Effect of minerals on the stability of gold in copper ammoniacal thiosulfate solutions - The role of copper, silver and polythionates

The effect of some typical oxide and sulide minerals, as well as activated carbon, on synthetic gold thiosulfate leach solutions was examined. The presences of pyrite and goethite in a synthetic ore slurry have a significant effect on the adsorption and stability of gold, silver, copper and polyth...

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Main Authors: Staunton, William, Aylmore, M., Muir, D.
Format: Journal Article
Published: Elsevier Science BV 2014
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/25919
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author Staunton, William
Aylmore, M.
Muir, D.
author_facet Staunton, William
Aylmore, M.
Muir, D.
author_sort Staunton, William
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description The effect of some typical oxide and sulide minerals, as well as activated carbon, on synthetic gold thiosulfate leach solutions was examined. The presences of pyrite and goethite in a synthetic ore slurry have a significant effect on the adsorption and stability of gold, silver, copper and polythionates in ammoniacal thiosulfate solutions. Adsorption of tetrathionate in particular leads to significant gold and silver losses. The adsorption of copper on mineral surfaces inhibited gold and silver losses, even in the presence of tetrathionate. However, goethite was found to strongly adsorb copper(II). It is concluded that gold extraction from natural ores is lower than that obtained with cyanide, partly as a result of sorption or precipitation reactions. Furthermore, the presence of silver in solution catalyses the precipitation of a mixed copper/silver/gold sulfide in ammoniacal thiosulfate solutions containing tetrathionate.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-259192017-09-13T15:23:55Z Effect of minerals on the stability of gold in copper ammoniacal thiosulfate solutions - The role of copper, silver and polythionates Staunton, William Aylmore, M. Muir, D. Pregrobbing Thiosulfate Polythionates Gold Silver The effect of some typical oxide and sulide minerals, as well as activated carbon, on synthetic gold thiosulfate leach solutions was examined. The presences of pyrite and goethite in a synthetic ore slurry have a significant effect on the adsorption and stability of gold, silver, copper and polythionates in ammoniacal thiosulfate solutions. Adsorption of tetrathionate in particular leads to significant gold and silver losses. The adsorption of copper on mineral surfaces inhibited gold and silver losses, even in the presence of tetrathionate. However, goethite was found to strongly adsorb copper(II). It is concluded that gold extraction from natural ores is lower than that obtained with cyanide, partly as a result of sorption or precipitation reactions. Furthermore, the presence of silver in solution catalyses the precipitation of a mixed copper/silver/gold sulfide in ammoniacal thiosulfate solutions containing tetrathionate. 2014 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/25919 10.1016/j.hydromet.2013.12.001 Elsevier Science BV restricted
spellingShingle Pregrobbing
Thiosulfate
Polythionates
Gold
Silver
Staunton, William
Aylmore, M.
Muir, D.
Effect of minerals on the stability of gold in copper ammoniacal thiosulfate solutions - The role of copper, silver and polythionates
title Effect of minerals on the stability of gold in copper ammoniacal thiosulfate solutions - The role of copper, silver and polythionates
title_full Effect of minerals on the stability of gold in copper ammoniacal thiosulfate solutions - The role of copper, silver and polythionates
title_fullStr Effect of minerals on the stability of gold in copper ammoniacal thiosulfate solutions - The role of copper, silver and polythionates
title_full_unstemmed Effect of minerals on the stability of gold in copper ammoniacal thiosulfate solutions - The role of copper, silver and polythionates
title_short Effect of minerals on the stability of gold in copper ammoniacal thiosulfate solutions - The role of copper, silver and polythionates
title_sort effect of minerals on the stability of gold in copper ammoniacal thiosulfate solutions - the role of copper, silver and polythionates
topic Pregrobbing
Thiosulfate
Polythionates
Gold
Silver
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/25919