sulfite Leaching
- 7. Ammonia Leaching
- 8. Bacterial and Natural Acid Leaching
- 9. Thiocyanate Leaching
- 10. Recovery Processes
- 11. Economic Evaluation
- 12. Environmental Concerns
- 13. Conclusions
Chapter 28. Thiosulfate as an Alternative Lixiviant to Cyanide for Gold Ores
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Thiosulfate Leaching Chemistry
- 3. Copper Ammoniacal Thiosulfate System
- 4. Influence of Mineralogy on Thiosulfate Leaching
- 5. Impact of Certain Cations and Anions Species on Precious Metal Dissolution and Thiosulfate Degradation
- 6. Alternative Oxidant Thiosulfate Systems
- 7. Recovery Processes
- 8. Application of Thiosulfate to Treatment of Ores
- 9. Economic Considerations
- 10. Environmental Issues
- 11. Summary and Conclusions
Chapter 29. Chloride as an Alternative Lixiviant to Cyanide for Gold Ores
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Chloride-Based Processes for Gold Leaching
- 3. Commercial Chlorination Leaching Plants
- 4. Outlook for Direct Choride-Based Leaching of Gold

Gold Recovery

Chapter 30. Carbon-in-Pulp
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Activated Carbon
- 3. Modeling CIP Circuits
- 4. Circuit Design and Carbon Management Considerations
- 5. Conclusions
Chapter 31. Zinc Cementation
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Chemistry
- 3. History
- 4. Application
- 5. Basic Flowsheet
- 6. Equipment
- 7. Design Criteria
- 8. Operations
- 9. Advances
Chapter 32. Resin-in-Pulp and Resin-in-Solution
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Solution Chemistry of Cyanided Gold Pulps
- 3. Development of Gold-Selective Resins
- 4. Elution of Different Resin Types
- 5. Resin Evaluation Techniques
- 6. Relative Cost Comparison of RIP versus CIP
- 7. Recovery of Gold from Preg-Robbing Ores
- 8. Resin-in-Solution
- 9. RIP Plants
- 10. Conclusions
Chapter 33. Electrowinning
- 1. Background
- 2. Historical Developments
- 3. Electrowinning Cell Design
- 4. Special Applications
- 5. Key Aspects of Electrowinning Cell Design and Operation
Chapter 34. Refining of Gold- and Silver-Bearing Doré
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Industry Structure and the Gold and Silver Refining Business
- 3. Gold and Silver Doré
- 4. Refining of High-Gold Doré Materials
- 5. Refining of High-Silver Doré Materials
- 6. Deleterious Elements in Refining of Gold and Silver Doré
- 7. Future Developments in Doré Refining

Disposal of Residues

Chapter 35. Cyanide Treatment: Physical, Chemical, and Biological Processes
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Cyanide Management Plan
- 3. Analysis of Cyanide
- 4. Biological Cyanide Destruction Processes
- 5. Chemical Treatment Processes
- 6. Natural Cyanide Attenuation
- 7. Treatment of Cyanide-Related Compounds
- 8. Effluent and Discharge Strategies
- 9. Summary
Chapter 36. Cyanide Recovery
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Theoretical Background
- 3. Practical Considerations
- 4. Process Alternatives
- 5. Environmental, Social, Health, and Safety Benefits of Cyanide Recycling
- 6. Conclusions
Chapter 37. Tailings Storage Facilities
- 1. Evolution of Tailings Management
- 2. Past Failures
- 3. Constraints and Drivers
- 4. Tailings Characterization
- 5. Risk-Based Design
- 6. Recent Advances
- 7. Tailings Water Management
- 8. TSF Closure and Completion
- 9. Future Possibilities
Chapter 38. Water Management in Gold Ore Processing
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Characterization of Predevelopment Conditions
- 3. Water Supply
- 4. Tailing Hydrology
- 5. Heap-Leach Hydrology
- 6. Site-Wide Water Balance
- 7. Discharge of Excess Water from the Site
- 8. Stormwater Management
- 9. Surface Water and Groundwater Protection
- 10. Summary and Conclusions
Chapter 39. Retreatment of Gold Residues
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Evaluation Phases
- 3. Sampling and Metallurgical Testwork
- 4. Evaluation
- 5. Operational Phase
- 6. Metallurgical Treatment
- 7. Environmental Rehabilitation
- 8. Process Flowsheets
Chapter 40. Practical Considerations in the Hydro Re-Mining of Gold Tailings
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Reclamation Methods
- 3. Starting Up an Re-Mining Site
- 4. Hydraulic Re-Mining
- 5. Conclusions
Chapter 41. Developments in Arsenic Management in the Gold Industry
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Chemistry and Precipitation of Arsenic
- 3. Stabilization Processes
- 4. Stability Testing and Regulatory Requirements
- 5. Conclusions
Chapter 42. Mercury in Gold Processing
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Mercury Deportment in Gold Processing
- 3. Mercury in Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining
- 4. Mercury Analysis
- 5. Mercury Control Technologies for Gaseous Streams
- 6. Legal Framework
- 7. Stabilization of Elemental Mercury
- 8. Above-Ground Storage of Elemental Mercury
- 9. Disposal – Underground
- 10. Conclusions

Part III. Case Study Flowsheets

Polymetallic Ores

Chapter 43. Gold-Copper Ores
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Chemistry of Copper Cyanides
- 3. Gold Recovery
- 4. Processes for Treating High-Copper Gold Ores
- 5. Copper and Cyanide Recovery Processes
- 6. Cyanide Recovery from Copper Cyanide
- 7. Alternative Lixiviants
Chapter 44. Case Study Flowsheets: Copper–Gold Concentrate Treatment
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Background of Sulfide Leaching
- 3. Copper–Gold Concentrate Treatment Processes
- 4. Conclusions
Chapter 45. Processing of High-Silver Gold Ores
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Fundamentals
- 3. Flow Sheet Selection
- 4. Indicative Plant Design Criteria
- 5. Conclusions
Chapter 46. Recovery of Gold as By-Product from the Base-Metals Industries
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Recovery of Gold in Copper Smelters
- 3. Recovery of Gold as a Byproduct from Nickel Sulfide Ores
- 4. Recovery of Gold in Zinc Smelters
- 5. Recovery of Gold from Lead Concentrates
- 6. Recovery of Gold from Cobalt Concentrates
- 7. Recovery of Gold from the Recycling of Electronic Scrap
- 8. Direct Leaching of Gold and PGMs from Ores or Concentrates
- 9. Conclusions
Chapter 47. Extraction of Gold from Platinum Group Metal Ores
- 1. Primary Extraction Circuits
- 2. Gold Extraction from Secondary Sources
- 3. Hydrometallurgical Gold Processes in Precious Metal Refineries
- 4. Conclusions

Refractory Ores

Chapter 48. Refractory Sulfide Ores—Case Studies
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Sansu Project, Ashanti Goldfields Corporation (Ghana)
- 3. Kanowna Belle Project (Western Australia)
- 4. Macraes Gold Project (New Zealand)
Chapter 49. Preg-Robbing Gold Ores
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Carbonaceous Matter and Gold Adsorption
- 3. Treatment of Carbonaceous Ore
- 4. Noncarbonaceous Preg-Robbing
- 5. Examples of Plant Practice
- 6. Practical Ore Characterization
Chapter 50. Double-Refractory Carbonaceous Sulfidic Gold Ores
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Processing Alternatives
- 3. Process Facilities in Nevada
Chapter 51. Treatment of Gold–Telluride Ores
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Historical Treatment Methods
- 3. Modern Developments
Chapter 52. Treatment of Antimonial Gold Ores
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Fundamentals
- 3. Commercial Operations
- 4. New Plant Design

Other Gold-Bearing Materials

Chapter 53. Gold – A Key Enabler of a Circular Economy: Recycling of Waste Electric and Electronic Equipment
- 1. A Circular Economy – Gold's Key Role
- 2. Product-Centric Recycling of Gold – Enabling a Circular Economy
- 3. Opportunities and Limits of Recycling of Gold From WEEE
- 4. Designing a CE – Quantifying the Resource Efficiency of Figure 53.1
- 5. Conclusion: Enabling System-Integrated Metal Production of the CE
- Glossary

Summary of Gold Plants and Processes, Emerging and Transformational Technologies

Chapter 54. Summary of Gold Plants and Processes
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Summary of Gold Plants and Processes
- 3. Conclusions
Chapter 55. Emerging and Transformational Gold Processing Technologies

1. Introduction
2. Moore's Law and Gold Processing Technologies
3. Cyanide: A Sustainable Future in Gold Ore Processing?
4. Fire and Water: Will Hydroprocessing Supersede Smelting?
5. In Situ and Solution Mining
6. Gold Demand: Future Uses for Gold Products
7. Gold Supply: Nontraditional Sources
8. Outlook for Transformative Gold Processing

Life Sciences

Physical Sciences & Engineering

Social Sciences & Humanities

Health

Gold Ore Processing

Project Development and Operations

Purchase options

Institutional subscription on ScienceDirect

Mike D. Adams