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A R T E S SC
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S& a Y R U V t K 1 Y U i- *
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of
BY
Member and Douglas Medalist of the Amer. Inst, of Min. and Met.
Engrs., Min. and Met. Soc. of Amer., Inst, of Min. and Met.,
AND
FRANCIS L. BOSQUI
Second Edition
1950
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East tngw.
library
TN
,.D
1 1 5"o
the United States of America. All rights reserved. This book, or parts thereof,
When the senior author of this volume published his Cyanidation and
subject had appeared since 1920. This barren gap of sixteen years was
in marked contrast to the first two decades of the century, which were the
prolific years for books on the cyanide process. In that period authorita-
tive volumes on the subject averaged better than one each year, including
two in the German language and one each in French and Spanish. The
record reflects both the rapid growth and the ultimate establishment of
world.
to Dorr's first book. Beginning in 1899 he was among the pioneer users
practiced.
welfare. For his achievements he has been honored with the John Scott
Medal of the Franklin Institute, the James Douglas Medal of the American
Medal of the Society of Chemical Industry, the Perkin Medal of five joint
Thirteen years have now elapsed since Dorr's book was published, and
illustrious father, Francis L. Bosqui Sr., whose name and reputation were
Bosqui abandoned the practice of medicine for which he had been educated,
and cast his lot with the Standard Consolidated Mining Co., Bodie, Cali-
that led him successively to Colorado, Nevada, and South Africa as mill
Bell, Smuggler Union, and Camp Bird in Colorado; the Combination Mines,
Notes on the Cyanide Process, one of the earliest books on the subject.
With this rich heritage the younger Bosqui has followed in the footsteps
silver process for the Bunker Hill & Sullivan Mining & Concentrating Co.,
for a brief interim in the United States, first on the metallurgy of Transvaal
With his father, who was consulting metallurgist to a group of South African
search engineer for the Rhokana Corporation at the Nkana mine he in-
and ferrocobalt from electric furnace alloy. He also developed the selec-
tive flotation of copper and cobalt sulphides. Other matters engaging his
the United States in 1936, Mr. Bosqui joined The Dorr Company, and is
Readers of this volume will be debtors, not only to the authors, but also
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metallurgy. A book of this kind could not be written without the generous
and silver ores to its present high state of efficiency and economy. Freely
sharing their knowledge and experience for the benefit of all, they form an
by social and political groups. But it has not always been so. Only a
short fifty years ago the elder Bosqui wrote in the preface to his book:
". . . . the methods of operating, for which each operator claims a certain
tion and experience has been a weighty factor in technical progress. One
James Douglas, whose name is honored and revered in mining circles for
If this book makes it possible "for suggestions to find their way in"
H. C. Parmelee
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Preface to the Second Edition
was undertaken with two principal objects in view; the first being to bring
the account of gold and silver metallurgy up to date in accord with the
the scope of the book to include new material relating particularly to the
and operator.
order to give the reader a more systematic approach to the text as a whole.
The trend, for instance, during the last ten years or so toward treatment
practice.
Part I of the book deals with the technical aspects of the subject, in-
of the more important and typical operations throughout the world, which
in the case of the treatment of gold ores is handled under four distinct
global areas. The fewer, but no less important, instances of silver ore
together under one title and are now presented as an appendix where it
many mining company officials in various parts of the world who co-
J. V. N. Dorr
F. L. Bosqui
Westport, Conn.
May, 1950
IX
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Preface to the First Edition
background for the present development of the process and of the equip-
to the reader.
changed little in the past fifteen years, although individual machines and
tion, adoption of flotation for certain types of ore, and precipitation practice.
A few of the older and well-designed plants not now in operation have been
described because their practice was not far different from the best today,
and because quite complete data on their operation were available. The
description of plants now operating, both old and new, gives a fairly broad
methods.
I have approached this task with some hesitancy, which I am sure will
have extended over so many years and have received the cordial recogni-
tion of so many friends that I feel free to write as if I were still an operator,
or consultant only.
one of the oldest cyanide mills in America, designed by the Gold and Silver
Extraction Company about 1894. The first mill I built and operated, the
Lundberg, Dorr and Wilson, at Terry, near by, was turned into a profitable
another mill in the same district the Dorr thickener was born.
The Black Hills district of South Dakota, though small, presented many
tinuous zinc-dust precipitation and the sluicing filter press of Merrill, and
all over the world who have published the results of t*ir work and have
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Xll PREFACE
those other producers of the tools of the industry who have given their
data so freely.
never have been undertaken, and to Mr. Anthony Anable. Thanks are
Williams for their aid in collecting and preparing the material for publica-
and suggestions.
John V. N. Dorr
October, 1936
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Contents
Foreword v
Abbreviations xv
Part I Technical
I Historical 3
V Fine Grinding 62
VI Classification 74
IX Concentration 128
X Roasting 158
Part II Descriptive
Index 503
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Abbreviations
London.
P.P., U.S.G.S.).
Engineering and Mining Journal {E. and M.J.), New York City.
Mining and Scientific Press {M. and S.P.), San Francisco, California.
London, England.
Technical
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CHAPTER I
Historical
The process that was to revolutionize all concepts of gold milling and
increase a gold output that was even then lagging behind the needs of an
to the Tharsis Sulphur and Copper Co. in Glasgow, where he had experi-
chlorine and bromine. As this was outside his company's usual activities,
surgery was fitted up as a laboratory. The results of some of his work were
and as a result he was asked to investigate the Cassel process for the Cassel
experiments in his laboratory on other solvents, with the result that the
practical use of it. It was MacArthur and the Forrests who realized the
importance of their discoveries and fathered the idea through the vicissi-
tion.
On Oct. 19, 1887, they registered their first patentBritish Patent 14,174.
Their second patent, registered the following year, included the use of
alkalis, methods of applying cyanide, and the use of zinc ain a state of fine
3
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4 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
litigation in the Transvaal, New South Wales, Tasmania and finally in the
United States.
The original claims of MacArthur and the Forrests are remarkable in that
little has been disproved. Their claims with respect to the alkalinity of
solutions (weak ones preferred) and to the use of zinc as a precipitant were
claim regarding the strength of solution and also that in connection with the
Following the growth of the cyanide process in the hands of other men,
Zealand, the Transvaal and the United Statesfor by 1888 in each of these
at the Robinson mine. The first cyanide plants appeared in the United
first cyanide plant was at El Oro mine, of the American Mining Company,
in 1894. South African statistics show the rapidity with which the cyanide
process was accepted in its infancy, for, from $6,000 in 1890the first year
in 1893.
In the early days in New Zealand and Australia the stamp battery was
in the period of its greatest use, dry crushing hand-sorted ores. Crushing
was followed by roasting and chlorination, since the ores were complex and
Sand and slime were separated, first in pointed boxes or cones, the sand
going directly to leaching vats equipped with filter bottoms, where leaching
tanks and agitated in cyanide solution. Mechanical agitation was first used
alone; then compressed air was introduced through tubes reaching to the
bottom of the +-anks and later by air lifts in tall cone-bottomed tanksthe
air-lift ideaand finally the Dorr agitator, combining air and mechanical
presses provided with facilities for washing the cake. Some ores wTere
bromocyanide process.
Generally, fine zinc thread, or shaving, was used for precipitating the
principally or wholly in their silver content lagged behind its use with gold
About 1900, however, Leonard Holms made preliminary tests upon the
silver sulphide ores of the Sirena mine at Guanajuato, Mexico, and soon
plant at the same property, definitely proving the usefulness of the process
silver tailings accumulated from the operation of the Grand Central pan-
amalgamation mill.
formly charging vats, which made for economy and promoted more uniform
mechanical to air methods, starting the sequence that led up to the most
industry.
vaal, it was in the newer fields of Mexico, the United States, and Canada
that the greater number of improvements in the art had their genesis.
1899 and 1912, as chemist, as cyanide mill owner and operator, and finally
as consulting engineer and plant designer, direct needs anc an early recogni-
thickener in 1905, and the Dorr agitator combining air and mechanical
units by making finer grinding and a single all-sliming process more feasible.
of tray thickener that has been widely used and later the bowl-type classifier.
Both machines were developed at the Golden Cycle mill, of which he was
filters came into wide use. The invention of E. L. Oliver, in 1907, of the
possible and tended to supersede filters of the Moore and Butters types.
Now the Oliver and other types of continuous filters are used in all parts
of the world.
During the same period, continuous precipitation using zinc dust, exclud-
ing air from the system, was developed by C. W. Merrill, and this was
less developed forms and the industry was ready for consolidation of the
the cyanide process entered its present stage. Gold production, which
ments and new practices to a total of 27,474,516 oz. in 1934, the record
type. Larger jaw and gyratory crushers were used to handle larger pieces
smaller size, yi in. or less. The stamp battery, still used in South Africa
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This latter period has brought emphasis upon the effort to reduce power
costs and at the same time to grind finer than had been considered practi-
cally possible. The heavy-duty ball mill, short in proportion to its di-
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HISTORICAL /
ameter, loaded with steel balls, has become of great importance. The
bowl type, and this trend is increasing. Many mills are producing a final
duced differential grinding and selective agitation for the Mclntyre ore,
pyritic envelope. A bowl classifier at the end of the agitator series effected
a concentration of the heavy pyrite, in the rake product, which was returned
to the head of the mill for regrinding, while the less valuable quartz over-
flowed to decantation direct. Not only was the pyritic constituent ground
finer than the quartz, but also it remained in the agitators much longer.
Thus the quartz and pyrite were each ground and agitated to the degree
overgrind occurred. Much the same thing was done in South Africa at
the Spring mines a little later. In the new Mclntyre mill, built in 1931,
Denny introduced flotation cells placed between ball mills and the classifier
Vacuum filters developed rapidly, and their use spread into all camps
lesser degree, the American disk-type filter. The first drum filter in Canada
was used at the Hollinger mill for dewatering and washing the tailings from
At first, vacuum filters were used only for dewatering tailings or, at most,
one stage of washing, in which case barren solution or water was sprayed
a new system known as double filtration, wherein two filters with an inter-
mediate repulping agitator were arranged in series for washing the pulp by
South African conditions are unique because Rand ore filters readily, and
filters of the Butters type were used to an appreciable extent, but new
zinc shavings has practically disappeared, except in the older mills. Clari-
excess zinc dust on filter presses or in filter bags have become standard
practice.
Potassium cyanide was used generally in the early days of the cyanide
process but was replaced later by the cheaper sodium cyanide. In 1917,
Mexico, was the first to use the new cyanide in 1917, and such representative
mines as Golden Cycle, North Star, and Tonopah Extension rapidly fol-
lowed the example of the Mexican mine. Today, black cyanide is exten-
long practiced in copper, lead, and zinc concentrators. Its use in gold and
silver milling really goes back only to about 1931, although countless labora-
tory and semicommercial scale tests antedated its use on a full-plant scale
by more than a decade. Sometimes it is used alone for the recovery of gold
Several options, in this latter regard, are available, such as flotation of the
solution for all milling problems, for its use is limited to certain ores, but it
In the course of its development the cyanide process has made material
metal metallurgy but to nearly all industries where the handling of finely
units has opened the way for advances in sewage treatment, water purifica-
work a o>sts existing prior to 1929, the world's gold-mining industry was
slowly but steadily shrinking in importance. In 1928 the output was less
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As John J. Croston pointed out in 19361 (and this is equally true today),
the decline in production was based upon the inexorable fact that the deeper
you dig and the leaner the ore treated the higher become the production
helping the struggling producers, and this, in effect, was the same as revalu-
ing the gold as far as its sale by the mines was concerned. Croston further
comments:
If the world wants gold in sufficient needs for world commerce, it will have to
pay a price commensurate with the cost of producing it. Gold increased almost
four times in price during the period 1344-1717, when it was pegged at the equiva-
lent of $20.67 per troy ounce. It would be ridiculous to attempt to prove that this
price bore any relation to the cost of producing gold either in 1717, in 1890 or 1929.
It was purely an arbitrary figure but with the discover of rich deposits in Cali-
fornia, Australia, and South Africa was sufficient to bring forth a requisite volume
efficiency, and few radical reductions in per-ton costs are to be expected. The
paucity of new discoveries and the necessity for treating lower grades from greater
depths indicated a gradual drying up of production unless some stimulus were given
to the industry.2
This gradual shifting of the economic phases of world gold production has seem-
ingly escaped the attention of the majority of monetary writers. They have treated
and other factors in exploiting this wasting natural asset. Certain phases of the
economics of gold mining are not so simple as those of hog raising or wheat growing.
REVALUATION OF GOLD
The price of gold in the United States, formerly fixed at $20.67 per ounce,
began to rise on Apr. 20, 1933, and continued to rise until it gradually
attained $30 per ounce during September of that same year. It was fixed
that was maintained through 1935 and to date, the first part of 1950. The
price of gold in other world markets approximated the United States price
range.
The steady rise in the world's gold production after 1929 continued up
the Second World War, the production declined as steadily as it had in-
creased in the earlier period. The initial causes of this decline were, of
course, the diversion of men and materials to the war effort and such emer-
gency measures as the W.P.B. Order L-208 which suspended most gold-
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2 The first fillip to gold mining came with the onset of the depression of ^29-1935.
Labor became more abundant and efficient; wage rates dropped, as did the cost of
supplies, enabling marginal producers to gain a better foothold. The second boost
came when Great Britain went off the gold standard, enabling the producers in
greatest step was taken when The United States government official^ revalued gold
from $20.67 to $35 per ounce. A careful consideration of the background factors
leads to the conclusion that gold will not go back to its old price.
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mining operations in the United States. War damage in such areas as the
Philippine Islands and New Guinea was also a contributing factor. But
due principally to rising costs, higher taxation, and the fact that the pro-
Silver production has for the most part followed the same course as gold
production and to a large extent from the same causes. Reaching an all-
time high of 277 million ounces in 1937, the decline which started in 1941
The price of bar silver for 1939 (London quotation based on current rate
of exchange) was $0,408 per ounce. The United States government price
for newly mined domestic silver, which had been $0,646 up to July of that
year, was increased on July 6 to $0,711 per ounce. At the beginning of 1945
government control. After July 1, 1946, the price for domestic metal was,
however, again raised to $0,905 per ounce, where it remained for the rest
of the year.
Table 1 showing the world production of gold and silver in 1946 was
prepared largely from the latest available data, which, however, were stated
mate production rating of the various countries and draws attention to the
interesting contrast between the magnitude of the gold and silver output
War and the depreciated value of most currencies in terms of buying power
throughout the world, a number of articles and reviews on the subject of the
. . . gold has been the symbol of wealth in all the civilizations that have arisen in
the past 10,000 years. The Assyrians; the Egyptian dynasties; the ancient empires
of India and China, Greece and Rome; the Incas and Aztecs; and all the other peoples
that have made a brave show on the pages of history have worshipped at the feet
of the Golden Calf. In modern times the hopeless depreciation of paper currencies
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has turned men back to gold for security wherever governmental action has not made
the holding of gold a crime. Throughout history men have toiled and fought for
3 "Who Has the Gold," E. and M.J., Vol. 149, No. 7, p 76.
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12
In spite of the tremendous influence of gold on mankind, for good and for bad,
all the gold that men have won from the earth in 10,000 years could be put in a room
48 by 40 by 20 ft. Less than a seventh of this gold has been destroyed or lost.
Estimating the total world production during this period as 1,616 million
ounces, Mr. Joralemon deduces that the nations and Central banks now
Gold
Silver
Country
Troy oz.
Country
Troy oz.
11,917,914
Mexico
43,263,132
Russia
6,500,000f
United States
21,103,269
Canada
2,807,643
Canada
12,676,928
United States
1,462,354
Peru
12,334,761
Australia
824,480
Russia
10,000,000t
587,000
Australia
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9,073,481
Rhodesia
544,596
Bolivia
6,106,165
Columbia.... .
437,176
Belgian Congo
5,047,666
Mexico
420,500
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Honduras
2,682,910
Belgian Congo
331,394
New Foundland
1,203,978
Chili.
230,521
1,107,827
Brazil ... . .
200,000f
Sweden
1,000,0001
Nicaragua
181,615
Spain
698,636
Peru ...
158,378
Salvador
313,180
HISTORICAL 13
group of members of the A.I.M.E. San Francisco Local Section and of the
value of both gold and currency and that it is possible to express the rela-
lines, they reach the interesting conclusion that the true currency price of
Although there are marw types of the gold standard, the gold standard may be
said to exist in any country in which prices of goods and the obligations of debtors
are usually expressed in terms of the value of a monetary unit consisting of a fixed
quantity of gold in a free market. The gold standard exists whenever the value of
gold in a free market is the actual standard, regardless of the machinen- b}r which
the standard is maintained and regardless of whether this machine^ operates auto-
matically or is managed.
Again we are reminded that a free market for gold is a form of free speech.
It gives the voter, the trader, the speculator a chance to pass judgment on
In view of all that has happened since 1934, a free gold market is the
It is proposed that, since no one can know what a proper basis for the
return to the gold standard should be, the practical way to find out is to
repeal the penalties on the possession of gold, permit all gold currently
find its natural price level. It would then be safe for the government to
open the doors of its mints and redeem at the statutory rate wherever
Prices paid for goods and services in paper currencies are undoubtedly determined
by many interrelated factors, but among them none is more specific in pushing
1948.
prices toward higher and higher levels than the vast increase in debts and monetary
There is nothing unorthodox in the situation in which the gold miners find them-
selves today. With wages and the prices of all materials required in the production
wise, and with shortages of both men and machinery to contend with as well, the
spread between the returns in paper dollars that must be accepted for gold in the
United States and the cost of producing it is rather painfully small for most pro-
have to some extent made the decline in profits less drastic in a few cases, but the
relief to be gained in this way in an industry already smoothly and efficiently oper-
ating is at best rather limited. Consequently we find the gold mines the country
over still far below the level of output and profits that formerly prevailed and still
struggling to overcome the special financial and physical hardships that were so
On the other hand, faith in the inherent value of gold seems stronger than ever,
even though the returns from mining are temporarily below the rate that makes the
ing and exploration in all the gold-bearing regions without apparent decline in en-
thusiasm and hope, and it is most clearly shown by the bold and immense expendi-
tures on deep shafts and large plants that are being made with confidence in new
enterprises on the extensions of the gold-bearing reefs of the Rand and on the newly
It would be most interesting to know at what price per ounce gold would circulate
freely with today's paper dollar. If such a price could be established by some
practical and empirical means, stabilization of the dollar at that level with complete
With this accomplished, adjustment of the various currencies of the world to gold
and the dollar would be a relatively easy way of correcting the fractions that are
A higher price of gold would no more influence domestic prices in dollars than
did the increase from $20.67 to $35 per ounce in 1934. But it would be an admission
legally impossible for their citizens to own gold except in the form of
ornaments.
If ,e volume of gold in the world fails to grow in step with the volume of the
lor the metal as r means of conserving values (through hoarding), or because of the
growing voIul - , paper promises, thereby reducing the availability of the metal
for free conv ' a, there remains but one way in which to restore that confidence
necessary to trade, namely, by facing reaMty in recognizing the decline in the pur-
chasing power of paper currencies through raising the value of gold in terms of those
depreciated tokens and encouraging the search for and production of gold and its
If we are not to return to the "dark ages," which were "dark" primarily because
the world's confidence in the integrity of its neighbours had disappeared and with
it the free exchange of goods, services, and ideas had come to a halt, we must break
this vicious circle. It has been suggested in certain well-informed quarters that the
first step in this direction should be the restoration of free coinage of gold by the
United States, as the only nation in a position to do so. The United States dollar
would then cease to be merely another paper token, and other currencies could be
accurately weighed against the dollar. Many of the uncertainties in the proposed
operations of the International Bank and Fund would be solved b}T this procedure,
in their opinion. With little or no claim to wisdom in the field of monetary policy,
Union Corporation, Johannesburg, saw no basis for fear over gold's future
nations will return to gold as rapidly as they can solve the emergency prob-
lems which have grown out of the war. Presuming that the Far East will
improve its economic status, he saw it as a market for nearly half the gold
democratic countries would soon make gold available to citizens and that
the financially weaker ones would find gold a necessary medium of exchange
remarking:
At the present price of the metal, gold will be produced in quantities sufficient
for a steady expansion, but not in any great abundance. Gold will presumabl}T be
added to the world's stock at a rate closer to 2 per cent than to 3 per cent per annum.
flotation plants maintain testing plants where the essential factors governing
carry out their own tests, a description of the general methods of conducting
SAMPLING
The value of any series of experiments depends entirely upon the kind of
sample of ore provided for the test. It must represent, wholly and com-
pletely, the character of the material that will be treated in the plant to.be
designed and constructed. If it does not, the tests will be useless or, worse,
misleading.
praisal of the need for sorting or its extent can be determined from a
laboratory sample, but it is essential that the test sample should represent
content and the proportions of barren material, wall rock, gangue, etc.
All these factors are important, since they determine the sizes of equipment
ment. These details are crucial and are essential parts of a complete
be done, the test sample should represent the ore after sorting.
the character the ore. Canadian custom at present is to ship from 500
lb. to 1 ton fc. Ottawa tests. Where the material is unusually uniform,
16
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EXAMINATION AND TESTING OF ORE 17
character of the sample for testing. Consideration should be given also the
ore bodies being mined, to alter the average of usual character of the mill
feed.
75D3
W=
% error)2 X
2 K, (wt. %ra)
dm
It is on gold ores carrying relatively coarse gold that the real problem
arises, because the wt. %m is low and the dm is high. In ore assaying
0.1 oz. per ton, the wt. %m = 4.2 X 10-4% dm = 10.3. Thus if such an
ore is to be sampled to 0.005 oz. ( = 5 per cent error) at 20 mesh, the sample
to be taken is
75 y c 833)3
size.
0.833
1 For the development of the above formula see Gaudin, I nciples of Mineral
Preliminary tests on this sample indicated that this material was very refractory.
Subsequent tests, in which the raw concentrate was reground to 325 mesh and
cyanided for a long period of time with a strong solution, failed to improve the ex-
traction materially. The lowest cyanide residue contained 0.33 oz. per ton. At
this stage in the investigation it was decided to submit a sample of the above residue
to the microscopical laboratory for the purpose of determining the form and manner
residues were briquetted, polished, and examined with the metallograph at high
magnification. ... It was noted that the gold occurred as metallic gold completely
encased in pyrite and that the size of the gold particles was about 1 to 3 microns.
Inasmuch as minus 325 mesh is about the present economic limit for grinding,
it was useless to proceed with further tests along the lines of finer grinding and
the intelligent use of the microscope saved much useless work by narrowing down
the lines of attack and pointing to a practical solution of the problem. In this case
either roasting prior to c}^anidation or direct smelting of the concentrate was defi-
nitely indicated.
Surface Contamination
The experience gained b}^ microscopic study of numerous gold ores and tailings
has shown that there are pronounced differences in the phArsical characteristics of
the minerals composing them, more especially of the gold. Repeated studies of
tailings from notation and cvyanidation of gold ores has established the fact that
surface contaminations on gold particles are often direct!}1, responsible for high gold
losses; comparison of gold particles isolated from flotation concentrates and the
resulting tailings have shown that the clean gold has been recovered and the tar-
clean gold has been taken into solution; but when the gold found in cyanide tailing
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has a tarnished or coated surface, one may infer, with a reasonable degree of cer-
tainty, that the clean gold has been extracted. This premise is supported by experi-
them to cyanide solution in small parting cups. In one such experiment, tarnished
gold particles picked from a cyanide tailing showed but slight evidence of dissolving
at the end of 27 days. In this test, a cyanide solution of 1.6 lb. per ton was used,
and the leach solution was decanted and renewed every 24 hr. The proof of cyanide
attack was manifested b}^ a noticeable thinning of the gold particles at the edges.
A rim of a substance that appeared to be gelatinous was visible at the edges of the
gold particles, and there is reason to believe that this material encased the entire
surface of the gold particles. It is not known whether the gelatinous film is of
secondary origin, resulting from a reaction between the cyanide and some substance
constituent of the surface contamination which has been made visible through the
plants treating gold and silver ores are of importance. Methods range from
minations.
The symbol stands for the logarithm of the reciprocal of the hydrogen-
ion concentration H+, and on this account the higher the numerical value
on the pH scale the smaller the number of free hydrogen ions in solution,
and vice versa. Furthermore, it will be noted that, since the relation-
neutral in its chemical reaction, which means that it is neither acid nor
alkali and that its number of H ions is equal to its content of OH ions.
It has also been determined by analysis that the degree of ionic dissocia-
determined as follows:
This pH 7.0 value is therefore the neutral point of the pH scale at 22C.
This neutral point rises and falls inversely with the temperature, and at
18C. it is 7.1.
gram ionizable hydrogen per liter, so that if completely ionized the solution
would contain 0.1 gram hydrogen per liter. From electrical measure-
ments, however, it is known that at 18C. only 91.4 per cent hydrochloric
acid is dissociated into ions. The balance remains in the solution as HC1
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molecules.
acid, whose 0.1 gram per liter ionizable hydrogen is dissociated only to the
extent of 1.36 per cent, has a pH of 2.86. In other words, 0.1N HC1 con-
tains almost 70 times the number of active hydrogen ions as O.liV acetic
carbonate (Na2C03) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH), which all have the
the intensity of the corrosive action, while total acidity by titration meas-
ures the amount of corrosion which will occur before the acid is exhausted.
largely used for this purpose is the LaMotte roulette hydrogen-ion com-
containers. Pieces are torn off, immersed in the solution, and the color
electrode. These instruments, which are made by the Leeds and Northrup
Pasadena, Calif., and others, are carried by all leading supply houses.
SIZING
Sieve Analysis. A sieve analysis of the ore will often supply informa-
tion of considerable value. This may start at about 20 mesh and include
the range of sizes to and including 325 mesh. A portion of each sieve
size should be examined under the microscope and assayed for gold and
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silver.
A sample also should be separated into a sand portion and a slime portion.
A series of such separations may be made, each starting with the ore crushed
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22 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
crushed so that it all passes a 20-mesh sieve. The material is then sepa-
into sand and slime fractions. Each fraction is weighed and assayed.
Another sample of the ore might be ground to pass 65 mesh, and a similar
separation made of sand and slime. Yet another separation might be made
on the ore ground to pass 150 mesh. In this way the distribution of the
the possibilities for separate treatment of sand and slime thus indicated.
alone, and later the possibility of leaching a portion of the ore can be
investigated.
grading tests on sieves finer than 325 mesh, some precise method is de-
(gold) and at Noranda (copper, gold, silver). Trials made with the Nobel
Trans. 112, A.I.M.E., 1934. The work was simplified by reason of sizing
establish five size zones of constant range below 325 mesh with this
elutriator.
Other types of elutriators are the Schultz and Schoene, which have cylin-
drical portions at the center, and the Andrews kinetic elutriator, in which a
column and from which settled sand can be withdrawn into a measuring
described in R.I. 2951 and R.I. 3333, U.S.B. of M. For a more detailed
An amount of sample containing about 100 grams minus 325 mesh material is
screened on a 200-mesh screen keeping the volume as small as possible. The minus
200-mesh pulp is then washed onto the 325 screen and the material on the screen
rinsed well (200 cc water or so) to remove fine slimes. If the material remaining
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on the screen is over 15 grams, it is divided into 15-gram portions and each portion
treated as follows:
Into a shallow pan, such as a gold pan, run enough water to submerge the bottom
of the screen. Lower the screen into this and jiggle so that the water wells up
through the screen. Raise and tap the screen. Continue to do this for 5 min. and
at the same time keep swishing the sand around on the screen so that it covers the
screen evenly. Dry and eigu the plus 200 and the plus 325. This gives a 44-micron
separation.
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EXAMINATION AND TESTING OF ORE
23
After 1- or 2-min. settling, the water can be decanted from the gold pan and the
residue washed into the main body of minus 325-mesh material. This is then allowed
to settle if over 2 liters or if much lime is present. The clear supernatant is de-
canted, and the thick pulp washed into a 2-liter beaker or battery jar. If the sam-
ple has ever been in a lime solution, the safest plan is to dilute up to 2 liters and
Mesh
12,000
6000
3000
1500
750
325
43
200
150
104
100
147
65
208
48
295
35
28
595
20
Dia., mi-
crons ....
1.25
2.5
10
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20
74
417
833
Temp. C.
0.281|
0.0188
0.075
0.300
1.200
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5.55
16.43
31.8
60
107
179
277
422
610
0.333|
0.0222
0.089
0.355
1.420
6.56
19.45
37.1
69
120
196
300
24 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
A min. tap the beaker again, lift carefully, and pour off the supernatant suspension
into the other 2-liter beaker. Pour off all the liquid. The +20-micron particles
should remain on the bottom of the beaker in a firm cake or at the most only slide
Time can be started on the 10-micron cut as the suspension is poured above. No
The +20-micron material is cleaned while the 10-micron cut is standing. A liter
of water is added to the residue in the beaker, 1 cc Na2Si03 added, and the solids
thoroughly stirred. Temperature and distance are measured, and the time for a
20-micron particle to settle calculated = A' min. At the end of A' min. the suspen-
sion is poured off into a 1-liter beaker. This is repeated twice more using the second
and third 1-liter beaker to receive the supernatant. These 1-liter beakers are placed
in line behind beaker 2 which is full of 20-micron pulp. The residual +20-micron
The 10- and 5-micron cuts are made in exactly the same manner as the 20, the
supernatant being poured off at the calculated times for 10 and 5 microns. The
suspension in the first 1-liter beaker is the first wash solution for the 10-micron cut,
and it is poured back into the same beaker after the wash, beaker 2 poured on, etc.
The wash solutions are suspended thoroughly before pouring onto the sludge so that
The separations may be carried down to 2.5 or even 1.25 microns if-desired, al-
though the times become excessive. Or the butting may be stopped at 10 microns.
The overflow from the finest cut is flocculated with A12(S04)3, filtered, dried,
and weighed.
The percentage of each size is figured on the basis of the total of the weights of
on the finished +20-micron partial, using four 1-liter portions of water with no
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dispersant. The supernatants are all poured into a common receptacle, settled a
half hour; the clear water decanted; and the residue dried and weighed as the +20-
micron fraction.
rp1 3 weight percentages of the micron cuts are reported and plotted at 90 per cent
oi their nominal diameter; e.g., the per cent in the 20-micron cut is reported as
per cent -44 microns +18 microns. The reason for this is that the cuts, even
with three washes; are not completely free from finer material but contain enough
of the finer sizes cor-failed after four decantations are shown in Table 3.
The rates g '' .Table 2 are for quartz spheres, density 2.65. As
25
417
Opening in millimeters
(b)
Fig. 3. Screen anah^sis of a typical classifier overflow plotted (a) on log probability
balance3 and the Bouyucous hydrometer. These and other related methods
analysis. The first (Fig. 3a) is a plot on log probability paper (No. 3128,
Codex Book Co., Inc., Norwood, Mass.) which has the advantage of expand-
ing the readings at the coarse end of the distribution line and makes it
accurately. In Fig. 3>4 the same analysis is shown on log log paper with
per cent cumulative minus the mesh weight values plotted against milli-
as shown.
For details one is referred to the publication of C.I.M. and M., Milling
TESTING PROCEDURE
order that the experimenter may become familiar with its general physical
in laying out the most effective testing program and may point to special
methods of attack should the ore not respond readily to simple methods
of cyaniding.
this sample will depend somewhat upon the amount of ore available, but it
need not exceed }i to 1 lb. If the ore is in lumps coarser than 1 in., exam-
ination may reveal the nature of the ore and gangue minerals, the degree of
portion of the ore minerals, and other pertinent information. The sample
low-power microscope. The amount and size of any elemental gold and
silver are noted, and the nature and amount of any sulphides or heavy
be sought. \ portion of the concentrate (or some of the crude ore) is given
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After being ground to a suitable size, the ore is now sampled for assay.
This size will depend upon several factors, such as the nature and amount
prevailing. The amount of analytical work done will depend upon the
extent of the testing work to be undertaken and will range from determina-
their nature.
tial that these be removed first from the head sample and separately weighed
procedure.
A known weight of, say, 500 to 1,000 grams is crushed to about 100 mesh
and then either panned or put over a laboratory jig for removal of metallic
gold. The tailings can then be dried and assayed in the usual way, while
the metallic gold recovered is calculated back on the basis of the weight of
cessful treatment process is the one that yields the greatest net profits.
a. Smelted.
5. Acid wash to remove soluble harmful constituents such as ferrous iron and
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copper compounds.
follows:
such different sizes as may seem desirable ' 20 gram sample of ore is
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28 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
put into a bottle with 100 cc water, 1 gram NaOH, and 30 to 50 grams mer-
cury. The bottles are placed on rollers and revolved for 1 to 2 hr. The
pulp is then panned, and the mercury separated. Pouring the partially
cleaned mercury from one clean beaker to another and washing with a strong
of sodium amalgam will be found useful in causing all the mercury globules
to coalesce. The tailings are dried and assayed. The mercury is dissolved
in nitric acid, and any remaining gold washed, dried, and wrapped in lead
foil with enough silver for parting and then cupeled. An alternative method
is to dissolve the mercury down to a small globule, which is then run di-
sodium beneath the surface of mercury. Care should be taken to see that
particularly when the ore contains much silver. Copper sulphate and
salt may be added to the pulp. The ore may first be given a chloridizing
roast.
roy the pulp is wet ground to various sizes, and the pulp at a dilution of
\}/2 to 1% in. per ft. Whenever possible, the strake should be not less
than 10 to 12 ft. long; the width is not so important. If for any reason it is
not possible to use such a length, or if the amount of ore is limited, some
idea of the effect of the strakes can be obtained by repeatedly passing the
The tailings are collected, weighed, and assayed. The blankets are
the concentrate, the blanket after being carefully washed should be burned
table may be used. For small lots of ore a gold pan or a small laboratory
jig such as the Denver mineral jig is convenient and gives reasonably good
Both concentrate and tailing can be tested with and without regrinding.
concentration.
If the ore contains much arsenic, the amount should be determined before
low amount, the calcine is reroasted with charcoal. The calcine may be
passed over blanket or corduroy strakes and then cyanided after removing
of gold chlorides, unless provision is made to recover them from the wash
water. While acid pretreatment has been used in a few cases, most careful
has been found beneficial. The maximum solubility of lime, CaO, in the
ordinary cyanide mill solution is about 2.5 lb. per ton of solution. How-
ever, as much as 50 to 100 lb. lime per ton of ore va^y be used, depending
In the latter case the work is best done at the mill itself, samples taken
directly from various points of the mill stream being used for comparison.
In this way it is possible to obtain a pulp that has been ground under operat-
ing conditions as well as to use the mill water, which may be of great im-
portance.
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When the tests are made to evaluate the application of the process to an
made certain that the ore used for experimentation is thoroughly repre-
of the water to be used in the mill should be obtained, and its effects noted.
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30 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
suspected. On this account, it is also desirable to ship and store the ore
testing.
One point that should always be kept in mind is the determination of the
proper place notation may fill in securing the maximum net profit from the
operator will keep them in mind as the work progresses, he will be enabled
maximum profit from the operation as a whole, and determine the proper
The first testing should be confined to an all-flotation method so that the experi-
menter can become familiar with the ore. Careful observation, coupled with ex-
perience in testing, will enable the operator to interpret the various phenomena.
generally true that, if the laboratory procedure follows sound operating practice,
the flotation-mill results will equal or surpass those attained in the laboratory.
desired. This is usually the case in copper ores when the copper occurs as one or
more of the sulphide minerals. Such ores generally contain more or less pyrite.
If the pyrite be present in such an amount that it would affect the grade of the con-
centrate, then differential methods of flotation are employed whereby the copper
metals are caused to float and the pyrite is prevented from floating.
Differential methods are also used in separating two or three minerals such as
galena and sphalerite or galena, sphalerite, and pyrite. When making differential
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separations, it is important to know the degree with which one mineral may be inter-
The distribution of the precious metals or their association with different base
metals should be determined, as this has an important bearing upon the net value
of the concentrate produced. For example, gold or silver associated with a lead
concentrate yields a greater net return than an equivalent amount in a zinc con-
centrate.
Within limits, the type of laboratory cell used is not a matter of great importance
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EXAMINATION AND TESTING OF ORE 31
fact that different operators using different types of laboratory machines with which
each has become familiar will arrive at practically the same procedure. The impor-
tant thing is to obtain a machine which is mechanically reliable and easy to clean
The amount of material taken for a test will be governed by the amount of ore
available, size of machine, amount of floatable material in the ore, and various
other factors. If the amount taken for a test is too small, any errors or effects of
manipulation are unduly magnified. On the other hand, if the amount is too large,
each test may consume too much timenot so much the actual flotation itself but
the grinding or other preparation of the pulp and the drying and sampling of the
products. Probably 500 to 1000 grams is the best all-round size of charge. If pos-
sible, however, several different sizes of machines should be available so that charges
of 50 to 2500 grams can be used if desired, and more latitude is permitted for cleaning
called for, the amount of pulp taken should be sufficiently large to allow the various
operations to be made and to ensure resultant products large enough for assay.
Broadly speaking, the reagents used in flotation may be divided into three classes.
Various writers on flotation extend the division, and the nomenclature differs some-
what. However, the three following classes are generally recognized and accepted
lime, soda ash, sodium silicate, sodium sulphide, sodium cyanide, sodium sulphate,
sodium bichromate, copper sulphate, and zinc sulphate, which are in general use.
2. Promoters or Collectors. Under this heading are found the various xan-
3. Frothers. This class embraces such compounds as the various pine oils,
It is not within the scope of this chapter to enter into a detailed discussion of
the effects and use of the many reagents used in flotation. To those unfamiliar
with the subject, the suggestion is made that they obtain from the manufacturers
or distributors of reagents data concerning their use. Then the}r should consult
described.
The U.S. Bureau of Mines, in cooperation with various mining companies, has
issued a number of technical papers covering in great detail the flotation operations
at most of the important milling plants in the United States. Publications of the
various mining and metallurgical societies and technical journals contain many
The amount of reagents used can be determined either by weight (dry reagent,
in equivalent pounds per ton (2000 lb.) of original ore even though the operation
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involved is a cleaning step involving only a small percentage of the original feed.
Lime is prepared as described under the sections on cyanide testing. Soda ash ma}'
weight and kept in a stoppered bottle. The moisture content should be checked
occasional^, as soda ash may absorb 15 to 18 per cent water and still appear quite dry.
Water-soluble salts such as zinc and copper sulphates and sodium c}^anide should
pettes. Xanthates are best used as 1 per cent solutions and freshly prepared each
day as needed.
dropper is used for each oil and is calibrated by weighing 10 or more drops. It is
droppers delivering different-size drops. This can be done by drawing out the tip
of the dropper to a capillary and then breaking it off to obtain a small orifice. In
this way it is possible to obtain a variation of 50 to 250 drops of pine oil per gram.
The determination of the pH value of the water of the pulp should always be made
for reference, and the effects of changing the pH noted. A good procedure is to
take a sample of the dry crushed ore and grind it with distilled water in a porcelain
jar mill with flint pebbles. The pulp is filtered, and the pH value of the filtrate
determined. At the same time the water is examined in more or less detail for
soluble salts.
few preliminary tests so that the operator has a fairly comprehensive idea of such
factors as degree of grinding, pH, reagents, and other pertinent data, two tests are
made. In the first one such conditioning reagents as may be required are added,
and then three or four successive froths are removed and kept separate, staged
additions of promoters and frothers being used. The several froths and the tailing
are dried, weighed, and assayed, and the distribution of the valuable mineral deter-
mined. All products should be examined under the microscope to obtain an idea
A comparative test is then made under the same conditions, but only one froth
is made, the same kinds and amounts of reagents being used as before. After the
tailing has been discharged from the cell and the cell cleaned, the froth is returned
and refloated. Further addition of reagents to this cleaning operation may or may
not be made; only the judgment and experience of the operator can determine.
This operation of cleaning the froth may be repeated as often as deemed necessary.
All products are finally dried, weighed, assayed, and examined as before.
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The information so obtained may then be studied for the purpose of arriving at
an idea of a possible flow sheet, and the advantages and disadvantages of the vari-
ous types of circuits may be determined. However, all such deductions should be
made with caution and regarded only as indicative of what to expect in plant practice.
As flotation tests progress, the operator will obtain an idea of the nature of the
results u-' * obtained by visual examination both of the froth and of the tailing.
The froth sample is readily obtained by scraping it on to the plaque. The tail-
ing or pulp sample may be drawn from the cell by means of a glass tube about }i in.
in diameter and 12 to 15 in. long, the ends of which have been closed sufficiently to
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hold the pulp after the operator has sucked it into the tube.
Complete notes on every test are essential. The operator should also record in
detail observations sue, ~ the character of the froth, the effect of each addition of
EXAMINATION AND TESTING OF ORE 33
months after a test has been made, the original experimenter or another can repeat
the test and obtain substantially the same results; by reading the notes he can get
After the tests have been completed and a formal report is written, all pertinent
data may be abstracted and assembled in a form designed to convey the necessary
With some ores the removal of the slime portion before flotation is extremely
float by usual methods, the effect of removing the slimy portion ahead of flotation
laboratory the usual method is to agitate the pulp thoroughly and then siphon off
the suspended portion at a rate corresponding to the settling rate of the largest
particle desired in the overflow. This may be repeated if two-stage operation seems
called for.
Sometimes a "mud" or a "talc" froth may first be removed b}r flotation. Such
froth will contain the greater part of the deleterious components with a negligible
amount of valuable mineral. The tailing from this operation will then generally
The removal of slime from a pulp often markedl}' improves differential separa-
tions, although the results may not economically justify the added step. Caution
After the laboratory work has revealed methods by which it is believed the ore
may be successfully treated by flotation, the work should be reviewed in the light
of the relationship of flotation to other phases of the entire milling process. There
is, for instance, the question of the economics of direct c^yanidation versus flotation
and c}ranidation of the concentrates only, and such studies involve man}r other phases
and other gold-saving devices), thickening, and filtering. In the case of ores con-
taining gold or silver it may be found that a combination of flotation and c}^aniding
may yield a greater net return than either one alone. The effect of the various
some means of wet grinding and a flotation cell. More complete equipment may
rods, steel balls and flint pebbles, several types and sizes of flotation e^lls, testing
will be no lost motion in conducting a test. If possible, all wet work should be done
on a table or bench covered with sheet zinc and sloping to a drain, so that any spills
agents and quantities commonly used in the flotation of gold ores of no particular
Addition agents:
Soda ash 0 50 to 3 0
Activating agents:
Promoters:
Aerofloat 15 0 05 to 0.15
Aerofloat 25 0 05 to 0 15
Aerofloat 31 0 05 to 0.15
Reagent 208 0 05 to 0 15
Reagent 301 . . 0 05 to 0 15
Thiocarbanilid .. 0 05 to 0 15
CYANIDE TESTS
Agitation Method
convenient to number the bottles and determine their tares, etching the
figures on the bottle by means of hydrofluoric acid and then marking over
bottle and contents and subtracting the tare. When the test is finished,
the solids are dried and weighed, and the amount of solution used may be
length, and mounted on bearings with their axes parallel. They are spaced
and the pulp is agitated. It is convenient to have a board set over the
ends of the rolls and et a right angle to their axes with a notch midway be-
tween the centers of the rolls to engage the neck of the Winchester bottle.
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6 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
other bottles 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, etc., lb. calcium oxide per ton solution is added.
The bottles are stoppered and agitated for 1 hr., after which the pulp is
the ore can be calculated. This procedure permits excellent control of the
regulator, not only giving greatest economy but at the same time enhancing
A 400-gram sample of this ore is weighed out and put into a bottle.
100 grams to 10 kilograms may betaken, bottles of suitable size being used.)
The next step is to add the lime. It will be assumed that preliminary
tests or other information indicate that the ore will require about 2.0 lb.
CaO (100 per cent basis) per ton for neutralization during the first hour of
agitation. This means that 400 grams will require 0.4 gram CaO. In
addition to the lime for neutralization, enough lime will be needed to bring
the solution to 0.025 per cent CaO. At a dilution of 2.5 to 1 there will be
1000 cc (or ml) of solution which, at 0.025 per cent CaO, will require 0.25
gram. The total lime to be added then is 0.40 + 0.25, or 0.65 gram. The
hydrated lime has been tested and found to contain 69.0 per cent available
Water is added next, and the amount is determined as follows: 400 grams
tion at 0.05 per cent NaCN contains 0.5 gram NaCN, equivalent to 50 cc
of the stock 1.0 per cent NaCN solution. Therefore, add 950 cc water.
The pulp is shaken in the bottle for a moment, and then 50 cc of the
readily by weighing bottle and contents if the tare of the bottle is known.
The bottle is now placed on the rollers and agitated, the time being
noted. At the end of a period varying from x/2 to 2 hr., depending upon
the rapidity with which the cyanide or the lime is consumed, the solution is
This is done by removing the bottle from the rollers and allowing the
pulp to settle until some of the supernatant solution can be drawn off in a
solution is filtered through a dry filter into a clean, dry beaker, and a sample
notes of a typical test will illustrate the method of calculating the con-
Ore400 grams.
Solution strength to be maintained at about 0.05 per cent NaCN and 0.025 per
cent CaO.
9:00 a.m.start
10:00 a.m.25 cc taken out for titration, giving 0.042 per cent NaCN, 0.022 per
cent CaO.
975 cc at 0.042 per cent NaCN = 0.41 gram NaCN; 1000 cc of solution should
contain 0.50 gram NaCN; therefore, add 0.09 gram NaCN or 9 cc 1 per cent NaCN
975 cc at 0.022 per cent CaO = 0.21 gram CaO; 1000 cc of solution should contain
0.25 gram; therefore, add 0.04 gram 100 per cent CaO or 0.04/0.69 = 0.058 gram
hydrated lime.
1:00 p.m.25 cc taken out for titration, giving 0.048 per cent NaCN and 0.02
necessarjr. The protective alkalinity, however, is lower than desired and is raised
as follows:
975 cc at 0.02 per cent CaO = 0.195 gram CaO. This amount subtracted from
0.250 gram (1000 cc at 0.025 per cent) = 0.055 gram; therefore, 0.055/0.69 or 0.08
gram hydrated lime is required. As the pulp ma}?- be expected to continue to con-
sume lime for the next few hours, a slight excess over the theoretical amount may
be added, sa}^ a total of 0.10 gram. Then, 25 cc of water is added to bring the vol-
9:00 p.m.25 cc taken out for titration, giving 0.045 per cent NaCN and 0.023
and 0.25 - 975 X 0.00023 = 0.026 gram CaO. As the pulp is now to be left to agi-
tate overnight without further attention, add slightly more than these amounts
to take care of consumption, say 0.08 gram NaCN or 8 cc 1.0 per cent solution and
0.05 gram hydrated lime. Also added 25 minus 8 or 17 cc water to bring the solution
9:00 a.m.finish of 24-hr. agitation. The solution titrates 0.049 per cent NaCN
0.67 0.524 = 0.146 gram NaCN consumed by 400 grams ore. This is equivalent
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
to 0.146 X 5 = 0.73 lb. 100 per cent NaCN per ton ore.
38 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
0-050 gram hydrated lime 1000 cc at 0.023% CaO = 0.23000 gram CaO
1148 0.24625
0 792 - 0.246 = 0.546 = gram CaO consumed by 400 grams ore. This is equivalent
to 0.546 X 5 = 2.73 lb. of 100 per cent CaO per ton of ore.
mined figure, some experimenters prefer the more simple method of not
with a solution high enough in cyanide and lime so that at the end of the
ever, is open to objection on the ground that the solution may be too strong
at the beginning and too weak at the end, and these conditions may lead
to erroneous deductions.
tion of cyanide and lime, several series of tests may be outlined in which
and others).
tests.
Addition Agents. With certain ores it may be found that the addition of
form of litharge, as the nitrate or as the acetate, and mercury as the metal
It is always worth while to make parallel tests with and without one of
added to 400 to 1000 grams of ore is ample. In practice, probably less than
Y^ lb. of litharge per ton of ore is generally enough. As the effect of litharge
may vary greatly T Jth the amount used, it is of great importance to deter-
it and its vapors are extremely poisonous, due care should be used in its
a parallel test of the same low alkalinity but without the bromocyanide
The usual method of making the reagent for laboratory use is to add a strong
solution of cyanide to bromine (and not conversely) until the brown color is just
discharged:
acidifying with hydrochloric acid, adding an excess of potassium iodide and titrating
The BrCN is added to the cyanide solution to be used for extraction purposes
change of solution upon the extraction (rate and amount) and the chemical
marily upon the dilution of pulp during agitation and the dilution to which
the pulp will settle after standing a short time. It is preferable to remove
mind.
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large-scale milling practice. Actual size reduction of tue ore can be dupli-
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
40 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
This is not to say that grinding in cyanide solutions should not be per-
done. But the data thus gathered should be weighed with mental reserva-
grind in water, classify to desired sizes, and settle. Then cyanide solution
and lime are added to make up a solution of the desired strength. This
pulp may be then agitated for a time, Y2 to 1 hr., to check the approximate
thickened to the dilution at which the agitation and aeration are to take
place.
Cyclic Use of Solution. After preliminary batch tests have indicated the
out. The important point here is the reuse of the solution. It may be
found that fouling of the solution takes place and its efficacy diminishes to
may under certain circumstances take place in the ore pulp before the
solution is separated from the solids. The most frequent cause is the
that pyrite and pyrrhotite in the presence of low free cyanide concentra-
A suitable test is to agitate 500 grams of the ore with a pregnant solution
contained in 500 grams of the ore. It was found, for instance, in the case of
one ore tested by this method that 85 per cent of the gold was precipitated
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Percolation Method
In cases where fine grinding is not necessary to liberate the gold values, it
is often possible to classify the coarsely ground ore into a sand and slime
product (at, say, at mt 200 mesh) treat the former by so-called percolation
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
EXAMINATION AND TESTING OF ORE 41
leaching and the latter by the agitation method that has been described
above.
left open, while the lower end is provided with a rubber stopper fitted with
Several shallow drainage slots radiating from the center are cut on the face
of the stopper, a circular piece of light cotton filter cloth slightly larger in
diameter than the stopper is placed over the slots, and the stopper inserted
into the tube. The filter cloth will wedge between the stopper and sides
of the tube and be held firmly in place. The end of the outlet tube, which is
placed on a shelf above the bench and having a large outlet hose the end of
which is submerged below the solution level in the tube. As the level
drops, air is admitted to the bottle and enough solution flows out to sub-
In carrying out a test, the tube is filled to a depth of about 24 in. with
the deslimed sand, and the feed bottle filled with about 2 liters cyanide and
lime solution of known strength. The outlet clamp is closed, and the
solution run into the percolation tube to a level about 6 in. above the
surface of the ore. The end of the inlet hose is fixed at about this level.
The outlet clamp is then adjusted to give a flow of 5 to 10 cc per min. into
the effluent collecting bottle. Under the constant head, and if the slime
content of the sand is low, there is little difficulty in maintaining this flow,
When all the solution has run through (at the end of 4 to 8 hi\, depending
on feed rate), the charge should be allowed to aerate for some time, while
the effluent solution is titrated for cyanide and lime content and made up
the end of which time one or two water washes are applied and the sands
marks as follows:
One of the principal difficulties in such percolation tests lies in the fact that
the charge is so much shallower than a working charge that there is not sufficient
head to overcome the capillarity of the interstices, so that, even with sand coarse
enough to percolate very rapidly, the level of solution will not fall much below the
level of the sand. The result of this is that the charge is not aerated (as it is in
practice), by the air following the solution down into the interstices, between each
wash. This may be overcome by applying a vacuum under the filtering medium
after the solution has ceased to percolate by gravity. In this way the residual
solution is drawn off and the air follows it down. The charge should then stand
for several hours before the next wash is applied. This procedure is more impor-
tant than it may seem, since a difference in extraction of 20 to 30 per cent has been
in some instances observed according to whether the vacuum was applied or not.
PRECIPITATION
tation of gold in pregnant cyanide solutions has been adopted by the Ore
Pinch-cock
Rubber stopper
Canada.)
(see Fig. 5). Flask A is for evacuation of air from the pregnant solution,
flask B is for precipitation, and flask C is for the barren solution. These
flasks are connected in series by tubing and are airtight. The "barren-
Buchner filter is connected to a suction, and three sheets of filter paper are
placed on the perforated bottom of the filtering funnel. The filter paper
is covered with a layer of asbestos. The latter is packed down and then
piece of glass is placed on top of the layers below the opening in the rubber
stopper; this prevents the solution entering the filtering apparatus from
along the walls of the flask, thus exposing a larger surface area and also a
thin layer of solution to the vacuum. When the air has been evacuated
froth caused by the agitation), the flask is turned over and the solution
passed into the "precipitation" flask B, in which has been placed a known
amount of zinc dust, and agitated for 15 min. At the end of that time, the
E and the connection broken between the two flasks. The glass tube D
connecting flasks B and C is pushed down to the bottom of the flask, and a
small amount of air is admitted into the flask B by means of the pinchcock
E. This lowers the vacuum in flask B, and the solution passes through the
which are known to give very low barren solutions in mill practice.
are relatively simple and are briefly described below. However, detailed
A = 1.333QF - D)
R X sp. gr.
The zone requiring the greatest unit area is found by applying this formula
density. It is this zone which determines the area that must be provided
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for the pulp being tested. It is important that settling tests to determine
the size of equipment for a cyanide circuit be carried out in cyanide and
lime solution, following the actual period of agitation desired and using the
directly upon the period of detention required for the sludge to reach the
desired density: ,
where V = volume in cubic feet required for thickening per ton of solids per
24 hr.
period
in line settling and a fairly clear overflow. In some cases, however, addi-
tional lime or other flocculating reagent must be added, and among these,
tests using this reagent the authors8 of an A.I.M.E. technical paper state:
can be prepared either by heating under pressure in the range of 100 to 160C. or
can be produced with a 2.5 per cent solution of commercial NaOH. Starch reagent
paste with thorough mixing and diluting. Any starch can be used to prepare a
heat alone will retain their properties for 3 days. Causticized solutions retain their
properties for 2 weeks or longer. The use of these flocculating reagents appears
laboratory filter tests and the deductions gained therefrom. The condi-
tions were an ore pulp of 42 per cent moisture content, filtered on a leaf
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. of 0.5 sq. ft. capacity at room temperature. The objective was a rea-
sonably dry cake with maximum capacity and a filter to handle 100 tons
45
Conditions
Cloth used
Feed volume, cc
Vacuum, in
Vacuum, in
Cake quality
Cake thickness, in
Cake removal
Test
213
Twill 26
1000
650
500
400
2M
25
25
. 25
25
2M
1
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18
20
23
25
Cracked
Slightly
Slightly
Good
cracked
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
cracked
J*
Ji
Satisfactory
1115
725
560
458
21
22
23
23
880
566
423
357
6%
1M
CHAPTER III
Coarse Crushing
Methods for the coarse crushing of ore range from a simple combination of a
crusher is the most suitable primary machine, yet many gyratories do the first
secondary and tertiary crushing, gyratories and cone crushers are used, the
latter particularly for final reduction, but this can also be done by rolls, which
crushers, magnets for picking up loose iron and steel, and devices for weighing
the ore.
The problem of ore comminution involves equipment that will handle the
large pieces of rock resulting from mining operations and turn out a prod-
uct of the relatively small particle size necessary for successful gold extrac-
tion. This size reduction is almost always carried out in two successive
steps; coarse crushing (dry) followed by fine grinding (wet). Dry crushing
is seldom carried below about J^-in. particle size, experience having shown
recipi matingis suitable for the first stage, but thereafter the trommel or
screen is more positive in its separation. Few trommels are used, except
46
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COARSE CRUSHING
47
shell with inner sides inclining toward a central orifice. A central shaft
passes vertically through this opening and is hung centrally from a spider,
which spans the opening at the top. This shaft is eccentrically moved at
the bottom and is equipped with a conical crushing head, which operates
between the inclined sides of the shell, crushing rock between the head and
6'5 67 68 69
established on the basis of the largest size of rock to be crushed and the
borne in mind that the product of the gyratory is much more uniform in
Cone crushers are a modification of the gyratory type in that the conic?1
supported entirely from below. The top crushing mantle is sr in " -'"""*
to take care of tramp iron and overloads, and the clearance i, c i the
Nordberg Manufacturing Co. makes the Symons standard cone crusher for
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Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
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Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
COARSE CRUSHING
49
FEEDING CRUSHERS
There are roughly four periods in the normal cycle of coarse crushing
where feeders are not employed: (1) The breaker receives a large charge of
ore, (2) operates under choke feed with the power at a maximum, (3)
gradually discharges the crushed ore, and (4) runs empty. This is not the
done by means of a feeder or gate to the bin above the machine or by a heavy
little head space. The objective is to ensure a regular feed to keep the
crusher steadily occupied and thus flatten the power curve. Figure 8
A typical Ross chain feeder consists of six lengths weighing 5}i tons.
The feeder is driven by a 5-hp. motor through a bronze worm reducer, with
CRUSHING PRACTICE
First Stage
4- to 6-in. pieces before being hoisted to the surfav. Tne same scheme
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Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
50
pine, where the underground crushers make about a minus 7-in. product.
rado Springs, treating Cripple Creek and other ores, a 5^-ft. Symons
cone crusher is fed with ore of 3)^ to 4 in. maximum size which has passed
delivers the grizzly oversize to an 18- by 30-in. jaw crusher set at 3 in.
At the Ross shaft of the Homestake mine, the primary crushing is done
Second Stage
crushers.
crusher (see Fig. 11) set at %6 m-> crushes material from the mine breaker.
ore from the first crusher, combined with the undersize of a grizzly above
it, is passed over two Symons 4- by 8-ft. rod deck screens, the oversize of
%4-in. pn luct. Each is driven by a 225-hp. motor and V belt and consumes
172 hp.
At the Premier mine, British Columbia, 3-in. ore from the primary
breaker passes over a Niagara screen with 1-in. openings. The oversize
At the Ross shaft oi t.u, ; ^stake mine, the 4^-in. ore from the pri-
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COARSE CRUSHING 51
mary breakers passes over a grizzly to two 7-ft. Symons cone crushers, set
Third Stage
fed direct to stamps, rod mills, or ball mills, but it is more usual to use a
third dry crusher to reduce the ore to )^- or %-in. size before wet crushing,
particularly in the case of ball milling. For such work the Symons short-
head machine is well suited, just as the standard machine is for coarser
reduction.
CANADIAN PRACTICE
surface bins. From there it is fed to a 7-ft. Symons cone crusher after
passing over a double-deck screen that removes 13^-in. undersize from the
crusher feed. The product of this crusher plus the product of all other
crushing units in the plant is then conveyed to the secondary screens which
are situated at the top of the building. These 6- by 14-ft. vibrating screens
separate out the 4^- by 7Ae-m. undersize for storage in a 200-ton bin, from
which point it is fed by roll feeders into six 5- by 10-ft. tertiary screens that
make a final undersize (^6 by Yi in.) for transfer to the mill bin. The
head crusher set at % in., and the oversize from the tertiary screens crushed
in a set of 78- by 20-in. rolls set at %6 in. Both machines are closed-cir-
cuited with the secondary screen, and in this respect the flow sheet differs
The crushing plant has a maximum capacity of 440 tons per hour and
carries a circulating load of about 2:1 over the final screens and 1200 to
1400 tons per hour over the secondary screens. The plant is completely
equipped for dust control with some 40,000 cu. ft. per min. of air dra^ -
through the cyclones, and 60,000 cu. ft. per min. of air through roof vents.
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possible to attempt to heat this building in the winter, and thei\ "is only a
The mine ore is first crushed underground to about 7-in. size, then hoisted
Vibrating feeder
Vibrating feeder
Vibrating feeder
It T~"
i" ? "~
(Oversize) (Undersize)
II
J-}
jzi r
(Oversize) (Undersize)
Belt feeder
Fig. 10. Flow sheet of crushing plant. (Hollinger Consolidated Gold Mines, Ltd.,
Ontario, Canada.)
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
COARSE CRUSHING
53
to the surface and stored in a 700-ton ore bin. From here it is fed to a
standard 7-ft. Symons cone crusher which discharges to two Symons rod
deck screens with the 3^-in. slots set transversely to the flow of ore. These
having %g- by %-in. openings. The oversize passes to the fourth stage
to the screens, while the undersize passes to the mill bins. See Table 5
Mine ore
TT
(Oversize) (Undersize)
(Oversize)
\..
(Undersize)
To mill bins
Fig. 11. Flow sheet of crushing plant. (Mclntyre Porcupine Mines, Ltd., Ontario,
Canada.)
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
Hadsel Mill. The Hadsel mill (see Fig. 12) is a new type of wet-
buckets. As the wheel revolves, the buckets lift the rock to the top of
the mill where it is dropped onto stationary breaker plates. The or* is
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thus crushed by its own impact on the plates. Ore as large as 12 in. is
The following notes are quoted from the article "Three Years of Operation
with a Hadsel Mill" by George A. Bell.. E. and M.J., Vol. 141, No. 1, p. 32,
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
54
\BLE 5.
Sieve
Analysis of
7-ft.
standard
Symons*
5H-ft.
Traylor rolls
Hummer
vibrating
screens
short-head
Symons
Feed,
Per
Cent
Dis-
charge,
Per
Cent
Feed,
Per
Cent
Dis-
charge,
Per
Cent
Feed,
Per
Cent
Dis-
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charge,
Per
Cent
Feed,
Dis-
charge,
Per
Cent
Per
6
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
m.
22.4
Cent
-6
4i
in.
17.1
-4
LEL.
26.1
0.8
1.7
-2
1.5
in.
5.8
1.7
4.0
COARSE CRUSHING
55
1. The mill is ideal for crushing wet and stick}- ores in one stage.
2. The mill is mechanically sound and will crush to any desired size of ball-mill
feed efficiently.
3. Operating cost per unit of actual work is less than with standard machines.
When ore in mining becomes diluted by country rock because of narrow stopes
which is distinguishable from the ore, sorting and rejecting the worthless rock
may be economical. This is done in a casual manner at some small mines and
on a large scale at others, as was the case at Alaska-Juneau (4-0 per cent re-
jected), or covering whole districts, as at Kolar, India (10 per cent), and on the
Rand (9 per cent). Sorting at a gold or silver mine may mean its existence, as
at the Alaska-Juneau, or it may result in lower costs because less ore is crushed
and treated to recover the same amount of gold, as at Cripple Creek, at Kolar,
The place at which sorting will be done is mainly dependent upon the
size of the mine-run ore. If the ore is not in too big chunks, the sorting
belt may be placed below the grizzly or trommel to receive the oversize
after it has been sprayed with water. The grizzly undersize is transported
direct to the storage bin. If mine-run ore is in too large pieces, it should
be broken to 4- to 7-in. size, sprayed, and then fed to the sorting belt. The
wash water containing the fine material sometimes carries enough gold to be
worth saving; therefore provision should be made for sampling and assaying
EXAMPLES OF SORTING
been accepted practice for many years on the Witwatersrand. Low labor
cost and the peculiar structure of the "banket" ore are both contributing
factors. In some plants tube-mill pebbles as well as reject rock are re-
moved from the belts and delivered to separate bins, while other plants
merely pass the rock after sorting to grizzlies or trommel screens, where
6-in. oversize is separated out as grinding media and the undersize passes
There has been little change in the last 10 to 15 years in the established method
of removing waste rock from slow-moving conveyor belts feeding the primary (and
56
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SORTING AND SAMPLING
57
possibly secondary) fine crushers. On most plants ore passing through jaw breakers
set at, say, 5 in. and retained on grizzlies (or screens) set at between 2 and 3> in.
15 per cent of the ore delivered), it is usual to arrange for two sets of sorting belts,
one carrying minus 5 in. plus 3 in. material and the other minus 3 in. plus 2 in. The
admixture of these sizes is, obviously, detrimental to intensive sorting, but where
sorting of waste rock is not important, the capital cost of installing additional
'Time studies" of the efficiencies of native sorters have been carried out on
most mines with some measure of individual improvement, but efforts in this direc-
tion are largely nullified by the fact that often only poor quality or transient labor
is allocated to this work, whilst the sortability of ore varies widely. In general,
it may be accepted that under normal conditions natives sorting coarse waste can
average about 10 tons per 8-hr. shift, falling to well below 5 tons per shift under
Purely from the angle presented to the metallurgist, benefication of the ore to
the mill still seems profitable. Assuming a total cost of metallurgical treatment
of 2s 9d per ton with a residue value Is 9d (0.20 dwt.), it appears worth while to
discard waste rock valued at 3s (0.35 dwt.) at a cost for sorting and dumping of
pletely acceptable today. Native labor is in short suppty, and a number of reduc-
tion plants are working below capacity; possibly, more mines could now profitably
take in waste rock yielding, say, 80 per cent extraction of 0.35 dwt. or 2s 4d per ton.
Thus, under present and forecast conditions of shortage of man power, one is in-
clined to wonder if the continuance of waste sorting on some producing mines can
be justified, also if the capital cost of providing for waste sortingconveyor belts,
3-ft. Tyrock double-deck screens, with 3-in. round hole openings on the
top deck and l^-hi. square mesh screen on the bottom deck. The under-
size of these screens goes directly to the mill bins, and the oversize to
The +3-in. oversize of the top deck, which ranges in size up to 14 in.,
is washed and sorted on five 36-in. wide by 118-ft. long belts, from which
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waste and primary tube-mill pebbles are sorted. The oversize of the
lower deck passes to two similar belts from which waste and secondary tube-
The washing is done by sprays on the lower end of the sorting belts, using
525 gal. per min., and drainage from the belts or washing fines are de-
watered in two simplex Dorr classifiers with rake product going to the
mill bins and overflow 84 per cent minus 200 thickened in two intermittent
settling tanks, from which the thickened pulp is pumped to Ihe secondary
The sorting belts run at 25 ft. per min., and on an average 40 native boys
pick about 60 tons per hour of waste and tube-mil1 pe ' .946 the
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
58 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
waste amounted to 2.05 per cent of the crude ore and had an average value
of 0.152 dwt. per ton. The cost was 13.06d (21.8 cents) per ton of waste.
handle the mill tonnage (225 tons per day) in 8 hr. The ore from the
The fines drop to an 18-in. conveyor belt, and the oversize to a 36-in.
done under fluorescent light. The average production per day in 1945
was 209 tons, of which 35 tons was sorted to waste. The total cost per
sorting plant and the inevitable loss of some gold value, however small, in
the rock discarded must be balanced against the saving in milling cost
Lord in "Milling at Preston East Dome," CM J., August, 1941, gives the
following formula:
Tons milled = A
Tons mined = A + B
Grade mined = m
Grade sorted = p
Grade milled = -.
J m(A + B) pB
2 To obtain the above formula we have that the gold recoverable from the total
ore hoisted is mx(A + B) and that the gold recoverable from the material sorted
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out is ypB.
Then for tb" ore reaching the mill the gold recoverable is xm(A + B) - ypB
out of the totaled reaching the mill which is m(A + B) - pB. This makes the
mx(A + B) ypB
m(A 4- B) - VB
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
SORTING AND SAMPLING 59
Without sorting:
xmA xm
With sorting:
BE
Cost of milling = AD
Recovery = X X A
m{A + B) - pB A
= xm(A + B) ypB
= CU + B) + BE + AD + (ypB - BD)
xm(A + B) - ypB
Then the maximum value of material that can be discarded without increasing
C + D CA + CB + BE + AD - (ypB - BD)
V=
Example:
SORTING BY SINK-FLOAT
As yet not applied to the sorting of gold ores, this method is extensively
used for the elimination of low-grade material in the treatment of coal and
various "metallic" and "nonmetallic" ores.3 Based simply upon the prin-
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intermediate between that of the desired "sink" and rejected "float," the
between the specific gravity of the ore constituents. Ordin fly as applied
today, the method will handle minus 2-in. plus He-'m. feed'(occasional*
fine as 10 mesh), but improved methods are under development which may
Receiving bins
(Undersize)
No. I unit
7~r
Magnetic pulley
4'x6'Vibrating screen
~, '"TV
(Undersize)
(Oversize)
,I
5'/2 Standard
Symons crusher
(Oversize)
{1
No. 2 unit
,~~r~
J~
Magnetic pulley
(Oversize)
(Undersize)
.I
4 Standard
Symons crusher
" 1
42 Vezin cutter
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3/4 Cut
'/4 Cut
i'
1/5 Cut
4/5Cut
>/5 Cut
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
Jones riffle
%Cut
15 lb. sample
Dryer
~\
Bucking room
crushed to pass
150 mesh
made
(2) To shipper
Q) To umpire
(?) To reserve
The principal reason why gold ores have not thus far been handled by
this method lies no doubt in the fact that it is rare to find coarsely mineral-
ized gold ores in which the values are highly concentrated in a heavy fraction
Cyanamid Company, Ore Dressing Notes Numbers 12, 13, and 14.; and
SAMPLING MILLS
ple of the ore passing through a treatment plant. Some of these are
Sees. 19-54). For the sampling of large tonnages, however, and especially
where custom ore is being milled, special equipment is provided for the
purpose. The method used involves crushing the ore to a certain size which
depends upon the size of cut to be taken, taking a relatively large cut with
on, until a few hundred pounds of final sample is obtained, all the rejects
Colorado Springs, which handles mine and dump ore from the Cripple
Creek district of Colorado. A flow sheet showing the steps in the sampling
filing _-o.
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CHAPTER V
Fine Grinding
Fine grinding is the last step in the reduction of an ore prior to concen-
the type of ore and the amount of reduction required. In addition, some of
the older properties continue with methods that perhaps are not considered
IX.
EQUIPMENT
Most of the tonnage milled today is ground in one of the following types
mills, and stamps. Chilean mills and Huntington mills are used only in
flat or conical ends with balls, pebbles, or rods used as grinding media are
included here.
Ball Mills. The term "ball mill" is generally used to refer to a cylindri-
cal mill whose length is less than, equal to, but not much greater than its
by using it in closed circuit with a classifier its use has been extended for
fine grinding.
Ball mills have shells of cast iron or steeel plates and are carried on
Ball miKs may h ^itrarily classified into two types, according to the
out the world. Low level mills a^ typified by the Allis-Chalmers and
62
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FINE GRINDING
63
Marcy (see Figs. 14 and 15) grate-discharge mills. The discharge end is
fitted with grates; between the grates and the end of the mill are radial
lifters which act as a pump to lift the discharge to the hollow trunnion.
Combinofiion
feeder
Note: /^--{-
Fig. 14. Allis-Chalmers ball granulator in closed circuit with Dorr duplex classifier.
4- or 5-in. balls are more commonly used for ball-mill grinding. A much
must be given to the ability of the steel shell to withstand the greater
loading.
Approximate ball loads can be estimated by assuming 300 lb. per cu. ft.
of ball volume and a total load equivalent to 40 to 45 per cent of the mill
volume. Rod loads average about 40 per cent of mill volume, and a
figure of 400 to 425 lb. per cu. ft. of rod volume should be taken.
Experience indicates that rods are superior to balls for feeds in the range from
}>i- to 1 in. maximum when the mill is not called upon to finish at sizes finer than 14
mesh. Balls are superior at coarser feed sizes or for finishing 1-in. feeds to 28 mesh
of grind or finer because the mill can be run cataracting and the large lumps broken
by hammering.
In an operating mill a seasoned charge, containing media of all sizes from that of
the renewal or replacement size down to that which discharges automatically, nor-
mally produces better grinding than a new charge. It is inferred from this that a
charge should be rationed to the mill feed, i.e., that it should contain media of sizes
best suited to each of the particle sizes to be ground. . . . Usual practice is, how-
ever, to charge a new mill with a range of sizes, based on an assumed seasoned load;
thereupon to make periodic renewals, at various sizes dependent upon the character
of the circulating load, until optimum grinding is obtained; and thereafter to make
A coarse feed requires larger (grinding) media than a finer feed. . . . The smaller
the mesh of grind the smaller the optimum diameter of the medium. This rela-
tionship is attributed to the fact that fine product is produced most effectively by
surface, i.e., with small balls. A practical limitation is imposed by the tendency for
balls that are too small to "float" out of the mill and by the high percentage of rejects
The usual materials for balls are chilled cast iron and forged steel, for rods, high-
carbon steel, (0.8 to 1.0 per cent carbon) all more or less, alloyed. . . . Mild steel
rods are unsuitable for the reason that they bend and kink after wearing down to a
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certain minimum diameter and snarl up the whole^ rod load. The hardened steel
rods break up when they wear down and are removed at about 1 in. or left in an
Liners
All rotary mills must be fitted with some kind of replaceable liners.
isteel, manganese steel, and white iron are generally used. Shapes
also common. These liners have pockets in which the balls become
Rubber liners have been tried experimentally but have not been adopted
holding the liners in place was worked out, utility was limited to fine
feeds and small balls, mill capacity was reduced, and while a slightly
liners, there was no indication that possible increased wear for rubber
Silex liners with flint pebbles for grinding media are sometimes used
Grinding Action. The grinding that takes place in mills of this type
In rod mills there is line contact between the rods, there is less grinding
balls supplied be large enough to break the largest particles of ore in the
sizes, which is the condition found in a mill that has been operating for
Assuming that the correct grinding media has been established, the net
3 This refers to the power the motor draws less the enei -st in gear, bearing
friction, and air resistance. Grinding studies at the T'ake ore mill confirm the
findings of other investigators that horsepower input varies as the 2.6 power^
of the mill volume. If the charge is too large, its center of gravity shifts
too near the axis of the mill and the power input falls.
The speed of the mill is limited by what is known as the "critical speed."
This is the speed at which (assuming no slippage) the charge starts to cling
76.50
N=V3
The size of the discharge opening governs the amount of pulp held in the
mill, and too large a pulp volume reduces the power input for the reason
discussed above.
per cent, the principle being to keep the volume percentage of solids as high
of water present will depend on the kind of ore being handled, slimy ores
in general requiring a higher dilution than ores that have a low slime
content.
The size of mill required for a specific grinding problem will depend on
the character and size of the feed and the product desired and whether open-
grinding to 48 and 100 mesh for several size mills. Connected horsepower
is also shown. These figures are for what would normally be considered
a hard, tough ore which is highly resistant to grinding, and for this reason
considerable thought has in recent years been given to methods for de-
ability tests are a regular part of the testing procedure of the Dorr Company
69
pass the limiting screen size by one passage through the mill. It was
found, however, that if sufficient time of contact between the ore and
produced. This meant that the ore was ground much finer than necessary
Tab
le 6. Mill Capacities
Type
Size of millf
48 mesh grind,
Connected
horsepower
Approx.
grinding
%-in.
feed
1/2-in.
feed
H-in.
feed
H-in.
feed
charge,
tons
Cylindrical ball
mills
4 by 3 ft.
25
100
30
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120
10
20
72
20 to 30
60 to 75
2.0
6.5
5 by 6 ft.
35
7 by 6 ft.
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320
360
125
200
150 to 175
12.0
8 by 6 ft.
500
600
200
300
200 to 225
17.5
9 by 8 ft.
1000
1200
350
536
375 to 400
32.0
Conical ball
4^ft. by 16 in.
70 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
ratios are now being carried to 4:1 or higher. The direct result of the
" Classification."
of circulating load. The term used by most millmen is the ratio of sand
If the mill-classifier circuit is fed into the classifier instead of into the
mill, the sand contains oversize from the original feed as well as oversize
from mill discharge, and thus the definition is not entirely accurate.
Circulating-load ratio =
s a
Circulating-load ratio = 7
s a
ing-load ratio for several size screens and discard any that appear out of
Flow Sheets
There are many types of flow sheets in use today. The tendency in
in closed circuit with classifiers are used for grinds coarser than 48 mesh,
but when a finer product is desired, two stages of ball mills in closed
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With the large classifiers used for high circulating loads it is quite often
Rod mills are used to some extent for relatively coarse grinding, and the
trend today is to use them in open circuit for the primary grinding stage.4
In North America stage grinding is often carried out with ball mills as
primary grinders and tube mills for fine grinding in the second stage.
Stamp mills were built to parallel the operation of a mortar and pestle,
working continuously and on a large scale. Ore is fed into a mortar and is
crushed by the dropping of the stamp on a die at the bottom of the mortar.
The crushed ore discharges through a screen in the side of the mortar.
The shoe that forms the wearing surface on the dropping stamp is
The most highly developed mill of this class is called the "California
practice as late as 1935 describes the primitive type of stamp mill from
Milling was done in unique, crude wooden stamp mills developed by the ingenious
shoes, several bolts, and a few nails) these molinos Antioquenos have a stamp duty of
approximately 0.4 tons per 24 hr. They are powered by overshot water wheels,
the mill. Up to 56 drops per minute can be obtained with a water-wheel speed of
14 r.p.m. The stamps, 6H by 7lA in. by 14 ft. in dimensions, weigh 450 to 500 lb.
including the cast-iron shoe. The mills are usually built with three stamps to the
mortar box and as many as three sets (nine stamps) per mill. Battery-box screens
are usually made of tin from 5-gal. gasoline cans perforated with a small nail. Stamp
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guides, cams, and the hardwood camshaft bearings are lubricated with beef tallow.
^ 'odern stamp mills employ stamps weighing from 850 to 1500 lb. in the
>d States and 1500 to 2200 lb. (the Nissen stamp) in South Africa.
' and M., April, 1949, where the paper "Fine Crushing
Stamps drop at a rate of about 100 per minute and grind about 3 to 5 tons
of rock per stamp per 24 hr. Water consumption averages around 6.5
with the introduction of the cyanide process, where it was well suited to
sand and slimes that followed. As the "all-sliming" method became more
generally adopted, however, with the need for fine grinding in ball mills
and preferably in cyanide solution, the stamp mill tended either to be used
ment.
large stamp mills are still in operation on the Rand, but no large new mill
Chilean and Huntington Mills. These two types of mill are practi-
spindle revolve around a pan. In the former the rolls crush against a
ring in the bottom of the pan, and in the latter centrifugal force holds the
rollers against the ring at the side of the pan. Chilean mills were used
at the Golden Cycle up to a few years ago for grinding roasted ore.
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CHAPTER VI
Classification
by the all-sliming cyaniding process has of course been realized ever since the
from open circuit to closed circuit, the use of optimum circulating loads, and
the development of secondary and tertiary grinding circuits are notable ad-
extraction of the valuable constituents of the ore. This has been accompanied
DEFINITIONS
flowing pulp into two portions according to their respective settling rates.
setting portion of the original pulp which is carried over the tailboard or
lip of the classifier by the flow of water; sand is the comparatively coarser,
more rapidly settling portion of the original pulp which is discharged from
is classification that has for its object the concentration of the heavy con-
stituent of the original pulp, generally the sulphide, in the sand product,
so that it may be ground finer than the lighter portion, generally the
gangue.
74
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CLASSIFICATION
77
adjustments are made when the particular flow sheet is placed in operation
gold and silver ores, for the purpose of producing two productsa slime-
free sand for treatment by percolation and a sand-free slime for treatment
cyanide slimes and the reduced cost of fine grinding made possible by
the early tube mills led to the use of the mechanical classifier as a means
of controlling the fineness of the pulp leaving the grinding plant as feed
tube mills, the classifier not only controlled fineness more accurately but
ing, due to a recognition that too great a size reduction in one mill with
one ball charge was uneconomical, led to the use of the primary mill and
was provided for apportioning the work between the two stages.
Another step was the interposition of a bowl classifier between the primary
receiving as its feed the overflow from the primary circuit, overflowing
material of finished size, and discharging a clean sand product direct to the
circuit, first proved attractive in the cyanidation of gold ores in which the
values were chiefly associated with the heavy pyrite constituent. Here
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the bowl reclassified selectively the relatively coarse pulp from the second-
ary circuit, overflowing the bulk of the quartz and only the finest sulphides
for treatment, concentrating the sand product to five or six times the
assay of the original ore, and regrinding this high-grade material as fine
The net result has been a higher extraction, a coarser over-all grind, and
The same principle has been applied successfully more recently in the
being heavier than the gangue, concentrates readily in the bowl sand and
minerals. In this way the mill is not burdened with gangue material
No. 1
No. 1 B.M.
discharge
No. 1
classifier
overflow
No. 2 B.M.
discharge
No. 2
No. 2
classifier
overflow
Headst
classifier
classifier
Mesh
sands
sands
Wt.,
Cum.,
Wt.,
Cum.,
Wt.,
Cum.,
wt.,
Cum.,
wt.,
Cum.,
Wt.,
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Cum.,
Wt.,
Cum.,
%
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0.2525 in.
8.6
8.6
46.9
54.7
66.4
76.6
83.9
86.0
88.0
89.7
91.3
92.4
100.0
CLASSIFICATION 79
of material to be handled, and (3) the volume and dilution of the pulp
bowl classifiers are used for closed-circuit grinding work where a finished
product is desired. In some cases, however, especially for very fine separa-
feed, while the bowl classifier, hydros, and centrifuges are applied more
range of about 8 to 200 mesh but find their principal use in preparing a
Cones
Classifying and dewatering cones once had a wide vogue and still are used
in some pulp circuits. They were more or less troublesome because solids
plugged the discharge in the apex; the sand discharged was too dilute and
contained too much slime; and sand was frequently carried over with the
room.
and classifying, selected mechanical bowl classifiers for their new mill
addition.
make, 7 ft. in diameter and with 65-deg. sides. They dewater the pulp
from the stamps and feed 10 rod mills which are in closed circuit with an
are used in the Dome plant, Ontario. There are two distribuiting cones
and 16 classifying ones, y2 ft. deep, with 60-deg. sides and %-in. spigot,
effective.
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80
separated into sand and slime. The underflow is divided into as many
cone 53^2 by 7^ ft., the underflow of which is the tube-mill feed. A little
water is added to bring the moisture content to 30 per cent. The cone,
April, 1935, in dewatering a finely ground pulp for tube milling. It has
been found that the Dorr classifier is preferable for this purpose, and this
Motorized
lifting device
Mechanical Classifiers
the invention of the original Dorr classifier at the Lundberg, Dorr, and
Johnson's shovel wheel, Scobey's belt dewaterer, and other devices, such
as George Moore's cylinder with spiral conveyor. The Akins ribbon screw
followed about 1910, and Philip Argall's double solid spiral, the Avoca, a
few years later. The Scobey belt was developed at the Esperanza and used
^ardinge, while on the Rand a spiral draining sand from a cone has met
ntitions to be met.
many as six, is carried by two hangers, one at the discharge end and one
near the overflow end. The rakes are raised, lowered, and moved parallel
provided for raising the rakes several inches to clear the settling solids in
case of a shutdown.
overflow end. The more quickly settling particles fall to the bottom and
are advanced up the inclined deck by the rakes and discharged. The
speed, the pool area, and the overflow dilution. The greater the rake
rr*-***.
speed the greater the overflow density, and the smaller the pool area the
through a loading well at the center of the bowl, and fine solids overflow
across a peripheral weir. Coarse solids settle on the bowl bottom, are
rake compartment.
of which is a torew flight attached to the drum, revolving with it. The
material to be classified is fed in at one end above the pulp level, and as the
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CLASSIFICATION 83
classifier rotates, the coarse particles that settle out are moved forward
by the screw flight. The fines overflow through an opening at the feed
Hydraulic Classifiers
the feed end to 3.12 sq. ft. in pocket 8. The size of hole and hole spacing
in the constriction plates depend upon the size distribution of the feed and
water required for each compartment will flowT through the holes at a
the teeter bed. The discharge mechanism is fully automatic, the spigot
unit that, in turn, is actuated by the pulp density within the compartment.
Hindered settling machines require no power except for the water used
classifiers, the slime overflow is more dilute, the coarse fractions contain a
much higher moisture content, and the loss of head on the sands is con-
nonhydraulic classifiers are used almost to the exclusion of all otner types
type classifiers give a coarse portion that is sufficiently free of fines for
draining that take place during the removal of the coarse portion.
Hydroseparators
separate. In consequence, particles of this critical size and finer are carried
into the overflow, and the settled material, which is carried to a central
dislimed.
sands. Used both as "deslimers" for making final separations after grind-
ing and also for closed-circuit grinding work, they have the advantage of
providing the relatively large areas required for fine separations at high
dilutions.
formula:
1.333 F +
A = ^ ?P
gr./
F = overflow dilution
Having determined the ratio of feed to overflow, the unit area per ton of
Desliming
of mill flow sheets include the step of removing the softer fraction of the
; "e (clay and related material) from the harder fraction preceding or as a
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At Marlu Gold Mining Areas in West Africa (Fig. 89) the ore after passing
by 16-ft. trommel washers, the undersize being sent to bowl classifiers for
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CLASSIFICATION 85
desliming and the washed rock being crushed in Newhouse crushers and
passed to the ball-mill circuit (which also receives the sands from the
desliming classifiers).
crusher, while the undersize is classified for removal of fine sand and slimes
primary slime which in the case of wet ores causes trouble in the crushers,
difficult ore in the plant of the Kelowna Exploration Co. at Hedley, British
Columbia (Fig. 71), the primary slime and softer fractions of the ore are
treated in a separate circuit from that used to handle the harder ore
practice.
Centrifugal Classification
speed. Classification takes place in the annular space between the cone
and the shell, the speed differential between the two elements having the
effect of raking the solids settled against the shell up-slope to the small end,
where they are discharged. The slime discharges through ports at the
larger end. The machines are built in various sizes ranging from a raking
capacity of 2 to 50 tons per hour, the latter requiring^ lOu^iip. drive motor.
mined led to a serious slime problem which could not be handled in the
ing test work, a 36- by 50-in. Bird centrifuge was installed in January,
1941, to deslime the ore prior to flotation and has been in continous opera-
tion since.
at Hedley Mascot Mill," C.I.M. and M., Vol. 50, pp. 533-536, 1947, tV
This mixture of slime and low-grade concentrate forms the feed to the Bird centri-
fuge; it amounts to about 2.5 tons per hour at 15 p<-r een+ solids, 98 per cent minus
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86 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
325 mesh, and assays about 0.11 oz. per ton. The centrifuge discharges an effluent
which carries 3 to 6 per cent solids and assays 0.06 oz. gold per ton. The cake is
discharged at about 82 per cent solids, 92 per cent minus 325 mesh, and is sent to the
of 5 to 50 lb. per sq. in. through a tangential opening, the fines overflowing
through a central orifice on top and the coarser fraction discharging through
The high rotational velocities developed inside the vessel set up centrifugal
forces equal to many times the force of gravity, and high rates of separation
are obtained. The coarser material is thrown to the sides of the cone and
thickened sludge, while the fines are displaced through the overflow
opening.
upon a number of design factors, including the shape and size of the vessel,
the pressures used, and the size of overflow and discharge orifices.
dicate that this device will find considerable use in the field of classification
and desliming. It possesses the advantage of high capacity for size and
only power required is that used for pumping the feed into the vessel.
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CHAPTER VII
Sand Treatment
Ores may be separated into sand and slime, and the sand leached by
in new plants.
Ores are known which need only to be crushed coarsely to 3^2 ^n--> and
are rare. The gold must be on cleavage planes or in the cavities left by
tons. Sand for leaching is separated from slime in cones, V boxes, classi-
strong and weak cyanide solutions, water washes, aeration of the sand and
solution, and rapid filling and discharging. It is a cheap and effective proc-
ess for clean ores when fine grinding is not necessary for good extraction.
from colloidal material behave quite differently from the same type of
The Golden Cycle mill at Colorado Springs, Colo., grinds roasted siliceous
ore in rod mills through 20 mesh before sand-slime separation at about 200
mesh. Prior to the development of the Dorr bowl classifier at this plant,
this separation was made in Dorr classifiers which produced a sand con-
taining about 15 per cent minus 200 mesh, with an appreciable amount of
contained colloid. The leaching rate in the same tanks varied from 0.7
colloid-free sand, the leaching rate increased to about 10 in. per hr., and
leaching results were much more uniform. The table on the following
page shows a typical screen analysis of the bowl-classifier sand when the
87
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CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
+ 30 mesh
+ 60 mesh
+ 100 mesh
+ 150 mesh
+200 mesh
-200 mesh
6.7 cumulative
53.2 cumulative
73.2 cumulative
84.2 cumulative
96.0 cumulative
100.0 cumulative
The Homestake Mining Company grind their ores in closed circuit with
rod and ball mills through about 80 mesh and, following amalgamation,
make a sand-slime separation at about 2 per cent plus 200 mesh. In their
new plant, Dorr bowl classifiers make this separation prior to leaching and
pyrite which is gold bearing, and the bowl classifiers are adjusted to pro-
including very fine pyrite, but to remove all colloidal material. Even
Mesh
Per cent
+ 50
0.1
0.1
+ 80
3.0
3.1
+ 100
8.0
11.1
+150
17.5
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28.6
+200
25.0
53.6
-200
46.4
100.0
with this unusually fine sand, excellent and uniform leaching results are
of the gold. Sieve analyses and assays reveal that the finer the sand the
higher the extraction. This varies from better than 90 per cent in the
minus 200-mesh material to less than 50 per cent in the case of particles
Leaching is done in two sand plants, one with 8 vats 44 ft. in diameter by
12 ft. deep, the other with 21 vats 44 ft. in diameter by 11 ft. deep. They are
/leaves the final set of classifying cones. The filter bottom consists of the
usual wooden frame covered with coco matting and 10-oz. canvas duck.
This is done by introducing low-pressure air under the filter bottom of the
leaching vat.
SAND TREATMENT
89
Operation
Filling.
First draining.
First aerating.
Second draining
Second aerating
Third draining
Third aerating
Fourth draining
Period,
hr.
10
20
16 to 28
16 to 24
14
14 to 16
14
14 to 16
14
Fourth aerating
Fourth leaching
Washing
Sluicing
Total
24 to 28
18
197 to 225
hr.
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8 to 9
daj^s
Remarks
Effluent wasted.
pends on alkalinity.
wasted.
valves closed.
valves closed.
solution before precipitation, the effluent from the latter part of a treat-
ment being strengthened but not precipitated before being returned to the
top of another charge. Solution and zinc are conserved by this system.
The total solution used amounts to only 0.8 ton per ton of sand. The
water draining from the newly filled charge contains sulphates and thio-
sulphates. After the second aeration, when cyanide solution has been
added to the top, these compounds appear in larger quantity. Later, they
are followed by thiocyanates, which in turn are followed by the first traces
of cyanides. Gold appears in the effluent soon after the first trace of
Percentage
Feed
Sand
Slime
On 14-mesh screen
0.2 cum.
0.2 cum.
0.8 cum.
7.4 cum.
On 16-mesh screen
0.9 cum.
On 20-mesh screen
5.7 cum.
19.8 cum.
30.2 cum.
On 30-mesh screen
33.7 cum.
On 40-mesh screen
52.8 cum.
On 60-mesh screen
53.2 cum.
56.7 cum.
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85.3 cum.
92.7 cum.
98.0 cum.
0.8 cum.
On 100-mesh screen .
3.5 cum.
On 150-mesh screen
63.3 cum.
69.3 cum.
30.7 ind.
15.9 cum.
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99.4 cum.
0.6 ind.
29.1 cum.
70.9 ind.
Moisture
86.7
23.3
93.8
affect extraction.
carry 0.095 per cent and the effluent 0.035 per cent NaCN. Cyanide
Golden Cycle Leaching. At the Golden Cycle, Dorr and Akins classi-
The sands are conveyed to 10 leaching vats 50 feet by 15 ft. deep with a
capacity of 1200 tons each. The initial leaching period is 48 hr. with
solution containing 0.5 lb. cyanide per ton. This solution goes to the
precipitation presses. Sand charges are drained and aerated at least four
SAND TREATMENT
91
scribed in detail in Chap. XV, Sec. 3, mills 13,000 tons per day, of which
'30d:fon[5qnd'charge;
Pressure goge
iOib/sq. in.
7)
5 "Leaching pipe-*
*sub -aeration
2 "Air manifold-*
f'Pipe-
up
^Joiu/ion pump
Pump discha/ge
submerged
Fig. 25. Aeration of solution with subaeration and vacuum drainage of sand charge.
The sand from bowl classifiers at 51.8 per cent plus 100 mesh, 8.5 per
A charge of about 1000 tons of sand is leached with 250 tons of strong
solution made up to 0.056 per cent KCN, followed by 750 tons of plant
per cent of the effluent at an average value of 1.5 dwt. per ton goes to
in which the gold was finely disseminated, the author was able to suggest a
1906, in which clay ore was treated by leaching in relatively large lumps.
lying upon the weathered surface of limestone. These hills consist of clays
silicified sandstones and shales. The clays and earths carry from 2 to 15
dwt. gold per ton, averaging 5 dwt.; the stone, from 3 to 30 dwt. per ton,
is roughly 1 to 5.
The ore is trammed to the six ore bins. The clay ore bins are four in
To quote Scrutton:
1. To keep the fine earthy and sandy material separate as far as possible from the
more plastic clayey material and to treat the two separately in different vats.
2. To ensure that all earthy and clayey material, when charged into the vats, is
in the form of balls firm enough to maintain their form when charged into the vat
and of a size varying from 3 in. in the case of the claye}^ material to 34 in- m "the
The first of these conditions is attained by providing four separate clay bins and
carefully selecting the material from each according to its tendency to break up and
The second is provided for by running the clay from the tippler down to a fan-
shaped chute, about 40 ft. long and inclined at 60 deg. into the ore bin; thus the
masses of clay are broken up and formed into balls by rolling down the chute. The
wetter and more plastic the clay treated the longer and steeper must this chute be to
ensure the clay's being in a leachable condition on arriving at the ore bin. The clay
ore bins are rectangular and discharge through bottom sliding doors into wagons
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running below.
Vats. The leaching vats are 30 in number, 18 of 100 and 12 of 50 tons' capacity;
the former are 6 ft., and the latter 3 ft. deep, all of 27 ft. 6 in. diameter. They are con-
structed of %-in. mild steel plates, riveted with J^-in. rivets, 1%-in. pitch.
Charging. Side-tip wagons are employed and are filled direct from the stone and
clay ore bins, whence they are run direct over the vats and tipped; two pairs of rails
run over each vat, arranged at such a distance apart as to require a minimum amount
1. Clay must be charged in layers not more than 3 ft. deep; if this depth be ex-
extraction.
2. Coarse material must be kept separate from fine to ensure good leaching.
3. In the event of charging two different classes of stone and clay into the same
vat, the operation must be conducted so as to leave the material as far as possible
In the case of the 50-ton vats, which are only 3 ft. deep, they are filled with clay
With the 100-ton vats, in order to treat as large a quantity of clay as possible,
sufficient clay is charged into the bottom of the vat to form a layer 2 ft. deep; this is
then leveled off, and sufficient stone charged to form a layer l}i ft. deep; this having
been leveled off, the vat is filled to the top with clay, giving an upper layer of 2 ft.;
thus the layer of stone, by forming a porous bed in the middle of the clay, prevents
the formation of channels throughout the whole mass and, by separating the clay
into two thin layers, renders leaching comparatively easy; by charging in this manner
equally good extractions are obtained from the clay treated in the large as in the
small vats.
To ensure obtaining the correct tonnage, it is necessary to fill the vats until the
clay stands about 2 in. above the top of the vat, as the material when properly charged
lies exceedingly loosely and, after solution has been on for a short time, sinks down
through four bottom-discharge doors into wagons running on two lines of rails below
the vats.
Treatment. The usual treatment for 100-ton vats occupies 10 days and gives the
following results:
effected partty by putting a certain quantity of lime into each wagon at the bottom
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of the main incline and partty by the addition of soda to the sumps; the quantities
of each used are regulated by the working of the zinc boxes. The average consump-
tion of lime is 8.8 lb. per ton, and the maximum amount of soda usualty added 0.14
ver}' little trouble. If, however, the alkalinity gets too high, the solutions become
dirty, foul smelling, and full of arsenic and antimonj'-; if too low, the consumption of
cyanide is so great as to show no precipitate with AgN03 after once running through a
The first filling of strong solution is put on by ve^ slow upward leaching, so as
to disturb as little as possible the fine material lying loosely in the interstices be-
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tween the larger balls of clay. The vat is gradual^ filled by this means, the opera-
94
tion, if properly conducted, occupying about 3 hr.; as the charge in the vat becomes
soaked in solution, it settles down, finally sinking to about 9 in. below the top. About
30 tons of solution is required for the first filling, but of this only about 20 tons can
The vat when full is shut up and allowed to soak for 4 hr.; it is then opened and
allowed to drain at such a pace as to ensure its being just dry in another 4 hr., when
it is pumped up again, the solution being run on to the top of the charge, and the
vat leached by gravity in the usual manner. This alternate filling by downward
leaching, soaking, and draining is carried on until about 150 tons of strong solution
has been put on the vat, i.e., for about four days.
Sump solution is then substituted, the first filling being put on by upward leaching,
and the subsequent filling by downward leaching, in the usual manner. The effect
of using slow upward leaching in the middle of the treatment is to lighten the charge
and form new channels for solution by altering the direction of pressure.
The downward leaching is continued as before until about 180 tons of sump solu-
tion has been given. This usually occupies about 5 days; the actual time of treat-
ment, however, is judged by the amount of gold extracted according to the solution
assays. When the solutions coming away contain only y2 dwt. per ton of gold, a
In order to ensure a regular flow of solution through the zinc boxes, it is necessary
to divide the vats into two lots, one lot being drained while the other is soaking.
After repeated trials the foregoing method has been found to give the best results
for clayey material charged direct into the vats. Given that the material has been
properly charged into the vat, solution of the gold takes place almost immediately
on contact with the fresh cyanide solution, the metal being in an extremely fine state
of sub-division, and lumps of clayey material containing only about 16 per cent
Practically, the total gold contents of the clays are dissolved by the c}'anide; this
was shown by taking a number of samples of the material discharged from the vats
and applying repeated washings of water; by this means alone a final extraction of
The problem, then, in order to ensure good extraction, is to wash out the auriferous
cyanide which has been absorbed by the balls of cla}'. This cannot be effected by
direct washing, in the ordinary sense of the term, the lumps of cla3^ being onty very
slightly pervious and the interstices forming eas}' channels for solutions, but it must
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be brought about by diffusion between the solutions rich in gold remaining in the
dissolved clay and the solutions containing practically no gold being pumped into
the vats.
In order to obtain the best results, the point to be aimed at is to give the charge
allow of a certain amount of diffusion, between the fresh solution and the auriferous
solution remaining in the clay; prolonged soaking has not been found to give good
results, doubtless owing to the slower diffusion of liquids carrying nearly the same
quantities of gold in solutions, as compared with those differing widely in gold values.
There is, however, a decided limit to the amount of solution which can be used, as it
has been found that, unless a sufficient time of soaking be given to allow the new
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solution to permeate the whole of the charge, the extraction suffers considerably,
the new solutions coming away by certain easily formed channels and absorbing
very little of the richer solutions contained in less readily permeable parts of the vat.
Likewise slow draining off, i.e., at the rate of 5 tons solution per hour, is a necessity.
If this rate be exceeded, a much larger proportion of moisture remains in the vat,
SAND TREATMENT 95
doubtless on account of the solution's descending too quickly into the vat to allow
the small particles of solution lying in the interstices to agglomerate and descend
with the mass of liquid; they are accordingly cut off by the air and left.
Extractor House. The precipitation is effected in the usual manner by zinc shav-
ings, the zinc boxes being 16 in number and containing in all 936 cu. ft. zinc. At the
rate of flow given this allows 1 cu. ft. zinc for 1 ton solution per 24 hr.
Considering the large amounts of antimony and arsenic contained in the charge,
the precipitation gives very little trouble, though from time to time the solutions
When working satisfactorily, 0.5 per cent cyanide solution entering at 2 dwt. per
More recent work along these lines is reported in T.P. 790, A.IM.E:
follows:
progresses.
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CHAPTER VIII
Slime Treatment
filters. "Slime" is the general term used to describe the finer portion of
than 100 mesh, The so-called "all-slime" type of plant is that in which
all of the ore is ground through a relatively fine mesh such as 100 mesh
from practice.
THICKENING
into which the pulp was fed until the tank was full. The solids were then
allowed to settle as long as required, the top liquid was decanted, the
settled solids were discharged, and the operation was repeated. Such
settling was usually carried out in a number of tanks so that a regular cycle
found that feeding the tank behind a baffle allowed some decantation of
clear liquid while still feeding, and this also was introduced.
or cones, were not entirely successful. In these tanks the feed ran in
continuously, settled solids were drawn off through a spigot and solution
this method were the multiplicity of units required and the fact that
settled solids hung up on the sloping sides which made it extremely difficult
of clarified solution.
over the bottom of the tank, which usually slopes gently toward the center,
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SLIME TREATMENT 97
steel. The tanks are usually made of steel or wood for medium-sized
machines, but in the larger sizes they are often constructed of concrete or
low, about Yi hp. for thickeners less than 50 ft. in diameter. Attendance
type of thickener from one using superstructure to the present beam type of
The Dorr tray thickener (Fig. 28) has been developed to meet the definite
demand for large settling area in limited space. Each compartment in-
thickener unit, of the same size, without increasing the floor space required.
The tanks are divided into two or more settling compartments b}^ means of
made up of a central vertical shaft, driven by worm gear and with radial
arms attached above each try. These arms carry plow blades set at an
angle, and as the mechanism slowly revolves, they move the settled material
In this each compartment has a separate feed and overflow, but the settled
solids from all compartments are brought together and are discharged
The Dorr traction thickener is the type most frequently used for heavy-
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duty work with large tonnages. The machine is so called because the
slowly carried around the tank as the traction wheel travels, consists of a
truss to which are attached the raking blades which sweep the floor of the
2
_l
98
fer
>
cS
LU
LU
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Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
its favor. When a thickener becomes overloaded, the centrifugal pump tends to
"pack up" and remove less pulp; the diaphragm pump increases its delivery in
terms of solids and so tends to compensate the overload condition. On the other
hand, the centrifugal increases its output as pulp density decreases and this is ob-
viously undesirable.1
To our knowledge the earliest use of the diaphragm pump in metallurgical plants
was for recirculating pulp in the loading tank of a Moore filter at the Lundberg,
Dorr, and Wilson mill at Terry, S.D. This was of the type sometimes called a
pitcher pump. It had flap-type valves which, however, caused irregular operation
due to the presence of wood chips and tramp oversize in the pulps discharged from
thickeners.
As a result, pumps were designed more suited to use in connection with thickeners.
At the Hollinger mill valves were developed which discharged around the w^hole
periphery of the valve seat and were so designed that the center of gravity of the
valve was below the valve seat. Also seats and valve disks were of soft rubber so
that any chips or tramp would not cause leakage and would be washed off the seat
where it is essential to keep the capacity of all pumps constant and equal.
Ball-type valves have also been used. The balls are of rubber weighted with steel
cores and operate against circular rubber seats. This type, however, has been used
affect the settling rate of ore particles suspended in water or cyanide solu-
tion. The use of lime and caustic starch has been mentioned in Chap. II.
Laboratory settling tests on the feed to the decantation thickeners have shown
that sulphateswhether added in solid form, as, for example, (NH4)2S04, or present
in the barren solution, as CaSO-iincrease the free settling rate about 25 per cent
over that obtained with water made alkaline with lime. Laboratory tests and plant
operation have also established that a well-aerated pulp settles better than one in
which aeration in incomplete. This probably is the reason why thickening rates
in the cyanide plant are sometimes appreciably reduced when an ore is being milled
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which has partially oxidized in the mine and consepuently contains appreciable
used in the amount of 0.01 lb. per ton of ore increased the settling rate in
AGITATION
the more recent articles4 on this subject the author summarizes a few rules
For ratio of tank diameter divided by impeller diameter, take 4:1 for
simple blending of light material; 3:1 for the average job, and 2:1 for
speed should be 700 peripheral feet per minute for turbine-type impellers
and 1000 to 1500 ft. per min. for the propeller type. The horsepower re-
handbooks.
intensive study has been made of the problem. Thomas Hooker5 in-
Re. Secondary dimensions such as pitch, liquid depth, and blade width
mension of the agitator span L. The standard systems chosen for this
work were those involving axial flow, tangential flow, and radial flow, and
plots showing the above relationship for each system are given, in addition
The so-called fully baffled condition, when the input reaches a maximum, is
discussed.
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4 Emerson J. Lyons, "Practica1 Mixer Technology/' Chem. Eng. Prog., Vol. 44,
Chem. Eng. Prog., Vol. 44, No. 11, p. 833, November, 1948.
poses only: (1), to keep the solids in suspension while dissolution is taking
place and (2), to supply the required amount of oxygen. Violent agitation
promote the reaction between gold, silver, and cyanide. Control of aeration
extraction.
different ores. For gold ores agitation periods vary from 16 to 48 hr.,
probably averaging 30 hr., and for silver ores nearly twice this period.
the depth of the tank above the bottom forces the pulp downward to the
bottom where it is deflected along the bottom and up the tank sides,
creating a vortex at the center in which air is drawn into the pulp. This
one plant an 18- by 18-ft. Devereux requires 15 hp. when agitating a pulp
Turbo and Wallace. The Turbo and the Wallace are high-speed impeller
types of agitator imparting high velocity to the pulp and are suited for
vided with an impeller near the pulp surface whereby large amounts of
bottom and at the lower end of a stationary vertical pipe which extends
nearly to the pulp surface. The action of the impeller creates a circula-
tion of pulp down the pipe and into the impeller. When the pipe is
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104
properly placed, free air is drawn into the top of the pipe together with
pulp and disseminated throughout the tank. The pipe may have auxiliary
Both of these agitators have been used in combination with Dorr agitators
for supplying large quantities of air to the pulp when treating ores or
Tab
per min.
lOOO-cu.-ft. tank
Size, ft.
Air Pressure
Dilution
15 by 45
15 by 60
18 by 22
15 by 40
65
0.6:1
1.2:1
1.4:1
7.0
11.0
11.6
122
42.5
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79
38
70
14
9.0
some ores considerable difficulty results from the building up and sloughing
off of solid masses from the tank sides. The height of the Pachuca is a
essential for optimum extraction, it appears that the Brown tank (Pachuca)
is superior (to the Dorr) in maintaining the oxygen content of the pulp at
the Geduld Propietory mines and the Sub Nigel, Ltd., but tests made in
submerged rake arms, the Dorr agitator can be made as effective an aerator
as the Pachuca and at a lower operating cost owing to lower total air
requirements and the fact that it is not necessary to elevate the pulp.
combination mechanical and air agitator designed for use in round, flat-
machine the settled sands raked to the center of the relatively deep tank
are returned to the top of the agitator by an outside air lift while additional
aeration is supplied by a series of jets placed around the tank and con-
nected to a circular header above. Tank areas and total air supply are
Air is supplied to the agitators at 10 lb. per sq. in. This pressure was
low cost.
Table 13.
Operating D
ATA N
ORANDA
-type Agitator
No. of
tanks
Circul.
air
lifts
Radial
Total
Total air.
Rake,
r.p.m.
Diameter
air
pipes
area,
cu. ft.
per miD.t
Motor
sq. ft.*
6 ft. 6 in.
1
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33.2
201.6
226.2
254.5
93
564
633
713
9 ft. 3 in.
12 ft. 0 in.
18 ft. 0 in.
12
107
As an example of how Fig. 30 may be used, take the case of gold being
IP
60rr
40 -
30 -
No.
Of Oi
jitators
zo -
7 sen
es
10-
sJ/
8-
6-
5 *,;
^-
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3^
2-
"4
.07 O.l .2
Percent incompletion
Fig. 30. Chart showing relationship between ratios of volumes required for batch
and continuous agitation (in the case of one or more agitators in series) for various
series, the combined volumes would have to be large enough to give only
21.6-hr. detention, while in the case of three agitators in series the time
FILTRATION
from solids by passing the liquid vehicle through a porous medium, which
offers free passage to the liquid but refuses passage to the solids suspended
108 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
the feed pulp may vary between extremely wide limits. In metallurgical
one on which the filter can operate at its greatest capacity and give best
washing results.
on the two sides of the filter medium in order that the liquid will flow
through the pores of the filter medium and the retained solids. (2) Once
this layer of solids has formed, its surface acts as the filter medium, and
the relatively large openings of the filter medium, tend to clear up as the
solids bridge these openings. (3) Since the minute voids between the
solid particles in the filter cake resemble capillaries, the flow of liquid may
taneous rate of filtration per unit area can be regarded as the ratio of the
filter resistance. (4) For incompressible cakes, the rate of flow is directly
proportional to the area and inversely to the viscosity and cake thickness.
For flocculent or slimy materials, however, the rate may increase but
slightly with pressure increase and in some cases actually decrease above
a certain critical pressure. (5) In general, the thinner the cake the higher
the rate of flow, but other considerations, such as washing and drying
efficiency and ease of discharge, usually call for a cake of some optimum
proportional to the ratio of solids to liquid in the feed, but filter capacity
and discharging.
fabric and the metallic media. Of the former, the most commonly used
are of cotton, different weights of duck, twill cloth, and special weaves,
Rayon, Nylon, and Saran are excellent fibers for certain uses, and all
10 This equation can be integrated for constant pressure filtration, or for constant
rate of nitrate flow. For the mathematical development see "Theory of Filtration"
Hill, 1950.
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SLIME TREATMENT 109
though they are more expensive than the natural fibers, increased life
and wire.
The cotton ducks are satisfactory and are used mainly on pressure-type
filters. The twill cloths are resistant to abrasion and are widely used
find their chief application on vacuum filters where high capacities must
be obtained with coarse solids and a clear filtrate is not essential. Factors
particle in the feed. This determines the grade and weave of the cloth.
for some years has been largely that of so-called twills, and in these cotton
fabrics the weight usually runs from 15 to 17J^ oz. The texture as such
but they are distinctly unsuited for this work, being better fitted to retain
In more recent years there has been a tendency toward lighter material
and the synthetics, and with better general understanding of filter fabrics
for a given width of filter in the case of the Oliver machine. Nowadays,
up its own covers, but the customary practice is to buy the cover ready-
made. In the case of the American disk filters, which use a specially
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tailored bag to cover the individual sectors, the covers are made up to fit
and are sold by the dozen or other convenient multiple. The bags r.sed
to 160 days is considered excellent life and that a good many plants are
obtaining 100 to 120 days. Where working conditions are severe, the life
is less than 100 days, but possibly in all such cases means might be found
to increase it.
at longer intervals.
have been used in series with pulping apparatus between each stage for
washing pulp. Diluting liquid is added to each filter cake ahead of each
stage to reduce the value or grade of liquid going to the filters. Sometimes
cyanide mills, but its use has not been general elsewhere. Operating costs
dewatering filter. For examples see descriptions of the Lake Shore, Wright-
washing, and discharging; others that employ vacuum and operate con-
ing, and discharging. Among the filter presses are the Dehne, Shriver,
Merrill, Kelly, Sweetland, and Burt. In the metallurgical field the Dehne
found some use in Australia and the Merrill is still in limited use in North
America and Central America. Among the vacuum filters in use today
are the Moore and Butters leaf filter of the intermittent or cyclic type,
the continuous revolving types, including the external drum filters made
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filter; the internal drum or Dorrco filter; and finally the more recent hori-
were at one time treating 100,000 tons a month. Their operation was
I.M.E.j now the A.LAI, and M. Most of these presses were of 5-ton
capacity per charge. A few were hydraulically closed, but most of them
were hand closed. In their discharge much hand labor was used. They
can be emptied slowly by reversing the washing valves and opening the
filling valve. Pressure filters are expensive in operation, and good results
vacuum type.
Merrill Press. The Merrill filter press (see Fig. 31) is essentially a
Unlike the Dehne, the Merrill does not need opening save for renewing
cloth or making other minor repairs. Along the median line at the bottom
of the press, passing through each plate and frame, is a continuous channel
within which is a sluice pipe bearing a series of nozzles, one for each frame.
After a cake has been formed and washed, the sluice pipe is oscillated by a
small motor through an arc of 180 deg., and water under pressure is dis-
charged from the nozzles. The slime thus washed out of the frame is
repulped with the water and discharged from the press through a number
the capacity to treatnot merely wash and filterat least 1500 tons a day
of slime of which 99 per cent passes 200 mesh. Each of these presses has
90 frames, 6 by 4 ft. by 4 in., the last dimension being the thickness of the
slime cake. They hold 26 tons of dry slime. The slime is dewatered at
the stamp mills to 35 per cent solids and flows by gravity to the slime-
treatment plant three miles distant. The press plates are covered by
two clothsa light muslin twill next to the frame and No. 10 cotton duck
which covers the muslin; the muslin prevents the duck from being forced
While a few other plants use Merrill presses for washing, the Home-
Vacuum Filters
Leaf Type. Moore and Butters. The Moore was the first of the leaf
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filters and was developed in 1901. The individual leaf consists of a frane
formed of a perforated pipe through which suction and compressed air are
applied. The pipe is covered with a filtering medivy both sides of which
111
+- Hz-
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
112
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o3
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o3
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3<-"
s
SLIME TREATMENT
113
Operation
Period
Hours Minutes
Remarks
Filling.
First aerating
Strong-solution leach-
ing
Second aerating
Second strong-solution
leaching
30
30
30
Third aerating.
30
Third low-solution
leaching
Washing.
15 to 20
Sluicing
Total c^ycle.
30
10
50
ing.
used.
tion reused.
tion reused.
tion reused.
tion needs.
imposed on tapering bottoms are required. The first tank holds the slime
114 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
the gold-bearing solution in the cake, the third tank is filled with water
for displacing the barren solution, and the fourth is used for receiving the
washed slime which is loosened from the leaves by compressed air. This
and lowered and moved from tank to tank by means of a chain hoist mounted
The Butters filter has been used to a greater extent than the Moore,
but both have now been largely replaced by C.C.D. and continuous
filters such as the Oliver drum type. The Butters filter-is similar in
construction to the Moore, but the basket always remains in one tank.
Into and from this, according to the cycle, are pumped and discharged
The Butters filter is still used in the older plants in South Africa. A
3685 tons per day is treated, the ore being ground to 66 per cent minus
200 mesh. After thickening and agitation the pulp is filtered on 490
Butters leaves. A total of 4050 tons per day of barren solution is used.
The filter discharge contains 30 per cent moisture and assays 0.02 dwt.
dissolved gold and 0.17 dwt. undissolved gold per dry ton. Capacity of
the filter is about 85 lb. dry solids per day per square foot of canvas.
which suction and compressed air may be applied. The lower halves of
the disks are submerged in the slime tank. The disks are divided into
spray nozzles. The assembled disk and shaft section is shown in Fig. 32
It occupies small floor space and presents a larger filter area or surface in
proportion to space filled than any other filter. Inflation of the filter
bags during each discharge period keeps the cloth in good condition, and
the cake discharged has low moisture content. The changing of filter
cloths and the sectors is done easily and quickly. No pulp agitator is
needed in the tank. This filter is made by the Oliver United Filters in
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In operation the thickness of the cake ranges from }4> to Y in., depend-
ing on the material being filtered. As the disk slowly revolves, each
sector in sequence rises from the pulp with vacuum still applied. Fine
sprays of solution or water then are applied to the cake, thereby displacing
the original liquid left in the pores of the cake. After a sector passes
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116
][ l4'-0'/2
overall
Drive sprocket
14
Note:
3-6"D.
(Opening in drum)
10'/^ \*-3'-0"-A*2'-l'/2^*3'-
U 5'-6'/2 A
h5-10%'-
Pulsating valve
VALVE END
4 -2 drain plugs
!2'-53/4HD.
inside
Overflow launder
's^
DISCHARGE END
117
8'/2"-
cutslde drum
Overflow lip
y-Discharge chute
\l<4 lip
I6i/Q
To overflow conn.
SIDE ELEVATION
No batter on outside
edge of piers -j
Valve end
5-6'/2
Guard furnished
Pulsating valve
sprocket
0bL
bolts 2%'projection
furnished)
FOUNDATION PLAN
out of the spray zone, vacuum still applied, a large portion of the wash
that has replaced the original liquid is also drawn out. Now as dry as it
can be made, the cake is in proper condition for discharging. This is done
air, which slightly inflates the bag. The cake will be so loose that it can
In the metallurgical field the American filter finds its principal use today
filtering medium is applied on the interior of the drum which acts as its own
container. The inner surface of the drum is divided into a series of fabric-
and bearing, and the open end is equipped with a steel tire which runs on
rollers. An annular ring forms an internal flange at the open end, serving
as a dam for retaining the pulp being filtered. Feed may be introduced
by compressed air into an internal hopper, equipped for either chute dis-
end elevation drawings of the Dorrco filter are shown in Fig. 34. Oliver
Dorrco filter was to treat the filter clotha No. 26 twillwith acid every
dilute solution of hydrochloric acid, and rotating the filter drum for an
hour; the filter was then drained, again hosed out, and put into service.
There was no scrubbing of the cloth, the pores being kept open easily
throughout its life. To keep the cloth in best condition, low-pressure air
was blown through it for several seconds after the cake had been dis-
charged. The filter cloth was changed after 108 days of service, two men
making the change in about 8 hr. Each filter had 371 sq. ft. of canvas
area, which, on the basis of washing 200 tons of solids per day, showed a
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The concentrate is filtered on two 8 by 10 ft. Oliver filters. One of these filters
is used for each roaster. The filter cake discharges onto a convej^or belt which feeds
The concentrate filter cake is at best a stick}', puttylike mass. If the moisture
exceeds 20 per cent it becomes difficult to handle the cake on the belt and at the
charging chute.
The best filtering technique which could be obtained on the 26 per cent sulphur
concentrate produced a cake with from 21 to 22 per cent moisture. This was too
sticky for continuous use and introduced an excessive amount of moisture into the
To reduce the moisture content of the cake, a device was copied from the Con-
flapper fixed on a revolving shaft parallel to the axis of the filter drum. The flappers
are made of old conveyor belt about 12 in. wide and the length of the filter.
The single flapper reduces the moisture from 21 to 22 per cent down to 16 to 17
per cent, at which moisture content the concentrate can be handled and charged
The flapper is run in the opposite direction of rotation to the drum. When both
were run clockwise, the blow from the flapper tended to stop the drum, making for
jerky operation.
The flapper is driven by a 1-hp. motor which is probably more than twice as large
as is required, as the same motor was sufficient when two flappers were fitted on the
filters.
To prevent the cake from being dislodged by the blows of the flapper, a
piece of heavy fabric is usually fastened so that it drags upon the cake as
the drum revolves and receives the blows given by the flapper.
the cracks and liberating moisture, which is then drawn through into the
vacuum system.
that they exert pressure on the filter cake are used to close cracks in the
A still more recent development for reducing the moisture in the cake on a
roi -v-drum filter is the use of a vibrating shoe which rests on the surface
vi c ~ cake.
Flood Washing. Flood washing the residue filter cakes before dis-
charge using an excess of water for lowering the dissolved gold losses by
11 "Roasting and Flotation Practice in the Lak- ^hore Mines Sulphide Treatment
121
dian plants. A so-called excess wash scoop, or launder, extending the full
width of the filter is placed just above the tank level on the ascending side
of the drum. The water from the sprays, which are mounted just below
the highest point of the drum, floods down over the surface of the cake and
is deflected into the launder by means of a rubber lip, thus preventing dilu-
tion of the pulp in the tank. The excess water caught in this manner is
Plant
Precipitation ratio
ity
C*
1.434
1.43
1.53
1.45
24.5
28.0
30.0
24.0
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1.575
1.60
1.29
1.49
0.91
0.90
0.90
0.80
5.0
10.0
4.0
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
1.8
0.015
0.02
-0.01
0.01
3.1724
6.8580
2.3830
1.2000
0.0520
0.1159
0.0466
0.0660
0.0169
0.045
0.020
0.02
99.62
99.04
99.09
96.89
99.69
122 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
solution is to act upon solids, both are made to pass, in contact, in opposite
either is acting upon the weakest or most exhausted portion of the other.
The recovery of dissolved gold and silver from slime pulp in the cyanide
made as far back as 1902, but without success. The invention of the
Although flow sheets and operation will vary with conditions, the
After the ore has been reduced to a uniform fineness by wet grinding
solution, where most of the gold and silver is dissolved. The mixture of
solids and solution is fed continuously to the first thickener of the C.C.D.
solution that has already been in contact with the pulp in all succeeding
The overflow from the first thickener of the C.C.D. series containing
thickener, diluted with the overflow from the third of the series, settled
and thus proceeds through each thickener, until discharged from the last
solution is mixed with a very small amount of higher grade solution so that
added to the thickener preceding the last and makes up the bulk of the
for the liquid losses in the tailing and to cut down cyanide consumption.
A thickener called No. 1 precedes the agitators in the mill; therefore the
finely ground soxids, without filtration. The flow sheet must be varied
2. To reduce the dissolved value in the pulp going to a filter, so that the
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SLIME TREATMENT 123
final dissolved loss will be decreased and the use of a barren-solution wash
the cost of operating a filter, and lowers the loss of dissolved value.
Figure 36 (type B) shows the most common type of flow sheet in use,
where the ore settles readily to 50 per cent moisture or less, and where a
creased.
Type B
Conditions assumed:
(g) Let 7, W, X, Y, and Z represent the value in dollars per ton of solution discharged
Simplifying: Solving:
(5) 2Z = 7 Z = 0.03556
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Conditions assumed:
(c) Let V, W, X, Y, and Z represent the strength in pounds of cyanide per ton of
(1) V = 1.0
Simplifying:
(1) V = 1.0
(2) QW = 5X + 1
(3) 6X = 17 + 57
(4) 67 = Z + X + 4
(5) 2Z = 7
Solving:
V = 1.0
W = 0.9109
X = 0.8932
7 = 0.8898
Z = 0.4449
500. i , i . 500
m+mrrv
100
- UhickenerX
100
400
Agitators
Precipitation
500
500
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Thickener
zoo
400!WO
/00
x iL-H? i1
Thickener] l UhickenerX
/00
400
100 water.
Thickener
-TZ
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too
To waste
Type B.
Aa
100 water
4M Precipitation
400
Jo waste
Type BB=
400
Uhickeneti
H>
400
_/00
Agitators
50-% E
HI
300
3(%? Precipitation
Type D.
To waste
SLIME TREATMENT 125
flow sheet shown in Fig. 36 (type BB) may be used. This arrangement
allows two changes of solution with a thorough washing of the pulp during
agitation. The pulp during the final agitation is in contact with fresh
Type jD flow sheet (Fig. 36) is more generally used in cyanide plants
This type of flow sheet is indicated where solutions stronger than 1% lb.
NaCN per ton are used, where the pulp will not settle to at least 50 per
posal reasons.
Type D
Conditions assumed:
(g) Displacement efficiency of filter, 60 per cent; i.e., 60 per cent of the value of the
solution in the solid cake, which is assumed to contain 33>i per cent moisture,
from the filter to the last thickener represents 50 tons of solution removed in
loading the filter, which will, of course, still have the value of Z.
(h) Let W, X, Y, Z and F represent the value in dollars per. ton of solution dis-
(1) W = $3.3439
(2) X = 2.0939
(3) 7 = 0.5314
(4) Z = 0.1408
(5) F = 0.0563
$ 999.985
Conditions assumed:
(c) Let W, X, Y, Z, and F represent the strength in pounds of cyanide per ton of
(1) W = 4.0
(2) X = 3.8124
(3) Y = 3.7655
(4) Z = 3.7537
(5) F = 1.5015
and silver takes place during the washing of the ore pulp after agitation
the washing operation, whereby solution of lower gold and silver content
and more freshly precipitated is brought into contact with the ore. Further
in filters, but this does take place to some extent even on continuous
127
^>
Operation
Hours of agitation
Gold (Au)
Silver (Ag)
Total
Dissolved in:
Thickener 1, Gold
Silver
Total
Thickener 2, Gold
Silver
' Total
Thickener 3, Gold
Silver
' Total
Thickener 4, Gold
Silver
Total
Hollinger*
United
Easternf
Elko
PrinceJ,|
250
253
53
12
62
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72
No
No
Yes
$9.00
$20.66
$15.27
10.7
$9.00
$20.66
$25.97
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$0.08
$0.20
$0.11
0.08
0 08
0.20
0.19||
0.04
0.07
0.09
0.02
0.04
0.07
0.11
0.03
0.04
0.05
0.05
0.03
0.04
0.10
0.03
CHAPTER IX
Concentration
gold as early and as completely as possible in the flow of pulp. Gravity con-
centration in various forms is made use of for this purpose and amalgamation
Concentration is also extensively practiced where a large part or all the gold
and economic considerations involved indicate that such a step in the flow
without some gravity concentration, are usually employed for this purpose.
The concentration of gold and silver ores has two principal objects in
view:
2. The collecting of gold or silver values which are associated with sul-
The latter may involve (a) shipping to a smelter, (b) selective grinding
for cyaniding in the mill circuit, (c) cyaniding in a separate circuit with
or without roasting.
Recovery of Free Gold. Methods for the recovery of free and rela-
1. Riffles or sluices.
2. Hydraulic traps.
4. .Fgs.
5. ^orduroy blankets.
ing.
128
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CONCENTRATION 129
tion of the gold then follows along the general lines of the steps outlined
above. Because the details of these steps are generally known or can be
14-1.0, and other textbooks, brief descriptions only of a few typical amal-
Metallurgical engineers are generally agreed that free gold should prefer-
good reasons for this: Coarse gold tends readily to segregate in various
intervals.
The methods used for recovering free gold are discussed more fully in the
erals such as sulphides of the metals, the methods usually employed include
complicated by the fact that frequently both free gold and gold associated
with sulphides occur together in the ore and also that cyanidation either
While flotation offers the cheaper and more efficient method of con-
cyanidation.
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Tabling, on the other hand, has the advantage that u can be incor-
porated into the cyanide circuit itself and, as used at Hollinger, for in-
the sulphides, so that only the coai\ ' and more refractory sulphides are
removed from the circuit for separate . * : i regrind and cyanidation, while
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130 CYANIDATTON AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
the finer sulphides are already sufficiently ground for direct cyanide treat-
ment.
If, as in many plants today, a final tailing for discard can be made by
notation, there is no question but that this flow sheet, which may include
jigs or other gravity equipment for recovering free gold, is the one to use.
GRAVITY CONCENTRATION
use since earliest times still finds application as a gold saver for small
with transverse strips, or riffles, with variable spacing. There are endless
etc., along with free gold tend to collect in the spaces between the riffles,
while the lighter and coarser material is displaced over the top of the riffles.
Periodically the feed is deflected and the heavy concentrate dug out by
Apex plant, Nashville, Calif., the 65-mesh discharge from each of two
tables, Dorr classifiers, and flotation. The traps were bled daily and
and amalgamated in a barrel, and the tailing returned to the mill circuit.
Cones. At the cyanide plant of the Pickle Crow gold mine in northern
Ontario three cones are built into the launder between the ball mill and
classifier. Each cone is 18 in. in diameter with a slope of 60 deg. and fitted
at the apex with a 4-in. nipple and discharge valve. A solution supply is
connected into this nipple, and a regulated flow keeps the contents of the
cone fre} of slime. The cones are dumped every 8 hr. under normal oper-
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ating conditions, and the concentrate obtained varies from a few ounces to
The Unit Flotation C.lf and Hydraulic Cone. To save coarse gold
and recover free minerals at an early stage in milling, some plants installed
131
the Denver Equipment Sub-A flotation cell and hydraulic cone. Figure 38
The flotation machine and its use in the circuit have been patented in
several countries.
Outlet <*\
Hinge>.(
Locking
[hinge
/"
2 wafer line ^
4f,lubricating -;
The unit flotation cell prevents the accumulation of free gold in a ball-
wise, because of its high specific gravity, the gold remains in this circuit
until finely ground. Also, periodic surges of the classifier may allow this
accumulation of gold to get into the mill circuit , li resulting loss because
coarse free gold is not readily floated and is often slowly extracted by cya-
nide. Moreover, the gold sufficiently fire to overflow the classifier lip
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134
retention time through the machine must be obtained, and flooding with
the Bendelari, and the Denver Mineral Jig have an average capacity of
2 to 2.5 tons per square foot of bed area per hour, expressed in terms of
new feed. In mill circuits with high circulating loads the actual duty on
the jig may be 10 tons per square foot per hour or more; it is noted that the
low as 2 to as high as 10 gallons per minute per square foot of jig bed area.
These variations depend on the dilution of the feed, the particular design
of the jig, the size distribution of the feed, the grade of concentrate desired,
and the speed and the stroke of the jig. These last factors are interde-
Feed size
3 to 20 mesh
20 to 200 mesh
Mechanical jigs:
Stroke, diaphragm, in
%tol
120 to 160
H to %
160 to 350
Hydraulic jigs:
y2 to i
% to y2
250 to 400
400 to 600
the stroke and speed and then to use the volume of hutch water as an
operating variable.
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speed is shown in Table 17. The screen and shot sizes depend on the size
of the concentrate desired. The size of the voids determines the effective-
ness of sifting. A coarse bed (e.g., ]/i-m. shot) recovers a coarse concentrate
and has a larger capacity but may not exclude sand efficiently. A fine
bed (e.g., JH*2-in- snot) recovers small grains effectively and produces a
The use of blankets, canvas, coco matting, and corduroyin fact, any
material with napto save gold not held by copper plates, also to catch
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some heavy materials, has persisted from the time of Agricola to the pres-
ent. From this practice has come the present use of corduroy alone to
ribs are placed across the table and flow of pulp, with the high side of the
nap facing the stream. Each length overlaps the succeeding length a few
inches.
trialthe size and specific gravity of the solids and the liquid-solid ratio
being the principal factors that influence the slope. An unclassified pulp
ft.; more dilute and finer pulp needs less slope. Roughly, 3 tons of ore
Cloths are rinsed as often as may be necessary to keep the riffles from
packing with heavy minerals. They are kept in use until the pile or back-
The final handling of worn-out corduroy is to burn it and treat the ash
separately. It should not be fed to the mill circuit for fear that the car-
bon may precipitate the gold from the cyanide solutions. At the Dome
mill the corduroy is dumped loosely into a tank in which cyanide solution
is circulated for several days. This dissolves any fine gold enmeshed in the
Canadian Practice
In the Dome mill, destroyed by fire in 1929, free gold was removed from the cir-
cuit by a combination of amalgam plates and blankets. In the new mill an attempt
was made to use an all-cyanide process, but this was quickly dropped, and a blanket
The feed to the blanket tables is the unclassified product (about 60 per cent minus
200 mesh) of the primary and secondary grinding circuits. The pulp is about 1.5
parts water to 1 part ore. The primary load is 1730 tons, with an additional circu-
lating load of approximately 1100 tons, making a total load over the blankets of
There are 28 blanket tables of a combined area of 756 sq. ft., each table being 4 ft.
6 in. wide by 6 ft. long. The tables are of wood, set so that the inclination of the
blankets is 1% in. per ft. The corduroy blankets are 28 in. wide and cut 5 ft. long
to allow for shrinkage during use. The first strip is held in place b}T a flat iron bar,
but the other two strips are held in place by lapping the upper one over the next
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lower one. The "special heavy-backed undyed corduroy 28 in. wide" is specially
manufactured for this purpose b}r James Johnston, 18 London Road, Manchester,
England.
The strips are placed on the table with the high sides of the cords toward the
flow of the stream, thus making the necessary riffles to catch the gold. The top
blankets are washed every hour, the others ^very 2 hours, three men changing,
washing, and looking after distribution on t^Sles, etc. When the blankets are
changed, they are folded and rolled up so iceep the product on the inside. They
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138
are replaced by another set of blankets but before the next change are washed and
rolled ready to be reused. The washing is done in boxes, one for each shift, the
blankets being merely unrolled and moved longitudinally up and down in water two
or three times. This removes the greater part of the product. When blankets are
discarded, they are more carefully cleaned and are then treated by cyanide in a small
smaller distributors, each serving four tables, from each of which the flow can be
Each wash tub has a pipe leading out of the bottom, so that it can be loaded di-
rectly into an amalgam barrel set directly below the tub. The amount collected in
each tub in an 8-hr. shift is approximately 1 ton, which is the capacity of the amalgam
barrels. The barrels are 36 in. in diameter by 5 ft. long and are lined with white-iron
liners, but barrels with cast-iron shells are preferable because they can be used with-
out linings. Linings invariably collect and hold up amalgam. Each barrel is
These barrels are loaded each day about noon, lime is added, and the barrels are
closed and started. The real function of the grinding is to brighten all the gold so
that it will amalgamate readily. At 6:30 the following morning the barrels are
stopped and the requisite amount of mercury is added. The barrels are then rotated
again for 1> hr. and then dumped. The mercury and amalgam are collected, cleaned
up, and pressed into cakes which contain approximately 50 per cent mercury, carry-
ing about 10 dwt. gold per ounce. The amalgam is taken to the refinery, where it
In addition to the three men on each shift, two men on the day shift handle the
During the year ending Dec. 31, 1947, the total recovery at the Dome mill was
96.14 per cent, the blanket plant giving 63.30 per cent and the cyanide plant 32.84
per cent.
Rand Practice
Rand mills use corduroy, and the gold recovered varies from 24 to 69 per
and M.S.S.A., February, 1923, is one of the few and best references on
corduroy. It is replete with figures and flow sheets and is entitled "Re-
gamation." For one group of large gold producers, plates had saved 47
with a number of disabilities. . . . With the increasing practice of fine grinding, the
The Apex plant, treating ore from the Modderfontein East, was among
the first to discard plate amalgamation. The copper plates, from which
tables. No holding-down device was used, but air bubbles that formed
were "ironed out." Even distribution of the pulp for corduroy is as im-
Wartenweiler found the following after a 4-hr. run of pulp over a series
of five corduroys:
Table 18.
Corduroy
76 to 80
11 to 18
3.1 to 4.2
2.3 to 3.7
0.8 to 2.1
Current Use of Corduroy. The corduroy tables are generally placed im-
used on both primary and secondary circuits. Thus, they have to handle
the whole circulating load through the mill, and the pulp will carry 30 to
The average corduroy table is 5 ft. wide and 10 or 12 ft- long and has a
slope of about 2 in. per ft. Approximately 1 sq. ft. of corduroy area is
required per ton of ore milled per day, and about 1 ton of concentrate is
The corduroy strips are washed every 3 to 4 hr., and the pyrite concen-
retorted.
Gravity Concentration
particles of sulphides in the ore and thus indirectly recover some of the
gold associated with these and other heavy minerals, they are not pri-
demanded, flotation methods are now in general use, but in the days
before flotation was known, a large part of the world's gold was recovered
Though the modern trend is away from the use of tables, because flo-
Overflow from the batteries runs over Antioquenan tables which are flat and
smooth and made of a fibrous wood known as "yolombo." They are arranged in
series much the same as blanket or amalgamation plate tables. The grain of the
wood in the deck runs with the flow of pulp, and a sharp-pointed tool is used to scratch
its surface in a crosshatched pattern. The fibrous wood stands up along the scratches
and forms an ideal trap for free gold. Twice a day the tables are cleaned and the
J Wooo/ flooring I
In+ermedioj+e Pltf+eau
(Porten+eol)
Linoleum^
SEW
Flowofpulp^
During the early days of operation referred to, nine wooden mills totaling 66 stamps,
one ten-stamp California-type stamp mill, and three sand-leaching cyanide plants
other type distributors mounted along the upper side of the deck. The
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feed enters just ahead of the water supply, concentrate is taken off at the
lower end of the table, and tailings overflow the lower side (see Figs. 42
feed, while only incomplete recoveries are made in the 200 to 325 mesh
range. Finer material is lost on all but very low-capacity slime tables.
for the purpose of recovering the fine mineral particles lost in ordinary
is only 1 to 3 tons per 24 hr., and the vanner is now practically obsolete.
liminary sizing of the feed with each sized band going to a separate table
the hydraulic types are used, gives increased recovery, a higher grade
concentrate, greater table capacity, and less middling for regrind; in other
The Dorrco sizer described in Chap. VI, the Richards pulsator classifier,
and others employing classifying zones of uniform cross section give effi-
cient results.
automobile tire. Feed enters the top spiral and the tailing discharges
from the bottom one, while concentrate and middlings are cut off by outlet
ports regularly spaced at each turn of the spiral, and the products passed
through rubber hoses to common launders which run the full length of a
the separation of the heavy constituents of the feed is effected by the same
stream concentration.
A capacity of 38 tons per spiral was obtained in the 1000-ton per 24 hr.
Oregon plant operating on about a minus 40-mesh feed and in the 5000-
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trate gold ore, they should be effective for the recovery of free gold such as
now obsolete) and depend on compressed air to supply the bubble struc-
ture and to hold the pulp in suspension. Well-known makes include the
Motor
Cell
Actual
size
Number
Size, in.
volume,
hp.
per cell
for
cu. ft.
two cells
4-cell ,
6-cell
8-cell
10-cell
16 by 16
3.0
0.75
1.5
16
: 24
32
40
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12
22 by 22
10.0
1.0
2.0
45
70
95.
115
15
24 by 24
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
12.0
1.2
3.0
65
95
125
160
18
28 by 28
18.0
1.4
'3.0
95
140
1&
235
18 S.P.
32 by 32
24.0
2.2
5.0
120
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146 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
Flotation Reagents
chemical products.
flotation collectors, but for the most part the actual reagent combination
The following is a brief discussion of the reagents ordinarily used for the
are partly oxidized. Soda ash is the most widely used regulator of al-
flotation of partly oxidized sulphides but must be used with caution because
sulphuric acid may be necessary, but the use of it is limited to ores con-
sometimes used in the flotation of oxidized gold ores. It has the effect of
slime interference.
are "Aerofloat" reagents and the xanthates. The most effective promoter
present, this reagent and reagent 301 constitute the most effective promoter
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selective promoter of all sulphides. Amyl and butyl xanthates are also
widely used. Ethyl xanthate is not so commonly used as the higher xan-
The conditioning agents used for silver ores are the same as those for
gold ores. Soda ash is a commonly used pH regulator. It aids the flo-
tation of galena and silver sulphides. When the silver and lead minerals
are in the oxidized state, sodium sulphide is helpful, but it should not be
added until after the sulphide minerals have been floated, because sodium
301 and amyl and butyl xanthates, are beneficial when pyrite must be
recovered. When the ore contains oxidized lead minerals, such as angle-
site and cerussite, sodium sulphide and one of the higher xanthates may be
used. In some instances reagent 404 effects high recovery of these min-
Silver ores require the same frothers as gold oresviz., pine oil, cresylic
the United States these reagents are used on the gold ores of California and
Colorado and in Canada on the gold ores and sulphides of Ontario and
Quebec.
Company are as follows: Yarmor F pine oil, a frother for floating simple
and complex ores; Risor pine oil, for recovering sulphides by bulk flotation;
F, but with some semioxidized ores where high recovery is essential yet
the grade of concentrate not so important, Tarol does good work; Tarol 2, a
frother for floating certain oxide minerals, but it can be used in selective
mor F.
*?
is studying the question, and preliminary results indicate that this state-
found in flotation circuits, does not precipitate gold from a pregnant cya-
Primary Slime
comes mixed with the flotation concentrate and lowers its value. Some-
times the problem in flotation is that, although the gold is floatable, the
concentrate product is of too low grade. Talc, slate, clay, oxides of iron,
and J. A. Woolf of the U.S. Bureau of Mines, interferes with the proper
sion and be carried over into the concentrate. Preliminary removal and
washing of this primary slime before fine crushing is one method of dealing
with it. At the Idaho-Maryland mill, Grass Valley, Calif., starch is regu-
were made on a quartz ore containing carbonaceous schist from the Argo-
naut mine, Jackson, Calif.; a talcose ore from the Idaho-Maryland mine
and manganese oxide ore from the Baboquivari district, Nevada; carbona-
ceous and aluminous slime from the Mother Lode and some synthetic ores.
1. Finely divided metallic gold in milling ores floats readily, and a high-grade
Any good collector may be used for the flotation of gold, but organic collectors of
the xanthate type produce a cleaner, higher grade concentrate than coal tar-
cresote oils.
3. Clayey slime does not have strong, flotative properties, but it tends to remain
in suspension and coat mineral particles, making it difficult to obtain good selectivity
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during flotation. Proper deflocculation of an ore pulp and some agent to destroy the
4. It is essential to keep pulp containing iron (not hetite) ana manganese oxides
5. Starch was the most effective depress) 3ent tried. It should be added as a
solution to the ore pulp. Starch displays a selective action in its depressing effect.
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150 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
It acts first on the slime; then, if a sufficient excess of starch is present, it will cause
some depression of sulphides and metallic gold, either by wetting out or by producing
an extremely brittle froth. Therefore, care must be taken in regulating the amount
of starch added to obtain the maximum depression of the slime commensurate with
high recovery of the gold. In this, as in all other phases of flotation, each ore pre-
Number 9, January, 1939, describe the use of their 600 series of reagents
not only greatly increases the bulk and moisture content of a notation
ceous shale from South Africa, up to 77 per cent of the carbon was elimi-
nated by the use of 1 lb. per ton of reagent 637 with a 90.5 per cent gold
centration after conditioning with 0.50 lb. per ton of reagent 645.
In each case the ore was ground to about 70 per cent minus 200 mesh
Flotation reagents included reagents 301 and 208 and pine oil. In the
second case some soda ash and copper sulphate were also used.
It is obvious that the most suitable treatment for ores carrying gold and
the most suitable process, but it often necessitates grinding ore to a fine
size to release the gold and silver. Where it is possible to obtain a good
tion.
That the trend over the last 10 years has been in this direction will be
noted from the numerous examples of such flow sheets in Canada and Aus-
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The suitability of the method involving fine grinding and notation with
tailing follows, this being simpler and cheaper because of prior removal
of the cyanicides.
recover as much of the gold and silver as possible in the grinding circuit by
accumulation in the classifier; otherwise gold that is too coarse to float may
escape from the grinding section into the flotation circuit where it will pass
cell is a Denver 500 Sub-A type. The total pulp discharged from each
tube mill passes through 4-mesh screens which are attached to the end of
the mills. The undersize goes to the flotation cell, and the oversize to the
classifiers. Tailing from the cell flows to the classifiers, and the flotation
concentrate joins the concentrate stream from the main flotation circuit.
The cones have increased recovery from 60 to 75 per cent. Every 24 hr.
15 min. to separate the gangue in the cells from the high-grade concen-
trate, after which a product consisting of sulphides and coarse gold is re-
moved through a 4-in. plug valve equipped with a locking device. Each
increase in the value of the cyanide residue. The object of this arrange-
153
1. Virtually all exposed gold and telluride values in the ore can be safely-and
2. The roasting of an uncyanided flotation concentrate made from the raw ore did
would clean up the exposed values, was a difficult and costly treatment.
cyanide tails made it feasible to concentrate the values contained in the sulphides
Incidental matters that influenced the choice of treatment scheme included the
realization that preliminary flotation would have involved two separate treatment
circuits with additional steps of thickening and filtration following the flotation.
Furthermore, in the conditioning method evolved, as much as 60 per cent of the dis-
There are, however, cases where flotation equipment was put in for the
only to find that the tailing was too valuable to waste and had finally to be
lower gold content than flotation. At a price of S35 per ounce for gold
this fact is of much greater importance than when gold was valued at
$20.67 per ounce. The possible gold loss in the residue to be discarded
CONCENTRATE TREATMENT
Chap. XI).
rates, and reasonable smelting charges may favor the shipping of con-
centrates over making the capital outlay for a local plant and treat-
ment.
It has been pointed out by millmen in other camps treating ores containing both
sulphides and tellurides that, as long as cyanidation is carried out on the raw ore,
where the concentration of sulphide and telluride is low, good recovery of value in
tellurides is possible. However, once the sulphides and te^urides are concentrated,
it is next to impossible to extract the gold tellurides fully by any commercially feasi-
The prevailing practice in any district will depend upon such factors as
the mineral association and local cost of treatment. In Australia the usual
schemes are used depending upon the particular ore being treated.
in which the gold is associated only with pyrite usually respond satisfac-
gold is associated with other minerals, raw treatment frequently does not
districts varies from grinding and treating them concurrently with the
filtration, respectively.
Lake Shore floats its sulphides and tellurides after the whole pulp has been
cyanided, then regrinds the minerals, roasts and cyanides them again.
Separate cyanide circuits are maintained for the regular mill and the
concentrate-treatment plant.
Wright-Hargreaves floats its sulphides after the whole pulp has been cya-
nided, regrinds the minerals, and returns them to the circulating pulp
circuit.
phides in the pulp from 3.75 to 9 per cent. These are continuously ground,
passed over corduroy tables, and mixed with the remainder of the pulp
and cyanides them, and then mixes them with the remainder of the pulp
Smelter Treatment
returns in some detail. The following notes from the revised article on
terest :
Custom mills are built to treat a composite of the ores in the district which they
serve. The district is usually small in area, because freight quickly eats up all pos-
sible profit on shipments of raw ore, despite the fact that tariffs are normally lower
for low-grade ores. Recoveries tend to be lower in custom mills than in company
mills, owing to changing character of feed, even when elaborate facilities for mixing
feeds are available; this difficulty is, of course, accentuated when ores are run through
Milling charges depend upon the kind of ore, the size and frequency of shipment,
the extent of segregation required, whether the ore is purchased by the milling plant,
whether the mill is at a smelter, the number of unusual conditions in the transaction,
and the extent of competition. Most custom mills are for treatment of gold- and
silver-bearing ores.
Smelters have a more difficult problem in the purchase of base-metal ores with or
methods of payment are more complicated than those of custom mills. The smelter
buys ores on the basis of the agreed assay, paying for valuable metals contained
chase or at some agreed date thereafter meant to be the probable date of sale, less a
charge covering the cost of treatment and profit thereon. The treatment charge
must include the cost of delivering ore to the smelter, sampling, smelting, freight on
crude metal to the refinery, refining, selling, and a carrying charge on metal from the
time of purchase to the time of disposal. Various methods of assessing these charges
and the profit on operations are followed. In the case of some metals all is included
in a treatment charge; in other cases a part only, viz., smelting, is included in the
base treatment charge, the balance being taken care of in the price at which metal
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is paid for after certain deductions from the market price. All methods have as the
Smelter open schedules are published tenders by the smelter to purchase or treat
ores and concentrates under stated conditions as to price and other items. The
elements are (1) the treatment charge; (2) penalties; (3) payments.
Treatment charge covers the actual cost of treating the ore plus interest on capital
and investment, etc., and allows for working profit. Charges tend to graduate up-
Penalties are imposed for ore constituents, which add to the difficulties and costs
Penalties and bonuses are quoted as so much a unit, which is 1 per cent or 20 lb.
Crude gold or silver ores shipped to smelters are typically siliceous; concentrates,
on the other hand, generally contain an excess of iron. Ores that contain too little
lead or copper to serve as collectors of the precious metals in smelting are termed
"dry ores." Highly siliceous ores (60 per cent upward of Si02) are valued by copper
smelters for use in converters, whereas they are highly penalized by lead smelters.
In certain districts, however, siliceous ores are smelted on a flat schedule designed to
encourage mining and maintain a flow of ore to the smelter. In Leadville, Colo.,
the treatment charges per ton are scaled from $5 for such ores worth $14 or less a ton
Payments for a given metal differ materially according to the kind of smelter
buying, and, of course, to the character of material shipped. Thus a lead smelter
may pay about 4 cents per pound less for copper in a given ore or concentrate than a
copper smelter, but the latter will pay for only half the lead at 2 cents less per pound.
Payments by the smelter are rarely, if ever, based on the full amount of a given
metal in the product shipped, as shown b}^ assay, or on the full market value of the
metal at the time of settlement. The first difference is supposed to take care of losses
in treatment. The second deduction is to cover freight on base bullion and the cost
of refining it, the cost of recovery of by-products, selling, and it serves also as a hedge
on the course of the market between settlement date and sale. Payment deductions
Gold payments, formerly based on $20.67 per ounce, have been based since 1933 on
the realized mint price of $34.9125 per ounce ($35 less $0.0875 refining charge). Both
lead and copper smelters usually pay for all Au over about 0.03 ounce per ton; the
minimum ranges from 0.02 to 0.05; some contracts deduct the minimum from the
Silver payments have generally been based in North America on the New York
(Handy and Harman) quotations for the week during which the last car of the lot
arrives at the smelter, but under the Silver Purchase Act domestically mined silver
(accompanied b}^ the necessary affidavits) is paid for on the basis of the realized mint
price. Smelters usuall}?- deduct 1 oz. (sometimes only 0.5 oz.) per ton from the assay
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and pay for 95 per cent of the balance, sometimes making an additional deduction on
Zinc and antimon}^ smelters often make no payment for Ag or Au, and those which
do deduct heavily because their losses in recovering precious metals are higher than
Native placer and bullion from amalgamation or c}^anidation plants can be de-
posited at the United States Assay Offices in New York and Seattle or at the mints
at Philadelphia, San Francisco, Denver, and New Orleans and will be paid for usually
within 3 to 5 days at the market price of these metals less specified refining charges,
pro', .ded the gold or gold and silver content is 20 per cent or more. Silver, free from
gold, will not, necessarily, be accepted unless needed for coinage or under some special
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provisions (e.g., the Silver Purchase Act). No allowance is made for platinum or
ment as a factor in small gold-mining enterprises (15 to 150 tons per day),
CONCENTRATION 157
at the higher price ($35 per ounce) for gold, concludes that, as with base
metals, the nearer the producer can get to making a finished product
himself the greater will be his reward, the net returns for bullion being
necessarily higher than for the same amount of gold sent to a smelter in
$26.03, $28.94, and $30.64 per ounce. Of course the charges against the
Roasting
In the case of many complex gold and silver ores roasting before cyanidation
raw ore with cyanide solution will effect more than a certain low extraction;
carried out following concentration of the values into a small bulk, must be used
if it becomes necessary to decompose the minerals with which the gold is asso-
raw ore are broken up and rendered harmless by roasting, but the calcine may
contain new compounds that must be removed by water or acid washing before
GENERAL DISCUSSION
whole of the ore was roasted before cyanidation, but this practice has been
for the most part discontinued on account of the large plant and high
bearing minerals into a small bulk and roast the concentrate only. The
calcine is then usually treated in a small cyanide circuit, with the residues
sometimes passing into the main cyanide circuit, if the flow sheet includes
Those types of gold ores which most frequently require roasting in-
tite. Straight pyritic ores, where the pyrite is present in small quantities,
(the' silver sulphide) and cerargyrite (the chloride) can frequently be cya-
in 1940.
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158
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ROASTING 159
There are four general types of roasting furnace in use: (1) the horizon-
of it are typical; (2) the rotary kiln; (3) the vertical, multiple-hearth fur-
naces with rabble arms attached to a central shaft, of which the Wedge
PYRITE
The roasting of straight pyritic ores involves the conversion of the iron
gas also. In this chemical change the iron mineral is rendered more or
subsequent cyanidation.
trols are necessary to avoid undesirable side reactions which are discussed
below. It is not usual, for instance, to leave more than about 0.1 to 0.15
per cent insoluble sulphur in the roasted ore, but much larger percentages
such salts may reduce the porosity of the iron oxide and so lower the gold
causes trouble due to the presence of ferrous salts and other cyanicides.
Lake Shore Mines, Ltd. The treatment scheme at Lake Shore in-
The pyrite values include all gold so intimately associated with the pyrite that
cyanidation for a prolonged period under ideal laboratory technique will not dissolve
it. Unlike the gangue values, finer grinding has comparatively little effect on re-
Before the cyanide residue from the main plant can be floated, it is neces-
sary to destroy the lime alkalinity present, and a good deal o experimen-
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tal work was carried out before a suitable design of spray tower for con-
ditioning the pulp with S02 gas from the roaster was worked out. This
Pn
160
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using reagent 301, copper sulphate, and pine oil. The concentrates are
thickened, filtered on a drum filter provided with a flapper (see page 120),
roaster. On the basis of a mill feed of 1200 tons per day, about 23 tons
one unit is currently used. A 25-hp. motor drives the complete mecha-
nism of each roaster. Special insulation was provided on the side walls
the roaster, which completely stops back mixing of the charge between the
cooling hearth and the roaster proper. In the original roaster, eight pairs
of rabbles out of the thirty-five are used for the cooling hearth. In the
The wet concentrate is a sticky, puttylike substance which adheres to almost any
dry surface.
The back mixing action of the rabbles ensures that there is always a quantity of
dry, disintegrated charge at the feed end of the hearth. The fresh feed entering the
furnace falls into this bed of dry, dusty material and picks up a coating of dust. This
action can be compared with the baker's use of flour to prevent bread dough sticking
nor will it ball up. The rapid turnover and thorough mixing given by the rabbles
distribute the dust-lubricated material over the first three or four bays of the roaster,
where it can be dried by the heat of the charge and the gases.
The first pair of rabbles are double armed to reduce the amount of wet feed which
piles up under the chute between passes of the rabble. The moisture is driven off,
and the filter cake shreds break up into more or less equidimensional lumps. On
further application of heat, the trapped water inside these smaller lumps turns into
steam. The pressure set up inside the lumps causes them to burst.
ever, it is stated that at no point in the furnace can the charge be said
really to flow. During the elimination of the first atom of sulphur, indi-
cated by the blue flame, the charge appears to be slightly lighter and
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fluffier. Even at this point, the angle, of repose is over 30 deg. Else-
where, the angle of repose is nearer 45 deg. These angles of repose com-
charge and enables the rabbles to do a more efficient job of turning the
contributes materially to reducing the dusting and dust losses to the low
figure obtained.
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162 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
rake mechanism. The rake draws the calcine out well clear of the dis-
charge port in the roaster before dropping it into the preliming agitator.
this temperature control over the initial stage of the roast. The charge
must be held at a low temperature for a sufficiently long period during the
blue-flame stage. (The temperature has reached 900F. at the fifth port
ARSENOPYRITE
than straight pyritic ores mainly because of the tendency toward the for-
conditions should be maintained in the early stages of the roast to ensure elimination
of the arsenic in the arsenious state. Provided this has been satisfactorily accom-
plished, the finishing stages of the roast can be done under active oxidizing condi-
tions. It is not enough that reducing conditions alone be maintained during the
charge and a good flow of gas over or through the charge to carry off the arsenious
oxide as it is produced.
perature sequence. For Beattie concentrate it proved best to hold the temperature
about 900F. during the period of arsenic elimination followed by a rise to 1300F.
Consolidated Beattie Gold Mines Ltd. This 2000-ton per day plant
the finest installations in Canada, has paid for itself in increased recovery
drier. The discharge is in the form of round pellets, which are broken
draft roasters.
163
The furnaces are provided with an installation of two hot Cottrells for
taking dust out of the hot gases, the 10 to 13 tons per day of dust carrying
2.25 per cent arsenic being returned to the third hearth by chain drags
and elevators, and two cold Cottrells, which treat the gas after it has been
roasters because of the low sulphur content (16 per cent) of the concen-
trate, and until recently heat was added to certain hearths continuously.
At the present time supplemental heat is not supplied, and a feed carrying
as little as 12 per cent sulphur plus 2 per cent arsenic has been successfully
handled when a high tonnage rate (up to 190 tons per day) is maintained.
Item
Crude
ore
Flotation
concentrate
Calcine
Daily tonnage
1200
0.16
180
1.11
155
14.2
1 30
Sulphur as sulphide
0.23
1.55
1 78
Sulphur as sulphate
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Total sulphur
2.20
0.35
4.6
16.0
Arsenic
2.0
03
Iron
16.7
20.0
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The roasters are operated on the split-draft principle; i.e., they are pro-
vided with bleeder flues from hearths 7 and 11 and two uptake flues from
the first roasting hearths to a balloon flue. The As203, which condenses
out of the gases when cooled below 500F., is a product that is very corro-
sive and difficult to handle. The product from the Cottrells runs about
77 per cent As as As203, 12 per cent S03 and carries about 0.03 oz. Au per
ton. As this is not high enough grade to meet present market demands,
The calcine is quenched, without liming, and pumped to hydroseparators which are
in closed circuit with tube mills, where the calcine is ground to about 90 per cent
minus 325 mesh. This overflow is thickened, filtered, repulped in cyanide solution,
A total of 1066 tons of solution running about $5 per ton is precipitated per day.
Zinc dust consumed equals 0.006 lb. per ton. The present over-all recovery is 85
per cent, consisting of a flotation recovery of 90 per cent, a roaster recovery of 99 per
Conditions at various points in the roasters, in 1939 when the plant was operating
Weight,
per cent
Gold,
Micron size
+ 100 mesh
20.6
30.6
0.64
0 88
+ 56 micron100 mesh
+ 40 micron 56 micron
7.8
13.4
0 90
+ 20 micron 40 micron
1 15
+ 10 micron 20 micron
9.0
18.6
1 50
10 micron
0.86
Hearth
Roaster 1
Roaster 2
Roaster 3
Temp., F.
Sulphur
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dioxide,
per cent
Temp., F.
Sulphur
dioxide,
per cent
Temp., F.
Sulphur
dioxide,
per cent
2
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400
620
2.64
420
610
2.64
2.40
3.09
460
650
790
2.90
2.40
840
2.82
2.90
800
2.82
1050
ROASTING 165
SULPHOTELLURIDES
Golden Cycle Mill. This roasting plant, since closed down, was
four were finally in use. Fuel was supplied to four ports on each furnace
plant. About 7 tons of fuel was consumed per 24 hr. for a rated furnace
capacity of 120 tons of ore, which is equivalent to 117 lb. of coal per ton
of ore roasted. The feed carried 3 to 4 per cent moisture, and the roasting
temperature varied between 600 and 650C. The time of contact was
close to 53^ hr. The last 16 spindles operated in the open, and the air-
cooled calcine after being sprayed with water was discharged by means
sulted in improved extraction, since the fines were known to carry higher
Kalgoorlie
Lake View and Star. The dewatered concentrates are passed over a
Merrick weightometer into a 80-ton bin from which they are fed by a ribbon
weight feeder and are heat controlled by means of auxiliary off-take flues
placed along the crown of the roaster. These flues draw off hot gases and
Ideal roasting is achieved when the temperature does not exceed 550C.
during the stage when pyrite is being oxidized to pyrrhotite, and this reac-
The air is drawn through the roasters by two fans having a combined
The fans discharge to two six-cyclone Van Tongeren dust collectors and
FLUOSOLIDS ROASTING
sectional view of the FluoSolids reactor which has recently bee^i developed
and is now being applied to the roasting of sulphide ores, to the calcination
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The term "fluidization" denotes the fundamental principle of carrying out a gas-
upward flow of the gases that effect the reaction. This mass assumes a fluid level
and acts as a fluid. The upwardly moving gas stream imparts to this mass a turbu-
tem, is the close degree of temperature control realized and the uniformity of the
temperature condition that can readily be maintained throughout the fluidized bed.
of the bed, nor is there any appreciable temperature difference between the gaseous
are relatively low, leading to the belief that roasting can be properly carried
Solids reactor consists of a cylindrical shell built of 3^2~m- steel plate 18 ft.
inside diameter of 6 ft. 8 in. by a lining of 9-in. firebrick backed with 3 in.
of insulating brick. The domed top of the reactor, the hot-air ducts, and
the cyclone dust collectors are lined with a castable refractory cement.
Appropriate openings are provided, piercing the steel shell and lining for
There are two outlets in the dome top of the reactor, one, 14 in. in diam-
eter, being a gas discharge to the cyclone dust collectors and the other, 8
only when the reactor is being preheated prior to being started up. Both
are lined with refractory material. The main 14-in. gas line leads to two
In the base of the reactor shell there is fitted a steel perforated con-
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striction plate. This plate is lined with castable refractory cement and
is seated. These spheres act as distributing valves for the diffusion of the
air throughout the bed and as check valves when the reactor is shut down
veyor, suitably designed to act also as a seal to prevent gas escaping from
day assaying about 6 oz. gold per ton. Since the reactor has a rated
on two shifts only. The reactor can be shut down and started up without
tion.
nected above and below the constriction plate and at the top of the furnace
For information on the cyanidation of the calcine see the general mill
design, the top or feed compartment serving to preheat the ore and effect
arsenic, the middle compartment being the main reaction chamber, while
the lower compartment serves to cool the calcine and preheat the incoming
gases. The material passes down from one compartment to the next
desirable.
was found that commercial cyanide extractions from the laboratory cal-
cines could be obtained only from roasts in which salt had been added to
the charge. This information was later confirmed in both the pilot plant
The exact nature of the chemical reaction produced by salt, which has
such beneficial effects in the cyanidation of the calcine, is not clear. While
of er camps failed to show any improvement when salt was added to the
3 The high degree of heat Co .nervation in this type of furnace requires this step
with ores of more than a certain critical calorific value in order to maintain the tem-
Certain observations that were made on the effect of adding salt during
the laboratory roasting test work have been borne out in the plant roasting.
1. The cyanide extraction was raised from 70 to 80 per cent (obtained without
salt) to 90 per cent when salt was added at the rate of 30 lb. per ton roasted.
2. The presence of salt in the charge shortened the total time of roasting required
to produce a dead calcine by from 10 to 20 per cent. This speed-up in the roast is
accounted for by the charge commencing to calcine at an earlier stage in the roast and
probably at a lower temperature than is the case when salt is omitted. This effect
applied equally to those outside concentrates which could be roasted and cyanided
3. The calcine produced without salt from Lake Shore concentrates was a brown
color. In roasts where salt had been added, the calcine was a rich purple-red shade.
A fourth effect was noted at the time of the laboraton- roasting work, but the
investigation of sizing technique has rendered this effect difficult to interpret. The
calcine from salt roasts, when given the normal infrasizing treatment, appeared to
of caution. A process which depends on the use of excess NaCl and lime has been
To avoid loss of gold, the amount of salt added must be held at such a figure that
The addition of 30 lb. NaCl to the Lake Shore concentrate does not cause any
finding that:4
After heating arsenical ores or concentrates mixd with soda ash equal to 5 to 10
per cent of their weight in the absence of air for a period of 20 to 60 min. at tempera-
tures between 950 and 1200F. and then quenching in water, residues very low in gold
It was later found that 94 per cent of the gold in a 1.92-oz. concentrate
cyanide at all.
and it is believed that the gold was taken into the quench solution through such
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oz. per ton in gold, and the gold so precipitated was not readily soluble in C3^aniae
solution.
are developed, it is probable that further work along these lines will be
carried out.
ing gold ores or concentrates provided that the chloride content of the
feed is below a certain critical figure (at Lake Shore this was 30 lb. per ton
approximately).
ores, however, if the temperature is allowed to rise too rapidly during the
Item
Per cent
Item
Per cent
Iron
26.85
Antimony
0 16
Arsenic
15.52
Insoluble
10 3
Sulphur
19.30
True silica
78
Copper
0.20
Roasting
temp., C.
in weight
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in gold
412
30.7
0.7
491
30.6
4.5
615
30.6
18.8
700
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30.8
28.1
802
32.0
33.7
Samples for each run weighed 150 grams. A gas-fired muffle was used, which was
brought up to the desired temperature before charging the roasting dishes. Every
run was done in duplicate. The temperature was recorded ever}'- 5 min., and the
average calculated. The temperature used was that of the atmosphere of the muffle
directly above (% in.) the roasting dishes and was read from a thermocouple pyrom-
eter. Roasting was continued in every test until no trace of SO 2 could be detected
by smell in the air above the dishes. This period of time averaged 95 min. During
roasting, the charges were rabbled carefully every 5 min., great care being taken to
avoid dust loss. Duplicate assays were run on the roasted product, and knowing
the weight and the f ssw of each dish, the loss was calculated.
CALCINE TREATMENT
The usual method of treating the calcines from the roasting of gold ores
is to cool in air, quench the moderately cooled material in water, and sub-
particles, sintered prills, etc. The ground pulp is then passed over cor-
duroy or other types of blankets to trap any free gold released in the roast-
in others water and even acid washes followed by filtration before repulp-
calcine contains less than 0.1 per cent in soluble sulphur but as much as
2.6 to 3.0 per cent soluble sulphur (as sulphate) and a variable amount of
The calcine has an acid reaction, and before it can be handled in contact
with iron and steel, it must be neutralized. This is carried out in a pre-
About 60 lb. lime per ton of calcine is used to bring the solution strength
Aeration. There are two stages of aeration in the treatment of the cal-
cine pulp. The first stage is in the preliming agitator, where* the pulp is
given a thorough aeration. This aeration oxidizes the ferrous iron in the
pulp to the ferric condition, in which form iron has a negligible cyanide
pulp through perforated pipes wrapped with six layers of canvas. These
aerators are made of 8-in. lengths of 1-in. pipe, four per agitator. The
aerators are located as near the bottom of the tank as possible to take full
and to provide a maximum time of contact between the pulp and the rising
column of bubbles.
certain free gold values which resisted dissolution during the 60 hr. of
and completely.
The same rapid dissolution also applies to the values originally com-
pletely occluded in pyrite. The roast changes the pyrite grains into por-
ous friable hematite which allows the cyanide solution to penetrate to and
Test work has indicated quite clearly that cyanidation of the Lake
After 9 hr. treatment, further time of contact will not lower the cyanide
residue assay.
as to render any such treatment useless. It had been found in the main plant circuit
that even six agitators in series did not complete^ overcome short-circuiting. How-
ever, a compromise was made in designing the calcine treatment plant. Four 12-
by 8-ft. agitators were used in series. This provided some 24 to 36 hr. treatment.
Thus, by more than trebling the time of contact known to be necessary for dissolution
of the values, it was believed that the short-circuiting due to the use of only four
The continuous calcine treatment required the use of a small Oliver filter. In view
of the small tonnage to be handled, filtering costs per ton of calcine were high. The
The high sulphate content of the calcine pulp gave rise to another problem. As
the calcine pulp cooled during the agitation, CaSO precipitated. This formed a
cement to bond together a heavy build-up of calcine around the rim of the agitators.
The removal of this build-up necessitated shutting down the agitator and chipping
off the accretions, which at times were well over a foot thick.
In 1945, the continuous process was abandoned in favor of batch agitation. The
calcine filter was scrapped, and batch filtration was carried out on one of the main
plant filters.
The same agitators are used as in the continuous process, but for batch treatment
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they are arranged as two pairs of tanks. The pulp from the calcine mill is pumped
to one of the pair of tanks until they are filled. The flow is then diverted to the
other tanks.
Cyanide [Aerobrand Ca(CN)2] is added during the filling period so that, when the
added as req 'red to maintain a cyanide strength equivalent to 0.5 to 0.7 lb. KCN
The time of treatment, i.e., from the time the tanks are filled until the pulp is run
off to the filters, varies from 12 to 20 hr. but is never less than 12 hr. This allows a
One of the regular main plant filters is used to filter the calcine pulp. The main
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ROASTING 173
plant pulp is cut off shortly before the calcine batch is finished, and the filter is al-
lowed to work out any solids remaining in its tank. Then the calcine pulp is fed to it.
Once batch agitation was instituted, most of the difficulty of a mechanical nature
The danger of short-circuiting was removed. All the calcine pulp received a
known time of treatment of sufficient length to ensure dissolution of all values re-
coverable by cyanidation.
The trouble previously experienced owing to build-up on the rim of the agitators
disappeared. Since batch agitation, there has been no build-up at any point.
The precautions taken in cleaning out the residual main plant pulp before using
a filter for calcine are necessary to prevent the calcine filter discharge from being
diluted by the main plant pulp. It is desirable, for control purposes, to have a re-
Calcine pulps are considerably more difficult to filter than the normal main plant
pulp. The spongy, porous nature of the calcine adds to the difficulty of washing the
cake. However, with careful operation it is possible to recover over 99.5 per cent of
For satisfactory filtration, the calcine cake must not exceed Y in. in thickness.
Wash water must be used in sufficient quantity to cover the cake completely at all
times. Failure to keep the cake covered results in the formation of cracks. Cracks
in the filter cake provide a path of negligible resistance and so decrease the amount
The filters are fitted with five spray pipes. The first three carry barren solution
The calcine treatment is carried out in a solution 0.5 to 0.7 lb. per ton of cyanide
as KCN. Little improvement in gold extraction can be gained by the use of higher
storage bins, as well as a means of conveyance, and are fitted with a special
of the calcine from truck to bin or bin to agitator was necessary. As each
truck is filled with calcine, it is sampled and tested for unroasted calcine.
The hot properly roasted calcine is shunted onto a cooling track from
About 330 gal. water and 200 lb. of 90 per cent sulphuric acid are added
to the agitator, the paddle gear of which is then set in motion. Seven
^trucks of calcine, equivalent to 2.45 tons, are fed to the agitator, and
agitation proceeds for 1 hr., after which the acidity of the solution is
tested. The acid-treated pulp is fed by hose from the agitator to two 5-
by 2-ft. box vacuum filters, each box taking about 22.5 lb. per sq. ft. of
filter area.
A dry vacuum pump connected to the filtrate receiver is put into opera-
tion. Calcine pulp is fed to the niters to within 1 in. of the top of the boxes,
and the vacuum valves are then opened to allow filtration to commence.
When the original copper sulphate solution has been filtered from the
calcine and the cake is surface dry, a water wash of 2 in. is run into the
boxes, followed by five washes of 1 in. When full, the vacuum receiver is
solution to two sand clarifier storage tanks, each 6 by 4 by 5 ft. 3 in. The
clarified solution from these tanks is fed at controlled rates to two copper-
is one of the materials still dispatched overseas for realization, since all
3- by 2-ft. Denver rotary filter. The filtrate drawn from the Denver filter
to a storage sump, from which solution is drawn to supply the sprays on the
The zinc-gold slime cleaned up from the extractor boxes is treated with
sulphuric acid for the removal of the zinc and subsequently with nitro-
sulphuric acid to remove any copper which has found its way into the
cyanide section of the plant from the acid leaching section. The solution
cipitation box of three compartments, steel scrap again being the precipi-
tant. The gold slime is then transferred from the acid vat to a filter box
sequently fluxed as follows: gold slime (by weight) 58 per cent, borax 20
per cent, sand 12 per cent. The manganese dioxide is 10 per cent. The
granulated in water, and fluxed with 42 per cent (by weight) borax, 33 per
cent sand, and 25 per cent sodium nitrate. This flux serves to remove
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clusion reached, as reported in the first of the above papers, was that of the
three forms in which the gold occurs in Lake View and Star concentrates,
viz., (1) as free gold, (2) as gold tellurides, (3) as gold associated with pyrite,
the residue losses were almost entirely due to incomplete solution of the
gold associated with the pyrite. Apart from the evidence of microscopic
also showed that the presence of calcium salts in the calcine had an ad-
compounds that reduce the porosity of the iron oxides resulting from the
tion, a rather detailed study was made of the chemical reactions taking
Tests were next carried out in which pyrite and pyrrhotite were roasted
the grains cannot rise above that of the furnace and the harmful effects of
"flash roasting" is avoided. While the cyanide results were little better
than the best roasting in air, it is worth noting that the magnetic or "black
that the high cyanidation tailings obtained following the higher tempera-
ture roasts are due to recrystallization of the iron oxide which destroys
methods for reducing the rate of combustion in plant furnaces are discussed.
Residual values of about 1.8 dwt. per ton appear to be the lower limit
not been very successful, the conversion of the calcine to ferric sulphate by
strong sulphuric acid and subsequent ignition back to ferric oxide provides
a material which will give almost 100 per cent extraction to cyanide. H
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8 This has been the experience of the Dorr Company in the testing of certain
oxidizing atmosphere, and also by smelting with lead, but there are eco-
. . arsenic, alloyed with gold-silver alloys, aids rather than hinders dissolution of
gold in cyanide solution, and such could be ruled out as a cause of refractory behavior
In the present chapter information is given regarding the use of direct amal-
gamation following stamps or primary mills and the use of barrel amal-
cleanup and melting of the bullion. The use of aluminum dust, sodium sul-
AMALGAMATION
in a variety of forms from earliest times, depends upon the wetting and
alloying of metallic gold and silver with mercury. Because of its high
In milling, three amalgams of gold may be considered. The first is liquid and
when filtered contains only about 0.1 per cent gold at 60F. The second is solid and
represents the combination, in some definite chemical proportion, of gold and mer-
cury. The third form consists of nuggets of gold superficially coated with and ce-
mented together by the two other forms of amalgam. Silver amalgam may be di-
lead, tin, zinc, sodium, and potassium and in the case of certain metallic
Direct Amalgamation
saved so much of the gold of the world in the past, is n.> ,iy obsolete.
177
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Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
178 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
the cleanup operations and reduces the chances of gold loss through theft
and other means. However, a description of some of the old methods may
be of interest.
of M., 1931.
Amalgamation is practiced both inside and outside the 12-stamp batteries. For
These blocks are equipped with half-round iron strips, spaced 2 in. apart, for their
entire length. It was found that the half-round strips assisted amalgam to build
to a greater thickness than did the smoother block. If the hourl}^ inspection of the
chuck blocks indicates that mercury should be added, it is fed in measured quanti-
ties from a horn spoon with the incoming ore at the back of the batteries. The chuck
blocks are cleaned twice a month or oftener. The total quicksilver fed is recorded
and gives a close estimate of the free-gold content of the ore crushed.
The pulp passing the battery screen falls upon reverse splash plates, the first of
which is 5 by 51 in. in size with an area of 1.77 sq. ft. set at a slope of 3 in. per ft.,
and the second is 8 by 51 in. in size with an area of 2.83 sq. ft. and an inclination of 4
in. per ft. There is a drop of 2 in. between these plates. On leaving the reverse
splash plates the pulp drops 5 in. to the cast-iron lip of the mortar. This drop is
variable, depending on the height of the battery discharge. From the mortar lip,
the pulp falls 4 in. to an amalgamated apron plate, set at a slope of l}/i in. per ft.
This plate is 49 by 58 in. in size and has an area of 19.4 sq. ft. An amalgam trap con-
sisting of a wooden box of length equal to the width of the plate and of a uniform
depth of 8 in. is attached to and forms a part of the apron frame. The pulp flows
from this trap through four 2-in. iron nipples, set in the side of the box, on a plane 4
in. from the bottom. The pulp, issuing from these nipples, drops through a 10-mesh,
woven-wire, brass screen to the sluice plate. If a battery screen is punctured, this
10-mesh screen catches the coarse oversize. The total drop from the discharge nip-
ples of the trap to the sluice plate is 6 in. This plate is set at an inclination of V/ in.
per ft. and is 46^ in. by 16 ft. in size. It has an area of 62.10 sq. ft. The total length
of plates per battery is about 21 ft., and the total plate area is 86 sq. ft. On the
average tonnage this represents about 4.3 sq. ft. of plate area per ton of ore milled
per day. As the pulp leaves the sluice plate, it drops into another amalgam trap
which is attached to and forms a part of the plate frame. This trap is a wooden box
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built the entire width of the plate, but unlike the first trap it has a sloping bottom,
and the depth of sand adjacent to the plate discharge is but 4 in., whereas the
depth along the trap overflow is 6 in. All plates, including the chuck blocks, are
macle and other m-rpeighs 5 lbl per sq" ft' and are electroPlated witn 3 oz- ot
rm t$e recovered amalgam.,rind the sands from the classifier, which treats
the tailings'J^ ''"~J xrQS. The fc vanners, the ground product is amalgamated
on eight shaking .&'' - oy i> x*. in size, which have a combined area of 160 sq. ft.
These plates are set .on a slope of % in. per ft. and are oscillated ninety times a
Each morning the amalgam on the apron and sluice plates is softened with mer-
cury, rubbed with a rag, cleaned wi+" a rubber squeegee, and dressed with a whisk
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AMALGAMATION AND BULLION RECOVERY 179
broom for the day's operation. The cleaning and conditioning of these plates re-
quire about VA hr. The monthly cleanup, including retorting of amalgam and
melting of bullion, occupies 5 days. On the first day of the cleanup all sluice plates
are cleaned and scraped with wide-faced putty knives, and in addition one battery
is dismantled, cleaned, and reassembled. During the second day six apron plates
are cleaned and scraped with a scraper made from an old file, the end of which has
been flattened, widened, sharpened, and turned at right angles to its length. Two
additional batteries are cleaned on this day. On the third day, the remaining six
apron plates are scraped and cleaned, and three more batteries are cleaned out.
During the fourth day all splash plates are taken to the cleanup room to be steamed
and scraped, and, in addition, four batteries are cleaned up. The two remaining
The amalgam recovered from dressing the plates each day is squeezed into a pellet
and stored until retorted with the general cleanup amalgam. Residues taken from
the batteries are placed in an amalgam barrel, which contains three pieces of stamp
stem and which is rotated for about 12 hr. Mercury, amounting to 350 troy oz., is
then placed in the barrel, which is again rotated for an additional hour or two. It is
then stopped, opened, cleaned, and the pulp run into a storage box under the barrel.
From here it is fed by the cleanup man to a power jig, the bed of which forms on a fine
wire screen. The amalgam is found in the hutch of the jig with the iron floating on
the amalgam, and the sand over the iron. When all of the barrel charge has passed
through the jig, the sand is scooped from the hutch, the iron is removed by a magnet
and the liquid amalgam is removed through a spigot into an iron dipper. Here it is
further cleaned by mechanical agitation and a water jet which removes any foreign
matter present. After squeezing the cleaned amalgam in a canvas cloth by hand
and removing most of the liquid mercury, additional mercury is removed by further
squeezing the soft amalgam in canvas, using a mold and a hydraulic press.
The final amalgam from the cleanup, placed in traj's, is sealed in the retorts during
the afternoon of the fifth daj^. The retorts are heated, and the quicksilver volatilized
and condensed during the night. Wood is used for fuel. The next morning, the
sixth day, the bullion sponge is removed from the warm retort, placed in graphite pots
and, after melting in oil-fired furnaces, is poured in bars which are shipped at once
either to the American Smelting and Refining Company at Selb}^ or to the United
States mint at San Francisco. The trays into which the amalgam is placed for re-
torting are painted with a chalk-and-water emulsion which is thoroughly dried before
using. This coating assists in a clean removal of the gold sponge after retorting.
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During 15 years the bullion has averged 821 parts gold, 159 parts silver, and 20
parts base metal. The mercury loss is 0.17 troy oz. per ton of ore milled.
several times, each change resulting in a retarded velocity of flow and af-
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fording opportunity for amalgam to bin > up on the plate. In this appara-
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AMALGAMATION AND BULLION RECOVERY 181
x/i oz. troy per ton of ore crushed, the cost of which was (in 1936) 1.25 of
boxes and in the tube-mill circuit, also mercury wells with baffle boards
below the plates, saved 78 to 89 per cent of the gold. Now, by blanket,
concentration below the stamp mortar boxes and after the tube-mills,
The treatment of the concentrate for the recovery of gold values varies
bling, yielding gold dust containing 90 per cent fine metals which
treating the rich concentrates caught b}^ the corduroy, jigs, or other
two, some water, lime, and mercury. The whole may be run 2 to 12 hr.
The pulp is discharged; the amalgam is then caught in riffles, and the fine
pulp in boxes or tubs, from which it may be fed slowly into the mill cir-
2 Grinding concentrates in batches is the usual practice. Small gold particles are
released, and consequent!}' the recovery is greater. However, gold particles smaller
than 700 mesh are amalgamated with difficulty, probably because the}' remain sus-
pended in the pulp. The best grinding practice must be determined by trial, so as to
If the gold is coated with rust, grinding a sandy concentrate usually scratches the
gold particles so that they will amalgamate. It is sometimes expedient to mix jig
mercury in an alkaline lime or sodium hydroxide solution will usually give good
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recovery in spite of the popular belief that flotation concentrate will not'"*- ~x senate.
ing is used, for then it is possible to continue with the ama'mF^ "" ^ep
other minerals are present that "sicken" the mercury (see below for
"Use of Chemicals").
Dimensions, Approximate
36 by 48 in. Up to 2000
tor, which collects the mercury and allows the fine ore and slime particles
gamating corduroy gold. The pan of this type, made by the Mine and
the bowl. Material as coarse as 34 in- can be fed to the pan. A Berdan
employed, when the material has been ground, a supply of water will
wash out the slime and leave clean amalgam. This pan can be used for
The Wheeler pan3 consists essentially of a cast-iron tub, usually about 5 ft. diameter
and 2J to 3 ft. deep, carrying a broad annular die ring on the bottom, on which heav}'-
shoes are dragged by means of a yoke; this, in turn, is driven by a spindle from bevel
gears and a belt-driven countershaft below the pan bottom. Shoes and dies are
ordinarily of gray cast iron which wears down with a rough scored surface. White
iron and alloy steels are unsuitable because the wearing faces become smooth and
ing wheel is provided for adjustment of the height of shoes. Mullers, which carry
the shoes, should be attached to the yoke arms by a flexible fitting in the nature of a
universal joint; if a rigid joint like that in an amalgamating or cleanup pan is used,
the shoes will often chatter, capacity be reduced, and breakage increased. The
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die ring and shoe circle are sometimes continuous, but ordinary short spaces are left
between ". >+ the shoes and the die segments. These form channels into which pulp
f )\vs and'; o^i which the crushing faces are fed. New shoes weigh 75 to 200 lb., and
the crushing force is limited to that exerted by their weight when dragged over the
die. Compensating weights are sometimes used to keep the crushing force up to
sulphides attack the mercury, but the latest work seems to indicate that
the unsaturated surface of fresh fractures react writh the mercury to pro-
It is stated that the lead remains in some insoluble form which evi-
dently plays the desired part. Some 99 per cent of the mercury was
recovered.
sal ammoniac, litharge, and even soap, depending upon the particular
this box at 80 per cent solids, with 5 lb. lime and 5 lb. sodium cyanide, are
emptied daily under normal operating conditions into the amalgam barrel.
This is of cast iron with rubber lining. The inside dimensions are 3 by 4
ft. It is belt driven at 20 r.p.m., and at one time a load of 300 lb. of 2-in.
balls was used with grinding continued for 16 hr. Weight of pulp dis-
charge is approximately 600 lb. After grinding and agitation the concen-
trates are approximately 80 per cent minus 200 mesh. Then 30 lb. mercury
is added, and agitation continued for another hour. The use of grinding
The door of the barrel is then opened, and the pulp and amalgam al-
to avoid splash. It is set at a slope of 3 in. per ft. The pulp running
off the plate is caught in a 12- by 8- by 6- in. trap which holds the free
mercury and amalgam not caught on the plate. OverfloT' from this
trap passes over a second plate and a second trap and finally , s^ip of
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All traps and plates are cleaned daily. The amalgam is spread thinly
over the second plate and washed with water to remove steel, etc. The
rated from free mercury by squeezing it in a canvas cloth and then re-
torted in a 2-qt. cast-iron retort. The sponge gold from the retort is
melted on refining days, and the condensed mercury added to the working
and entirely free from colloidal solids. One of the most important ad-
it should be stitched around the periphery of the leaf, and the stitched
area painted with "P" and aB" or a similar paint. In starting a new or
Close attention to these points will ensure a lower tail solution, less
refining.
has been found to improve the clarification operation and to increase the
into the filter fabric and thereby extends the useful life of the filter cover.
surface area exposed in the precoat, so that pressure build-up in the sub-
leaf can be washed clean of accumulated slimes more easily and quickly,
and consequently less labor and time are required for this operation.
PRECIPITATION
trolytic. The first and third were specially developed for the silver ores
of Cobalt, Ontario; charcoal has been used in Australia, with some possi-
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bility of revival; and zinc, either as dust or as shavings, has been used
from the beginning of the cyanide process and continues to be the stand-
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AMALGAMATION AND BULLION RECOVERY 185
ard method used throughout the world. In this section are given the
Precipitation by Zinc
Zinc shavings and zinc dust are both used for precipitation of precious
and some old plants change from zinc shavings to zinc dust, zinc shavings
probably will be used at many small mines and tailings operations. Zinc
shavings and is approximately 5 cents per ton of ore cheaper than the
older method.
the action of an alkali cyanide on zinc, has a direct effect in the precipita-
tion, or is only an auxiliary action taking place at the same time. The
Gold and silver are electronegative to zinc in cyanide solutions and should there-
Clennell states that the entire effect of the precipitation of gold may be
but that the reaction between zinc and cyanide takes place independently
by E. M. Hamilton.
Company:
Much of the advantage of precoating is lost if the filter aid is not prop-
filter aid have not given good results. Thinly covered areas are not
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186 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
attempting to replace a precoated leaf back into the clarifier tank with-
out sloughing off part of the precoat and thereby entirely defeating the
comes these difficulties and has gained rather wide usage. The Merrill
uniform layer of filter aid of the correct thickness on both sides of the
vacuum leaf and permits return of the leaf to service without disturbing
compartment usually built in at one end of the main clarifier tank and
source of vacuum.
the preliminary removal of dissolved oxygen from the solution and subse-
The Crowe vacuum process is the most efficient and widely used method
of de-aeration, since the oxygen content can be reduced rapidly from 6.5
A method used rather generally at one time on the Rand was to pass
the gold-bearing solutions through sand clarifiers having at least 2 sq. ft.
of area per ton of solution in 24 hr. To the sand clarifiers mentioned was
added fine iron and highly pyritic sand. The solution was deprived of
enough free cyanide to dissolve the requisite amount of zinc and to hold
in solution the compounds that are formed when zinc dissolves in alkaline
drip of strong cyanide solution to the zinc emulsion zone when zinc dust
is used.
obtained in some plar'-= where solutions contain no more than 0.05 lb. of
either NaCN or CaO pei ~on of solution. In cyaniding silver ores, solu-
tions frequently contain as high as 5 lb. NaCN per ton, with protective
and total alkali equivalent to several pounds CaO per ton solution.
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AMALGAMATION AND BULLION RECOVERY 187
coat the zinc and choke the filters, rendering frequent cleanups necessary.
tated by the addition of a soluble lead salt to the solution. Either lead
The amount of the lead salt approximates 10 per cent of the weight of
zinc dust if this is added to the solution. The dissolved lead salt is added
clarifying tank but never with the zinc dust. The lead precipitates as
a thin metallic film on the zinc, thus creating an active galvanic couple,
with usually more rapid and complete precipitation of the gold and a
lower zinc consumption. For some silver solutions the lead salt should
the addition of an excess at any time may coat the zinc with enough lead
to retard or even prevent galvanic action. This explains why lead salts
of silver, copper, or lead, there being sufficient silver or base metal present
Zinc-dust Precipitation
process, has been recognized as the most efficient and economic^1 ;.ie" d
the more recently developed pressure bag-filter ^pe, the process is in use
in the great majority of cyanide plants throughout the world (see Figs. 51
and 52).
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188 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
zinc added.
sulphide ores and rapidly coats zinc shavings, rendering them inert. In
the zinc-dust process the time of contact is so short and the flow of solu-
tion through the zinc so rapid that this coating is reduced to a minimum.
coated with copper or sulphates, the amount of zinc thus rendered inert
precipitant.
white precipitate. This coats and rapidly destroys zinc and, being mixed
refining. This compound cannot form in the absence of free oxygen and
by zinc dust is that the filter cloths are at all times coated with a layer of
through the filter without first coming into intimate contact, in fact
renders zinc dust so efficient. For a given weight of metal the effective
surface of zinc dust exposed is many hundred times that of shavings, and
with this large area a very brief contact between the zinc and the solution
condition cannot be met in a zinc box, and the resultant diffusion accounts
for the long boxes necessary and the usual incomplete precipitation. In
the solution passes through the layer of finely divided precipitant deposited
out layer of the precipitant, thus creating the reducing condition necessary
for the precipitation of the metals. The actual deposition is due to the
zinc, lead zinc, and sometimes copper zinc. The precipitation is closely
rapid flow of solution which carries the molecular hydrogen along with it.
either enough cyanide or enough caustic alkali or both to attack the metal
with the evolution of hydrogen. Also, the zinc must be in such a form
that each tiny bubble of nascent hydrogen will make contact with and
requirement is met much better within a layer of zinc powder than upon
ess than with zinc shavings. If the solutions contain dissolved oxygen,
the first hydrogen generated is wasted in combining with this oxygen; this,
solved oxygen from the solution before contacting with the precipitant.
Economics. The foregoing means that less zinc is dissolved per unit
15 per cent) in the precipitate; therefore melting and refining charges are
per cent. Only 0.6 oz. Merillite or zinc dust per ounce silver is used, com-
a zinc cyanide, and each pound of zinc combines with 3 lb. so-
fresh lime added to the ore during treatment, part of this combined cy-
for each pound of zinc dissolved. Hence, any method that reduces the
precipitate.
nide solutions, after clarification, will, upon standing even a short time,
magnesia, and iron. Although hardly visible to the naked eye, enough
increasing the pressure in the filters and seriously interfering with precipi-
In either the bag or the leaf type of filter, a single, liquid-sealed centrif-
The clarifying tank is kept filled to a constant level with unclarified gold-
float valve. Suspended in this tank are the vacuum clarifying leaves,
top of the vertical vacuum tower in which the solution is de-aerated. The
which has been added a small amount of the precoat material, kept in
tower and, therefore, the solution level within the tower are controlled by
an automatic float valve. Within the tower the solution passes down over
suitable grids, which break up the flow into small streams and films, thus
of the de-aerating tower is connected with a dry vacuum pump which main-
tains a high vacuum within the tower and removes the air released from
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the solution. The clarified, de-aerated solution is withdrawn from the bot-
Where the ba& precipitate filters are used, zinc dust is introduced as
the solution flows from the pump to the filters. A belt-type zinc feeder,
with motor drive, discharges a regulated amount of zinc dust into a mix-
ing cone. A liquid reagent feeder, operated by the same motor drive,
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j
q
11
0u
O
^
191
-s *
. TSf
8
8
^j >*
5
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Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
O
192
'ft
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Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
the cone, which is connected to the solution supply tank.5 The lead-
zinc emulsion is withdrawn from the cone and forced into the main solu-
pump.
of the metals remaining within the bags and the barren solution flowing
over a measuring weir into a storage tank whence it is pumped for reuse.
then disconnecting the bags and removing the inner filters containing the
in cleaning the precipitate off the bags. The precipitate is dried, fluxed,
and melted in the usual way. The inner bags can be burned and added
In the vacuum-leaf precipitate filters, the zinc dust and lead solution
are similarly added to a mixing agitator, which overflows into the steady-
head tank supplying the vacuum filters. The mixture of solution and
filter units has a capacity for handling 20,000 tons of solution daily.
in Chap. XV.
cyanidation of gold and silver ores are so well known, little space need
5 In the Loreto mill, Pachuca, Mexico, where a silver ore is treated by the cyanide
process (see Chap. XVI), there have been some notable improvements in the method
of emulsifying and adding the zinc dust for precipitation. Early practice was to
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emulsify the dust in a portion of pregnant solution and to inject this emulsion by
means of a triplex pump into the pregnant flowing in the pipe line io presses. The
first improvements came many years ago with the substitution of barren solution
into which the zinc dust was emulsified and the replacement of the triplex pump with
a small multistage centrifugal. The most recent improvement has been to emulsify
the zinc dust in water, which greatly increasft its precipitating efficiency, and to use
nant solution.
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194 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
be devoted to them. Practice varies, but the work is relatively simple and
causes little trouble. Where zinc shavings are used, generally the fine
sludge is taken out of the compartments of the zinc box and later mixed
with that from washing the long zinc. The sludge may be acid-treated
and then washed, dried, roasted, and fluxed before melting, or it may be
only dried and fluxed before melting. At some plants the entire contents
of the zinc boxes are acid-treated at every cleanup, but this is not ad-
visable because it entails considerable labor, and as only new zinc is added
to the boxes, proper precipitation does not start so quickly as when at least
half of the cells are filled with old zinc. When zinc shavings are used for
precipitation, less than 60 per cent of the gold and not more than 75 per
cent of the silver precipitated are recovered at any one cleanup, the re-
ess is much simpler and quicker. The precipitates from the filters are
uniformly high in gold and silver and in many instances are weighed, fluxed,
ready for shipment within 8 hr. after cleanup of the niters is begun.
little as 5 to 10 per cent total zinc, which in most plants is melted direct.
Some operators prefer to give a muffle roast before melting, and in a few of
the larger plants acid treatment is still used. In such plants, precipitates
may be melted with litharge, and the resultant lead cupeled, the bullion
are produced.
precipitant, the raw precipitate when taken from the filters contains 75
to 94 per cent pure silver, and this product is, of course, suitable for flux-
An importart point in favor of this process and one that should appeal
convert into bulli< u at an: 'ime all the precipitated metals in the plant.
bullion against both mill heads and residues and against solution assays,
195
Zinc-shaving Precipitation
cost, but it offers chemical and manual problems not arising in precipitation
on zinc dust.
Copper and all its compounds readily dissolve in cyanide solutions and
the formation of so-called "zinc white," the cyanide and hydrate of zinc.
using zinc shavings for precipitation, the shavings being cut locally; all
solutions are clarified. A typical plant has three zinc boxes with six com-
partments each (Fig. 53), five of which are used. Each compartment has
a capacity of 12% cu. ft. or 187% cu. ft. in 15 cells. A total of 620 tons
ton. Of this 92 per cent is precipitated in the first two cells, and gold is
rarely found below the fourth cell. Fresh zinc is dipped in a solution of
lead acetate. Zinc consumption is 0.112 lb. per ton of ore treated. Most
of the zinc boxes are built of concrete. Box compartments are connected
vacuum-filter tank. Wooden plugs in each cell control the flow to the
vacuum-filter tanks when cleaning up. The cleanup proceeds along stand-
ard lines and is done two or three times per month. Between cleanups
the zinc boxes are rarely dressed. Precipitate is treated with sulphuric
acid, roasted, fluxed, and smelted. The bullion averages 985 fine.
Precipitation on the Rand. Zinc shavings and zinc dust are both
used to precipitate gold on the Rand, all new plants using the latter.
Condition
Zinc
Zinc
shavings
dust
0.015 to 0.02
^.015 to 0.020
0.011 to 0.028
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0.014 to 0.016
0,005
0.018 to 0.02
3.14
0.05 to 0.06
1.3 to 2.0
1.5 to 1.8
196
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Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
white precipitate of hydrated zinc oxide. Lead salts are added before
the two methods as follows: During 1933, 1,055,000 lb. zinc dust and
differs from the precipitation by zinc in that aluminum does not replace
or
+ NaOH
aluminate:
suggests that the following may represent more nearly the actual reaction
take place:
cipitate and result in a low-grade produ ' ..mely difficult to flux and
the grinding and agitation circuits in the presence of lime, the aluminum
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198 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
is precipitated as calcium aluminate and removed from the plant with the
At the Nipissing mill where only a small amount of lime was required
and where the solution was already high in caustic from the preliminary
when treating ores where the use of a fairly high amount of lime is neces-
treatment at the Butters Divisadero mine based upon the following re-
actions :
It allows the use of all the lime necessary for neutralizing and settle-
alone, although the gold in solutions which contains 2 oz. silver or more
fine bullion.
6 ft., provided with mechanical agitation. In the first tank the clarified
found that 0.06 lb. sodium ,o per cent strength) was required
was copper, if the solution contains 0.15 cent or more free cyanide.
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AMALGAMATION AND BULLION RECOVERY 199
cyanide combined with the silver in the pregnant solution. The reactions
in, and caustic soda was added, about 0.03 lb. 76 per cent NaOH being
had a strength of about 8 per cent NaOH. The mixture was agitated
until the black silver sulphide turned brown. This required about 8 hr.,
could not be too hot, as the reaction with the aluminum would then be-
come too violent. This would interfere with the reduction of the silver
sulphide, as the large amount of hydrogen given off prevented the actual
contact necessary between the sulphide and the aluminum. The de-
remaining were left in the bottom of the tank for the next charge.
Precipitation on Charcoal
T.P. 378, U.S.B. of M., 1927, by John Gross and J. W. Scott, is a most
lists 93 references to the literature since 1891 and 7 between 1830 and
1890. Although these items are scattered, doubtless charcoal has been
places, zinc has been expensive. That condition no longer exists, for
Australia now produces all the zinc shavings and dust required. Gross
and Scott briefly review what had been done prior to their research in
about 1926 and then detail their many careful experiments. Their find-
chemical change.
laws as precipitation of gold, although it is slower; ch^coal has less capacity foi silver
7. Pulverization finer than 200 mesh does not appreciably add to the efficacy of
charcoal.
9. The adsorbed gold or silver salt is soluble to some degree in boiling water and
10. There is a possibility of so changing the adsorbed gold or silver salt on charcoal
11. Precipitation of gold on charcoal from cyanide is not metallic and has not the
chemical properties of the metal. No gold is visible, even when observed under the
microscope.
12. Few substances in solution have a bad effect on precipitation of gold or silver
on charcoal, but sodium sulphide and free cyanide decrease the rate.
14. Precipitation of gold is effective from low-grade solutions, but silver is slower,
15. Some regeneration of cyanide is possible from charcoal when sodium sulphide
is used as a "fixer/'
16. Charcoal could replace zinc when foul solutions cause trouble in precipitation.
17. A small, isolated plant having wood available could employ charcoal in prefer-
18. The charcoal has to be burned, and to avoid loss by dusting in doing this, it
19. Charcoal will precipitate gold or silver from a cyanide-ore pulp; the charcoal
sorbed gold" are mentioned, Gross and Scott credit A. W. Allen for ad-
vancing the theory that adsorption without chemical change of the alkaline
and all known facts seemed to bear him out. Allen's discussion is to
1918 (now C. and M.E.)\ in Vol. 106 of E. and M.J., 1918 and in
XIV.
Melting Precipitates
Three types pf melting furnaces are in general use, all oil-fired. For smaller
plants treating V7 " ' ^ tilting furnace with removable graphite crucible is
usually preferred -^sW generally used to prolong the life of the pot.
In larger plants, particir -/ those treating silver ores, tilting furnaces of the
reverberatory type are most sat^fp.r*tor- ";">h furnaces are provided with a molded
In the largest mills treating either gold or silver ores, stationary reverberatory
furnace, with the usual fusion hearth of firebrick or other suitable refractory or may
be used as reverberatory pot fusion furnaces, with lined graphite pots. This is the
without drying, or driers, either steam or electric, ma}' be used to reduce the moisture
to from 15 to 20 per cent before adding flux and charging to the furnace. Where filter
presses are used, blowing with compressed air yields a suitable product for melting
the world; the following mixtures are typical, but in starting a new plant trial fusions
For melting raw precipitate from clean gold solutions the following charge will
50 lb. borax.
Note. Soda bicarbonate or fluorspar may be substituted for part of the borax,
Silver precipitate, containing 80 per cent silver or better, is readily melted with
5 to 10 lb. borax.
For melting calcined gold precipitates the following charge is used in many plants:
40 to 60 lb. borax.
5 lb. fluorspar.
cipitate and tabled strake concentrate is carried out by the direct cruci-
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No. 60 Morgan salamander crucibles, and cast into bars. The fineness
Cyanide precipitate .. \
7 "Treatment at the Bibiani GoH oSt Africa," Bui. 492, I.M. and M
21 pp.
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
202
that of the fire-clay liners is 8 pours. When new fire-clay liners are fitted
to the crucibles, the space between the two is carefully filled and rammed
worn-out fire-clay liners are broken up and ground to pass an }i~m. mesh
screen. Any large prills of gold found are collected and join the smelt,
while the fines are sent for retreatment with the slags.
and at the end of each monthly cleanup, this is broken down to 1 in. in
size, ground to approximately 100 mesh, and passed over the concen-
Calcined precipitate
Item
No. of parts
Item
No. of parts
Strake concentrate
100
40
25
Calcined precipitate
100
Borax
Borax ....
44
Silica
Silica
27 5
Manganese dioxide
20
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Manganese dioxide
22.0
11 0
Soda ash
Nil
Soda ash
The fine free gold concentrate from the slags is deironed by a magnet,
fluxed, and smelted with the cyanide precipitate. The slag tailing grav-
itates to a settling sump, is allowed to settle, and the water run off.
This final product is then dried, sampled, assayed, and shipped to England
All furnaces are hooded, and ducts are led off to a bag-chamber dust
extractor. This is cleaned out every 3 or 4 months, and the dust smelted
separately.
the pilot u: L was^w grade, averaging 35 to 50 per cent copper and less
than 2 per cent gold. As the amount of this precipitate was small, the
furnace. The same procedu* , was fallowed during the first year the
203
cyanide plant was operated, but on account of the larger amount of precipi-
tate involved, it became apparent that, in order to account for the gold
Removal of the base metals with acid and melting of the residue to
gold bullion was tried on a small scale. Best results were obtained when
copper, 96; zinc, 99.9; lead, 17.9; and iron, 66.6; and it left a residue that
was 13 per cent of the original weight of the precipitate. From this
Ingredient
Soda ash. .
Borax
Niter
Silica
Lime
Iron filings
Original,
Current,
per cent
per cent
46.2
29.4
15.4
30.0
7.7
21.0
18.4
7.0
1.4
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12.3
11.2
without difficulty and then be charged into the smelter anode furnace.
Melting tests with this object in view were then carried out in sillimanite-
lined crucibles. These tests showed that the flux required a high soda-
ash content to ensure fluidity of the slag and that sufficient metallic iron
that best results were obtained with approximately 2 lb. of flux per pound
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
of precipitate.
cast into slabs 15 in. wide, 27 in. long, and weighmginejO lbj After sam-
pling by drilling, these slabs are charged into the smelter anode furnace.
The slag is crushed, sampled, and also sent to the smelter, where it is
The composition of the original nux and of the one currently in use is
March, 1931, (see also M.M., April, 1931), M. B. Scott describes in detail
the treatment of Hollinger precipitate for the production of fine gold bars
and the recovery of silver. At this date (1947) the process is still being-
used successfully, with some alterations in method from the original, the
There are three main steps in the system: (1) the treatment with
muriatic acid to remove all the soluble base materials; (2) boiling with
its nature to the usual acid-parting process, this being possible, since,
although the ratio of gold to silver would ordinarily prevent this, the two
precious metals exist together not as an alloy but as a finely divided mix-
ture; (3) final washing, drying, and melting of the gold residue, in which
Table
30.
Analysis
of Hollinger Precipitate*
Item
Precipitate,
per cent
Residue,
per cent
Gold
35.0
75.85
Silver
7.2
1.4
9.3
15.37
Copper
2.27
Lead
0.15
Zinc
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14.6
0.8
1.54
Iron and
alui
0).
nina
0.14
Lime (Ca
Silica
Sulphur.
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
11.7
0.7
4.4
0.32
0.46
0.76
* The above precipitate and residue are not related but may be taken as typical.
sodium acetate is used to remove the last traces of lead, and the recovery
The minimum fineness permitted for the gold is 995, but it is not un-
scrap steel from discarded boiling pans; dried; melted; and cast into
anode plates for electrolysis. The final bar silver, which is practically
All slags, old crucibles, floor sweepings, and anything that may or does
contain gold values, together with high-grade or specimen ore from the
cupeled, and uiu- Suiting gold bullion is added at the melting of silver
convenient to treat this for fine-gold ^pfl&uction, the muriatic acid step is
AMALGAMATION AND BULLION RECOVERY
205
for shipment.
ard in the United States and the subsequent increase in the price of gold.
and the balance from cyanide precipitate, this company had a choice of
three methods by which the combined bullion could be treated, viz., the
OF
Bullion at
THE
Homestake
Item
Amalgamation
Cyanidation
Gold
800 to 820
760 to 780
Silver .
175 to 190
185 to 200
Copper
5 to 10
25 to 35
Lead ....
None
Iron
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About Yi
None
Selenium
None
Trace
Miller, electrolytic, and acid parting, and they chose the first. The fol-
made: one-half the slag in one pot and the balance in a second pot. After
5 min. the slag is poured, leaving a scull. The bullion is set in a special
The accompanying flow sheet (Fig. 54) gives a good description of the
being treated. All refined bullion is shipped to the United States' irunt.
Silver is melted into bars averaging about 980, although a process was^
developed whereby silver of standard purity, 999 fine, was made. After
the process had been developed, new Treasury Department rules made it
unnecessary to refine silver to this degree. With ordin^ -e^re, gold bars,
with this title by Norman Hedley anu J. J. Kress, Trans. 48, C7.il/. and il/.,
206
Borox
Chlorine
Crude bullion
Melting furnace
Furnace linings
miscellaneous clean up
Bullion
-*Parting furnace
_zr~c_
Graded
To mint Borax
soda ash
^IS
1Soaking vat-
return to
bullion melt
Low grade
coarse
High grade
fines
borax sand
if
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Cupellation furnace
r'
Lead
-Dilute H2S04
Reduced silver
Dilute HCI -
-*-
Filter
H20
Ferrous solution
to waste
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Borax-*L
Siller
Melting furnace
Filtrate to waste
^ J J Bullion
.ithb
Litharge
By-product
bullion
shipped
Test
*6i
Silver bars
-J
To mint
Slag
f
AMALGAMATION AND BULLION RECOVERY
207
ing copper. This comprises treating the precipitates with acidified ferric
solved gold by metallic iron to give a product analyzing 60 per cent copper.
In the case of a gold precipitate carrying 10.06 per cent Au; 0.56 per
cent Ag and 26.21 per cent Cu, a final product carrying 40.32 per cent
Au, 2.25 per cent Ag, and 8.27 per cent Cu was made, representing a
of gold ppt.
Recovery of gold
Per cent
Reagent
99.92
0.075
99.995
Ferric sulphate
0.88
1.10
0.37
Sulphuric acid
Total
Iron
1. The weight and bulk of the precipitate would be reduced and then
2. Special reagents would not be required to flux the copper, with the
result that less corrosive slags would be formed and the life of the cruci-
for it and for the contained gold would be obtained at the smelter.
freed metal lodges in corners or behind mill liners and other places. Pulp
boots are other points where precious metal is held up. Gc.u is ilso
mill liners retain goldon the Rand as much as 1000 oz. if grinding is
done in water and a tenth of this if done in solution. Some mills in Can-
208 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
ada retain as much as $25,000 in gold until cleaned out. Cyanide solu-
tions that contain gold are absorbed by wood, and the metal is there held.
Wood staves from treatment vats have been known to assay $2000 per
ton and were burned to save this gold. The precipitation and melting
rooms always lose some metal. The dismantling and cleanup of many
plants have yielded much gold to the owners or to others who have bought
to account for discrepancies. However, after a new plant has been run-
ning for several months, a balance is struck, and all gold is accounted for.
Gold finds fewer places in which to lodge in the modern plant with its
be washed frequently.
Of the gold produced at the Pioneer mine, British Columbia, 4 per cent
of the total was recovered from the ball mills and classifiers when the mills
were relined.
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CHAPTER XII
Plant Control
plant. Those considered in this chapter include cyanides used and the effect
CYANIDE
The cyanides are compounds of the radical cyanogen CN. Their his-
tory covers more than two centuries, but that of the simple cyanides dates
istry, Vol. 2, pp. 437-475, 1921; also Wilhelm Bertelsmann, Die Technolo-
tion of gold and silver ores in 1890, the world consumption of potassium
cyanide was less than 100 tons a year. Now, including the cyanide used
sumption exceeds 30,000 tons of the calcium, sodium, and potassium salts.
Gold mines of the Rand consumed 8000 tons in 1933. Flotation processes
in the United States use about 500 tons a year of the 12,000 tons for the
of the cyanide used for ore treatment contains 98 per cent and the remain-
der 49 per cent sodium cyanide equivalent. The principal American and
Canadian sources of cyanide are Niagara Falls, N.Y., and Niagara Falls,
du Pont de Nemours Company makes the sodium salt. For many years
the Cassel Cyanide Company, at one time known as the Cassel Gold Ex-
crystalline material easily soluble in water. The bas^ wrn^c a-e alkalis
from sodium and ammonia. The sodamide is heated with charcoal, and
209
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
210 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
evaporation.
5-lb. blocks or cakes and is packed in drums holding 200 lb. net.
pure NaCN equivalent, the other half consisting chiefly of common salt
and lime. It is manufactured in the form of black flakes and packed for
cyanamid.
silver and will not precipitate precious metals already in solution. It is,
be dissolved at one time to furnish the mill requirements for at least one
mended, which will then contain 5 per cent equivalent pure NaCN. It is
advisable to aerate the solution with finely divided air (atomized) to elimi-
nate the small amount of soluble sulphides that it contains. The addition
operation. The tank for dissolving the cyanide should be provided with
an agitating mechanism.
will vary with the type of ore and the precious-metal content. Cyanide
plants treating gold ores, with Mtt7e or no silver, rarely use a solution
on the type of treatment employed. For gold ores the total cyanide con-
sumption will average around 1J^ lb. NaCN per ton ore. In the case of
over 2 lb. High-grade silver ores and concentrates may require as much
erence may be made here to four papers on cyanides and cyanidation pre-
experiments were based on the hypothesis that the rate of solution of gold
oxygen, and this corresponds with 5.80 cc solution at 7 milligrams per liter.
KCN strength is 0.01302 per cent or 0.00980 per cent NaCN. It is found,
however, that gold dissolves at the maximum rate if the solutior >ntains
0.027 per cent KCN, equal to 0.020 per cent NaCN, and if it is saturated
with oxygen. This difference is due to the slower diffusion rate of the
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When the cyanide concentration is, lower than the optimum, its diffusion
reduce its solubility. On the other hand, the presence of excess oxygen,
which attack the cyanide slowly enough, will raise the optimum cyanide
concentration and the maximum rate of gold solution. If less than satu-
zinc, iron, or carbon, and this may be attributed in the last resort to the
extension of surface to which the oxygen may diffuse and likewise involves
in still solution, gold plates hung in moving solution. The optimum cya-
nide strength was used, and the oxygen concentration was 7 milligrams per
liter. These tests, with the physics involved, are given in detail.
gold and silver in dilute cyanide solutions was undertaken by George Bar-
A.IM.E., 1934.
gold and silver. In plant practice, the solution strength for gold approxi-
mates 0.05 per cent NaCN, or 1 lb. cyanide per ton solution. Stronger
and as the chemical and mechanical loss of cyanide is much higher with
the use of pure gold foil, solutions containing up to 0.50 per cent NaCN
tion of pure gold was reached at 0.05 per cent NaCN, corresponding to
A similar set of experiments was made on pure silver foil, in 0.01 to 0.50
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per cent NaCN. The nnding was a maximum rate of dissolution in 0.10
per cent silver and 57.5 per cent ^oH. Sodium cyanide solutions of 0.10
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PLANT CONTROL
213
per cent were used. Later, these were assayed and were found to contain
tests were in cyanide solution of 0.10 per cent strength, and varying
amounts of lime water or sodium hydroxide were added. The rate of dis-
OH ions. As the curves plotted from the results were so different, further
the cyanide solutions used, so calcium sulphate and calcium chloride were
gold, and the other calcium compound had a more pronounced effect, but
the presence of calcium ions, apparently both calcium and hydroxyl ions
Thompson, states:
Corrosion research shows that the dissolution of a metal is an anodic process as-
sociated with the necessary cathodic action and is therefore called electrochemical;
it differs from electrorefining and plating only in that it depends on the electric energy
generated within the corrosion cell or local couple itself, and not obtained from with-
These cathodic agents must necessarily be oxidizing substances but limited in this
respect in the case of cyanide, since the cyanide ion may itself be oxidized by most
such a reagent in the form of dissolved oxygen, which, though of high oxidizing po-
tential, is restricted in its action by the fact of its slight solubility in water under the
partial pressure of 0.2 atmosphere. This limitation harmonized its action with the
need to use weak solution of cyanide and also with the relativel}* minute p~ "nt of
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gold to be extracted.
the time-potential curve; the effect of certain films and of lead, silver, and
pretation of the results obtained lead to conclusions that agree well with
the reader is referred to the following articles: (1) Barsky, Swainson, and
of Gold," C.M.J., Vol. 65, p. 681, October, 1944; (3) Reynolds "The Physi-
1945. Among other conclusions reached by the author of the last papers
DISSOLUTION OF SILVER
Graw-Hill, says:
This, being a reversible reaction, cannot proceed far before reaching equilibrium,
unless the product Na2S is removed out of the sphere of action. The latter, however,
happens to be very sensitive to oxidation, so that a change rapidly takes place prob-
The thiosulphate would tend later to oxidize to sulphate, and perhaps more sulpho-
The need for supplying excess oxygen is evident, however, and the
The use of a lead salt is usually a material aid to the extraction of silver,
and while this has generally been explained as due to its reaction with the
the lead is rather to be regarded as an aid in the attack on the silver, thus:
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Table 91 compiled from U.S. Bureau of Mines Publications shows the prin-
cipal silver minerals, with their composition and cyanidation and flota-
tion characteristics.
It will be noted that the silver chloride, Horn silver, reacts rather dif-
ferently in solution from the sulphides and does not require the presence
it is in the case of most gold ores. Hamilton points out that in cyaniding
gold and silver10 by cyanide, the question of the amount of oxygen present
Quantitively this may be expressed as milligrams per liter or, more fre-
tions.
line downward to its intersection with the curve x, then horizontally to the
right, and then read the pressure. For example, if the elevation is 6000
ft., the 6000-ft. line is followed to its intersection o with the curve x\ then
the corresponding pressure, 607 mm, is obtained from the right-hand side
of the chart.
the vertical axis; various pressure curves also are plotted, as shown. To
find the saturation value for a certain temperature and pressure, follow
the temperature line upward until the point corresponding to a given1 pres-
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the chart, and read off the amount, in milligrams, of oxygen per liter of
600- and the 650-mm curves. The 59F. line is followed to its intersection
R with the 607-mm curve, then from the left-hand side of the chart is read
off 8 milligrams of oxygen per liter. The same procedure is used for the
For any particular plant, a solubility curve should be plotted based on the
Altttode, Feei
50
10
68
20
Temperature, Degrees F.
30 40 50 60 70
Tempera+ure, Degrees C.
176
80
194-
90
212
100
Fig. 55. Curves (A) for determining barometric pressure at various altitudes and
pressures.
Pulp agitation was done in vats with ordinary stirrers, but considerable
1271 ft. above sea level. The average value of dissolved oxygen just prior
to filter pressing the ^lirne was 25.05 per cent saturation, and the average
which may be mentioned sulphide sulphur, ferrous iron, metallic iron, and
with ore the oxygen content is lowered, whereas when it leaves the ore at
AERATION
tent. Chemical oxidizers have been tried, but they are both expensive
and in the long run less satisfactory than air, which is invariably intro-
dentallybut not until recently has it been given the careful study that
absorbs some oxygen, but special methods or devices have been developed
obtained from the compressed air used for circulating the pulp through
the revolving central lift column and also from the atmosphere when the
the Pachuca agitator compressed air used for circulating pulp through the
stationary lift pipe is the only source of oxygen. The Devereux and other
air.
corporate air in the pulp through the action of their impellers, are used
in several of the Kirkland Lake mills for agitation in small tanks and are
also used in the top of and near the surface of Dorr agitators to increase
normal aeration.
in the Jour. CM. and M.S.S.A., February, 1934 (see Fig. 56). It imme-
diately attracted attention, and the article was reprinted in part by United
plant trials at the Nourse mine on the Rand before it was made public.
These were mainly on sand which is leached at the mine. Gold extrac-
tion was slightly higher when aerated solutions were used, and consump-
tion of cyanide was a third less thp*v in regular treatment. The oxygen
content of solutions at the Nourse mine for dissolving gold ranged from
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
218
V/2 to 53^ milligrams per liter and averaged 4 milligrams per liter. At
one time it fell to 1 milligram per liter, and a series of high residues resulted.
circuit solutions in 16 plants on the Rand averaged 4.5 milligrams per liter.
from a stock tank and pumped into the drum or cylinder shown, first pass-
ing through the pipe with J^-in. holes to form a spray. Air at 100-lb.
cylinder. The aerated solution leaves at the rate of 2 tons per min., the
balanced float valve shown, attached to the discharge pipe, regulating the
the disseminated air, but it clears in a few minutes. At this stage it may
5 "p/pes
Untreated
solution
400 gal.
per miri^
=**=
,4 "(2stage) centri-
^ fugal pump
-m
h.
motor
mm
pipe
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float and
*-- sleeve
valve
Manhole '
this amount for 22 hr., which is long enough for the solution to be effective
The following note is taken from Rand Assay Practice, 1932, edited by
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That cyanide solutions in works practice do not remain pure in a chemical sense
is to be expected, having in view their contact during treatment with the many con-
chemical cyanide loss and at times detrimentally affect the extraction of the valuable
metals sought. It is fortunate that in the practical application of the process, im-
due to dilution of the solutions by the replacement by fresh water of the moisture
characteristic color.
PLANT CONTROL
219
Impurities have their principal source in and are traceable to the ore constituents,
surface. On the Witwatersrand the oxidation of the pyrite content of the banket reef
and wall rock is the chief source. The first place, in order of importance, may, there-
fore, be given to iron and sulphur in their man}' combinations and to reactions oc-
curring during exposure in stopes through contact with water (containing dissolved
marcasite (FeS2) and pyrrhotite (Fe7S8), where present, are converted (but to a rela-
tively small extent) into soluble ferrous sulphate (FeS04), ferric sulphate, Fe2 (S04)3,
and free sulphuric acid (H2S04), while colloidal sulphur may be set free. These, in
their turn, to avoid excessive corrosion of iron and steel equipment underground, are
the ferric (Fe203-H20) and ferrous (Fe(OHO)2) state, varying according to the de-
ferrous state is particular^ soluble in a cyanide solution. When these find their way
to the cyanide-treatment plant, either with the ore or through the medium of mine
This tendency to form acid ferrous salts and thus to destroy the oxygen necessary for
gold solution is also latent in the ore undergoing cyanide treatment. As a measure
It is often present in the first effluent solution from sand treatment, and its general
an insulating film of sulphide on the zinc which lowers precipitating efficiency. Com-
small quantities. It has not been definite^ proved to have a deleterious effect on
gold extraction.
The alkaline sulphide, sodium sulphide (Na2S), resulting from the reaction be-
tween the cyanide and ferrous sulphide (FeS) and generally supposed to have a re-
tarding effect on gold and silver dissolution, is not often observed in solutions on the
(ZnS) b^y the sodium zincocyanide [Na2Zn(CN)4] present in all solutions where zinc
its incidence is more pronounced, as the silver itself is often in direct combination
in proustite (Ag3AsS3). Lead reagents, such as lead acetate, lead nitrate, or lead
Resulting from the abrasion and fracture of steel and iron in ore crushing and
grinding, metallic iron is found in all mill pulps. Oxidation of this takes place to a
certain extent through dissolved oxygen in the water and solutions emplo3'ed and the
aeration of the sand and slime incidental to the treatment process. Any ferrous
oxide thus formed is attacked by cyanide solution and is a c%yanicide, since the re-
With the use of zinc as the precious-metal precipitant, various reactions between
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this and cyanide take place, the principal compounds being zinc hydrate (ZN(OH)2),
Julian and Smart. The amount of zinc dissolved is considerable, but its retention in
stituents of the ore in the ordinary course of treatment and by the ferrocyanide.
Sodium cyanide is regenerated in the same reaction, the cyanide loss, therefore, being
Calcium is introduced in the form of lime (CaO) for the purpose of providing a
neutralizing agent. Its use results in the formation of calcium carbonate (CaCOs)
and of calcium sulphate (CaS04). On the Witwatersrand, the treated mine water
used as water supply probably introduces the greater portion of the CaS04 content
of the solutions.
entire plant, including the interior of pipes, and may become troublesome. As a
use of sufficiently clean water is the best preventive. Sodium carbonate is sometimes
small extent from underground sources, and finds its way into the solutions as mag-
Gelatinous silica is often found in cyanide solutions. Its effect in practice is more
physical than chemical, in clogging filters and extractor boxes. Its source is the
action of acid mine waters on the ore constituents. Silica may also be introduced in
effect being notorious. It is usually regarded as having its origin in mine timber,
sewage and sacking, coming from underground and from the surface in the form of
vegetal matter and sewage contamination of water used in milling. In the self-
oxidizers has proved efficacious where these can be applied direct!}' or in a separate
circuit before cyanide treatment. When strong oxidizers are used on cyanide solu-
In cyaniding ores containing copper minerals, it is found that the carbonate, oxide,
and sulphate minerals particularly are attacked by cyanide with avidity, causing a
practice this is minimized by the use of extremely weak solutions. Provided that the
copper content of the ore is not excessive, it is found that copper does not accumulate
agitator into which the pulp is pumped just after lime, cyanide, or flotation
reagents have been added to it, the chief purpose being a thorough mixing.
the nature of the ore, the physical condition of the pulp, and the amount
and kind of reagents. The size of the conditioning tank is dependent upon
is essential, then ball mills, tube mills, and classifiers become important
tioners. This idea that the practical purpose of every machine is to con-
dition the ore for the subsequent machine was advanced by L. E. Djing-
mesh which is passed over corduroy. Tailing from the corduroy tables,
after the addition of lime, is aerated in four 14- by 42-ft. Pachuca tanks.
The pulp is then treated with cyanide and agitated in a further series of
Pachuca tanks.
roughers in the flotation plant and also on the pyrite recleaning circuit.
The machines employed for this purpose are described as aerating classi-
fiers and serve the double purpose of aerating the pulp and classifying into
to the grinding circuit. They consist of circular tanks about 15 ft. deep
inlet pipes, four rubber air-lift pipes, and a slow-moving rake mechanism
at the bottom.
tance in treating gold and silver ores as well as base-metal ores. Lack
of the following conditions: (1) lack of proper time for chemical and phys-
ical reaction; (2) incomplete mixing of reagents; (3) fluctuation in the mill
feed, causing unequal pulp flow and lack of uniformity in reagent con-
ing.
thoroughly with the pulp before flotation and allow time for the chemical
and physical action to take place. These objectives, of mixing and of com-
pleting the chemical and physical reactions, can be attained with some
beaten into the pulp during grinding precludes the use of certain reagents
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the operator has accurate control of the time of agitation, which can be
varied for different ores and reagents. Complete mixing of the reagents is
also assured.
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222
^ In addition to mixing the reagents uniformly with the pulp, the condi-
tioning tank serves as a source of uniform feed to the notation cells, acting
flow of feed from the grinding circuit is likely to be uneven and the reagent
flotation unit.
WEIGHING ORE
constant rate have always been considered expensive, but such quantities
can be weighed with low error. Among apparatus for this purpose are the
ment. Until a plant has been running for some time, much sampling
should be done between the mine and the tailings discharge. Later some
broken ore, pulp, or solution is being sampled. The most reliable sample
ment is usually used for solutions. If the sample cannot be taken con-
tinuously, some method of taking regular cuts is very often used. This
of solutions and during test work grab sampling is often done and is useful.
Some sampling practices at different plants are given in the following ex-
amples :
September, 1935) shows the routine samples taken at the Hollinger, the
purpose, and the sampling interval. The Hollinger flow sheet, given in
Chap. XV, will aid in interpreting this list, which represents substantially
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C.I.M. and M., September, 1935). Black notes the importance of accu-
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PLANT CONTROL
223
Product sampled
Purpose
Sampling
interval
Assay-ton
charge
Mill feed
Screen test
test
Hourly
circuit
at irregular in-
tervals
Table head
Assay
Assay
Assay
2 hr.
Table concentrate
2 hr.
Table tail
2 hr.
flow-
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assay
Assay
Hourly
test
Assay
Assay
2 hr.
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2 hr.
2 hr.
2 hr.
pulp)
Assay
Assay
Assay
2 hr.
2 hr.
2 hr.
10
10
10
1 per cent. Moisture samples are taken every hour. These are placed
in a jar having a tight-fitting cover so that drying does not take place
revolution counter and the weight of a section of the belt load. The cutter
used to remove this consists of two parallel plates attached to and rigidly
held by a cross bar. The distance between the plates is equal to one-fifth
conveyor is stopped, the cutter placed down on the belt, and the ore be-
tween the plates carefully brushed off into a pan and weighed. This is
done every hour. The sample is then passed through a Jones sampler
ore has a chance to dry in the air. At the end of each day the composite
a Geco sampler, a four-way valve, and an air header. The four-way valve
is operated by the Geco sampler. The two pressure ports of the four-way
the cutter are connected to the header by 3^-in. copper tubing. Wedge-
shaped cutters are operated by a cylinder and piston, being made to cut
heads and tails. The common fault of a drip wire in the whole stream is
that the rate of drip is not proportional to the rate of flow. The apparatus
storage discharges into a spill box {A in drawing), thence passing through a bottom
pipe into the barren-solution storage tank. The solution will stand in the spill box
at a level depending on the volume of flow, i.e., the volume precipitated. On the
side of box A is a smaller screen B connected by pipe to the former so that the solu-
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tions stands in it at the same level as in box A. (The screen in this box serves to
remove putty which is formed by the residual oils and greases acting with the lime.)
A swivel-jointed pipe C, tapped into the side of screen box B, draws off the press-
tails solution in a volume of flow that depends on the height of the solution in the
spill box, this volume thus being proportional to the volume precipitated. (In
calibrating, pipe C was raised or lowered until the head in spill box A was such as to
fill automatic flush tank D in a given time when precipitating a given tonnage.)
Automatic flush tank D, next in line, wfri thus fill from pipe C and be discharged
with a frequency that is dependent on the head in the spill box A and so on the volume
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PLANT CONTROL
225
precipitated. The press heads are sampled with the same frequenc}^ as will be
shown, so that the volume of the sample will likewise be proportionate to the volume
precipitated.
A portion of the press head, or pregnant solution, flows continuously into non-
automatic flush tank F, and as the tank fills, the sample cup showm fills likewise.
Each time that the automatic tank D discharges, a vacuum is created in leg E as
well as in sample bottle G, owing to the piping hookup shown. This puts the sam-
pling nipple attached to the float also under suction, and when the float has dropped
sufficiently as tank F empties, the nipple enters the sampling cup and the contents
are sucked over into the jar. To prevent continuous discharge of this tank a vent
is suspended
discharge by breaking
vacuum
Barren solution
storage
Fig. 57. Apparatus used at, Wright-Hargreaves, Ontario, Canada, for sampling
cyanide solution.
pipe is provided at /. When its end is uncovered, the vacuum in leg E and the sample
bottle G is broken and the tank F is ready for the next c^ycle.
The sampling nipple is M-in. pipe, but this is too large for satisfactory operation.
Therefore, the end was closed with a little metal by an acetylene torch and }{Q-m.
This apparatus was built around an already existing spill box and storage tank.
long as the method employed includes a tank so placed that the head varies with the
volume precipitated.
Sampling Barren Solution (Press Tails). The sample bottles for presc
tails are kept in a safe so that, if by carelessness the operator allows the
press tails to run high, he cannot destroy the evidence. This safe consists
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from the siphon passes through the box, and the sample is drawn off within
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226 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
the box. A small "drip catcher" operated from the outside is used to
tion to the sample container to arrest the solvent action of the cyanide.
particle size."
analyses assume an importance that they have not had heretofore. The
passing the finest screen, the presence of a hard-grinding fraction, the posi-
tion of natural grain sizes, the presence of sundry materials with markedly
material (such as clay) which is merely unlocked in grinding, and the total
gists and technical institutions. This firm manufactures wire cloth to the
minimum in screen sizing, and as the U.S. Bureau of Standards has stand-
ardized the 200-mesh sieve made from 0.0021-in. wire, having an opening
of 0.0029 in. or 0.074 mm, this sieve has been adopted as the basis of the
finer than 200 mesh, as is done at Kirkland Lake, Ontario, for example,
sieves can be procured as fine as 325 mesh. When discussing pulp sizes
finer than 200 mesh, many millmen refer to them as so many microns.
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For the relationship between particle size in microns and Tyler mesh
and also a comparison between the Tyler and 1 M.M. series, see Appendix
A.
Thus, the critical air velocity in each successive tube will be one-half of that in the
equal settling rates in air. The settling rates of each successive fraction will be
one-half the settling rate of the immediately preceding fraction. Assuming a ma-
terial consisting of perfect spheres, all of one specific gravity, the size range collected
in each successive tube will decrease by the square root of 2. However, in the actual
sizing of ground products the particles will not be spherical or even cube-shaped
but will vary from the extremes of flat lamellae and flakes to needlelike particles, with
a fair percentage of particles of almost equidimensional shape. Not only will the
particle shape depart from the ideal condition, but in addition there will probably be
minerals of different specific gravity present in any given ore. Such heavier or
With regard to the meaning of particle size in measuring the fineness of a product,
Dr. P. C. Carmen11 says: "Particle size of a nonspherical particle is not a term with
a definite meaning unless it refers to a definite property of the particle, e.g., the
diameter of a sphere with the same volume or with the same specific surface, etc.
Only for a sphere are all these diameters identical. In the methods of measuring
Nominal
(gangue)
Pyrite
Tellurides
Gold
40 to 56
32 to 46
26 to 38
20 to 28
28 to 40
23 to 32
19 to 26
14 to 20
20 to 28
16 to 23
13 to 19
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10 to 14
14 to 20
liy2 to 16
9M to 13
7 to 10
10 to 14
8 to 11^
m to 9M
5 to 7
0 to 10
0 to 8
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
0 to 6M
0 to 5
particle size, there are measured, respectively, a sieve aperture, a rate of free fall,
and some arbitrary microscopic diameter, and the first step is to interpret these in
terms of 'particle size.' " Dr. Carmen proceeds to point out the difficulties and
To avoid confusion in the use of terms, a nominal micron size has been worked out
for each infrasizer fraction. This nominal micron size may be defined as the "size"
of irregularly shaped particles, of any specific gravity, which have the same settling
rate in a column of air as do glass spheres of that diameter. As the specific gravit}' of
glass (2.6) is almost the same as that of most siliceous ore (e.g., Lake Shore, 2.7), this
In these investigations, all sizing results obtained with the Haultain infrasizer
are reported in terms of the above nominal micron size. However, for reference,
Table 34 has been drawn up, showing the nominal micron size of p3^rite, tellurides,
and gold referred to perfect spheres of pyrite, tellurides, and gold, respectively.
: M.S.
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Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
230
to the lower end. There are seven adjustments readily made while in operation.
able results on as small a quantity of material as 1 gram or will treat much larger
amounts. Aided by a binocular microscope or the pyrex-glass method and the micro-
scope, it will readily isolate and identify tellurides when occurring in the proportion
of 1 part in 10 million. It will give a clean pyrite product or a clean tailings product.
It will separate pyrite from arsenopyrite. It will make separations of extremely fine
material down to 15 microns. It has been in the process of incubation for a great
many years and was brought in as a useful tool when W. E. Johnston was doing his
work on tellurides and was used most effectively by him, and its success is due very
products.
in a cyanide tail.
centrates, etc., separating the sample into the following parts: (a) free
metallic gold, (b) free gold tellurides, (c) free galena and altaite, (d) pyrite,
and 0) gangue minerals (see "The Form and Distribution of the Gold in
The panner may be used at all times for rough preliminary tests to determine
the presence of free values and their nature or to determine an approximate pyrite
assay, without sizing the panner feed. However, for all work on which metallurgical
should be sized. It is the use in combination of the infrasizer and the superpanner
that has made it possible to analyze completely any mill product. Otherwise, if an
unsized material is panned, at best onty the coarse pyrite is obtained, and often fine
gold or tellurides are trapped with it, giving an erroneously high pyrite assay. The
superpanner was particularly useful at the Lake Shore because it was realized early
in the test work that the gold in the pyrite was not likety to be recovered by straight
cyanidation and that the amount of gold tied up in the sulphide would have to be
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estimated in order to interpret test results correctly. The panner is by far the quick-
est and best known means of preparing clean pyrite free from gold and tellurides and
gangue.
The following is the procedure used to determine the gold content in the pyrite
in a cyanide tail: A gold-sulphur infrasizer analysis is first made on the cyanide tail.
From this, the size distribution of the sulphur (and p}rrite) can be calculated. As
the ore contains only 1}^ to 2 per cent pyrite, a flotation concentrate is made in the
laboratory to save time in the panning, (note. It has been proved that the assay
of the pyrite in the flotation concentrate and flotation tail from a cyanide tail are
the same assay per size, so that fact that the laboratory would make only an 80 to 85
per cent pyrite recovery will not affect the assay of the pyrite per size.) Generally,
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
12,000 to 15,000 grams of cyanide tail is used as feed to the cells to produce 200 to 250
grams of pyrite. If this flotation concentrate is known to contain much free values,
PLANT CONTROL 231
time will be saved by thoroughly cyaniding it before sizing and panning. From each
sized fraction, one or more clean pyrite samples are made for gold and sulphur assay-
ing. An average superpanner operator can easily make p}^rite concentrates which
are 90 to 98 per cent pure. These assays are then corrected to correspond to 100 per
cent pyrite. All the plus 14-micron fractions can be readily panned; the 10 to 14
pyrite results on a graph, a curve for the pyrite assays by fractions has been deter-
mined. Thus it is possible to determine graphically the assay of the pyrite in the
0 to 10 and 10 to 14 (if necessary). All these figures have been checked by calculations
salts derived from the ore or supplied as a protective measure to the system
is usually critical.
C02, the usual titration methods give effective control (see Appendix).
sent in the barren solution as CaS04, increases the free settling rate as
compared with use of lime water. They also found that a well-aerated
pulp settles faster than a poorly aerated one and that the combined effect
acts as a buffer against the oxygen demand of the pyrrhotite and pyrite.
Other authorities state that lime can interfere with the extraction of gold
the use of ammonium chloride or soda ash will improve extraction in cer-
tain cases.
There are also instances where, owing to the presence of various cyani-
cides in the ore, it is necessary to carry solution alkalinity below the range
1949, p. 75.
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232 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
associated with the degree of alkalinity (or acidity) of the medium. Fre-
quent pH tests should be made. The use of excess lime can be avoided
by proper pH control, and it may be pointed out that the use of too much
lime not only wastes this material but may have a harmful effect upon the
true in the use of regulators other than lime; moreover, the degree of active
not only on the regulators but also on the other reagents used.
raw ores, because these substances vary widely in their natural reaction,
rawT waters, and these changes often cause variations in the operating re-
with close and constant control of pH between 9.6 and 10.0. As neither
glass nor antimony electrodes of the usual industrial pH meters can be used
It was found by experiment that the agitation in the Pachuca tank would
continuously remove the cake from a leaf filter suspended in the pulp, so
ruption.
3^-in. pipe and 3^-in- screen covered with 15-oz. filter cloth. The filter
leaf is suspended in the pulp from the rim of the Pachuca tank and is con-
+he , ' ition receiver is carried down through the pulp to prevent change
The electrodes are wipe with a soft cloth once every two or three days
to remove any deposit that may have formed; other than this no attention
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PLANT CONTROL 233
is needed, and over a period of more than a year no maintenance has been
required.
The filtering rate through the leaf filter is 160 to 200 cc per min. of clear
every 2 min.
Africa and published in Vol. 48, No. 11, of the journal of the society.
within the limits of the alkaline circuits employed, can usually be tolerated.
ready been discussed. Poor extractions are not usually the direct result
of the presence of such salts, but they are indicative of elements in the ore
that consume cyanide before the gold can be dissolved and necessitate
periods for such elements as sulphur, copper, and iron or the thiocyanates,
of zinc and copper are well known for their inhibiting effect on gold pre-
cipitation with zinc, but relatively low concentrations of nickel and thio-
cyanate, such as are encountered at the Kerr Addison Gold Mines, On-
tario, Canada, can also cause precipitation difficulties. The serious effect
558, 1947, "An Apparatus for Comparing Various Zinc Dusts for Geld and
Since flows of pregnant solution as low as 4 liters per hr. are handled, the
tated per ton of solution by the number of pounds of zinc dust fed per ton
of solution.
tion of barren solution from the system, with or without "flood washing"
residual free cyanide and lime over and above that normally lost through
of barren solution, refer to Table 35, which was prepared from data re-
control.
The November, 1947, issue of E. and M.J., pp. 136 et seq., describes a
part from this issue and in part from Taggart's "Handbook of Ore Dressing"
Crushing and Ore Handling. While crushers have for many years
been protected by magnets that remove magnetic iron from the ore stream,
1945) mounted over the belt and suitably connected through relays will
st<bp the drive motor if any steel, magnetic or otherwise, is on the belt.
yE. and M.J., March, 1939, describes the use of a photoelectric cell placed
on top of and at ^re side of a surge bin supplying the ball mills and directly
opposite a light source. When the ore builds up to a point where the light
ray is intercepted, the power is automatically cut off from the motor on
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PLANT CONTROL
235
the belt feeding the bin. Also the conveyors that feed the ball mills
from the surge bin are each provided with a device consisting of a shoe
that rides on the surface of the ore stream and is connected to a switch
mounted just above the conveyor. When the shoe falls below a certain
level owing to a blocked chute or empty surge bin, a horn alarm is sounded.
April, 1947, describes the Tennessee Coal and Iron Company's big cen-
Item
ore
Precipitation ratiof
Zinc (Zn)
Copper (Cu)
Lime, (CaO)
Ferrocyanide
1.0
8.0
4.0
0.37
Yes
0.50
0.45
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0.072*
0.002*
0.88**
1.02**
Nil.
0.9
6.4
6.0
0.04
No
0.14
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0.025
0.013
0.008ft
Nil.
0.12ft
0.002|f
0.009
2.3
0.6
No
0.04
0.03
0.005ft
0.03ft
0.10ft
0.10ft
0.05ft
4000
2100
236 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
tant in any crushing plant if serious spills and damage to equipment due
struments are placed in full view above the operating floor opposite each
mill so that the load the mill is drawing can be seen at a glance. Hollin-
ger also uses a revolution counter on the feed belt, which is periodically
mills are used both to measure the total tonnage milled and to keep a
control and fixed valve nipples through which the dilution water flows
The familiar pulp balance for reading the specific gravity of pulp is
lers, which are actuated by the differential pressure required to bubble air
classifier sand returned by the rakes adjusts a rheostat that controls the
Company, the E. and MJ. article above mentioned shows a central in-
strument panel that controls the flotation circuit. This panel contains
(1) a recording pH meter that shows the pH in the regrind circuit that feeds
fed to the bulk rougher cells, (3) a conductivity cell that tests a continuous
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sample of mill pulp water, (4) thymotrols for suppling the direct current
to the small motors that run the lime and xanthate feeders, (5) a continu-
ous pulp-density recorder for the grinding circuit, (6) a mill pulp tempera-
ture recorder, (7) a timt-delay ^ntrol that is adjustable and keeps the
In the paper "Roasting and Flotation Practice in the Lake Shore Mines
The close control of pH is one essential feature of good conditioning. The critical
measurement is the spray-tower agitator discharge pH. Shortly after the plant was
started up, a Beckman pH meter was installed. This meter, used in conjunction with
a Micromax recorder, gives a continuous 24-hr. record of the pH of the pulp entering
the first turbo agitator. The pH at this point is checked at hourly intervals by a
that bromtr^mol blue was the most reliable. Some of the indicators covering the
range pH 6 and 7 were quite useless on the solutions from this pulp.
the Tennessee Copper Company plants, protective relays have been in-
stalled, so that in the event of such failures the feed to the pumps is di-
verted either outside the mill or to special sumps and heavy spillages are
thereby avoided.
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CHAPTER XIII
tered in small amounts in the treatment of such ores, the various schemes
already discussed, such as use of a lead salt or wasting barren solution, can
ever, the problem concerns the treatment of an ore that does not respond to
often be considered.
ment scheme.
IRON SULPHIDES
While the oxidized iron minerals ordinarily have little effect in cyanida"
in cyanide solution.
Pyrite is the most stable and least troublesome of the sulphides. Flota-
pyrite, and for this reason what follows for pyrrhotite is to a lesser extent
both in regard to cyanide consumption and gold extraction, for the reac-
tions involved tend to reduce both the free cyanide and the oxygen content
of the solutions.
Pyrrhotite,1 which has the general formula FemSm+i, differs in composition from
iron pyrite and many other sulphide materials, inasmuch as one sulphur atom appears
the mineral readily yields elemental sulphur.) The [FeS] remaining is particularly
prone to oxidate a, forming ferrous and ferric sulphate, which interact with cyanide
to form complex cyanides. . These reactions show that pyrrhotite not only is a power-
1 Jack H. French and Harold Jones, "Reduction Works Practice at Morro Velho,
Brazil."
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238
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CYANICIDES AND REFRACTORY ORES 239
fill cyanicide but also tends to rob the cyanide solution of much of the oxygen neces-
owing to the easily decomposable nature of that mineral. Pyrrhotite, if kept dry, is
stable but in most atmospheres breaks down rapidly, and in contact with water the
rate of decomposition is still more accelerated. The action is essentially one of part
oxidation, and the products are not dissimilar from those which occur when pyrite
or marcasite are weathered. . . . The main difference is that the rate of decomposi-
tion of pyrrhotite is markedly greater than that of the other common pyritic min-
erals . . . and larger quantities of ferrous compounds are formed and have to be dealt
The reason for the lower cyanide consumption obtained with intense aeration is
probably connected with the reactions which take place when alkaline sulphide de-
composes in cyanide solution. Alkaline sulphide is one of the initial products of the
reaction between pyrrhotite and alkaline cyanide solution. This may be detected
during the early stages of contact. The alkaline sulphide, in the presence of oxygen,
may decompose in two ways simultaneously. On the one hand, b}r a series of reac-
tions during which various oxidized sulphur compounds, such as thiosulphate, thi-
possible reactions are apparently involved: (1) Any soluble sulphides formed
by the rapid solution of the finer particles of iron sulphide are preferen-
tially precipitated as the highly insoluble lead sulphide, and further con-
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the larger sulphide particles whereby a film of the same insoluble lead
FeS04 which reacts with the free cyanide present to form ferrocyanide:
(Trans. 49, C.I.M. and M.). It describes the successful working out of a
ing from the copper-flotation circuit. The sulphide content of this feed
was 99 per cent, of which 10 to 20 per cent was pyrrhotite and 0.3 to 0.7
per cent chalcopyrite. There was no free gold. The exposed gold was
micron in diameter. There was available for dissolution about 0.05 oz.
In the course of several years of laboratory and plant testing the follow-
1. The economical limit of fine grinding was 90 per cent minus 325 mesh.
3. Cyanidation for a period of 6 to 8 hr. at 50 per cent solids with a cyanide strength
of not more than 0.35 lb. free NaCN per ton of solution.
cuit itself that would overcome the effect of copper and sulphide sulphur.
(Jour. CM. and M.S.S.A., February, 1947) the authors describe investi-
gations carried out to determine the cause of high residues at the aforesaid
property and the measures taken to correct the difficulty. The following
treatment in eight 50 ft. diameter by 12 ft. side by 4 ft. cone mechanical air-lift agita-
tors arranged in two rows of four tanks in series. The period of pre-aeration is ap-
proximately 12 hr., and cyanide treatment 42 hr.; in the winter months, however, it
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is usually possible to reduce the time of treatment by taking one to two cyanide-
treatment agitators out c( t\ <*. circuit. With the exception of the cyanide present in
differential flotation to eliminate cyanicides. Had this not been done, cyanidation
the solution used for transfer and dilution, the first addition of cyanide is made after
pre-aeration, when the strength is brought up to approximately 0.02 per cent NaCN.
It has been found essential to keep the alkalinity of the pulp low during pre-aera-
tion and cyanide treatment, and to this end alkalinity in the thickeners is maintained
at about 0.002 per cent CaO in the summer months and 0.004 to 0.005 per cent in the
winter, depending upon conditions of settlement in the thickeners. After the addi-
tion of precipitated and by-passed unprecipitated solution to bring the specific grav-
ity of the pulp to 1.40 (45 per cent solids), the alkalinity leaving the pre-aerators is
about 0.002 per cent CaO, equivalent, with normal buffer action of dissolved zinc,
etc., to pH 9.6. No further lime is added to the pre-aeration and treatment circuit
until the last agitators, when the alkalinity is brought up to about 0.01 per cent CaO
for the sake of filtration and precipitation. Alkalinity in the thickeners and treat-
ment circuits is determined by the ordinary titration method, but the main control is
Milk of lime and dissolved cyanide are fed by independent pumps to the various
points in the circuit where additions are required, the quantities of solid lime and
portion of finety ground pyrrhotite which has alread}^ come nearty to that state from
exposure to the atmosphere, particularly during grinding, and the remainder is in-
hibited by a coating of the products of oxidation formed during the period of pre-
aeration. The hypothesis of inhibition appears the more tenable of the two, since
analyses of residues have shown that there is little or no reduction in the pj^rrhotite
content of the ore during cj^anide treatment. In either case, however, the intensive
The residues were reduced from an average value of 0.473 dwt. per ton for a 6
months' period during 1939 and 1940 before the improved scheme was used to 0.278
dwt. per ton for a similar period in 1941 and 1942 after installation of same. Cyanide
consumption also fell from 0.93 lb. NaCN per ton to 0.78 lb. per ton over the same
interval.
France is cyaniding 100 tons a day of a complex gold ore containing be-
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amount of lime such that after 24 hr. agitation in Pachuca tanks the
solution has dropped to an alkalinity of about 0.01 per cent CaO, filtering,
cyanidation.
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242 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
factors: (1) the removal of readily soluble sulphur in solution, (2) the
It is noted, for instance, that the iron content of the solutions increases
rapidly as soon as the alkalinities get very low. Thus the conditions which
film of iron hydrate which would adhere tenaciously to the sulphide sur-
faces and account for the passivity effect. We have all observed the
30 per cent iron. Arsenopyrite and pyrite are also constituents. The
The gold occurs both in the free state and associated with the sulphides,
finer than 80 mesh to release the values. The sulphide minerals yield
their gold readily, but special attention has to be paid to the chemical and
more lime after aeration interfere with gold dissolution. Direct cyanida-
reduced, while with identical lime feed the alkalinity of the working solu-
tions is increase \ ^i; leadr to the belief that some sort of film must be
This is in accord with the past experience at Liberty Bell in the years
Nathaniel Herz, chief metallurgist, points out that the principal factors
since filtration affects the result, ordinary aeration seems to provide the
necessary oxygen demand. It was found, however, that the usual titra-
the results are systematic and readily reproduced and can be interpreted
scientifically.
U.S. Patent 2,220,212, Clark, Herz, and Adams. It is shown that the
increased, this effect is more than offset by the oxidation of the sulphur
which was solved by the use of buffer salts and careful pH control. It
was found that at alkaline levels above pH 10, the cyanide consumption
was reduced but the gold extraction was poor. The formation of thio-
the destruction of cyanide was very great, with the formation of ferrocya-
The best gold extractions and lowest cyanide consumption were reached
when no ferrocyanide was found in the solution after 6 hr. In the pres-
about 2 lb. lime per ton, in the presence of suitable buffers, gave the best
results. Soluble lead and mercury salts alone were first tried as buffers,
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but later it was found that zinc salts returning with the barren solution
from the extractor boxes (60 per cent return) could replace about one-
The conclusion was reached that in Morro Velho ores the presence of
free hydrate was not essential but properly buffered solutions were.
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244 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
solution too quickly fell below pH 7.0. Soda ash, borax, trisodium phos-
phate, and sodium and calcium acetates were all tried, the phosphate
at the start of the agitation period would fall to pH 7.6 to 8 in the course
COPPER MINERALS
Copper is probably the most active and one of the most troublesome of
the cyanicides. T.P. 494, U.S.B. of M., gives the results of a series of tests
show that asurite, chalcocite, cuprite, malachite, and finely divided metal-
lic copper are readily and completely soluble under the ordinary conditions
loss and fouling of solutions with arsenic and antimony. While chalco-
plexes in Cyanidation" (Trans. 48, C.I.M. and M., 237-251, 1945) de-
It is thought that the first of these is the most common form, although at
which was carried out on copper-bearing ores using cyclic tests with mill
2. The totai "3 a*J **as d%t Tmined by the distillation method (see
Appendix B), rather than the cyanide present is a more correct meas-
245
discarded or regenerated.
In his discussion of this discrepancy, Hedley points out that, since the
of any other compounds in the ore which disturbed that equilibrium would
have a marked effect on the total reserve of CN ions available for gold
extraction.
Lake Shore. The principal cyanides in the calcine are copper, ferrous
iron, and smaller amounts of Mo, Co, Ni, Mn, etc. Most of the cyani-
cides can be removed by water washing, but this step cannot be used ow-
ing to the loss of about $0.70 in gold resulting from the use of salt in the
roast.
about 9 lb. per ton, and now by the use of "superaeration," which appar-
ently converts part of the copper content to a form less soluble in cyanide
solution, the consumption has been reduced to around 6 lb. per ton.
ZINC MINERALS
1. The zinc minerals smithsonite, Iwdrozincite, zincite, and calamine are soluble
enough under the usual conditions of cj^anidation to cause rapid accumulation of zinc
in the solution unless special precautions are taken to remove the dissolved zinc.
Willemite, sphalerite, and franklinite are dissolved more slowly. Commercial zinc
dust is also readily soluble; therefore an excess over that necessary to precipitate
2. When zinc dust or zinc minerals are dissolved in cj-anide solution, 1.5 to 4.0 lb.
3. The various zinc cj^anide compounds formed in the mill solution are only weak
solvents for the precious metals even if the usual titration with silver nitrate shows
excess free cyanide; i.e., if considerable zinc is present in the solution, the titration
for free cyanide is misleading as to the efficacy of the solution as i solvent for silver
4. The addition of excess lime or caustic so mproves the extraction with solu-
tions containing zinc by liberating free cyanide from the double salt.
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246 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
5. If most of the cyanide present in a solution is combined with zinc, more free
cyanide must be added to this solution than to a fresh solution for the two solutions
solutions excessively strong in free cyanide. The continued addition of the required
amount of free cyanide would soon result in an excessive amount of cyanide being
tied up in the mill solution. Furthermore, strong cyanide solutions consume more
zinc during the precipitation of precious metals, thereby increasing zinc consumption
It is therefore advisable when the mill solution becomes foul with zinc either to
remove the zinc and regenerate the cyanide or discard the solution.
equation:
zincate.
LEAD MINERALS
alkaline plumbite will be formed, which will interact with the cyanide
For example,
and
formed. The less basic lead cyanide hydrolyzes with liberation of HCN,
Thus,
and
It has been observed4 that, if free gold is roasted in the presence of sulfur
and lead salts, or if pyritic gold ores containing even a small percentage of
lead minerals are roasted to free the gold from the pyrite, lead compounds
coat the gold particles enough to make them almost insoluble in the usual
mill cyanide solution containing lime for protective alkalinity. Also, the
lead compounds remaining in the calcine are slightly soluble in the mill
solutions, and such dissolved lead may retard the dissolution of the gold
by the removal of oxygen or prevent contact between the gold and the
treatment without any protective alkalinity will dissolve this coated gold
in time, but the cyanide loss in the treatment of such refractory ores
may be prohibitive.
It is shown that high gold recovery can be obtained from such calcines by pre-
liminary treatment with acid brine to remove a large percentage of the lead, followed
There is the possibility that by close control of caustic used for protective al-
kalinity in the cyanide solution, so as to keep the pH of the solution under 11, it may
C3^anide loss.
Satisfactory results have been obtained from the application of these methods on
a laboratory scale to two important commercial ores that have been refractory to all
CHROMIUM MINERALS
alkalis such as lime, by reason of the highly oxidizing salts formed, leading
should be at a minimum.
(1) The metallurgical difficulties experienced were due to the presence of chro-
mium in the cyanide solutions in the form of chromate. (2) The yellow precipitate
(which was obtained by the addition of lead nitrate to the plant solutions) was lead
chromate, carbonate, and hydrate. It did not contain gold, but its presence in the
solutions prevented zinc-dust precipitation of gold from solution. (3) The source
of the chromium was the particular feldspathic and pyroxine ore. (4) All of the
chromium must be precipitated by the addition of a solution of a lead salt and the
zinc is obtainable. (5) Addition of a soluble lead salt to the cyanide solution gives
rise to the formation of hydrocyanic acid, which is readily "fixed" on contact with
free alkali.
REFRACTORY ORES
Arsenic Ores
roast, the calcine usually yields a high gold extraction with low lime and
cyanide consumption.
Mispickel in the raw condition in an ore, when agitated with strong con-
centrations of lime or other alkali in the presence of air, can yield alkaline
arsemtes, thus
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6 Ibid.
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CYANICIDES AND REFRACTORY ORES 249
high concentrations of lime are used, the associated gold may be released,
but difficulty may ensue in dissolving the gold owing to lack of oxygen.
Antimony Ores
as a weak acid, combining with alkalis to form salts, of the order of M^SbS3
mize the speed of disequilibrium of the alkaline cyanide ions. The ore
Some stibnite gold ores are more amenable to cyanidation when pre-
insoluble basic sulphate. The oxidation may also open up the fissure
planes, setting free the associated gold. This oxidation may be secured
by "weathering" the ore pulp, but in some cases, the agitation of the wet
pulp writh small amounts of lime and sodium peroxide, together with in-
molten metallic condition can occur, with enfoldment of the gold particles.
Hillgrove, New South Wales.7 The gold ores from this section are of
special interest due to the gold's being in association with stibnite and in
When ordinary water-slaked lime was used in the cyanide treatment of tailings
from previous milling operation, the gold extraction was fair but the cyanide con-
sumption was 12 to 14 lb. per ton, but by the use of ordinary air-slaked, or agricul-
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tural, lime the consumption was reduced to 3.5 lb. per ton.
The present 100-ton treatment plant consists of agitation pt' ' anta on equip-
mentan 18-ft.-diameter mixer vat with paddles and CJ/ agitaiors. Eight-ton
7 Mine and Mill World Digest, April, 1938, condensed from E. and M. Rev., Mel-
bourne, Australia. f
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250 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
batches are fed to the mixer. Sufficient lime is added for the proper degree of al-
The batch is then stirred for 4 hr. and then discharged into an agitator vat. The
mixer handles two batches per day. The four agitator vats are 16 ft. in diameter by
8 ft. deep, fitted with stirring gear. Before running a batch into an agitator, a large
quantity of sump solution is first pumped in, and the proportion of solution to solid
is kept high. After receiving two batches from the mixer and given a double wash,
the agitators are discharged, hosed clean, ready for the next batch.
The clear solution drawn off from an agitator is run to two settling vats 16 ft. 6 in.
in diameter by 4 ft. deep. The solution stands in settlers until any cloudiness has
settled. It is then run through a sand filter and then to the zinc boxes.
An 80 per cent gold recovery was made b}^ the method of treatment described.
be driven off and condensed. At the same time, anyone who has had
thermore, unless temperature control is very exact, the ore being roasted
the scoria remaining, which contains the gold, also contains a residual
as the gold is, if anything, still more intimately associated with it.
The treatment of the calcines with an alkaline leach for the conversion
being practiced. The association of the antimony and gold is very inti-
mate, and during 1946, while the antimony recovery amounted to 70.6
per cent, only 62.7 per cent of the contained gold was extracted.
Telltjride Ores
wrote:
The g-1 ' bearing tellurides behave very much as does gold itself. Finely divided
particles are dis,o.i-t; 'fairly rapidly; coarser particles more slowly. All tellurides
8 There is reason to believe that use of the FluoSolids roasting technique with its
special features of close control of temperatures and gas composition may improve
are soft and brittle and also have high specific gravity, with the result that they are
extremely finely divided in ordinary mill practice. The ordinary high-lime solution
of Kirkland Lake practice is suitable for dissolving of the gold tellurides. Oxygen is
In E. and M.J., August, 1933, Johnston returns to the problem with the results
of experiments. Before detailing these he says that a search of the literature failed
to show that anyone had actually conducted cyanidation tests on either specimen
Kirkland Lake. Experiments with cyanide on these ores gave the following conclu-
sions, with which A. L. Bloomfield, H. V. Wallace, and John Dixon of Kirkland Lake
substantially agree:
2. Sodium peroxide great^ reduces the time of treatment required for maximum
3. The tellurides are very brittle and, owing to their high gravity, will be retained
in the mill circuit for a long time. They will thus be in a finely disseminated state,
approximately minus 1600 mesh or the size required to }deld a maximum extraction of
their gold.
4. Up to the present, gold-bearing tellurides have not been found in large quanti-
Graphitic Ores
ores in California, Montana, West Africa, and western Australia has been
usually occurs in graphitic schists adjacent to the ore bodies and with
control.
for the gold precipitated by the carbon. Results, however, were not
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satisfactory.
Roasting was a satisfactory solution, but its cost precluded its use on
The later development of notation for gold ores, has, in most cases,
Flotation removes most of the freed carbon with the concentrate, which is
tailing and returned this concentrate to the head of the cyanide circuit
Considerable carbonaceous schist occurs in the run-of-mine ore, not all of which is
agent and are found to reprecipitate values from the solution in the agitating circuit.
To remedy this, diesel fuel oil is added at 125 drops per minute to the classifier sand
discharge. The oil acts as a collector for the graphite, coating and inhibiting its
precipitating properties. A collector ring placed around the thickener feed well
collects the graphitic froth which floats to the surface. This is skimmed off several
times a week and stored. In two and a half years, less than a ton of it has been col-
lected. The small amount of graphite that gets b}^ passes harmlessly through the
and some of their further work on the same subject was published in
9 Wilson and Darnell, "A Lode Gold Mine in Columbia/' E. and M.J., Vol. 143,
Processes
are present.
Miscellaneous processes used for the extraction of gold and silver values
today, they are of interest both historically and because they contribute to
the sum of our general technical knowledge, out of which new and improved
once made the significant remark that every process, no matter to what
the fact remains that in many cases the cost of treatment by our improved
imperative that research men and engineers keep an open mind in the
matter of reappraising the obsolete processes and also what may sometimes
may well contain the germs of ideas that lead to important process de-
velopments.
Cyanide Handbook:
Since the main cause of cyanide consumption is the formation of soluble double
C3'anide or complex cyanogen compounds of the base metals, and since solutions
253
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254 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
highly charged with such compounds are more or less inefficient as solvents of gold
and silver, it has been suggested that the cyanogen in such liquor might be recovered
in the form of simple alkali cyanides, b}^ treatment with suitable chemicals. This
has been carried out in practice in some cases, but generally speaking the cost of
chemicals, power, labor, and other charges required for such treatment outweighs
but although the few regeneration plants at work report a saving in cya-
This loss results from imperfect washing, which in turn is the result of
by using solution from which the cyanide has been removed to extend the
said:
Precipitation of gold and silver from cyanide solution by means of zinc or alumi-
num results in regeneration of cyanide, probably not in the form of alkali cyanide as
originally added but in a form in which an equivalent amount of effective cyanide ion
is present.
into contact with sulphur dioxide. The acidified solution is then transferred to a
closed tank in which air and solution are brought into intimate contact. The air
leaving the tank charged with hydrogen cyanide is then passed to another tank in
which it is mixed with an alkaline solution, the latter absorbing the HCN and leaving
the accompanying air clean for reuse in removing more HCN from the acidi-
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fied solution.
The extent to which the acidified solution will become impoverished of its cyanide
will depend upon the acidity, the amount of air brought into contact with the solu-
tion, and the quantity of .residual HCN left in the air after the latter has passed the
absorbing apparatus. (The system is closed so that the same air is used repeatedly.)
Of course the amount of air required will depend on how efficiently it is utilized,
but where other conditions are equal, it may be stated that the amount of cyanide
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CYANIDE REGENERATION AND MISCELLANEOUS PROCESSES 255
removed from a given volume of solution increases with an increase in air, and, fur-
ther, an increase of air will do more good or a decrease will cause poorer results than
almost any other change that could be made in the plant. (By increase in air is
The impoverished acid solution may be wasted or used as a water wash on the
niters, either before or after filtering, depending on whether the solution contains
enough silver or copper to pay for its removal. If the spent solution does not contain
any silver, but much copper, it is doubtful whether it could be used as a filter wash
before filtering, because the slimy nature of the precipitate would affect adversely
of rather large tonnage and best on solutions resulting from the treatment
From the free cyanides and zinc double cyanide, substantially complete
ment of the silver ore, which carries some copper, and gold involves a
After the usual washes of the filter cake, including a water wash passing
to mill make-up, the cake is given a further wash of 20 min., and the values
the regeneration plant, the cyanide being returned as a gas and absorbed
in the mill solution, while the silver and gold and quantities of copper are
The plant treats 3800 tons per day of a solution composed of 1000 tons
of barren solution and 2800 tons of water wash from the filters.
volume of air, (3) absorbing the hydrogen cyanide carried by this air in
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the regular mill solutions, (4) adding zinc dust to precipitate the gold, (5)
The sulphur dioxide gas used in the process is made in a rotary sulphur
fier. The HCN formed in the acidifier remains in the acid solution until
removed in the dispersers. This gas is dissolved in the solution, and al-
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256 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
solution so that, upon passage through a weir box 6 ft. in length open to
by silver nitrate titration of the solution as it enters and leaves the weir.
volume of rapidly moving air into contact with the acidified solution
grids and spraying devices. At least 15 cu. ft. per min. of air per ton of
tion and the air containing the gas are brought into close contact.
The regeneration of the quantity of barren solution was undertaken to keep the
plant solutions reduced in certain constituents which, when allowed to build up,
caused poor extractions and poor settling. Copper is one of these deleterious con-
stituents, and although unknown, we suspect that there may be others. We endeavor
to keep the copper content of the thickener overflow below 80 grams copper per ton
of solution. With this bleeding of 1000 tons barren solution per day there has been a
great improvement in settling and former periods of unusually low extraction have
been avoided.
a Bristol potentiometer controller which operates the air valve on the sulphur burn-
ers. The correct pH for optimum results depends on the constituents of the particu-
lar solution. For filter washes it is pH 5.6, but with the addition of barren we use
pH 5.1.
amounts of double zinc cyanides which they may contain. The double zinc cyanide
requires a higher pH for its complete regeneration than do the simple cyanides.
C3'anide regeneration. The amount of sulphur required has been reduced, the tails
are lower, and less trouble from liming up is encountered. Before pH control, the
because of liming up. The use of pH control has greatly reduced this difficulty.
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"Cyanide and Regeneration Plant and Practice at Flin Flon" (Trans. 49,
From the storage tank following precipitation, barren solution is pumped to the
Mills-Crowe regeneration plant for recovery of the cyanide, which is reused during
agitation.
257
The elements of a single regeneration unit are shown in Fig. 60. They consist of
1. A dispersing tower.
2. An absorbing duct.
3. A blower rated at 36,000 cu. ft. per min. and 4-in. water gauge.
Add line
Barren solution
line
To absorber
I solution storage
To
absorber
solution
storage
^Rotor
ABSORBER-PLAH
Acidified barren solution enters the top of the dispersing tower, where it is dis-
tributed across the tower section by three launders. The solution drops through
the grid-packed tower countercurrent to an air stream discharged by the blower and
into a sealed sump at the tower bottom. From the sump, a centrifugal pump trans-
The air stream in its passage up the tower sweeps the hydrocv'anic acid gas, liber-
ated by the action of the acid, into an air duct leading to the ^bso.oer. This is a
tunnel about 40 ft. long and 4 by 6 ft., in oection. One ena joins the air duct from the
disperser, and the other end fori le blower inlet. The tunnel floor, over which
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258 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
absorber solution flows, slopes at Ji in. per ft. to a sealed sump. From the sump, a
centrifugal pump elevates absorber solution to a storage tank feeding the absorbers
and agitators. Six rotor sprays are installed at intervals across the tunnel, about
3 in. above the floor. The rotors are 12 in. diameter b}^ 4 ft. long and are driven at
900 r.p.m. by 3-hp. motors. The adjustment of a butterfly weir at each rotor controls
the depth of its immersion and the fineness of the mist in the tunnel atmosphere.
A frame of 30 metal louvers located across the tunnel near the blower intake protects
the fan from lime-scale coating by minimizing the mist entering the blower.
The air stream carrying hydrogen cyanide gas enters the absorber at its junction
with the disperser air duct. It is drawn through the mist of absorber solution, a weak
lime slurry. The cyanide gas reacts with the absorber mist and remains in solution
as calcium cyanide, while the other gases pass on into the blower. The blower dis-
3. An absorber storage tank feeding the absorber units and cyanide agitators. ,
The dispersing units operate in series. Barren solution is acidified with waste
sulphuric acid from the electrolytic section of the zinc plant in a lead-lined box ahead
to 2 lb. acid per ton of solution at the last disperser. A minimum residual strength
of lJi lb. per ton is required for good disperson. From the last disperser, the solution
The absorber units operate in parallel. From the storage tank, the absorber solu-
tion flows by gravity to the high end of each of the four units. It becomes enriched
in cyanide during its passage through the absorber and is pumped back to the storage
An 18- by 18-ft. wood-stave tank equipped with a 48-in. ship-type impeller is used
for absorber solution storage. From this reservoir, the final regeneration plant
product is drawn for reuse in the agitators and circulates to each absorber unit. The
alkalinity of the solution is maintained at 1 lb. CaO per ton by addition of plant lime
slurr}^. The draw-off to the agitating section is replaced with water. A portion of
the flow to the agitators is used to dissolve and transport the raw cyanide addition.
tion of a large part of the cyanide combined with copper and zinc in fouled
mill solutions. This process, which as far as we know has not yet been used
the zinc and copper are thrown down as sulphides and up to 80 per cent of
nitration lime is added to the filtrate to "fix" the HCN regenerated, and
The silver would normally come down with the copper and zinc pre-
that sulphocyanates, cyanates, etc., are not broken up. It is stated that
the precipitated sulphides are readily filtered and contain no cyanide, but
cyanide and free lime as well as any copper, zinc, or silver compounds are
phate. The precipitate, following filtration, is treated with acid for re-
methods, and the filtrate treated with zinc dust or other suitable precipi-
The cyanide tied up with the copper and silver is lost in the proposed
smelting method for recovering the metals, but the process has the advan-
tage that only a small bulk of precipitate is acidified as against the whole
with lime.
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but this method has been largely abandoned owing J >the high cost of
stage.
New South Wales, Australia, solution containing copper from the direct
When the working solution increases in copper content above 0.03 per
strongly acidifying the solution with H2S04. This brings down a bluish-
solution being decanted off into an agitation vat where lime is added to
double cyanide is accomplished and the copper content of the plant solu-
tions kept below 0.03 per cent copper. It was found in practice that,
when the copper content increased above this figure, dissolution of gold
material contained about $4 gold per ton and 0.1 per cent copper in the
sand and 0.33 per cent in the slime. While treating more than 10,000
tons of this mixture, half of the cyanide was regenerated and about 1 lb.
To neutralize acidity, 4 lb. lime was added to each ton of sand going
to the leaching vats; 2 tons of cyanide solution per ton of sand was used
0.06 per cent NaCN and 0.04 per cent CaO was applied to the 70-ton sand
vats, a half ton to each ton of sand, preceding the neutralization by lime.
The solution draining away was neutral to phenolphthalein and was pumped
It was found best, by repeated tests, to apply one case or 224 lb. cyanide
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all at once to a vat containing 70 tons sand. The next step was to pump
regenerated solution of 0.14 per cent NaCN and 0.10 per cent CaO strength
over the anide"placed on top of the sand, which dissolved all of the new
cyanide required and raided the strength to 0.40 per cent. This solution
was circulated by pump for 8-hr. periods over two days. Then it drained
to the zinc boxes, having 0.15 to 0.20 per cent free cyanide.
Precipitation on zinc was for the richer and stronger solutions only, and
80 per cent precipitation of the gold was considered good work under the
smelter.
sulphuric acid. Copper was present in the solution as the double cyanide
assayed 60 per cent copper, 70 oz. gold, and double that of silver.
was then added to throw down as cuprous cyanide, Cu2(CN)2, all of the
per ton. The agitator, from which an unpleasant odor arose, was then
stopped, and the cuprous cyanide precipitate allowed to settle for 1H hr.
The clear liquor, charged with hydrogen cyanide, was decanted into a
50-ton Dorr agitator. Milk of lime then was added until the solution
showed 0.09 to 0.13 per cent free CaO and 0.14 per cent free NaCN.
months. The cuprous cyanide precipitate from the paddle agitator was
allowed to accumulate during six charges, then was washed out and drained
Note. Although no ill or serious results ever attended the use of this process at
this plant, it should be used with caution because of the extreme danger of cyanide
MISCELLANEOUS PROCESSES
Carbon Cyanidation3
over other carbon cyanidation processes as (1) the rate of dissolving the
gold is faster, (2) higher grade gold-bearing carbon is obtained,-. * less car-
bon per ton of ore treated is required, (4) separate dissolving ana au^orbing
units are not needed, (5) adsorption of dissolved gold by colloids or graph-
ite is reduced, and (6) capital and operating costs of plant are reduced.
nidation include one plant which operated without agitation and three
material by standard cyanide and flotation methods had been tried with-
out satisfactory results. The tailing was pulped with water, lime, cyanide,
was allowed to stand without agitation for a period of 15 to 24 hr., and then
the carbon was separated from the pulp with a Denver flotation machine.
The extraction of gold ranged from 70 to 75 per cent, and the concentrate
contained from 25 to 50 oz. gold per ton. The explanation for the com-
pleteness of the reactions involved without the usual agitation of the pulp
lies in the continuous migration of gold ions to points of low gold concen-
the recovery of the carbon from the ore pulp. Lime, cyanide, and acti-
vated carbon were added to the ball mill, and the carbon was separated
from the pulp with mechanical sub-A flotation machines. On heads assay-
ing 0.10 oz. gold per ton, the extraction amounted to 85.7 per cent, the
tailing assayed 0.014 oz. per ton, and the barren solution contained 0.0005
oz. gold per ton. The grade of concentrate, 2.0 oz. gold per ton, was low
the elimination of the flotation step in recovering the carbon from the pulp.
and the coarse carbon was confined in revolving screens which were par-
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tially submerged in the ore pulp. Three agitators were used in series with
1947.
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CYANIDE REGENERATION AND MISCELLANEOUS PROCESSES 263
two agitators and two screens in the third agitator. The coarse carbon
are used in series and the revolving screens are suspended vertically in the
pulp. In this new scheme the carbon-loaded pulp is on the outside of the
screens and is transferred from one agitator to the next by air lifts, while
the carbon-free pulp which passes through the revolving screens is passed
flow. Thus, pulp which is largely barren of gold leaves the system at one
end, while the activated carbon with its load of gold (approximately 400 oz.
per ton) is withdrawn from the other end, separated from entrained pulp
moval of the gold (see page 265). Barren solutions as low as 0.001 oz.
per ton have been reported. In this particular adaptation of the process
The carbon was prepared by mixing magnetite with activated carbon and
sodium silicate binder. After drying, the magnetic portion was separated
and introduced to the ore pulp. After the completion of dissolution and
adsorption of the gold, the carbon was separated from the pulp with wet
magnetic concentrators.
Recovery of Adsorbed Gold and Silver.6 The desorption of gold and silver
from a carbon which has been in contact with an ore pulp apparent^ depends upon
Four methods of shifting the equilibrium succeeded in desorbing the gold and silver.
The four methods comprised (1) the use of a solvent in conjunction with a large excess
of precipitant in order to remove the gold from the receiving solution as the desorp-
tion progressed; (2) the use of a solvent in conjunction with electroh^sis to accom-
plish the same purpose; (3) the use of a solvent and large volumes of solutions, added
in stages, to keep the concentrations of the gold and silver in the receiving solutions
sufficiently low to accomplish desorption; and (4) the use of higher temperatures by
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employing hot solvent solutions in a pressure chamber. The authors believe that
the last method given is the most feasible, as this method is veiy rapid, has the lowest
reagent cost, and accomplishes the desorption with the minimum volume of desorbing
solution. -
filter press with filtrate valve closed, adding cyanide solution followed
by hot water and subjecting the charge to full boiler steam pressure of
90 to 95 lb. per sq. in. for a soaking period of 20 min. The filtrate valve
was then opened, and the pregnant solution forced through a heat ex-
changer and into a storage tank. Five cycles as described were used for
each charge of 2.22 lb. carbon, equal to about 26 lb. carbon per 24 hr.
carbon treated and the hot water to 50 tons per ton of carbon, which
Material
Heads
Carbon
Barren solution.
Tailing
Weight, lb.
3780
8.
6426
3780
.06
tons of heads
100.0
0.213
170.0
100.0
Assay, oz.
0.096
41.86*
0.0012f
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0.005
Per cent
100.0
92.7
2.1
5.2
t Barren solution from agitator 3 averaged 0.0025 oz. gold per ton.
Assay, oz.
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per ton
Per cent
Carbon,
lb.
Material
tons of mill
heads
Gold
Silver
Gold
Silver
8.06
466
8.06
0.213
12.32
0.213
41.86
29.7
0.48
Trace
CYANIDE REGENERATION AND MISCELLANEOUS PROCESSES 265
Although the data show that desorbed carbon which has not been
degree for the loss of adsorptive speed for such carbons. The data indi-
cate that the reactivation of desorbed carbon restores its adsorptive speed
carbon as compared with a fresh carbon is due to the partial filling of the
tivation.
sodium sulphide and caustic soda and the dissolved gold precipitated elec-
step.
When treating 700 tons per day of minus 325-mesh slimes, it is expected
that the consumption of activated carbon will not exceed about 60 lb.
per day.
the removal of gold and silver from cyanide solutions by the mechanism of
Tests along these lines carried out by the U.S. Bureau of Mines on ore
January, 1949. The ore was chosen because its very poor settling and
was ground to minus 100 mesh for the present tests. Only the plus 35-
mesh fractions of the commercial resins were used, and both the anionic
the cyanided ore pulp, the resin was separated by screening and washing
on a 65-mesh sieve.
The gold and silver were then removed from the resin by eluting with
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Summarizing the tests, the author statt. that bout 78 per cent Caf;e
gold and 50 per cent of the sib- ^ . in the ore were recovered by counter-
25 lb. resin per ton of ore treated was required, though the actual con-
30 min. for 95.4 per cent gold and 79 per cent silver removal from the
cent of the precious metals adsorbed, was found to be the most efficient
Bromocyanide Process
Bromo salts are a mixture of 57 per cent sodium bromide, NaBr, and
The use of bromo salts for treating a telluride concentrate in the Wright-
Two 12- by 10-ft. tanks were used as collectors. They had mechanical
to reduce alkalinity to 0.1 per cent, and cyanide was added to increase the
salts in 1500 cc water, 207 grams potassium cyanide in 1500 cc water, and
was made for each charge of 15 tons concentrate. The procedure was
as follows:;
7 It is evident that with synthetic resins costing between 50 cents and several
dollars per pound, the over-all consumption that could be tolerated commercially
Three 40-gal barrels were used. Into the first, which was immediately
above the agitating tank, was put the requisite quantity of sulphuric acid.
For 20 lb. bromocyanide this barrel held twenty times the quantity of water
and acid given in the formula. The other two barrels were immediately
above the acid barrel. From the bottom of each of these barrels was a
lead pipe leading to the acid barrel, which itself had a lead pipe leading
to the agitator. Plugs served as valves. The acid barrel was covered
mixer. Into one of the upper barrels was placed twenty times the quan-
tity of bromine salts and water given in the recipe, and in the other barrel
an equivalent amount of cyanide and water. The salts were then dissolved.
Next, the plugs in the upper barrels were pulled out simultaneously,
letting the solutions into the acid barrel, the contents of which were
stirred. The 20 lb. bromocyanide was then run into the agitator. Stirring
proceeded for 24 hr. when the pulp was sampled and assayed. If high in
gold, more bromocyanide was run in, and the agitation repeated until
$76 per ton before treatment and $1.50 after treatment, equivalent to
ores, for the reason that this process requires no oxygen for gold dissolution. Some
+ llHBr + 11HCN
and
It is the opinion of Julian and Smart that the activity of the bromo salt is not due
kept very low during the treatment, and any lime necessary for settlement being
The process was once used at Deloro mine, Ontario, Canada, for the treatment of
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an arsenopyrite ore and was developed in Australia by Dr. Diehl foi .oatme.it of
the sulphotelluride ores of the Kalgurli district. It is practi .a]1- obsolete today but
should be kept in mind as a possible method for . Hing reii jiy ^cM-bearino-
materials.
Lemmon points out that the original work on this process was done at the
by Bertram Hunt but has been used only on one or two minor operations,
since closed down, in this country. Describing this process in a later issue
cyanide solution, but in less amount than required to bring the total soluble copper
into solution, has been found beneficial in increasing the gold solution, reducing c}^a-
nide consumption, and substantially reducing the amount of copper entering the gold
and
It is believed that the (CN)2 liberated reacts with hydroxyl ions to form alkaline
cyanides which then dissolve the gold. The ore to be treated should have a low
permanent lime alkalinity, a weak solution of cyanide then added to dissolve some
of the soluble copper, followed by slight excess of ammonia, and further lime added
at the end of the treatment period to precipitate the ammonia-copper solution in the
ore pulp. If the process has worked efficiently, the dicuproso-cupric cyanide should
also be left as an insoluble in the pulp. Should the pulp contain interferent iron
salts, a small amount of a soluble lead salt may be added before the addition of the
malachite.
silicate ore in California, the cyanide consumption was reduced from 8 lb.
per ton by direct cyanidation to 1 lb. per ton. The gold was precipitated
ful (the greater part of the chalcopyrite in the Noranda ore is removed by
is not practiced, while the acid scheme suffers from the disadvantage that
acid leaching and a rather carefully designed plant involving filtering and
in his opinion,
If the copper is extracted with an acid solution, the most logical way of recovering
the gold is with chlorine, and the most logical way of extracting the silver, is with a
means of the CuCl3 solution alone or by the FeCls usually present are described (see
"Chlorination Processes").
indicates that this method can frequently effect extremely high conver-
those attempting to cyanide ores carrying copper, zinc, and other base-
metal values which, unless removed before cyanidation, may render the
CHLORINATION PROCESSES
the recovery of gold and silver, (pp. 336-340 and p. 524 et seq.). Intro-
says:
years, and much of what follows is of historical rather than operating interest.
However, it is a question in the author's mind whether the great decrease in the price
of chlorine and the large sources of supply that will be available after the war do not
metallurgy.
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The use of chlorine can be broadly classified into (1) dry (or wet' ^wi
Chlorination Process for Gold.9 This process was based on the fact that
chlorine, in the presence of moisture, converts gold into the trichloride AuCU , which
is soluble in water and removed by washing, the gold being then precipitated by fer-
rous sulphate, sulphur dioxide, hydrogen sulphide, or charcoal. Coarse gold requires
requires a dead roast before chlorination; thoroughly oxidized ore may be treated
chlorine and might become heated. This was checked by roasting with a high tem-
perature at the finish to frit the magnesia with silica. Chlorination was suggested
the first commercial application of the process to the arsenical ores of Rechenstein,
Silesia.
The Deetken or California process was carried out in comparatively small wooden
vats with bottom filter of perforated boards, resting on slats and covered with coarse
gravel and sand; a vat 8 ft. in diameter with 3-ft. staves would hold about 3 tons.
The crushed and roasted ore was loosely charged by sifting in a moist condition to
facilitate leaching, a cover was luted on with clay or dough, and gaseous chlorine
generated in a lead vessel from manganese dioxide, salt, and sulphuric acid was
admitted by a lead pipe to the bottom until it could be detected at a hole in the
cover. In later practice, liquid chlorine was purchased in steel cylinders. After
12 to 36 hr. contact (adding more chlorine if necessary), water was turned in at the
top, any chlorine escaping at the bottom pipe being led to another vat. The yellow
solution was run to the precipitating vat, and the charge washed until the effluent
was colorless. The residue was then shoveled out; if much silver was present, it was
transferred to another vat and leached there with hyposulphite solution. Some ores,
rich in silver, were first leached with hyposulphite and then chlorinated.
The barrel process, used on a large scale in Colorado, involved the rotation of the
ore in barrels of wood or heavy lead-lined steel, holding 5 to 25 tons, while chlorine
was generated under pressure in the mass by means of bleaching powder and sulphuric
acid. Barrels were often built with an internal filter on one side, consisting of peb-
bles or coarse sand confined by slotted boards and a perforated lead plate. After 3
to 6 hr. water under 20 to 40 lb. pressure was admitted by a trunnion and washed the
charge in 1 to 2 hr. A ton of ore would use at least 10 lb. of bleach and 15 lb. of sul-
phuric acid. The ore was charged dry from a hopper and discharged by sluicing
With the exception of the Malm process,10 chlorine processes for raw ores of the
precious metals are necessarily confined to the treatment of surface ores or to clean
gold and silver sulphide ores, in which the gold and silver minerals are not com-
Tn the Plattner process which was in constant use from 1851 to about
partment tube mill, the roasting of the tube-mill product in a multiple-hearth fur-
nace followed by leaching in chloride solution, and the precipitation of the gold,
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
silver, and copper with metallic lead. Zinc, lead, and other chlorides were also re-
roasting was leached in water saturated with chlorine gas. In the early
days the chlorine was generated by the addition of bleaching powder and
sulphuric acid, but later, in the treatment of Cripple Creek ores, the
provided with perforated lead filters inside were used. The gold was
Mexico, in 1557. The dry crushed ore was moistened and mixed with cop-
per sulphate, common salt, and mercury, the working and aging of the
reacted with the silver to form silver chloride. The silver was soluble
in the brines present during the subsequent leach, was precipitated by the
mercury and immediately amalgamated. The method was not well suited
tion," but in the United States, where it found its greatest use, it was known
The "pan" was made wholly of cast iron or with a cast-iron bottom and wooden
sides. In either case the bottom was made hollow for the introduction of steam to
heat the charge. Cast-iron mullers for grinding, stirring, and amalgamating the ore
were attached to a vertical shaft in the center of each pan. The capacity of each
pan ranged from 0.5 to 2 tons of ore and was usually about 1^ tons.
The ore was first crushed by jaw crushers and then bjr stamps or ball mills. If
crushed wet, the excess of water was removed by settling tanks. The crushed ore
from the settling tanks was then shoveled into the pans. Salt and copper sulphate
were added in the ratio of 5 to 10 lb. of salt and 2^ to 5 lb. of copper sulphate per
ton of ore. When the ore is free from interfering minerals, the salt has been reduced
as low as 2 lb. and the copper sulphate to 1J lb. per ton. Water was added in suffi-
cient quantity to make a thin mud, and steam was admitted, not only in the jacketed
bottom of the pan but sometimes into the ore itself, until the charge in the pan was
maintained at the boiling point. The grinding and stirring of the charge was con-
tinued for 2 or 3 hr. in which time the chemical action was completed.
Mercury, equal to 10 per cent of the weight of the ore, was then sprinkled over the
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ore pulp by straining through canvas or chamois, and the stirring continuadl^fci3
in the bottom of the tank and the "railings were washed away!* The amalgam was
then transferred to a small pan known as the cleanup pan, where it was stirred with
additional mercury and washed with water until free from ore particles. The silver
The chemistry of this process is the same as that of the patio process, except that
the iron of the pan and mullers also acts as a reducing agent, not only for precipitating
silver in metallic state from its chlorides but also for preventing the formation of
any chlorides or sulphides of mercury, and in this manner avoids the chemical loss
of mercury mentioned under the patio process. The ore must be siliceous or neutral
in character to avoid precipitation and the loss of effective copper salts by the carbo-
nates of lime and magnesia, although the iron of the pan has a tendency to reduce
sulphide minerals with the silver sulphide minerals, together with in-
creased facilities for transporting fuel and supplies, led to the introduction
weight of the ore is added for a sulphur content of 2.5 to 3.0 per cent,
The Patern process makes use of the solubility of silver chloride in sodium thio-
sulphate solution. Following chloridizing roasting and a warm water wash, the ore
is leached with Na2S203-5H20 and the silver precipitated from the purified effluent
matte and leaching with a strong solution of common salt, which dissolves silver
chloride to a limited extent. The silver was then precipitated by metallic copper,
and the copper by scrap iron. The cement copper was then melted and granulated
for reuse.
silver lead ores and leaching with spent chloride electrolyte containing free chlorine
and ferric chloride, to which bleaching powder had been added. The solution was
then electrolyzed in specially designed closed cells using rotary cathodes, and the
silver and lead deposit collected and melted to bullion. An alternative scheme was
to deposit the silver and gold preferntially by using a lower current density. The
chlorine was used to generate the hyprochlorite above mentioned as well as the cal-
The Holt-Dern process wTas developed at Park City, Utah, and reached commer-
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cial operation in 1941 when a plant was constructed at Silver City by the Tintic Mill-
ing Co. The process consisted of a chloridizing roast in a Holt-Dern furnace, fol-
11 Ibid.
the mixture of oxide ore, sulphide ore, and salt (3.3 per cent of the charge)
calcine was transferred to leaching vats and first given a water wash,
A weak acid wash, derived from spraying the flue gases, was next ap-
plied, and the effluent passed over scrap-iron trays. Following prolonged
washing to neutral reaction, the ore was cyanided, using solutions carrying
1 kilogram per metric ton KCN and 0.3 to 0.7 kilogram CaO. The mill
had a capacity of about 6500 tons per month, and about 90 per cent of
the gold and 84 per cent of the silver in the ore were recovered by the
process described.
4. Volatilization13
Loss of gold by volatilization was recognized from time to time and was
ing roasting, but the reason for this loss seemed to be little understood.
ores by roasting with salt. About the same time, Pohle independently
obtained similar results with silver ores from Aspen, Colo. Systematic
men in 1898 and was carried on with a large-scale experimental plant until
1903. Numerous investigators have worked on this process since that time.
By raising the temperature of a chloridizing roast to 1050C. it has been found that
gold, silver, copper, and lead can be commercial^ volatilized as chlorides from their
ores and the metals recovered from the fumes. By charging the ore, salt, and sul-
phur mixture as quickh^ as possible into the hot zone of the furnace, volatilization
begins at about 750C. and is completed within 30 to 60 min. The roasting atmos-
phere must be kept highly oxidizing. The process is continuous, and the ore is com-
The furnace used for this process was a regular cement kiln, 100 to 125 ft. in length,
Gold is easily volatilized, but in what form was never definite^ determined. It
was generally supposed that gold trichloride was formed at low temperatures, and
this was decomposed into metallic gold and chlorine at temperatures below 300C.
If this is true, the metallic gold formed from the vapors is probably colloidal and is
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carried out of the furnace in that form with the gases. Rose states that, wh . 1
lurgists thought that gold forms a douH" ,n ~\ f ,T<1,... *" '^h metai.
Silver is less easily chloridized and volatilized -..iany ui vae common metals.
be affected by the gangue constituents in the ore. Silver chloride melts to a thin
liquid at about 451C. before it volatilizes, which probabty accounts for its sluggish
The metallic chlorides are driven from the ore in the form of vapor, and they
plete recovery. The metals are recovered from the collected fume bj^ substitution
of one metal for another in aqueous solution or by electrolysis of the fused chlorides.
Articles in C.E. and M. Rev. for Feb. 10 and Mar. 10, 1943, describe
The first was a hematitic calcine residue carrying 7.2 dwt. Au per ton. Salt (5J
per cent by weight) was added, and the change nodulized and thoroughly dried. Us-
ing a rotary kiln externally heated, with the outlet gases passing over hot charcoal,
a 25-hr. run at 900 to 1000C. resulted in 86.8 per cent of the gold being volatilized
and 95.9 per cent of the volatilized gold recovered on the charcoal. It was stated
that sufficient gas flow must be used to remove products of combustion or any reduc-
Lake View and Star flotation concentrates were used in the second case. B. H.
Moore found that, by using 10 per cent salt and heating in a closed muffle at 800C.
for 40 min., 92.9 per cent of the total gold was volatilized. The author believes that
a closed furnace is essential for best results "because of the rapid decomposition of
than in an air-swept furnace and a better chance to collect the fine gold particles,
which in the laboratory was done in a water column using glass beads.
solutions accelerates the dissolution of pure gold and of (95.8 per cent)
gold leaf immersed in these solutions while sulphates and fluorides have
effect of chloride ion has not been recognized heretofore but that, if it is
assumed that the first reaction between chlorine and gold is15
and that the rate of solution of the gold is controlled by the rate at which
the insoluble aurous chloride film is removed from the surface by the re-
actions
and
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15 Compare this reaction with the Eisner equation for solution of gold in cyanide,
p. 211.
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
CYANIDE REGENERATION AND MISCELLANEOUS PROCESSES 275
state, but in dilute chlorine solutions this is not the rate-controlling reaction.
Tailings pulp carrying traces of cyanide and the discard of barren solu-
and methods have been devised for destroying the contained cyanide.
Free cyanide is one of the most toxic components of industrial wastes that are
often discharged into sewers and streams. Because its toxicity to fish varies with
pH, concentrations of other ions present, temperatures, and oxygen content of the
steamit is difficult to set up exact limits of concentration which can be safely dis-
charged. Under some conditions, as little as 0.1 p.p.m. has proved fatal to fish.
treating cyanide wastes. Among the methods that have been used are acidification
and removal of the resulting HCN gas by air blowing, reaction with "lime sulphur,"
aeration, treatment with ferrous sulfate, and oxidation with potassium perman-
ganate.
The first of these methods is, of course, the standard scheme used for
C.M.S. S. A., Vol. 10, p. 433, 1909; Vol. 11, p. 152, 1910; and the fifth,
16 An amusing sidelight on this subject and one that is illustrative of some of the
social problems confronting mill operators in the earty days of the West was the so-
"smoke farming" with which the smelter people had to contend, netted certain irre-
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Just as crop failures from a number of causes were conver ' jntl}7- bl. ued on trie pres-
ence of fume from the smelter stacks, so the loss of a .c^w.that ' from drinking
water draining from the tailings ponds was blamed squarely on the . n who operated
the cj^anide plant, and the courts usuall}*- awarded the damages ck .ued.
17 Presented at the 22d Annual Conference of the Michigan Sewage Works Asso-
the Toxicity of Cyanide Waste" Eng. News-Record, Vol. Ill, No. 23,
All the above methods have been used commerciall}?- for the reduction of the c}^a-
nide content of concentrated solutions, but they all leave a substantial cyanide resi-
dual. This residual ma}' be serious unless extremely large dilutions are available.
Another objection to all these methods is that the pollution load is increased bjr the
able to the treatment of dilute wash solutions such as are obtained from plating
When chlorine is added to a free cyanide solution with sufficient free alkali present
Theoretically, it requires 2.73 parts of chlorine per part of CN and 3.08 parts of
caustic per part of CN. However, most trade wastes contain a substantial portion
If an excess of ciilorine is added, free chlorine residual, as measured bj7" the O-T-A
In all trade wastes and laboratory samples that we have tested, no cyanide within
the limits of titration accuracy has been found in the presence of free available chlo-
rine at pH 8.5.
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Part II
Descriptive
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Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
CHAPTER XV
ing simple and complex gold ores containing relatively small amounts of
the world, and the subject matter is classified under specific types of treatment
schemes. These vary from simple amalgamation to the use of more elaborate
The various treatment schemes we find in use today for the extraction
of gold and silver from their ores have been evolved as the result of a
The degree of complexity of the flow sheet used in any specific case will
usually depend upon the refractoriness of the ore itself, but it must also
be kept in mind that in many instances the kind of equipment and type
of treatment used is not necessarily the most modern practice for the type
of ore handled. Older methods are likely to be retained unless the life
the older equipment. Since the economics and techniques of ore treat-
ment are in a continuous state of flux, mill flow sheets are continually
undergoing change, and unless the mill has been built in the last few years,
it is usual to find some parts of the operation more up to date than other
parts and much old equipment still in use simply because it does not pay
to replace it.
An attempt is made here to classify mill flow sheets into five main types,
types are arranged in order from the simplest recovery scheme for the
handling of free-milling gold ores to the kind of complex flow sheet such as
might be required where the gold is intimately associated with base metal
and other sulphides. Making due allowance for minor variations in prac-
or cyanidation of concentrates).
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279
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280 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
Type II is subdivided into (a) all-sliming plants, (ss) separate sand-slime treat-
Types III, IV, and V may also utilize corduroys, jigs, or traps and are subdivided
into (c) cyanidation of raw concentrates, (r) roasting before cyanidation, (S) smelt-
ing of concentrates.
Type I flow sheet is not found on a large scale today. Its use is limited
Type II is the most common flow sheet in use today for the extraction
of gold and silver from comparatively simple ores where special treatment
and South Africa employ this flow sheet. The all-sliming plant with
to find plants where the whole ore is roasted before cyanidation, although
Type III is a type of flow sheet that has evolved from the search for
the recovery of base metals in this step may justify shipping the whole
product to a smelter where both the gold and other metals are recovered.
type of flow sheet, in that the cyanidation capacity required is only a frac-
+reatn nt cost. As pointed out in Chap. IX, the whole success of this
scheme lepends upon tow low grausa tailing can be made in the concen-
step, and cyanidation of the remainder of the ore is also necessary. This
is also the flow sheet commonly used for the treatment of base-metal ores
tailings.
CANADIAN PRACTICE
lumbia. Table 39 lists the larger operating mines in these districts to-
gether with type of flow sheet and 1946 gold recovery and costs in dollars
per ton, the latter figures being taken from the Financial Post of Jan. 29,
in the total output, but these are not covered in the present list.
rocks. To the end of 1934 these had produced 25,240,000 oz. gold with
a peak production rate in 1939 of over 3,000,000 oz. per year. Ontario
contributes nearly 60 per cent of the total Canadian output. The pyrite-
Kirkland Lake Ore and Its Treatment. Ore from the mines of
gold exists as a telluride, but Kirkland Lake ore as a whole is not a tel-
luride ore, although some from the Lake Shore mine is considered a~ such.
The tellurides are found throughout the ore z^ne ar 1 averag less tnan 0.1
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per cent. Pyrite amounts to 2 per cmt or 1 The ore k ^.ard and re-
quires fine grinding to liberate the gold. >ld extraction will average
over 95 per cent. The Kirkland Lake Gold Area, Vol. 36, Part II, 1928,
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
282
Rated
Re-
1946
Flow
Cost,
Mining area
Mine
capacity,
tons per
sheet
covery,
dollars
dollars
day
type
per ton
per ton
Porcupine, Onta-
Hollinger
5300
Vc
8.71
7.63
rio
Mclntyre-Porcupine
2500
IV c
10.79
8.18
Dome Mines
1700
II a
9.50
7.02
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Buffalo Ankerite
1300
Vc
5.93
6.47
Coniaurum
600
II a
9.09
7.89
Paymaster Consolidated
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600
IIIc
8.54
7.70
Hallnor
400
Vc
17.23
10.86
Pamour
1600
IV c
3.41
3.10
1000
II a
7.95
7.35
Kirkland-Larder
Lake Shore
2700
TREATMENT OF GOLD ORES
283
{Continued)
capacity,
Rated
Flow
sheet
type
Re-
covery,
dollars
per ton
Cost,
dollars
per ton
Mining area
Mine
tons per
day
Duparquet, Que-
Beattie Consolidated
1200
IV r
2.92
8.31
bec
Manitoba
Hudson Bay
6000
Vs
15.63
9.83
400
II a
British Columbia
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Pioneer
350
II a
350
II a
14.22
15.37
Island Mountain
150
II a
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16.98
14.49
Hedley Mascot
225
Vs
10.11
8.89
Kelowna Exploration
275
Ills
Silbak Premier
550
IV s
9.77
12.70
Yellowknife,
Giant Yellowknife
500
IV r
Northwest Ter-
Negus Mines
190
284
Province
1945
1946
Fine oz.
Fine oz.
Alberta . .
105
British Columbia
186,854
123,348
Manitoba
70,655
78,732
Northwest Territories
Nova Scotia
8,655
19,738
3,291
4,579
Ontario
1,625,368
1,835,887
Quebec
661,608
586 231
Saskatchewan
108,568
112,000
47,023
Yukon
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31,721
Total
2,696,727
2,807,643
The ore consists of quartz with fine stringers of schist, of banded quartz schist,
or of stringers of quartz in schist. About 75 per cent of the gold is free and fairly
coarse, according to R. A. Vary in I.C. 6433, U.S.B. of M., 1931. Half-inch ore is
ground to 65 per cent through 200 mesh in a 4^-ft. by 16-in. Hardinge mill. Amal-
The ball-mill discharge falls into a distributing box where water is added, and
the flow distributed to two 4- by 8-ft. copper plates % in. thick and with a slope of
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1% in. per ft. The box traps considerable coarse gold. It is cleaned out once a
week, and its contents run through an amalgamation barrel. The table frames sup-
porting the amalgamation plates are constructed of 2- by 4-in. lumber, with cross-
pieces placed on edge and spaced 6 in. apart. The table decks are made of 1-in.
shiplap on which copper plates are screwed. The slope of the deck can be changed
to suit conditions by placing wedges between the deck and the table frame. The
plates are not silvered and have to be treated with a weak cyanide solution before
the mercury will amalgamate with the copper. Little trouble has been experienced
Mercury is shaken on the top half of the plates, and none is added elsewhere.
Ordinarily the plates are dressed every 3 hr., but oftener if the ore is rich. The
method employed in cleaning a plate is to b3^-pass all the feed to the other plate,
clean off all ore particles, then brush the top of the plate. The loosened amalgam
is removed, and if this leaves the plate too dry, mercury is shaken on and rubbed
well. The plate is then brushed horizontally, working from the center to the
sides alio, starting at the bottom and working to the top of the plate. Any amal-
gam or loose mercury adhering **> the sides of the plate is then brushed to the top
On the morning shift the plates are given an extra brushing, and mer-
cury is added to loosen the amalgam. Then the amalgam is stripped off with a
TREATMENT OF GOLD ORES
285
piece of rubber conveyor belting, stripping being done at right angles to the slope
of the plate; the amalgam is lifted; and the plates redressed in the usual manner.
Care is taken that the plates are not stripped too clean.
'Mine ore
,, ,, ^
Amalgam traps
Bucket elevator
Dorr classifier
1f,
(Overflow) (Sands)
\I
Gibson amalgamator
James Table
(Cone.)' \Toils)
-**To waste
Clean-up-
- Shipped to
cyanide plant
~ ?
T-
Collecting box
Amalgam plate
II
Retorted Return to
\ mill circuit
Melting furnace
Gold bullion
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Fig. 61. Flow sheet of the Porcupine United mill, Ontario, Canada.
Little crystallization of the copper takes place, and the plates are rubbed occa-
sionally with a weak cyanide solution, which -emoves any tarnish or stains.
Enough water is used to maintain an even flow of pulp over the plates, and when
the ball-mill discharges too much coarse material, the feed is cut off for a short
period. Forty per cent of the total gold recovery is made on the plates.
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
286 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
On the lower end of each table below the plate is fastened a sheet of }{-'m. iron
plate, 42 by 48 in. A blanket of No. 6 silence cloth is laid on this plate and secured
by a flat iron bar }i in. thick and 2 in. wide laid on top of the blanket. The bar is
held by notches cut in the table frame. The pulp from the amalgamation plates
passes over the blankets; pyrite, fine gold, and mercury from the plates are caught
on the blankets. The blankets are changed and washed in a tub after each dressing
of the plates, the blanket concentrates being sent to an amalgamation barrel for
treatment. The plate and blanket tailings drop to amalgam traps at the end of each
table and are elevated therefrom by a bucket elevator which returns them to the
Dorr classifier. This elevator has a deep sump which is a good trap. The sump is
cleaned out at regular intervals. Amalgamation takes place in the whole circuit.
Elevator discharge launders, classifier and other launders all collect rich sand and
amalgam; these are cleaned out periodically and treated in the amalgamation barrel.
The rake product from the Dorr classifier is returned to the ball mill, and the over-
concentrating table. The amalgamator catches float mercury and fine gold which
has escaped' the amalgamation plates, blankets, and traps. The amalgamator is
opened and washed, and its plates are scraped once a week. The James table is
operated at 250 r.p.m. with a %-in. stroke. The table concentrates, averaging $40
per ton, are dewatered and sent for cyanide treatment to an affiliated company.
The table tailings are elevated by a bucket elevator to the tailings dump. The table
concentrates and table tailings are both sampled hourly by hand by taking dip
The concentrates or sands from the blankets, traps, and launders are ground for
10 hr. in a cast-iron amalgamation barrel, 16 in. in diameter and 36 in. long, revolving
at 22 r.p.m., using worn balls from the ball mill as grinding media. Then about
250 oz. mercury and 3 lb. slaked lime are added to the charge, and it is again ground
for 5 to 8 hr. The barrel is washed out into a box, the iron balls are carefully cleaned
by hand, and the residue is run over a small amalgamation plate to the mill circuit.
The mercury and amalgam are collected, washed, and cleaned with hot water and
then squeezed by hand through fine sheeting to eliminate excess mercury, retaining
The amalgam is retorted outside the mill over a wood fire at regular intervals,
using a cast-iron retort which has a capacity of 1000 oz. The sponge-gold recovery
is 35 to 40 per cent the weight of the amalgam retorted, and the mercury loss is small.
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refinery. Soda, borax, and manganese dioxide are used for flux, and the molds are
coated with lampblack. The bullion is sampled by drilling small holes in opposite
ends of the bar at top and bottom. The average grade of- bullion is 770 fine in gold
The crew for the 25-ton mill consists of two amalgamators working 8 hr. each.
On the day shift the mill is operated by a mill foreman who takes care of cleaning
The ore averaged $11, the concentrator heads or copper plate tailings $2.80, the
Preston East Dome Mines, Ltd. (Type Ha). This is one of the more
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
mill of 500 tons' capacity having been started up in 1939 and subsequently
TREATMENT OF GOLD ORES
287
1941.
, . ~i
Barren solution
-(Sands J (Overflow)
y ^
- (Sands) i (Overflow)
(Underflow) (Overflow)
, t,
4-20 x 24 Agitators
Repulpers
2-20x24 Agitators
Repulpers
Tailings to waste
Jig concentrate
4x6'ball mill
~r
Hydraulic cone
"t r
Filtrate
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to solution
storage
i^
Retort
Gold
Filtrate
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
:*
Precipitate
Melting furnace
Gold
Fig. 62. Flow sheet of the Preston East Dome mill, Ontario, Canada.
of 1.8 to 2.0 per cent pyrite, though some pyrrhotite is present. The
average gold value is about 0.22 oz. per ton with about 10:1 gold-silver
ratio.
288 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
All the ore, with the exception of a small proportion hoisted from brow
bins, is passed through 12-in. grid grizzlies underground. The ore carries
followed by double-deck Niagara screens, the oversize from the top deck
passing to a standard Symons cone crusher and the oversize from the
bottom deck, which is fitted with a Yi- by 1-in. ton cap screen, passing to
a short-head Symons.
The product of both cone crushers falls onto a common cross belt and is
mill feed and passes by belt conveyor to the 3000-ton mill bins.
from the latter pass to Dorr bowl classifiers which overflow a final product
at about 70 per cent minus 200 mesh. The bowl sands are returned to
the mills.
duplex unit is placed in the grinding circuit between each ball mill and
primary classifier. Nearly 60 per cent of the total gold recovery in this
mill is made in these jigs. The hutch product is treated after regrinding
at a lime concentration of 0.60 lb. per ton CaO, but variations in rate
occur due to varying amounts of sericitic material in the ore and to seasonal
moisture, and agitation is carried out at this dilution, since filter capacity
dram filters, the cake is repulped in water and pumped to the tailings pond.
launders, and strength in the agitators maintained at 0.4 lb. per ton of
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the following details of operation ao trie Dome mill. Since its discovery
in 1909, the property has passed through a period when it was considered
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
TREATMENT OF GOLD ORES 289
that the life of the mine was over, has twice survived the calamity of
having its milling plant completely destroyed by fire, and is now one of
Metallurgical problems have been very serious at times, but these have
all been overcome, with the result that the mill is now making exceptionally
high state of efficiency in the present mill. The description of this part
Figure 63 shows the flow sheet of the crushing plant and mill. The
run-of-mine ore is crushed in a Farrell jaw crusher to 4-in. size and further
reduced in a 5^-ft. standard Symons cone crusher which is set for a ^-in.
product.
duced into the crushing plant a few years ago to avoid trouble with the
Symons crusher, the vibrating screens, and the rolls due to wet fines con-
tained in the ore as it comes from the mine. The feed to the vibrating
screen following the primary jaw crusher and ahead of the Symons crusher
is washed copiously with water, and the minus J-^-in. material along with
the wash water from this screen is dropped into an Akins classifier. The
overflow from the classifier is pumped direct to the mill surge tank, while
the sands from the classifier join the dry-crushed ore for delivery to the
%- by %-in- openings. The oversize goes to 18- b}^ 42-in. rolls set at
Y in. and this product returns to the Hummer screens. The undersize
from these screens is delivered to the mill bin by a belt conveyor. Ore
from the mill bin is fed by conveyors to three 8-ft. by 30-in. Hardinge
ball mills, using 4-in. balls. The discharge from these goes to five duplex
tube mills using No. 4 Danish pebbles. The product from the tube mills
and the overflow from the classifiers are pumped to the blanket plant.
The tailings from the blanket plant are pumped \ ' -o lpvo- cones, which
distribute the flow to 16 smaller cone clp .ners. The spigot discharge
from these cones is pumped to four d*--' .. C Dorr classifiers. The rake
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290
Lime
Cyanide >
Lime
Mine ore
' T~~.
Akins classifier
ft
Pump
Surge tank
(Oversize)
>|<
r *
{ , , ~f-
* r., ^
2-Distributing cones
16-Classifying cones
}I
.11
Sands
c
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Sands
Concentrate
3-Amalgam barrels
~r~l
Amalgam to refinery
Overflow 1
-Water to milt
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
5'Merrillpresses90-4x6-6 frames
Fig. 63. Flow sheet of the Dome Mines mill, Ontario, Canada.
TREATMENT OF GOLD ORES 291
product is fed to two tube mills, 60 in. by 22 ft. inside dimensions, which
use iyi-m. steel balls. The overflow from the model C Dorr classifiers
the regrinding tube mills joins the flow from the primary grinding units
to the general mill circuit, while the underflow is pumped to four 42-ft.-
diameter by 14-ft. Pachuca agitators where lime is added, and the pulp is
agitated for about 73^ hr. This preliminary agitation increases cyanide
extraction and reduces cyanide consumption. The aerated pulp then has
tanks, where it receives about 113^ hr. agitation in cyanide solution. The
pulp then discharges into two storage or surge tanks, which in turn feed by
gravity to the five Merrill filters with ninety 4-in. frames each. The un-
taneous leaf clarification and Crowe precipitation unit. The pulp, dis-
charged from the Merrill slime press, is thickened in Dorr thickeners and
pumped into the tailings-storage dam, the thickener overflow^ being used
In the report to shareholders for the year ended Dec. 31, 1947, the fol-
lowing results of the mill operations for the year are given: heads, 5.4873
dwt. per ton; recovery, 96.14 per cent. This is an increase from 95.08
The consumption figures for the year ending Dec. 31, 1947, were (in
pounds per ton milled) cyanide, NaCN, 0.36; lime, 2.31; zinc dust, 0.067;
Kerr-Addison Gold Mines, Ltd. (Type Ha). The mill at this prop-
cyanidation flow sheet. The complete operation from mine ore to gold
bullion is shown in Fig. 64, which represents one of the three treatment
units and one of the two precipitation units. Two kinds of ore are being
mined, one a green carbonate carrying only a trace of pyrite, the other a
feed is about 1 per cent pyrite. The ore carries about 0.2 oz. silver per
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hoisting to the surface, then fed to a 5^-ft. standard Symons crusher. The
discharge goes to vibrating screens fitted with 1-in. square mesh screens.
The undersize is conveyed to the mill bins, wThile the oversize is returned
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
292
Mine rock
Y~
Jeffrey feeder
Barren solution to
(Undersize) (Oversize)
(Rake) (Overflow)
1Y
(Overflow) (Rake)
\\
Overflow
100-Leaf clonfier
NaCN -
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Zn feeder-
3.
,. *
Repulpers
solution storage
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
4-Precipitotion presses
3-Wabi furnaces
~\
Gold bullion
to a-5K-ft. shorthead Symons and then goes back to the screens. This is
There are three treatment units and two precipitation units, but since
they are almost identical, only one of each will be described. Each treat-
ment unit handles 1400 tons of ore per day, and each precipitation unit,
The 1-in. ore is fed directly to an 8- by 12-ft. rod mill, using 3K-in. rods.
8- by 15-ft. ball mill supplied with 28 per cent 3-in. and 72 per cent 23^-in.
balls. The overflow from this classifier is pumped to a 24-ft. Dorr bowl
classifier in closed circuit with an 8- by 15-ft. ball mill with lj^-in. balls.
The discharge of this mill and the overflow of the 7-ft. classifier are pumped
together to the bowl by one 6-in. sand pump (and a spare). There are
thus three stages of grinding. Grinding is done to 93 per cent minus 200
The bowl overflow at 3.5 to 1 dilution is pumped with a 6-in. sand pump
(and a spare) and split three ways to three 36-ft., three-compartment Dorr
period of contact. Lime is added to the bowl classifier and the last agi-
tator discharge, and cyanide is added to the first and fifth agitators.
stage of filtration in four HJHr by 16-ft. Oliver filters, with flood washing.
clarifier and passed through Crowe vacuum towers. Zinc dust is then
added along with a drip of strong cyanide solution ahead of the precipita-
tion presses. It has been found necessary to treat this cyanide with lead
in precipitation. About 0.5 ton of barren solution per ton of ore milled
A cleanup is made once every 2 weeks, and the precipitate melted in three
Wabi furnaces. Sillimanite linings are used, and the method adopted is
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shipped and a low-grade slag which is added to one of the rod mills.
The over-all gold extraction is 97 to 98 per cent, and the cost about 72
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
294 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
cents per ton milled, of which crushing averages about 12 cents per ton
Cariboo Gold Quartz Mining Co., Ltd. (Type Ha). This 375-ton
The C.C.D. section was installed in the original mill, but when increased
capacity was required, the filtration system rather than a second C.C.D.
unit was installed because of the saving in floor space and heating require-
ments in winter.
The gold occurs in the ore both as free gold in quartz and as free gold on
The ore is fed through a grizzly to a coarse ore bin, thence to a 3- by 6-ft.
Ty-rock screen with 3^2-in. openings. The undersize passes directly to the
fine ore bin, while the oversize is crushed in a 10- by 20-in. Traylor primary
pulley.
The secondary circuit makes use of a 6- by 21-ft. 8-in. Dorr classifier. The
per cent minus 200 mesh. This pulp is split in the proportions shown on
the flow sheet and fed to the two cyanide circuits, which consist of
four Dorr agitators giving 33 hr. retention at 50 per cent solids, counter-
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current washing in three more thickeners of the same size, and a final
four agitators giving 28 hr. retention at 50 per cent solids, washing in two
stages on 11-ft. 6-in. by 14-ft. Oliver filters with a tray thickener between
295
Grizzly
Vibrating screen
Mognets
Jaw crusher
Gyratory crusher
Primary ballmill
Primary classifier
10
Secondary classifier
II
Secondary ballmill
12
Tray thickener
13
Clarifier
14
Vacuum tank
15
Precipitation press
16
Furnace
17
Agitator
18
Filter
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19
Repulper
20
21
Water-
TAILING TO WASTE
Fig. 65. Flow sheet of the Cariboo Gold Quartz.: lining Co. mill, British Columbia-
Canada.
296
The solution and pulp values are shown at each stage in Fig. 65. The
milling cost for 1941 was $1.12 per ton, a figure that includes $0.31 for
reagent consumption for the same year are shown in Table 43.
The over-all gold recovery for the year 1941 was 94.87 per cent. The
solution strength in the grinding circuit was 0.96 lb. NaCN, 0.55 lb. CaO
per ton of solution, and 0.95 lb. NaCN, 0.91 lb. CaO per ton of solution in
Lime 1.513
Per cent
distribution
Mesh
Per cent
Gold assay
Mesh value
+65
+100
+ 150
+200
-200
Sands
-200
1.65
0.010
0.005
0.012
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0.030
0.029
0.0002
0.0004
0.0016
0.0046
0.0020
1.0
8.57
2.0
13.45
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
8.2
15.50
23.6
6.98
10.3
53.85
0.020
0.0107
54.9
100.00
0.0195
100.0
mill superintendent, published in E. and M.J. for March, April, and May,
1939. The flow sheet today is substantially as described with the excep-
Operations were bt^^ ii 1921 with a 150-ton mill which was enlarged
TREATMENT OF GOLD ORES
297
Lime
NoCN
Double-scoop feeder
(Overflow)
T T
(Overflow) (Sands)
(Sands)
~**
2- Oliver filters 14 x 16
V~~~
(Cone)
Repulpers
precipitation
Melting furnace
To solution storage
(Toils) -
Lime
retreotment plant
See fig. 65
NoCN"
299
S.R.L. pump to a 22- by 20-ft. Dorr agitator which has been converted to
act as an agitator, and no further dilution is made. The pulp next passes
to the second stage of filtration, which, like the first, consists of two 14- by
16-ft. Oliver filters followed by repulpers. Water is used on the two front
sprays, and barren solution on the others. The sprays on this bank are
fitted so that all or any number may be used for either water or solution.
oil only is now used, the object being merely to float a rich froth which is
ton of concentrate is added to the regrind, or mixing, mill just before the
pulp passes to the agitators, where strong NaCN solution is added to bring
is extracted.
values takes place provided that not all the sulphides are floated. It is
noteworthy that in the flotation circuit not more than 0.5 per cent of the
total sulphides contained in the flotation heads is floated, and the average
The average value of the ore milled for the first 5 months of 1947 was
close to S10 (at $20.67 per ounce), and the over-all gold recovery 97.1 per
cent. Primary agitator feed carried about $1.50, the Southwestern cell
feed $0.40, and flotation tails SO.321. Other data are as follows:
Table 45.
Mill costs
per ton
milled
Item
Mill data
Process
Precipitation ratio
3.82:1
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$4.33
Crushing
Ball milling
SO 109
Pregnant solution
0 307
Reagents:
Cyanide (KCN)
Tube milling
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
All other
0.216
0.830*
Lime
Zinc
Total
$1,462
day
3.08
Power cost
J\
sitates the separation of primary slime from sands for successful cyanide
treatment.
The dry crushing, as shown in Fig. 69, is carried out in such a manner
that 4- to 5-in. pebbles can be passed to a storage bin for the pebble mills
after primary breaking in a Traylor jaw crusher. The minus }i~m. ma-
terial carrying a large part of the primary fines is separated from the
circuit. The product is treated with 0.15 lb. per ton lime, passed to two
10 per cent solids passes first to three Dorr and one Akins classifier where
the ore is deslimed and the slime passed at 2 to 4 per cent solids to the
primary slime thickeners above mentioned. The sands pass to a tube mill
in open circuit with a Dorr bowl classifier that is, in turn, closed-circuited
with a second pebble mill. The bowl overflow then passes at 13 per cent
The ore has now been ground in a water circuit to 84 to 85 per cent minus
325 mesh and is ready for cyanide treatment, which is carried out in two
Inc., string filter using flood washing. This type of filter was found to be
stages on 14- by 14-ft. Oliver drum filters. The usual barren wash is used
on the first stage, and water washing on the second stage. Pregnant
solutions from both sections pass to a common tank and are clarified and
The filter cakes from both sections are repulped, conditioned in two
stages, and floated to recover the arsenopyrite (see Chap. AT for details
tration of about 14:1, carries 38 per cent arsenic and 1 oz. gold per ton.
The over-all gold recovery in this plant is 93.5 per cent, of which 71 per
Solution strength in both circuits is maintained at 1.0 lb. KCN and 0.10
lb. lime per ton of solution going to the agitators. Copper sulphate,
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0.40 lb. per ton; reagent 301, 0.15 lb. per ton; and pine oil, 0.10 lb. per ton,
are us&d in the flotation, which involves a 2-hr. conditioning and a 20-min.
flotation period.
Both the gold precipitate and the p opyrite cr karate are jped
, V , ,
-';V~
r-Lime
45 Akins classifier J
TI
(Overflow) (Sands)
.1
\ I ' to waste
Lime I . "
Cyanide] "^OgrLogilotgr n
f T~
(Overflow) (Sands)
5'x22'pebble mill
Lime_ 1 ^
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Cyr'de\pZ3-30'xl6'Devereux agitators
Barren 1 | \
...T
Clarifier tank.
Merrill- Crowe
precipition
Gold PPTT. to
smelter
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
1\\VJ
, i < AT
6x6 conditioner***-
Cone.
"Pine oil
i1
."71 ~ v
Concentrate to smeller
Fig. 69. How sheet of t lelowna Explof ;on Co. mill at Hedley, British Columbia.
TREATMENT OF GOLD ORES 303
Lake Shore Mines, Ltd. (Type Illr). The Lake Shore mill, the
work beginning in 1933 and extending through 1935, flotation and separate
tion tests were conducted with the sole object of floating sulphides enclos-
Shortly before the war a sulphide-treatment plant was put into operation.
The results of the experimental and research work carried out at Lake
Shore, including detailed descriptions of methods used, test data, and the
1936 flow sheet, are fully described in a paper "Milling Investigations into
the Ore as Occurring at the Lake Shore Mine" by the staff and published
Trans. 43, C.LM. and M., 299-434, was published in 1940, covering 7 years'
experimental work on the grinding of Lake Shore ores. This paper includes
A third paper, "Roasting and Flotation Practice in the Lake Shore Mines
stantial increase in the over-all gold recovery from the refractory portion
The tonnage rate has been considerably reduced in recent years owing
mine itself. Originally designed to handle 2600 tons per day, it was oper-
technique, the crushing and grinding flow sheets have been undergoing
major changes.
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At present five stages of series grinding are used in reducing the ore from
% in. to 90 per cent minus 325 mesh, though the best arrangement for mills
305
charges down to ^ in. in the last stages. Bowl classifiers receive the
discharge at each stage and overflow a final product, while the sands pass
The mill pulp is first treated in preliming agitators at 10 per cent solids
for ^Yi hr. contact time; here the protective alkalinity is maintained at
1.0 lb. CaO per ton of solution. This step facilitates the dissolution of the
solids for a period of about 48 hr., after which the pulp is filtered on drum
niters using three sprays of barren solution and two water sprays for
flood washing. The cake is about % in. thick, and a very high displace-
Table
46.
Reagent
Where added
11 to 13
0.10
0.025
0.10
Spray tower
First conditioner
C11SO4
Pine oil
The sulphide retreatment starts at this point, the first step being to
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repulp the filter cake and pass it into a series of three surge tanks, the first
one of which is used for mixing in customs tailings from two other mills in
mately 7.0 by contact with SO2 gas from the roasters in a specially designed
condition with suitable reagents, and float the sulphide content of the ore.
The difficult nature of the flotation problem is evident from the fact that
there is only about 1)4, per cent sulphides present in the ore and the feed
to flotation is virtually all minus 325 in size (40 per cent minus 10 microns).
Yet in spite of this and also of the presence of slimed gangue material, the
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
Lime
-- ~. 5-8%+325 mesh :y
~$ ', \ "
\... ... ^
| I and precipitation
. 3-Agitators 30'x24' \
~J ] T
5-Oliver filters 14 x 14
f^r
Repulpers -* /
~} , , .
}"
(Cone.) (Toils)
(Cone.) (Toils)
t/
2-Super-thickeners 28 x 12 '
f ] '.
2-Oliver filters 8 x 10
Y"
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Repulpers -*t
If, ,
T,,
Y, ,
JI
Filtrate Cake
To waste
-* To waste
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
Pulpers
-*~To waste
to reduce the moisture content to a point where the cake can be handled
Oliver filter.
The filtrate is returned to the secondary agitators, and the cake repulped
The over-all recovery of gold in this mill is approximately 97.5 per cent,
seen from this that the retreatment plant must, of necessity, operate on a
narrow economic margin. The high efficiency obtained and low cost of
treating about 185 to 190 tons per day of 0.5-oz. gold ore. The ore is
equally divided between two primary grinding closed circuits, one using
classifier and the other a Marcy 6- by 4^-ft. mill in closed circuit with a
4-ft. SFH Dorr classifier. Grinding is to 80 per cent minus 200 mesh at
ATB thickener. Flow is split to two agitation circuits: one with three
16 by 18-ft. Dorr type A's and the other three 12- by 12-ft. Dorr type A?s.
after filtration are floated in a bank of four No. 15 and six No. 12 Denver
cells. Float tails are filtered and then go to tailings. Float concentrate
gold. Cyanide tailings, which are floated, average about 0.12 oz. per ton.
Flotation picks up about 65 per cent of the remaining gold, the float con-
centrate averaging 1.2 oz. per ton and the float tails about 0.04 oz. per ton.
tion.
part from these publications and in part from information supplied through
July, 1948.
with a pyrite content of 3 to 15 per cent. The gold is associated with both
analysis of the ore fed to the mill over a period of 1 month is given in Table 5
ore in jawr and cone crushers to Yi in. and reducing the crusher product to
%6 in. by rolls in closed circuit with vibrating screens. The screen product
is ground to 8 per cent plus 65 mesh in tube mills operating in closed circuit
with unit notation cells and classifiers. Classifier overflow is floated, with
closed circuit with classifiers. Next comes agitation of the pulp and
in closed circuit with a single No. 500 Denver Sub-A flotation cell and a
6- by 30-ft. Dorr duplex classifier. The mill discharges are fitted with 3-
mesh screens; the oversize goes directly to the classifier, and the undersize
About 75 per cent of the gold is recovered in the unit cells, of which 60
per cent is floated and 15 per cent removed every 24 hr. from a cone on the
bottom of the cell. These unit cells are built with a small hydraulic cone
in the bottom to trap gold that is too coarse to float. This prevents a
the bottom dilutes the pulp in the cell and cleans the concentrate therein.
primary cells arranged in eight units of six cells each. The primary
^98.7 per cent of the pyrite is recovered in the concentrate. The con-
309
4.000-ton mill ore bin > 5-All is - Chalmers lube mills 5x16'
r *~'
I 7n/k ^ Di^frihulnr - /
-Tails
- Distributor
- (Cone.) -
(Tailings)
/Lime
(Cone.)-
Dorr classifier
"~^ *
(Sands) (Overflow)
circuited with
classifier I
4 -Agitators
4-Agitators-*
(Sands) (Overflow)
I *
i j
(Underflow) (Overflow)
i
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*=1 I
Sands
<1
Overflow to clarification
and precipitation
Melting furnace
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
j;
*:.
classifier dilution
Fig. 72. Flow sheet of the Mclntyre Porcupine mill. Ontario, Canada.
Raking mechanism
removed
O jG/.
310 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
are added to the tube-mill circuit and frother at both the tube-mill circuit
Cyanidation. The cyanide plant has a capacity of 300 tons per day.
The flotation concentrates are reground in two stages, each stage employing
a 5-by 16-ft. Allis-Chalmers tube mill loaded with 30,000 lb. of 1^-in. steel
balls run in closed circuit with a 6- by 30-ft. Dorr duplex classifier. The
solution, overflows the classifier at 7.5 to 1 dilution, and after being mixed
diameter bowl classifier from which the reciprocating rakes have been re-
moved and a bottom cone discharge installed. The underflow passes to the
+ 56
0.13
56 + 40
2.98
40 + 28
13.90
28 + 20
14.22
20 + 14
11.56
14 + 10
9.86
- 10
47.35
100.00
four 24- by 20-ft. Dorr agitators, where a portion of the bottom discharge
this series of agitators, the pulp passes into a second bowl classifier similar
dilution and an underflow that passes back to the secondary mill for further
contact the heavier and coarser portion of the ore with cyanide until
This overflow goes to a 50- by 14-ft. Dorr tray thickener, from which
agitation in 24- by 20-ft. Dorr agitators between the first and second and
\Y'o Wbol o.a the first filtration step has been found to assist extraction
311
About 2500 tons solution per day is clarified and precipitated by the
carded per day to balance the addition of wash water on the first-stage
per ton ore, is cyanide, 0.78; lime, 1.32; zinc dust, 0.084; lead acetate, 0.035.
Solution strength is maintained at 3.0 lb. cyanide per ton and 1.60 lb.
per ton lime in the primary regrind mill, with pregnant solution at 1.80
lb. NaCN and 0.25 lb. CaO per ton of solution. Typical metallurgical
one of the most modern mills in the Porcupine district. Capacity is 1600
Recovery
1946-1947,
per cent
Value, gold at
Metallurgical results
Stage
Heads
S10.344
0.363
Flotation:
Unit cells
Flotation tails
75.00
Cyanide residue
0.779
Flotation circuit
21.90
0.204|
Total
96.90
Combined tails
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0.436
Cyanidation:
Primary grinding
65.00
31.65
Filters, etc.
2.20
Total
98.85
ery
95.79
tons per day. The ore is high-silica conglomerate carrying 2.0 per cent
pyrite, 1.0 per cent pyrrhotite, and a low gold content (about 0.10 oz. per
a mill feed that is stored in two 750-ton ore bins. The plant handles 120
The mill flow sheet involves flotation to make a final tailing with the
the rather unusual feature of stage grinding with flotation steps between
95 per cent.
312
circuited with 12- by 25-ft. Dorr classifiers with overflow at 40 per cent
solids. Hydraulic traps are installed at the mill discharges to collect any
Item
cent
Mill feed
Flotation tailings
Flotation
concentrate
14-month
12-month
6-month
12-month
1-month
average,
average,
average,
average,
average,
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1936
1946-1947
1936
1946-1947
1947
8.21
6.81
0.10
0.15
56.67
54.92
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
52.76
58.28
58.83
18.80
6.28
6.43
6.79
6.11
3.53
14.18
14.32
15.07
14.19
8.07
4.90
5.25
5.61
5.14
3.24
4.33
4.69
2.82
TREATMENT OF GOLD ORES
313
of the weight of the deslimer feed and is approximately 99 per cent minus
200 mesh. It is floated in one bank of six No. 24 Denver flotation cells,
which make a rougher concentrate for cleaning and a tailing for discard.
The sand discharge from the 32-ft. desliming thickener is ground in two
Tyler
mesh
Primary circuit
Secondary circuit
Mill feed
Mill
discharge
Class
overflow
Classifier
feed
Ball-mill
discharge
Flotation
tailing
17.4
17.2
22.9
13.8
4.3
3.3
2.5
2.6
1.8
1.7
2.6
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9.9
0.9
3.1
14
5.2
20
4.6
28
6.1
35
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
11.5
0.5
48
13.5
3.4
8.7
2.8
0.2
65
12.2
8.7
9.6
6.5
1.7
100
8.7
11.9
11.6
13.3
7.4
200
10.6
314 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
lime being added to the first, and cyanide to the second. Washing is
and a very interesting flow sheet has been developed. About 350 tons
per day of an ore of variable gold content (0.1 to 0.7 oz. per ton) is treated,
ing and cyaniding of the concentrates as at Pamour, but in this case the
total tonnage as a fine slime carrying negligible values and then cyanided
section.
to the 600-ton mill bin. Grinding is done in an -8- by 8-ft. ball mill closed-
mineral jig is installed between the mill and classifier to remove coarse
gold.
The classifier overflow at 62 per cent minus 200 mesh is floated at 31 per
cent solids in two banks of eight No. 24 Denver cells arranged in series,
with middlings returning to the head of the cells and a final concentrate
removed from the first three cells of each bank. The reagents used are
a 23-ft. thickener and then passed to 10- by 30-ft. agitator, which is closed-
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circuited through the cone discharge with a 5- by 8-ft. regrind mill, while a
returns to the ball mill and the overflow at all minus 325 mesh passes to a
of a 14- by 30-ft. agitator and two stages of C.C.D. in a 23-ft. tray thick-
ener. The underflow from this thickener passes to the third agitation
circuit, while cyanide is added at the head of the concentrate and tailings-
solution is taken off the first thickening stages in each section, a portion of
C.C.D. system.
30-sock presses. Barren solution is returned to the third step of the tailings
1.0 lb. per ton NaCN taking place almost entirely in the concentrate section.
Lime consumption amounts to 4.0 lb. per ton, litharge 0.09 lb. per ton, and
zinc 0.036 lb. per ton of ore treated. Lime and cyanide strengths are
maintained at about 1.0 per ton of solution in each case, and an over-all
Hollinger Mill (Type Vc). This mill, for many years the largest in
the Canadian north, has a maximum capacity of 4600 tons per day. A
Trans. 112, A.I.M.E., 624, and in the Hollinger edition of CM J., Sep-
tember, 1935, the various departments of the mine and mill were very
Since 1935 the old crushing plant has been replaced by a new and very
ore bin of 10,000 tons' capacity has been constructed (see Chap. III).
Various other changes have been made in the milling flow sheet, most out-
standing of which was the change-over from two-stage grinding using open-
closed-circuit grind. For this purpose the rod mills were converted to low-
ends. The new crushing and grinding plants have been described by D. C.
the use of low and high pulp-level discharges from ball mills was given by
the Hollinger mill staff in 1937 in Trans. 40, CM.I., 85, 325, and also in
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Hitzrot in the July, 1939, issue of T.P. 1088, A.I.M.E. Mining Tech.
2.8. It contains 4 per cent pyrite and very minor amounts of other sul-
phides. For the past few years the mill heads have averaged slightly
better than 0.235 oz. per ton. Silver is alloyed with the gold in the ^s,
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
316 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
done in cyanide solution, and the extraction of gold in the grinding circuit
1948, through the courtesy of the management. At this time the milling
rate is 3700 tons per day. The ore is crushed to pass through a slotted
screen with a clear opening of 0.205 by 0.50 in., with the slots set at right
angles to the flow. The minus M~in- feed is fed to three or four ball mills,
each 6}/2 ft. in diameter by 14^ ft. inside new liners. Each mill is served
by a 12- by 27-ft. Dorr FX classifier, and the circuit is closed with a pump.
The grinding unit has a capacity of 1200 tons per day with a circulating
load ratio of 4:1, grinding to 1 per cent plus 48 mesh, 60 per cent minus
concentrates, and two-stage filtration for the major part of the tonnage,
mainder.
where approximately 65 per cent of the pyrite and 80 per cent of the gold
in the table feed are removed. About 525 tons concentrate is produced
from 3700 tons feed, giving a concentration ratio of 7:1. The concentrate
is given a further grind.to set free gold that is finely disseminated within
the pyrite. This is done with one of the same low-discharge mills loaded
with 1-in. heat-treated forged-steel balls, in closed circuit with one 19-ft.-
to 85 per cent minus 325 mesh. Ball-steel consumption was 0.56 lb. per
thickeners, the overflow going to the mill circulating solution and the
Dorr agitators in series of two. Agitation time is 36 hr., after which the
Generated on 2012-02-20 11:44 GMT / http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015004540335
agitator discharge joins the thickened table tails for additional agitation.
Lime is added as milk of lime in cyanide solution to the feed of all the
ball mills, and the cyanide is added to the overflow from the bowl classifier
concentrate section is higher in cyanide and lime than the main mill solu-
tion. The solution at the head of the concentrate agitators averages 1.2
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
TREATMENT OF GOLD ORES
317
lb. NaCN and 1.1 lb. CaO per ton, as against 0.75 lb. NaCN and 0.75 lb.
Table-tails Treatment. The table tails are thickened in ten 40- by 15-ft.
Cyanide solution
Weighing belts
*;
(Concentrate)
(Tailings)
,,t
Dorr thickeners
7\
(Overflow) (Underflow)\
* ', ,
in series of two
\J
(Underflow) (Overflow)
20-Pachuca agitators 15 x 45
Cyanide storage
Generated on 2012-02-20 11:44 GMT / http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015004540335
circuits
Barren solution
Melting furnace
Repulpers
Repulper
with part of the filtrate from the primary filters, to maintain a precipitation
ratio of 1.1 tons of solution to 1.0 ton of ore milled, and the remainder
sent daily to six primary 14- by 16-ft. Oliver filters, and the remaining
tonnage is sent to one or more rows of three 40- by 15-ft. Dorr tray thick-
Part of the filtrate from the primary filters goes to precipitation and part
and the remainder joins the circulating solution. The cake on the primary
3627 tons daily during the 40 weeks ending Oct, 6, 1948. The loss of
gold in the tailing amounted to 0.00677 troy oz. per ton of ore milled, of
which 0.00042 oz. was the loss in dissolved gold. The recovery of gold
was 97.1 per cent. Total milling costs, including underground crushing,
refining, and tailing disposal, for the same period were 77.29 cents per ton
milled, of which 37.90 cents per ton were labor costs. A cost-of-living
portation, and they were stockpiled at the mine while the possibilities of
with roasting and cyanidation of the concentrates. The flow sheet of the
present mill, which is handling 220 tons per day, is shown in Fig. 74.
The ore is composed of about 60 per cent silicified rhyolite, the remainder
being a complex of cherty quartz and carbonates carrying free gold and
gold-bearing sulphides. The gold content averages about 0.4 oz. per ton
about 70 per cent minus 200 mesh. A Denver duplex jig in the mill-
classifier circuit collects some coarse free gold, while the classifier overflow
passes over two blanket tables 45 ft. lor ' coveJj^^^ing in a 24- by 12-fJ
urior tJ*r^+-;
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
TREATMENT OF GOLD ORES
319
centrate is thickened and filtered, and the cake fed to the Dorrco FluoSolids
Pine oil
Xanihate
CuS04
NaOH
~L
To waste
+i
77~T~~ ~
2- 6 x6 Denver conditioners
~~J J
(Tails) (Cone.) 1 - 1
NaCN
CaO
2-Blanket fables-
Barren solution
wash
To waste -
-F
Repulper
3'x4'Grinding barrel
Merrill-Crowe precipitation
Precipitate shipped
Amalgam plate
Amalgam shipped
Fig. 74. Flow sheet of the Coc ;$5ur Willans mi11 Onta. )o; Canada.
320 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
After repulping in a quenching tank, the calcine is passed over two more
blanket tables and agitated at 36 per cent solids for 56 hr. in two 16- by
50 per cent solids and filtered on an 8- by 10-ft. Oliver filter using a barren-
solution wash. The pregnant solution taken off the thickener is clarified
system.
Total 92.6
Pine oil 0. 14
Cyanide 0. 66
Lime 0.75
Zinc 0.039
All jig and blanket concentrates are reground and amalgamated in an acid
gam plate. Both amalgam and gold precipitates are shipped to refiners.
Zinc-gold Ores
Generated on 2012-02-20 11:44 GMT / http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015004540335
ing mines, which reaches from the Kirkland Lake area in northern Ontario
on the west, across the provincial boundary to beyond Val d'Or and
gold, is marked at its 60-mile point by the base- and precious-metal pro-
ducers of the Noranda district and again at its far-flung terminus by the
streaks of galena and other minerals, carries (1944) 7.5 per cent zinc, 0.05
oz. gold, and 3 to 5 oz. silver. The 1000-ton mill makes a primary-flotation
joins the primary-flotation tailings for flotation of the zinc, the latter being
Copper-gold Ores
massive sulphide ore high in pyrrhotite. The ore averages 4 to 8 per cent
to 0.20 oz. gold and 15 to 20 per cent insolubles. The flow sheet includes
stage grinding and stage flotation of the chalcopyrite, which is smelted for
It has been found that this aeration step is necessary after each stage of
The pyrite rejected from the tertiary copper circuit is floated and
aeration, flotation, and regrinding before cyanidation5 (see Chap. XIII for
by flotation and cyanidation are 96 to 96.5 per cent copper and about 85
UNITED STATES
The United States stands in fourth place in world gold production and
1,500,000 oz. gold and 20,000,000 oz. silver according to 1946 statistics.
from the United States participation in the Second World War than any
other large mineral industry. Silver production was also seriously affected
though a large part of the output is derived from base-metal mining.7 The
Table 54. Mine Production of Gold in the United States in 1946 by States
Dry and
Copper
ore
Lead-
copper
ore
Zinc-lead,
zinc-
copper,
and
zinc-lead-
copper
ores
State
Placers
siliceous
Lead ore
Zinc ore
Total
Alabama
ore
Alaska
220,708
6,003
70
226,781
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Arizona
398
3,564
61,347
311
131
546
1,275
1,880
73
3
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
111
3,271
12,985
2,312J
12,327
79,024
California
269,772
79,883
356,824
Colorado
20,172
106,007
2,093
142,613
Georgia
21
21
Idaho
20,123
17,027
60
TREATMENT OP GOLD ORES
323
duced more than one type of ore. The 3 leading mines contributed one-
third of the total gold produced in the United States in 1946, the 9 leading
mines accounted for over one-half, and a list of 25, 64 per cent.
silver ore; ores valuable chiefly for copper, lead, zinc, and gold accounted
Table 55. Mine Production of Silver in the United States in 1946 by States and
Dry and
siliceous ore
Lead-
copper
ore
Zinc-lead
zinc-copper,
State
Placers
Copper ore
Lead ore
Zinc ore
and zinc-
lead-copper
ores
Total
Alaska
33,656
62
1,141
6,996
41,793
Arizona:
166,044
1,764,558
41,137
21,886
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12,294
133,841
117,607
1,262,784
137,685J
751,849
3,268,765
1,342,651
2,240,151
6,491,104
California
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
19,821
3,698
6,422
77,708
16,736
956,860
Colorado
1,290,723
36,286
39,911
77
18,154
Idaho
2,719,762
1,086
264,279
39,614
3,441,787
2,267
Illinois
35
2,302
324 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
as a gold producer from Utah, which sank to fourth place. Second and
these and California supplying 57 per cent of the United States output.
The three leaders depended very largely on straight gold mines, both lodes
and placers.
produced 57 per cent of the domestic mine silver. The recovery of gold
tion mills, and smelting of crude ores and concentrates. Almost 82 per
cent of the domestic silver output was recovered by the smelting of con-
centrates, and nearly all the remainder by the direct smelting of ore.
of the year 1945. Production was reported from 18 lode mines, and 172
Item
Gold, oz.
Silver, oz.
Lode mines
10,409
34,885
22,823
2897
Floating dredges
3933
Placer
3153
Total
68,117
9983
This is only about one-tenth of the gold production of 1941, but in 1946
the production had jumped to 226,781 oz. Since 1880, the year of the
owns eight dredges and a hydroelectric plant, handled over 3 million cubic
The Alaska Juneau Gold Mining Co., which operated a mill of 12,000
tons' daily capacity comprising ball mills, tables, and a flotation plant,
Homestake Mining Co. (Type IIss). This is the largest gold pro-
dollars in gold bullion (1948). Discovered in the early years of the present
century, the treatment scheme has been varied, and as many as five
separate mills have at different times operated on ore from the Homestake
mine. Today all the milling and sand-leaching operations are located
at the town of Lead, while the slimes run by gravity to a central plant lo-
is of special interest today in that it is the only large mill in the United
325
, f ' , ,}
*3-6 x 12 Morcy rod mill 7-5 x/O A/lis Chalmers rod mills*
\\
, \ . . . . . i
Jl_ez 1 ~
UNIT B
\\
(Sands) (Overflow)^
2-6'x26'-8"Dorr classifier
lUNlTCl
\\
(Overflow) (Sands)
.,\
UNIT A
!]
1 classifier
* OF I ^
, . . . Of
L..+
21 -44 xII'-6"
tanks. 685-tons
per charge
~C7,
(Slime)
(Sand)
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
8-44'diam. x 12'
per charge
(Unaerf/ow)
To unit A
naerflow) (Overflow)-
Jf
Dorr thickener
| 31-Merrill presses
To sand plants
separation in the cone section instead of bowl classifiers. Unit C (1000 tons
per day capacity) uses a combination of dewatering cones and Dorr classi-
being made in the cone section. The latter involves three stages of cone
The sands are transferred to one of two sand plants, having a total
thickened in Dorr thickeners and flow by gravity to the slime plant which
of its kind in the world, in which both aeration and leaching are carried
out in presses.
Chaps. VII and VIII, respectively, while a discussion of the cyanicide prob-
At the time of writing, 52 per cent of the mill feed is treated in the
sand-leaching section and 48 per cent in the slime plant. With a mill
head of 0.4 oz. per ton gold, approximately 70 per cent is recovered by
amalgamation. The sands assay about 0.19 oz. per ton, and the slime
0.10 oz. per ton gold. The total extraction is 96 per cent, of which 64 per
ore treated is mercury, 0.065 Troy oz.; cyanide, 0.65 lb.; zinc dust, 0.06
the custom plant of the Golden Cycle Corporation has operated since
1907. The gold ores that are treated by roasting and cyanidation are the
to L. S. Harner in I.C. 6739, U.S.B. of M., 1933. Two types of ore come
from the district, siliceous and basic, containing 76 to 87 per cent silica,
3H to 4 per cent iron, 1.8 to 2.3 per cent sulphur, 1.6 to 5.2 per cent lime,
and 0.5 to 1.4 per cent magnesia. The siliceous or oxidized ores are easily
treated, but the denser and harder ores from depth give more difficulty.
Cripple Creek mine ore averaging 0.40 to 0.80 oz. per ton gold and dump
ore averaging 0.10 to 0.15 oz. are treated in varying proportions according
about 1000 tons per day. It was then decided to treat base-metal gold ores
in addition to the regular Cripple Creek gold ores, and a flotation plant
was added, the concentrates being shipped and the tailings filtered and
cyanided along with the roasted gold ores. When the price of gold was in-
creased in 1933, the treatment of base-metal or* was discontir. led rnd
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
328 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
scheme of grading ores was adopted, with the higher grade ore going to
the regular roasting plant and the lower grade floated in water, followed
tailings. At a later stage all the ore was floated. The next scheme was
and during this period approximately one-third of the material roasted was
flotation concentrate.
During the Second World War lead-zinc-copper ores from the district were
floated, the concentrates shipped, and the tailings cyanided. At the end
of the war period, gold ores exclusively, were treated using again the
operations on a reduced tonnage basis and while plans for a new mill are
being worked on to replace the present plant, the original scheme of direct
The plant has a rated capacity of 1500 tons per day, but at the present
time not more than about 500 tons per day is being treated.
After crushing to about 2 in., the ore, which is received in carload lots,
is passed through a sample mill (see Fig. 13, Chap. IV). The rejects from
Akins classifier. The coarse (18 mesh) grind desired is difficult to classify,
but the addition of slime to the classifier has improved the separation by
The mill discharge passes over Canton flannel blankets, and the con-
centrates are treated in amalgamation pans, the tailings from which are
both Akins and Dorr classifiers, the sand analyzing about 5 per cent plus
20 mesh, 85 per cent plus 60 mesh, and the slime 90 to 95 per cent minus
200 mesh. The slime is thickened, agitated for 60 to 70 hr. in two stages
9}^-ft.) Butters plant. The sands are leached in 50- by 15-ft. vats, which
Generated on 2012-02-20 11:44 GMT / http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015004540335
air is passed up through the the old circuit to a flow scHes both aeration
circuit. A 7-day leachins and proposed flow she^v sheet in Fig. 77 clearly
shows the s^1* 1*1 on, flrr 1 tv*iso illustrates the system of clarification
329
(Undersize)
Storage bins
Drag conveyor
;j
60 Akins classifier
(Rake) (Overflow)
(Oversize)
^ | ^ pan, Amalgam to
~~T
30'x29'Dorr agitator
1;r
Waste
Generated on 2012-02-20 11:44 GMT / http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015004540335
i*'
T.\
i .i 1
li
Sand
i i a/7^ slime
t1_.L
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
Go/dsofution tank
Precipitates
Rockwell furnace
Graphite crucible
Min
Solution
used, which involves passing all pregnant solution from the slime plant
at 0.5 lb. per tone of solution. Most of the cyanide make-up in the form
of 91 per cent NaCN is added at the zinc-dust feeder ahead of the presses,
because rather high free cyanide is required for good precipitation. The
ratio of precipitation is about 4:1, and the resulting bullion is over 900
fine owing to the low silver content of the ore (10:1 Au:Ag). Some 25
per cent of the gold is recovered by blankets and amalgamation and about
of ore treated is cyanide, 0.75; lime, 2.5; hydrochloric acid for filter leaves,
The ore body occurs in a replacement tuff shale bed following a basin
range fault on the east slopes of the Osgood Range. The ore bed is highly
At one time two types of ore were mined, oxide and sulphide. The
former was amenable to direct cyanidation, and 600 tons a day was han-
sulphide ore, on the other hand, is more refractory, since all the gold is of
micron size, and some of it is locked in fine sulphides. The ore contains
from 1.5 to 2.0 per cent arsenic, which is present as orpiment and realgar
In the original plant 400 tons per day of this sulphide ore was roasted
and 70 per cent of the sulphur, and the gold extraction depended largely
ore because the pulp tended to gelatinize during compression and low
Getchell Mine,"
neer,
1 Personal ccmmua
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
TREATMENT OF GOLD ORES 331
and orpiment, by flotation. The arsenic notation tails are classified into
a sand and slime product at approximately 200 mesh. The slimes are
the sand fraction, and both are given a calcining roast. The calcines are
zinc precipitation. The slime flotation tailings are cyanided and the gold
mining and ore treatment in this once-great gold-producing area of the world.
During the 100 years following the discovery of gold in 1848, the total
output of the state has amounted to about 2 billion dollars (at $20.67
per ounce). Placer and hydraulic mining accounted for most of the pro-
duction in the early days, with drift mining and dredging assuming greater
importance after the turn of the century. In 1910, a rather typical year,
accounted for about 40 per cent of the output, with roughly 10 per cent
from placer operations and the remainder from lode mining. The Cali-
prevailing costs, labor shortages, and other causes during and following
the First and Second World Wars, so that today (1946) the gold production
is only slightly more than 12 million dollars (at S35 per ounce) and only a
few mills of any size are to be found operating in the whole state.
The gold ores of California range in kind from alluvial material carrying
free gold to vein filling in which there are found both coarse and fine free
gold and gold associated with a small amount of sulphides. In the oO-
100 miles in the foothill country of five counties, the country rock con-
schist. The gold occurs in quartz veins and in the enclosing slates. The
Generated on 2012-02-20 11:44 GMT / http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015004540335
pyrite, galena, and others. As much as two-thirds of the gold can fre-
PQ
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C3
co
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G-
g .
O CO
g C3
bJD 2
|5
co V3
-5
53O
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jaj.2
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en
c
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c3
'^ *
d - O
bD W3G
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bJO
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T3
co G
^O
G c3
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rt: as
c3 o co
^ ^ co
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S-i CO
3 G
^ G ft
3 M
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b73
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o3 co
.~-C
co c3
TREATMENT OF GOLD ORES 333
dle a dump oi l}/2 million tons. The customer plant of the Amador
Metals Reduction Company received 250 tons tailings a day from the
Argonaut mill, and the Central Tailings Works received 125 tons from
November, 1933, a typical form of procedure was to separate all sand from
slime by means of mechanical classifiers, leach the sand, agitate the thick-
ened slime and filter it, and precipitate the gold from the cyanide solu-
some. A coal-tar product was mixed with the slime and prevented pre-
connection. They concluded that the gold lost in the mill tailings was
Woolf preferred to float the mineral from the slime and roast and cyanide
fornia, for flotation of old tailings was at one time extensively practiced.
vein about 4 miles long was discovered in 1858 and up to the turn of the
century had yielded over 300 million dollars in gold and silver. The high-
The ores in the Virginia City area were essentially silver ores carrying
as little as 1:40 ratio of gold to silver, but the Gold Hill and Silver City
ores yielded higher gold ratios, and some were to be regarded as gold ores.
actively engaged in the retreatment of lower grade ores and tailings from
the earlier operations. By 1935, however, there were only a dozen small
mills operating in the Comstock area, and at the end of 1946 only one
enterprise, that of the Consolidated Chollar Gould & Savage Mining Co.,
was developed in the district. Chemicals were generall; added with the
and metallic iron. With the ad/ent c nidation many r^J ">-J- *nt
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
334 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
plants were erected, but in general, owing to the soluble salts present in
the tailings, results were not too satisfactory. Later, notation was in-
corporated into the flow sheets, but the same soluble salts tended to give
1935, Gardner and Carpenter11 remark that the use of flotation alone on
Comstock ores had not, to date, justified the faith and hope placed in it
and that often amalgamation alone and usually cyanidation alone were
its proved economic superiors, the latter giving at times nearly complete
Knob Hill (Type Vs).12 The ore now being handled in the 500-ton
mill at Republic, Wash., is hard and abrasive. Ore minerals in the vein
system are unusually fine grained, and free gold is seldom seen even in the
about 4000 tons of concentrates, which are shipped to the Tacoma smelter.
Coarse ore from the 100-ton storage bin is reduced to the proper size for
Grinding to 5 per cent plus 100 mesh is done in a ball-mill classifier unit
L- -r* l - x process ^. ..
Atlantic Coast area depend al--'_t entirely on air freight, but this makes them
accessible at all seasons of tA^' .ir. The minet on the western coast, however, which
are served by a combinatioi.^ ailroad and highway facilities, are subject to seasonal
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
TREATMENT OF GOLD ORES
335
(Hutch) (Overflow)
Bullion to mini
Mine ore
(Undersize) (Oversize)
i'
(Hutch) (Overflow)
^^?
Wemco thickener
r J ""
Concentrates to smelter
f:
No. I Underflow
3-26 agitators
1 **No. 2 Overflow
\
Generated on 2012-02-20 11:44 GMT / http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015004540335
Clarification
.\
c*poe of i
* cZ/7/7/oc -/r* r n
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
336 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
float No. 25, and A.C.C. No. 404, each added to the ball mill, 0.20 lb.,
0.10 lb., and 0.04 lb., respectively; DuPont frother B-23, to cell 1, 0.025
lb.; Z-6, to cells 1 and 4, 0.025 lb.; and sulphuric acid, to cell 1, 0.25 lb.
tion is 0.025 lb. Steel consumption is as follows: crusher parts, 0.05 lb.;
cast-steel balls, 7 lb.; and ball-mill liners, 0.60 lb. The latter are of the
Britannia type.
gangue mineral, result from the treatment of about 1000 tons per day of
ore from the Grass Valley district in California. Coarse gold is recovered
released in an operation which grinds all the ore to about 2 per cent plus
325 mesh.
storage tank and the solids pumped to one of a series of seven batch agi-
the results of periodic residue assays. The ore is given several changes
tank, the pulp then passing to a Dorr thickener and filter for dewatering
CENTRAL AMERICA
Nicaragua
Gold mining has become the basis of this country's economy, and a
gold from a siliceous quartz ore which usually carries appreciable base-
Generated on 2012-02-20 11:44 GMT / http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015004540335
337
transportation difficulties, <as the roads become almost impassable during the rainy
season.13
content. There are practically no sulphides and very little coarse gold
in the ore. The milling circuit includes two-stage grinding with classifica-
tion of the primary-mill discharge for elimination of clay slime from the
Item
La Luz
La India
Neptune
1350*
330
650 to 700
0.127 Au
0.30 Au 0.60 Ag
0.28 Au 0.30 Ag
90
94
93.4
-0.625
-0.25 to -0.375
-0.375
40 f
19.7
35.4
85 to 90J
70.0 to 79.1
Generated on 2012-02-20 11:44 GMT / http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015004540335
62 to 76
50 to 60
6 and 17
3 C.C.D.
30 to 40
40
35 to 40
50 (?)
3 C.C.D.
3 C.C.D.
1.0
0.75 to 1.0
0.2
0.4
1100
0.003
500
1.075
0.7 KCN
1.0 (?)
1.0
3.02
0.5 CaO
10.0
1250
0.003
0.6
4.5
2200
&
a!
s?
li
c>
^>
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<o
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id
fe
<S
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uo
Generated on 2012-02-20 11:44 GMT / http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015004540335
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0,
^1
11
TREATMENT OF GOLD ORES
339
5s
1 UOj/SZO00'
Z^^UOifn/OS U9JJDQ
1 >
**
*,
/ '
< y
,p
4tE \
?* h
* 15
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Generated on 2012-02-20 11:44 GMT / http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015004540335
I
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
340 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
circuit passing to three secondary mills, has recently been adopted in this
limited by the presence of slow-settling slime, and though the flow sheet
and putting this overflow into the first thickener of the C.C.D. series (high
tion. Cyanide is added at the first agitator and lime at the second agi-
miles by plane and costs $40 per ton, is conveyed by a belt feeder from a
handling 800 tons of mine ore and 550 tons of surface ore per day, but on
the tonnage to 1800 to 2000 tons per day. In this plant the minus 48-mesh
fines will by-pass the fine-crushing section and pass directly to flotation.
From the fine-ore bins the ore is ground in three 8- by 8-ft. Allis-
classifiers. Gold traps are installed in the mill-classifier circuit, the con-
are next classified in a 48-in. Denver spiral classifier, the sands being re-
ft. Dorr classifier before passing to the cyanide circuit, while the overflow
after thickening is sent to the second agitator of the series. (The thick-
ener overflow, which is usually slimy, passes to the second cyanide thick-
ener.) The cyanide circuit comprises three 20- by 20-ft. Dorr agitators
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and three 38-ft. Dorr thickeners with two agitation steps between the
first and second thickener. Some 30 per cent gold recovery is made in
'.he hydraulic traps, and 60 per cent by cyanidation90 per cent total.
The reagent consumption is given in Table 59. The Aerofloat and a part
of the pine oil are added to the-ball mills. The ratio of concentrations by
341
300 per cent. The calculated grinding rate is 1.56 hp. per ton of minus-
To waste
Solution to
precipitation
Bullion
,x
(Overflow)
(Sahds)
\f
(Tails) (Cone.)
JF
(Toils) (Cone)
48-Corduroy tables
Wilfley table
(Tails) (Cone)
Refinery^
(Tails) (Cone J -
~T 1
(Sands) (Overflow)
I ,,
~3
vtator <i
2- Corduroy tobies
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
1 F~
(Tails) (Cone.)
_l I
ren solution per day, and the bullion is ouly 550 fine, but cyanide con-
Honduras14
The mineral districts in this country are widely scattered, and because
mining development.
tion of Honduras today. These are the New York and Honduras Rosario
Mining Co. at San Juancito, 100 miles from the Pacific Coast, and the
Compania Minera Aqua Fria, near Danli, about the same distance from
the coast but near the Nicaraguan border. The Rosario mill of the for-
milling capacity of 550 tons per day and had produced up to 1942 more
than 62 million dollars in gold and silver bullion. In the single year 1941,
nearly 3H million ounces of silver and 23,000 oz. of gold were recovered
from the ore mined. The recently constructed Mochito mill, operated
by the same company, is located near Lake Yocjoa and is milling 100
Flotation plant:
Aerofloat 25 0.065
Cyanide plant:
SOUTH AMERICA
Colombia15
This state occupies first place in the production of gold in South Amer-
ica, and the industry is largely the basis of the country's economy. Silver
and Cauca were first place with a total of 100 million pounds sterling.
In the Choco district between 1861 and 1928, some 2300 precious-metal
mines were proclaimed of which 25 per cent were vein deposits. Current
'"'he lode gold occurs, as in other parts of the world, chiefly in shoots,
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15 Mining Mag., December, 1946; E. and M. J., Vol. 143, No. 4, April, May, and
June, 1942; and also article by A. E. Villa in August, 1942, issue of same volume.
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
TREATMENT OF GOLD ORES
343
the opinion of the author of the article that the size of the deposits have
One of the largest gold producers is the Frontino Gold Mines, Ltd., at
slimes plant at the Silenco mine and a 30-stamp mill and cyanide plant
for the Marmajito mine. The output for 1945 was 97,320 tons milled
Table 60. 1941 Summary of Output from Vein and Alluvial Gold Mines
in Colombia
No. of
mills
No. of
stamps
Oz. gold
per month
Per cent
distri-
bution
Antioquian mills
460
68
12
2300
480
California mills
Ball mills
Drag mills
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400
Dredges
17
25,000
26,100
49
Draglines
2
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
Hydraulic elevators. . .
Monitors
110
400
51
Total
4,060,000
51,100
of water.
fiers. All cyanide and lime required in the circuit, except for the con-
centrate circuit, are added at the ball mills, and 68 per cent extraction is
split to pass over three double-deck Deister slime tables in parallel. The
where additional lime and cyanide are added. The slimed concentrate is
thickened in a 15-ft. Dorr thickener and flows next to three parallel banks
agitation.
zinc dust per ounce of fine gold precipitated, and 1,700 lb. raw, wet pre-
treated in batches in the acid plant. For each pound (dry weight) of
precipitate, 2 lb. HC1 is charged into the acid tank. After agitation with
steam for half an hour, the acid liquor is decanted. The sludge is washed
with hot water and then forced by air pressure into the Shriver press,
where it is washed again. The press cake is finally dried to 6 per cent
tate, 16 per cent borax glass, 12 per cent silica, 11 per cent manganese
dioxide, 4 per cent soda, and 1 lb. niter. A typical bullion bar assays 710
Ecuador17
Mining is said to have commenced in this state before the Inca con-
quest, which occurred around 1470, and was actively continued by both
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17 Partly i jtractc-1 from an article by H. W. Van Putte, E. and M. J., Vol. 143,
345
when the South American Development Co. brought into production the
Portovelo gold mine in the southern part of the republic. Later the
Macuchi mine, since closed down, was operated by the Cotopaxi Explora-
tion Co., a subsidiary of the above company, and became the second
Apart from a few small washing plants, there are no other gold pro-
Lime
NaCN
2-Dewatering thickeners
- 4-Dorr agitators
J- Secondary- thickeners
2 Stages of filtration
Flotation
1_
Soluble salts
to waste
Tailings
To waste
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Pregnant solution
clarification
Merrill - Crowe
precipitation
Gold bullion
Shipped to smelter
Portovelo Mill (Type Ills). The 350-ton mill of the South American
been made in the original flow sheet. The old scheme of contacting the
crushed ore with mercury in revolving cylinders has been abandoned, and
About 410 tons of ore is hoisted per day, but some ton, waste is
sorted out at l^i in. after the crushed rock has passe*, thrc , washing
trommels. After sorting, the mill feed assays per ton 0.13 oz. ui, 2.0 oz.
Ag, 0.60 per cent Cu, and 0.4 per cent Pb.
346 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
%6-in. screens, and the discharge ground in Marcy mills in a water cir-
cuit with the addition of lime to the mills and using a composite load con-
sisting of 15 per cent l^-in. balls and 85 per cent 4-in. rhyolite pebbles.
The 75 per cent minus-200-mesh pulp is then thickened, and the clear
ried out for a period of 28 hr. on the thicker underflow at 35 per cent
filters, with a water wash on the second stage, the cyanide residues are
repulped and floated for the recovery of the base metals. A xanthate-
cresylic acid circuit is used for this purpose, and about 35 tons per month
of a galena concentrate carrying 100 oz. silver per ton is shipped to the
Selby smelter in California, and 100 tons of copper concentrate per month
recovery.
About 1200 to 1400 tons per day of pregnant solutions coming off the
the Merrill-Crowe process. A total recovery of 93.5 per cent of the gold
and 55 per cent of the silver in the mill heads is made in this plant, some
The ore is ground to 75 per cent minus 200 mesh, and 0.9 lb. NaCN
and 0.1 to 0.2 lb. CaO per ton solution strength is maintained. The
cyanide consumption is 2.2 lb., and lime consumption is 6.0 lb. per ton of
ore fed to the mill. The lime is burned locally, using producer gas.
Calera Exploration Co. The Portovelo mill is also handling 100 tons
per day of Calera ore, which, although of the same general mineral con-
circuit to cut down the copper dissolution. The gold precipitate will run
The hydroseparator sands are first agitated for 8 hr. and then passed
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thickened pulp is then further agitated for 28 hr. in a series of four agita-
type thickener is used fo: both the first- and second-stage thickening.
The residues are floated for production of a lead and a copper concen-
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
TREATMENT OF GOLD ORES 347
trate, as in the case of the Portovelo ore, and grades up to 65 per cent
Pb and 22 per cent Cu are made. The Calera heads after sorting assay
0.54 oz. Au and 2.0 oz. Ag per ton, and a 6:1 precipitation ratio is main-
tained.
Brazil
Gold18 is found in most of the Brazilian states, Minas Geraes being the
largest producer. In the central part of the state we find the famous
Morro Velho mine of the St. John Del Rey Mining Company, one of the
deepest mines in the world. Smaller deposits of low-grade ore are being
worked near Ouro Preto, Caete, and Santa Barbara, and in limited areas
in Parana and Rio Grande do Sul. Prospects for new developments are
The Passagem gold mine is about 4 miles east of Ouro Preto. The
Milling practice follows closely that of the other gold mines in the area.
recovery of arsenic.
The Juca Vieira gold mine is situated near the town of Caete about 53
kilometers from Bello Horizonte. About 150 tons per day of a complex
ore, resembling that at Morro Velho, is mined. The mill includes jigs in
that is cyanided after grinding to 300 mesh. Tailings from the flotation
machines are classified and passed over a pulsator jig and concentrating
table, the gravity concentrates from these machines being returned to the
head of the mill. A total recovery of 97.4 per cent is made. Operating
Ore is received from two main sources, the Morro Velho mine and the
The important minerals in Morro Velho ore are 20 per cent silica, 32
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per cent iron, 15 per cent sulphur, 3^ per cent arsenic, 18 ^cr cent lime,
Pyrite and arsenopyrite are the only minerals present in any definite
crystalline form as visible to the naked eye, whereas the other minerals
rapidly tarnishes to all shades of steel blue, pinkish red, and yellowish
The gold content of the ore averages 13 grams per metric ton, and the
silver content about 3 grams. The metals occur in a finely divided con-
dition as a native alloy of 77 per cent gold and 23 per cent silver. Visible
gold is rare.
light reveals that gold is most generally associated with arsenopyrite and
occurring in Morro Velho ore, is much more siliceous, and its sulphur and
per cent silica, 6 per cent sulphur, and 1 per cent arsenic, and the gold
the two ores, although carried out in the same mill, is kept separate.
Fine Grinding and Concentration, Morro Velho Ore. The ore is reduced
One hundred fifty Californian stamps crush the ore to 30 mesh with a
and fine-ground in tube mills working in closed circuit with James sand
tables and the cone classifiers to approximately 70 per cent minus 325
overflow goes to cyanide, while the Holman-James table tailings are given
terial from which is returned to the tube-mill circuit while the overflow
goes to cyanide.
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
TREATMENT OF GOLD ORES 349
all the ore to minus % in. An aerial ropeway transports the crushed ore
used for primary grinding. Classifier overflow feeds spigot launders whose
overflows and table tailings are classified in two Dorr bowl classifiers
Hardinge mill running in closed circuit with tables and the bowl classifiers.
cyanided.
cleaned on one Holm an-James sand table. This table produces a con-
the total gold recovery. Table tailing joins the middling circuit.
rhotite with lesser amounts of pyrite and gangue minerals. They, to-
gether with the tailing from the concentrate table, are dewatered in a
Dorr classifier and ground to approximately 85 per cent minus 325 mesh
rator is cyanided.
and agitated for 10 to 12 hr. with cyanide, lead nitrate, and lime in three
material.
partment Dorr tray thickener, overflow from which is clarified and pre-
on an Oliver filter. Filter cake is floated with pine oil, xanthate, and
arsenic and 10 grams of gold per ton, is roasted, while flotation tailing,
to the mill, ground in a tube mill loaded with quartz pebbles, washed in a
30-ft. thickener, and cyanided for 36 hr. with cyanide and lime. Crude
marketing.
Peru19
copper, lead, and zinc industries. The remaining 70 per cent comes from
properties which produce only gold and which belong to companies owned
It employs about 9000 men, or about 33 per cent of the total mining la-
borers. Placer mining represents about 9 per cent of the total produc-
tion. The greater proportion of gold mining in Peru has been carried
out on the coastal plains, but these mines are really small and offer few
the Montana, or jungle, region east of the Andean ranges, where most of
gravels.
tion of lead, copper, and zinc ores. Silver is widely spread but in most
Venezuela20
sections, one north and the other south of the Orinoco River. The eastern
half of the southern section forms the state of Bolivia. This region is
19 Article by Carlos DelSolar, E. and M.J., Vol. 143, No. 8, August, 1942.
district which in the 1860's and 1870's was one of the world's leading
producing regions. The El Callao mine itself alone produced 175 million
gold francs from 3-oz. rock treated in a 60-stamp mill. This camp is
About 95,000 oz. of gold is produced annually from this district out of a
total for Venezuela of 114,000 oz. (1938), but aside from the metal ob-
tained from alluvial washing with the batea, the only production in the
These companies have their properties a mile or two south of the town of
all of them contain some gold. A few have rich ore shoots and are mined
and held as reserved. Aside from quartz and gold, the only other miner-
als present are calcite, ankerite, tourmaline, pyrite, and rare grains of
chalcopyrite.
One mill handles the ore from all the New Goldfields mines. It has a
heads. About 8000 oz. gold are recovered from 17,000 to 18,000 tons of
ore per month. The Mocupia Mining Company is working the Colombia
of its neighbor and is cut by a norite dike. The mill makes about 70 per
cent recovery.
Chile21
Gold has been mined in this country without interruption since the days
of the conquest and even before that time by the natives, but only after
1932, following the crash in 1929, did gold mining really become profit-
able. Practically all the gold veins so far found are within the Coast
the whole length of the country. Production of gold which had remained
at around 32,000 oz. per year, mostly derived from copper ores and con-
centrates, has risen in 10 years to over 320,000 oz. per year. Though
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many thousands of gold mines have been discovered and worked in the
last 10 years, the number of those which have developed from small pros-
pects into really good-sized mines has been remarkably few. Among
these are the rich veins of the Altamira district near Taltal, the rich gold-
21 Article by Fernando Benitez, E. and M.J., Vol. 143, No. 8, August, 1942.
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
352 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
copper veins of La Isla at Inca de Oro, the remarkable Capote vein which
was worked by the Indians, the new mine at Tres Amantes, and the low-
are found containing gold in the form of ribbon or wire. (In this field
two flotation mills handling 450 tons per day have been built.) At Bella-
viste there is a deposit carrying gold copper and zinc, but the most im-
portant gold mine opened in Chile in recent years is the Punitaqui near
the town of Ovalle where the ore carries 0.25 oz. of gold, some copper,
in a mill which handles 400 tons per day. The mercury ore is treated in
one of the two sections of the mill (each of 200 tons capacity) quite apart
from the gold-copper ore, and a flotation concentrate made which runs 20
per cent mercury and 20 grams gold to the ton. This is distilled in the
usual cast-iron retorts, which are oil-fired. Production for the second
semester of 1941 amounted to 10,700 oz. gold, 278 tons copper, and 1280
flasks of mercury.
British Guiana
bucket dredge on the Upper Mahdia River and during the year ending
July 31, 1946, recovered 8,042 oz. gold from 1,172,880 cu. yd. of material
at a cost of 8.45d per cubic yard. Large gold-bearing areas are known
to exist in this country, but the recovery of the gold presents considerable
difficulties owing to the high clay content of the oxidized ore and "spotty"
SECTION 3. AFRICA
SOUTH AFRICA-WITWATERSRAND
constitutes 70 per cent of the whole. The pebbles are within a matrix of
and chloritoid. The matrix carries the gold, a little silver, and the min-
Some osmiridium is also present1 oz. in 3000 to 10,000 tons ore. Most
The average value of R . ore (47 plants) is 3.95 dwt. per ton. After
waste averaging 0.188 dwt. per ton has been sorted out, the ore treated is
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
TREATMENT OF GOLD ORES 353
about 4.25 dwt. per ton (the highest head value reported is 17.2 dwt. per
ton).
General Practice
Rand tonnage and 90 per cent of which are controlled by five principal
Crushing. Jaw crushers are almost exclusively used for primary crush-
Both high-speed gyratory and standard cone crushers are used for
ing in popularity.
used for the final reduction to J^ or % in., operating either in closed cir-
cuit or with crusher product joining screen undersize to mill bins. Closed-
Screening. For the coarser sizing in the primary crushing circuit fixed
grizzlies are extensively used but the tendency is toward heavy-duty vi-
brating screens for this duty, because of their greater efficiency, lower
head loss, and reduced labor requirement. Vibrating screens are almost
Washing. In most plants plus 1 to \Yi in. is washed, and washing all
ore plus x/i to % in. is becoming common practice, while in some plants the
of washing to all ore plus Yi m- can be made with little increase in capital
or operating cost.22 There are three interrelated factors which have led
the Rand.
1. Conditions of wet mining and long, steep ore passes make for de-
2. Fine crushing to a size most suitable for feed to pebble and ball
mills has introduced crushers which cannot deal with a feed carrying much
wet fines.
3. In turn, the use of fine crushers has called for the introduction of
vibrating screens to separate down to, say, }i~in. mesh, and with such
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washing is introduced.
Operating company
Blyvooruitzicht G. M.
Co., Ltd
Daggafontein Mines,
Ltd
Durban Roodepoort
M. Co., Ltd
East Daggafntein
Mines, Ltd
Ltd
Mines, Ltd
Geduld Proprietary
Mines, Ltd
Government G. M.
Grootvlei Proprietary
Mines, Ltd
Luipaards Vlei G. M.
Co., Ltd
Ltd
Modderfontein East,
Ltd
New Kleinfontein
New Modderfontein G.
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M. Co., Ltd
Randfontein Estates
G. M. Co
Rand Leases G. M.
Co., Ltd
Rietfontein Cons.
Mines, Ltd
Mines, Ltd
Exploration Co
Sub-Nigel G. M. Co.,
Ltd
Ltd
Fi-
nance
group
1946
1947
Dry tons
milled
Yield
per
ton,
dwt.
Fine
TREATMENT OP GOLD ORES
355
Operating company
tate, Ltd
Venterspost G. M. Co.
Ltd
Vlakfontein G. M. Co.
Ltd
Vogelstruisbult G. M,
Areas Co
M., Ltd
Witwatersrand G. M.
Co., Ltd
Witwatersrand Nigel,
Ltd
Miscellaneous
Fi-
nance
group
1946
Dry tons
milled
689,000
1,277,500
274,000
' 886,000
914,000
2,580,000
695,500
949,000
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106,300
4,000,000*
Yield
per
ton,
dwt.
2.304
4.160
4.914
4.796
3.625
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
4.048
2.703
5.767
Fine
ounces
produced
79,367
265,725
114,849
217,692
219,178
467,581
140,773
128,256
30,649
794,865
Working
cost
per ton
19s 8d
28 1
356 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
posite mills (using a mixture of ore pebbles and balls) and straight pebble
mills are used. For secondary grinding, composite and pebble mills are
used.
Most mills are of the low-discharge grate type, and pumps, rather than
scoop feeders, are used for returning the classifier sands to the mills. In
circuit. The average fineness of grind in all plants is 66.7 per cent minus
200 mesh; in all slime plants 73.2 per cent minus 200 mesh.
tables is practiced on the Rand. Corduroy tables are used in 75 per cent
of the plants, and over 30 per cent of the gold recovery on the Rand is
recovered on corduroy. While the gold is largely associated with the sul-
phides, flotation of the whole ore does not produce a discardable tailing.
Two plants which do sand leaching float the sand product before cyanide
are reground to 200 mesh and cyanided in the plant slime treatment.
Sand Leaching. While many of the older plants still practice sand
leaching, all plants constructed in the past 20 years are all-slime treatment.
Of those plants using the dual process about 26 per cent of the tonnage is
operation in Dorr thickeners, and it is doubtful if any new plant today would
method. Pachuca tanks are more generally used than any other type of
agitator, though a number of the newer plants use Dorr agitators. They
Filtering. While Butters filters are still used for nearly 25 per cent of
the total slimes filtered, any addition to filter capacity has been made with
barren solution is discarded per dry ton filtered. The average over-all
recovery on the Rand is 95.97 per cent of the gold in the ore treated.
4d (67 cents)* per ton treated, and the average power consumption 23.8
kw.-hr. per ton treated. The average nominal mill capacity is about 4000
tons per day, although one plant treats over 13,000 tons per day.
typical of the older practice in South Africa, the former being a straight-
forward cyanide plant, while the latter makes a pyrite concentrate that is
handled in a separate pyrite treatment plant and cyanides the rest of the
ore.
reduction plant of the Randfontein Estates Gold Mining Co. is the largest
mill on the Witwatersrand. The nominal capacity is 13,000 tons per day.
with a 3-in. round-hole opening on the top deck and 1%-in. square mesh
screen on the bottom deck. The undersize of these screens goes directly
The plus 3-in. oversize of the top deck, which ranges in size up to 14 in.,
waste and primary tube-mill pebbles are sorted. The oversize of the
lower deck passes to two similar belts from which waste and secondary
The washing is done by sprays on the lower end of the sorting belts,
using 525 gal. per min., and drainage from the belts or washing fines are
dewatered in two simplex Dorr classifiers with rake product going to the
mill bins and overflow 84 per cent minus 200 thickened in two intermit-
tent settling tanks, from which the thickened pulp is pumped to the sec-
The sorting belts run at 25 ft. per min., and on an average 40 native
boys pick about 60 tons per hr. of waste and tube-mill pebbles. In 1946
the waste amounted to 2.05 per cent of the crude ore and had an average
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value of 0.152 dwt. per ton. The cost was 13.06d (21.8 cents) per ton of
waste.
jaw breakers set at 2>4 in. and two >4-ft. Symons cone crushers. The
* S. A. Sterling = $4 basis.
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
Ore receiving bins
7-Tyrock screens
Return
water
jC:
2-Dorr classifiers
2-Intermittent
settling tanks
To secondary mill
classifiers
Spray water
^2-Washing and
sorting belts
'F
3_1
5-Washing and
sorting belts
Fine
pebbles
Waste
bin
Coarse
pebbles
7-Jaw crushers
2-Grizzlies
/"opening
\ Stompmill'bins
4-Symon cones
(2-Spares)
600 - Stamps
8-9'dia McLean
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classifiers
36-7'and 8'dia.
McLean classifiers
i18-Cones
18-5^x22
tube mills
Corduroy
tables
8-8'x/6'
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
tube mills
Corduroy table -*
Amalgam
clean-up room
Return
6-Dorr bowl
classifiers
water
22-Slime
collectors
Pulp
storage
14-Brown
agitators
Barren solution
Pulp
storage
TREATMENT OF GOLD ORES 359
crusher product, together with the primary screen undersize and the rake
83/2 m- at 95 drops per minute. Battery screens are J^ and % in. Stamp-
mill feed is 30.6 per cent plus 1 in. and 36.6 per cent minus 3^2 m- Dis-
charge is 61.4 per cent plus 48, 11.1 per cent plus 100, 7.2 per cent plus
The tube mills are grate-discharge type with a l^-in. round-hole open-
ing on the primary mills and a %-in. round hole on the secondaries. The
mills carry 12 tons of balls and 17 tons of pebbles, and secondary mills 6
tons of balls and 12 tons of pebbles. Pebble loads are maintained by the
addition of 60 tons primary and 22 tons secondary pebbles per mill per
day. Ball consumption is 0.82 lb. primary and 0.625 lb. secondary.
and 181 hp. secondary. Mill-discharge densities are 82.5 and 70.5 per
The primary mills are in closed circuit with eight 9-ft.-diameter McLean
The primary-mill discharge flows over thirty-two 4-ft. 4-in. by 6-ft. 3-in.
corduroy tables set at a slope of 18 per cent. The table tails are pumped
back to the primary classifiers with two 14-in. pumps driven by 360-hp.
motors.
The secondary mills are in closed circuit with thirty-six 7- and 8-ft.-
mill discharge and the cone spigot are treated on seventy-two 5- by 6-ft.
corduroy tables set at a slope of 15 per cent. Table tails join the primary-
classifier overflow and are pumped to the secondary classifier with four
The corduroy tables recover 47.7 per cent of the total gold. Corduroy
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The ground product (cone overflow) is pumped to six Dorr bowl classi-
Table 62.
While the above screen gradings calculate about 30 per cent sand, the
average of slime treated in 1946 was 79.74 per cent of total treated.
per cent solids in twenty-two 70- by 16-ft. side depth intermittent settling
to the agitators, during which cyanide is added and the pulp is diluted to
The slimes are batch agitated for 12 to 14 hr. in fourteen Pachuca tanks
45 ft. deep with 20 ft. deep cones, twelve of which are 22 it', in diameter
and two 33 ft. in diameter. The amount of air used per agitator is 400
cu. ft. per min. at 45- to 50-lb. pressure. Cyanide added during transfer
brings the initial strength up to 0.011 per cent KCN, and solution strength
Mesh
Stamp-mill discharge
Cone overflow
Bowl overflow
Bowl sands
+48
+100
+200
61.4
11.1
7.2
17.2
25.5
17.9
0.2
23.4
26.0
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15.0
23.8
3.7
20.1
51.8
39.7
-200
20.3
39.4
48.6
61.2
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
76.2
8.5
mechanical agitators with a 12-ft. cone bottom for storage ahead of the
filters.
Filtering is on Oliver and Butters filters with about 43 per cent of the
0.4 r.p.m. with one-third submergence. Duty is 1560 lb. solids per square
foot of filter area per 24 hr. Barren solution at 0.34 ton per dry ton
filtered is used for washing, and the cake is discharged at 20.6 per cent
moisture. All Oliver filtrate at 0.995 dwt. per ton goes to precipitation.
The Butters plant consists of 960 leaves 10 by 5 ft. The duty is 123 lb.
solids per square foot per 24 hr. with an operating cycle of 2 hr. 10 min.
(26 r cal ag, 60 min. washing, and 54 min. filling and discharging).
One .uii of barren wash is used per dry ton filtered, and cake is discharged
First filtrate from the Butters at 0.9b ~. dwt. per ton goes to precipita-
tion, and the weak effluent is returned for '.lution in the agitators.
TREATMENT OF GOLD ORES 361
The cake from both filters is diluted with barren solution and water to
Pregnant solution amounting to 1.24 tons per dry ton milled is precipi-
tion from the filters is clarified in sand clarifiers, while that from sand
Sand tails:
Washed 0.201
Unwashed 0.214
Agitator tails:
Washed 0.082
Unwashed 0.097
Filter residue:
Washed 0 081
Unwashed 0.096
Zinc 0.051
Borax 0.003
30 per cent of the precipitated solution, carrying 0.017 dwt. Au and 0.012
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pressure filters, calcined, and charged into No. 100 crucibles with a flux of
in the furnace 3 to 4 hr. and, when poured, yield buttons of aoout ,x' Sz.,
which are remelted and poured into 1000-oz. bars for shipment to the Rand
refinery. Slag is ground wet, run o\e. ;fnes to recover possible gold, and
Over-all extraction (sand and slime) is 95.4 per cent. Table 63 gives
lime, about 65 per cent of the total being added to the mill bins.
south plant is trucked to the north plant pyrite section. The average
pyrite content of the ore for 1947 was 2.75 per cent FeS2.
At the north plant, which treats about 60 per cent of the ore, primary
and tertiary screening is on Vibrex and Gyrex screens, with %- and %-in.
openings.
About 40 per cent of the tonnage treated goes to the tube-mill bins and
31 per cent to the stamp bins. The remaining 21 per cent is 76 per cent
pebbles, fed proportionately to the 18 tube mills, and 24 per cent washing
There are 100 stamps serving as tertiary crushers, reducing the minus
plant.
There are twelve 6}^- by 20-ft. tube mills in the tube-mill section, and
six following the stamps, five of which are 5 by 16 ft. and the other 6 by
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r.re 8 ft. wide, while those in the stamp-mill section are 43^ ft.
wide. Grading of classifier overflow is 48 mesh with 56.8 per cent minus
200.
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
TREATMENT OF GOLD ORES 363
The rougher jig concentrate, averaging about 15 dwt. gold and 13 per
There are four Dorr bowl classifiers, 16 ft. in diameter, with 6-ft.-wide
rakes, receiving the minus 48-mesh overflows from both the stamp-mill
100 mesh.
jigs before going to the sand-leaching plant. The sands are leached in
18 tanks, 6 of which are 42 in. in diameter by 8 ft. deep and 12 are 40 ft.
The minus 100-mesh slimes, which average about 1.24 dwt. gold, are
dewatered in eight 50- by 12-ft. plain slime collectors and six 50- by 12-ft.
agitator requires about 300 cu.ft. per min. of free air at 35-lb. pressure.
ter by 16 ft. long, six of which are Oliver and one Fraser and Chalmers.
Cake moisture averages 26 per cent, and with only a barren-solution wash
of 1.06 tons solution per dry ton of slime, the average dissolved loss is
In the south plant the Hadfield crushers are set at 8 in. and are followed
by two washing trommels with 4-in. openings. The plus 4 in. goes to
sorting belts, where about 6.6 per cent waste is discarded, and thence to
two 6-in. pebble-sorting trommels. The undersize, minus 4 in., from the
\Yi m- of which joins the undersize of the pebble trommels and goes to a
Gyrex screens with %-in. openings. The minus % in., which contains
all the washings, goes to 10-mesh dewatering screens and a Dorr classifier.
flow, amounting to about 150 dry tons per day, goes to the sane-slime
all Gyrex screens goes to two Symons 4-ft. short-head crushers set at J^
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
TREATMENT OP GOLD ORES
365
Value
dp Solutions
Solution
North plant
South plant
2.68
2.045
0.017
0.017
1.76
1.75
1.76
0.50
4400
2800
Chemical
South plant
0.266
2.480
0.053
In the combined plants 27.4 per cent of the tonnage milled is treated by
sand leaching and 71 per cent by slime agitation; 1.6 per cent is produced
Combined over-all extraction (sand, slime, pyrite) for both plants was
96.5 per cent on an average head value of 3.536 dwt. gold. The washed
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residues were
Slimes 0.075
Pyrite 0.794
Dissolved gold loss in sand residue was 0.015 dwt., in slime residue
0.013 dwt., and in pyrite residue 0.010 dwt. gold per ton.
Tailings dam solution amounted to 26,616 tons per month and assaying
0.016 dwt. was returned, which, when credited to the slime filters, reduced
gold slimes, after sulphuric acid treatment, are calcined and smelted with
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
centrate from both the north and the south plants is treated on three
367
Spray water
3*.
\Mineorebin\
Return
water
*L
2-ylaw crushers
3 std Symons
\4-Sorting belts\
t 7-JL
Coarse
pebbles
Waste
bins
r\Dorr classifiers | 1
[Cone]n
tx:
Settling
tank
9-6'/2'x20'
tube mills
, t_~
^-\9-Corduroy tables]
9-Dorr classifiers \
1 r<r-]9-Corduroy tables]
2-5'4 Symons
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short-head
Fine
pebbles
Amalgam
clean-up
5-6^ x20',5'4x22'
tube mills
\5-Corduroy tables I
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
1 5-Dorr classifiers p
9-76x15 'square
collector tanks
By-passed to
collector hosing
\l4-Brown tanks\
1 70''stock tank]
To grinding
circuit
-^Barren solution \
Butters filter
636-9'x4'/2 leaves
Slime dam\
3-/4'x/6'FaC
drum filters
5-40 Sond
c/orifiers
Merrill-Crowe
f~| precipitation
Gold
slimes
h
368 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
Ty-rock screen.
The sorted ore is crushed in two 30- by 18-in. Hadfield jaw crushers
and one 3-ft. Symons standard cone crusher. Crusher product and the
5-ft. double-deck Ty-rock screen fitted with 2-in. upper deck and %-in.
product goes to the mill bins, and overflow after thickening is pumped to
done in two 53^-ft. Symons short-head crushers, the product from which
joins the screen undersize and goes to the mill bins. From the top deck
of the tertiary screen the plus 2-in. oversize is diverted as required to the
used.
Crushing and sorting cost for 1947 was 0.65s (13 cents) per ton milled.
The crusher-plant product to mill bins averages 5.0 per cent plus 1 in.
each in closed circuit with a Dorr duplex classifier. Eight classifiers are
The primary-overflow sizing is 6.0 per cent plus 48 mesh, 38.0 per cent
plus 100 mesh, and 38.0 per cent minus 200 mesh. Tube-mill discharge
and then goes to intermediate classifiers, three of which are Dorr bowl
classifiers with 20-ft.-diameter bowls and three are J.C.L. spiral-pan clas-
2400 per day goes to five 6^- by 22-ft. secondary tube mills, each in closed
circuit with a 7-ft.-wide Dorr classifier, and one 5^- by 20-ft. open-cir-
cuit tube mill. Each closed-circuit tube-mill discharge flows over a cor-
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duroy table similar to those in the primary circuit. The overflow of the
ji a cr anidr^ circuit.
Brown tanks, where it is agitated for 18 hr. at 38.5 per cent solids. Dilu-
tion of thickened slime is with Butters filtrate used in hosing and discharg-
Filtration is done on 600 Butters leaves 9 by 4.5 ft. and two 16-ft.-
filtrate is used for hosing down slime collectors. The balance, together
with all rotary filter filtrate, goes to precipitation. About 1.2 tons bar-
ren wash is used per dry ton filtered. Dissolved loss in tailings is given
approximately 5000 tons per day, averaging 2.05 dwt. per ton, is precipi-
ton of ore.
Solution strength is 0.34 lb. NaCN and 0.30 lb. CaO per ton, and con-
sumption is 0.45 lb. NaCN and 2.5 lb. CaO per ton milled.
acid. The residue is water washed, filter pressed, and then calcined be-
fore smelting. Sand, borax, fluorspar, soda ash, and a small amount of
manganese dioxide are used for smelting flux. The buttons are remelted
into 1000-oz. bars. The amalgam is retorted and remelted with the but-
West Springs Mill (Type Ha). The West Springs mill in South
Africa receives about 4000 tons per day of which approximately 340 tons
is discarded by sorting.
Crushing is done by two Gates gyratory crushers and two 7-in. New-
house gyratory crushers. The crushed ore to the tube-mill bins averages
on \Yi and Yi in. The plus \y2 in. is used as secondary pebbles. The
minus \Yi in. plus Yi in. is crushed in three Hecla disk crushers and re-
turned to the mill bins, and the minus Yi in. returns to the primary clas-
sifiers.
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cent minus 200 mesh goes to two Dorr bowl classifiers 8 by 30 ft, with
secondary pebble mills. These classifiers rake about 2600 * tons sand
The secondary mills are loaded with a mixture of 2-in. cast-iron balls
and the plus 13^-in. pebbles rejected from the primary mills. Bowl over-
flow is 9.5 per cent plus 100 mesh and 65.8 per cent minus 200 mesh.
The pulp is thickened in seven 70- by 12-ft. plain collecting tanks and
45-ft. Pachuca agitators. Total period of agitation is 8>^ hr. From 850
to 900 cu. ft. per min. free air is supplied to the agitators at 35 lb. per sq.
in. pressure. Filtration is on 490 Butters leaves, and barren wash amounts
Tailings losses are given as 0.02 dwt. soluble and 0.17 dwt. undissolved
Zinc dust is used to precipitate 3800 tons of solution per day assaying
Solution strength in the cyanide plant is 0.018 per cent in both KCN
and CaO, and the consumption amounts to 0.28 lb. KCN and 1.75 lb.
Cyanide strength in the grinding circuit is 0.008 per cent. Five pounds
lead nitrate is added to each agitator, and 2 lb. per shift ahead of
precipitation.
Continuous Treatment
East Geduld Mines, Ltd. (Type Ha). This plant receives approxi-
mately 6400 tons of crude ore per day, of which 6^ per cent is rejected
as waste. After screening, the ore is crushed in two Hadfield jaw crushers
on 4, \y2 and %-in. grizzlies and screens, and sorting is done on three sizes
standard Symons and two 4-ft. short-head Symons cone crushers. The
crushed ore and sands of the washing fines classifier go to a 5000-ton tube
mill bin.
39 per cent plus % in. and assays 5.68 dwt. gold, 0.57 dwt. silver, and 3
circuit mills except for a portion of bowl classifier sand, by the return of
which about 22 per cent greater original feed tonnage can be handled.
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closed circuit with an 8-ft.-wide Dorr classifier and the tertiary in six
- by i -ft. tu>>e rail's in closed circuit with six 18-ft.-diameter bowl classi-
cs..
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
Generated on 2012-02-20 11:44 GMT / http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015004540335
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
372
Waste
bin
24x36 Jaw
crushers
mashing chutes
| Dorr classifier \
| Dorr thickener \
HI
To tube mill
classifiers
1%"grizzlies}
Pebbles
3/4lb.
Mine ore
JL
% grizzlies
%" screens
->\ 4 grizzlies
Pebbles
4"-14 lbs
Waste
bins
I Ik "grizzlies
Sorting belt
Pebbles
4"+/>/2'3/bs
Waste
bin
4%'std.
Symons
2-Sorting belts
J
Generated on 2012-02-20 11:44 GMT / http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015004540335
\ /'/4"grizz/ey \
\ % Tyrock screens \
4 short head
Symons
Tube mill
bins
5-8x16
tube mills
14-8'Dorr classifiers
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
14-6^x20'
tube mills
Return
water
6-/8 bowl'classifiers
Cyanide
h.
6-8-/6
Barren solution
ll-Dorr 2-Denver
14-14'ox 16'filters
12-Oliver 2-F3C
Barren solution^
Water
50' sands
clarifiers
TREATMENT OF GOLD ORES 373
weightometer, repulped with 0.4 ton of barren wastage and water, and
Precipitation of the gold and silver from 1.28 tons of solution per dry ton
treated is by Merrill-Crowe precipitation, using 0.064 lb. zinc per dry ton.
Over-all extraction is 96.5 per cent. Total treatment cost for 1946 was
Total power consumption was 26.4 kw.-hr. per ton milled, of which the
crushing plant took 2.6 kw.-hr., grinding 20.2 kw.-hr., and cyaniding 3.6
kw.-hr.
Sub-Nigel Gold Mining Co., Ltd. (Type Ha). This mine is the
southeastern area of the large tonnage operations of the East Rand. The
crushing and grinding take place 6 days per week, and cyaniding 7 days.
The ore averages 9 dwt. gold and 0.9 dwt. silver per ton and contains
about 2.7 per cent pyrite and 1.0 per cent pyrrhotite.
The ore from the mine bins is screened on a 3-in. grizzly with minus 3-in.
(1M- and %-in.) before washing. The plus 3 in. is washed on the lower
end of the sorting belt. The minus 3 in. plus \Y/i in. is washed on short,
inclined washing belts, and the minus 1^ in. plus %in. is washed on a
%-in. washing screen. The washing fines from belts and screens are de-
watered in two 6-ft. Dorr classifiers and one 50-ft.-diameter Dorr thick-
ener, with classifier rake product going to the mill bins and thickened
done on two sizes, plus 3 in. and minus 3 in. plus \x/i in. Primary pebbles
are taken from the coarse sorting belt, and secondary pebbles from the
The sorted ore and the oversize from the %-in. washing screen are
Grinding is done in two stages, using both ball mills and pebble mills
for primary grinding and pebble mills only for secondary grinding. The
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pebbles were tried but were found unsuitable because of the poor quality of
Mine ore
3 Grizzley
+ 3U
Double deck
screens Ify'&34'
+IV'
+3//
Washing screen
Fines
2-Washing belts
"Fines
2-Sorfing belts
Waste
bin
I own ^
Secondary
pebbles
-I't+V
-V
Primary
pebbles
Sorting belts
Waste
bin
Newhouse
crushers
Sands
Primary mills
Return
water
Classifier
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Thickener
Corduroy tables
Primary classifiers
Bowl classifiers
11-Dorr thickeners
Return
water
3-Brown tanks
Cyanide
Tubemills
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
Corduroy tables
Amalgam
room
Barren solution
9-Dorr agitators
Tjl
Barren solution
IO-Oliver filters
Sand clarifiers
solution
Repulpers
Merrill-Crowe
precipitation
~3L
Slimes
dam
Smelting
Barren
solution
TREATMENT OF GOLD ORES 375
minus 200, and secondary grinding to about 75 per cent minus 200.
Corduroy tables are used in both the primary and secondary grinding
-mill tonnage is made. From the tonnage box the pulp is pumped to three
Brown tanks for pre-aeration under close pH control. The period of pre-
After aeration the pulp is diluted with barren solution to about 40 per
cent solids, the cyanide is added, and the pulp is continuously agitated for
Cyanide and lime strengths at the beginning of agitation are 0.02 per
cent KCN and 0.002 per cent CaO. Lime is added to the last agitator to
a solution strength of 0.01 per cent CaO, and the pulp is then filtered and
washed on ten Oliver filters, five of which are 11 ft. 6 in. diameter by 14 ft.
slimes dam. Return water from the dam is pumped back to the mill
solution tanks.
and three of 30 ft. diameter with sand beds 18 to 24 in. deep. Sand used
1.7:1. Rich solution is about 2 dwt. per ton, and barren solution 0.02
dwt. Over-all recovery is 96.8 per cent. Lead nitrate is added prior to
filtration.
23 "The Treatment of Gold Ore Containing Pyrrhotit '" ,-t i< " Lt.\,;
Jour. CM. and M.S.S.A., Vol. 47, No. 8 *iS are fi ^ " r ^
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
376 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
and smelted. Gold buttons are remelted, and 900-oz. gold bricks poured,
Van Dyk Consolidated Mines Ltd., (Type Ila). This plant, with
a milling capacity of approximately 4000 tons per day, is one of the newer
The ore from the mine bins, with average maximum size of 7 in. and
in. Grizzly oversize is washed in chutes and passes onto the coarse sort-
The washed oversize from the Ty-rock screen goes to the intermediate
Aero-vibe screens, the top screens of which are 1-in. square mesh protec-
tive screens. The bottom decks are fitted with 3^-in. square mesh for the
first 2 ft. to remove water and fines of the washing operation. The re-
maining 6 ft. is %-m. square mesh screen. The oversize from both decks
The three sorting belts are 36 in. wide and run at a speed of 75 ft. per
min. Primary tube-mill pebbles as well as waste are picked from the
coarse sorting belt, while secondary pebbles are diverted from the dis-
The average amount of waste sorted from 1,341,000 tons of crude ore
in 1947 was 14 per cent, or approximately 600 tons per day of 16 hr.
The sorted ore from the coarse sorting belt is crushed in a 30- by 23-in.
Hadfield jaw crusher set at 4 in. and thence joins the sorted ore from both
the intermediate and the fine sorting belts going to the secondary crusher
bins.
The ore is then further reduced in two 43^-ft. (one spare) standard
Symons and two 4-ft. (one spare) short-head Symons cone crushers.
The short heads are in closed circuit with three 4- by 8-ft. Aero-vibe double-
deck screens with %-in. 1-in. square mesh protective top screens and
The minus %-in. screened product goes to the tube-mill bins together
with the undersize from the secondary Aero-vibe screens and the classi-
fier rake product of the washing fines. Overflow of the classifier is de-
In the grinding department there are four sections, each having one 8-
by 16-ft. primary mill in closed circuit with an 8-ft. Dorr classifier and two
of the sections the secondary classifiers are Dorr bowl classifiers with 16-ft.-
Both the primary and secondary mills are grate-discharge types driven
Composite loads of pebbles and balls are carried in the mills. In the
primary mills 4-in. cast-steel balls are used, and in the secondary mills
2-in. white-iron balls are used. The primary mills carry about 7 tons of
Ball consumption in the primaries is 0.597 lb. per ton milled and in the
tons primary and 112 tons secondary each day. The pebbles are drawn
from hoppers at the feed end of each mill and charged into the mills as
Power input to the primary mills operating at 23.9 r.p.m. is 350 hp.
and to the secondary mills operating at 19.6 r.p.m. 280 hp. In both the
pumps, one for each mill, are 4 in. driven by 20-hp. motors, and the second-
ary pumps, one for each four mills, are 6 in. driven by 60-hp. motors.
Milling is in an alkaline-water circuit, and 1.03 lb. of lime per ton milled
The product of milling, averaging 75 per cent minus 200 mesh, is pumped
specific gravity flows by gravity to ten 50- by 12-ft. Dorr agitators, where
cyanide, milk of lime, and pregnant solution are added to dilute to 1.44
specific gravity (48.5 per cent solids) for agitation. .Period of agitation is
27 hr. Average value of solids to the agitators is 3.93 dwt. per ton and
agitation is 0.028 per cent NaCN and 0.026 per cent CaO. At the end of
agitation NaCN is 0.021 per cent and CaO 0.021 per cent.
ters. Barren solution amounting to 0.94 ton per dry ton filtered is used
for washing.
Filter cake at 24.2 per cent moisture is repulped to about 53 per cent
tions.
tated is 1.4 tons per ton of ore treated. Gold slimes are acid-treated,
capacity of 2100 tons per day. The mine ore is coarse crushed, before
washing, in two 30- by 23-in. Hadfield jaw crushers. The crushed ore
4- by 12-ft. Symons. The top deck is fitted with \y- by 1%-in. screen, and
the lower deck with 1M2" by l^-in. screen. The oversize of the top
deck is sized on a 2%-in. grizzly for coarse and fine sorting on 30-in. sorting
The oversize of the bottom deck minus 1% in. plus l}i2 m- goes to Sy-
mons short-head crushers. The undersize from the first 6 ft. of the lower
deck is washing fines. These are dewatered in an 8-ft. Dorr classifier, the
AT THE
Cyanide as (NaCN)
0.394
1.896
0.032
Sulphuric acid
0.041
Hydrochloric acid
0.056
Zinc
0.073
Borax
0.004
rake product of which joins the balance of the minus 13^2"m- undersize
going to the mill bins. The overflow after dewatering in a 70-ft. Dorr
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The washing fines amount to about 470 tons per day, of which 25 to 30
The sorting belts carry about 70 tons per hr. from which waste is sorted
Ore from the fine sorting belt is split on a 1%-in. grizzly. The under-
size is used for pebbles in the secondary grinding mills, and the oversize
together with the ore from the coarse sorting belt goes to a 4>-ft. Symons
standard cone crusher and joins the product from the two 4-ft. Symons
slotted screen,
379
Coarse
ore bin
\2% grizzleyY
Sproy water
2-30x23 Jaw
crusher
2% grizzley
Tk
Waste bins?K-
\2 34'grizz/ey\
\pebblebin I
x<
4,/4"5ymons
std. crusher
2-4$ymons
short heads
v , , , ' ,_
8'Dorr
Classifier
Return water
70'Dorr
thickener
To tube mill
Classifiers
Mi/fore
Generated on 2012-02-20 11:44 GMT / http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015004540335
bin
2-8x8'
ball mill
Akips classifiers
KCN.CaOandPbN
Akins classifiers
3-50'sand
cfarifiers
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
5-70 Dorr
thickeners
4-8x16
tube mill
5~50'x20'Dorr
agitators
4-14x16 FSC
filters
Merrill-Crowe
M precipitation \]
9x8
Repulper
To
smelting
Barren
solution
Slimes
dam
378
tated is 1.4 tons per ton of ore treated. Gold slimes are acid-treated,
capacity of 2100 tons per day. The mine ore is coarse crushed, before
washing, in two 30- by 23-in. Hadfield jaw crushers. The crushed ore
4- by 12-ft. Symons. The top deck is fitted with 134- bY 1%-in. screen, and
the lower deck with i^2- by l^-in. screen. The oversize of the top
deck is sized on a 2%-in. grizzly for coarse and fine sorting on 30-in. sorting
The oversize of the bottom deck minus 1% in. plus 1}i2 in. goes to Sy-
mons short-head crushers. The undersize from the first 6 ft. of the lower
deck is washing fines. These are dewatered in an 8-ft. Dorr classifier, the
Table
Cyanide as (NaCN).
Lead nitrate
0.394
1.896
0.032
Sulphuric acid
Hydrochloric acid.
Zinc
Borax
0.041
0.056
0.073
0.004
rake product of which joins the balance of the minus 1^2-m- undersize
going to the mill bins. The overflow after dewatering in a 70-ft. Dorr
Generated on 2012-02-20 11:44 GMT / http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015004540335
The washing fines amount to about 470 tons per day, of which 25 to 30
The sorting belts carry about 70 tons per hr. from which waste is sorted
Ore from the fine sorting belt is split on a 1%-in. grizzly. The under-
size is used for pebbles in the secondary grinding mills, and the oversize
together with the ore from the coarse sorting belt goes to a 4^-ft. Symons
standard cone crusher and joins the product from the two 4-ft. Symons
nges
.rom
IV.
fco 2
ou
m.
TREATMENT OF GOLD ORES
379
Coarse
ore bin
\23/4 grizzleyY
Spray water
2-30x23 Jaw
crusher
2% grizz/ey
jtn
\2 34grizztey\
\Pebblebin I
5t
4'/4"5ymons
std. crusher
2-4$ymons
short heads 1
1 4'xlO'Syrnonsscreen"/^ ^
3E
8'Dorr
Classifier
Return water
70 Dorr
thickener
To tube mill
Classifiers
Generated on 2012-02-20 11:44 GMT / http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015004540335
Mill ore
bin
r-
j\
2-8x8'
ball mill
'
<ios do
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
ssifiers
KCN.CaOondPbN
M Akins classifiers H
3-50 sand
clarifiers
5-70'Dorr
thickeners
4-8x16
tube mill
5-50'x20'Dorr
agitators
4-l4'xl6'F3C
filters
Merrill-Crowe
I 1 precipitation \\
9'x8'
Repulper
To
380 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
Burned lime amounting to 0.8 lb. per ton milled is added at the primary
crushers.
The crushing plant operates 10 hr. per day 6 days per week.
Milling. There are two grinding sections, with primary ball mills
and secondary composite mills, each section handling about 970 tons per
day.
Each section has one 8- by 8-ft. primary ball mill in direct closed cir-
cuit with one 72-in. simplex Hi-weir Akins classifier and two 8- by 16-ft.
secondary mills in closed circuit with one 54-in. duplex submerged Akins
classifier.
at 20 r.p.m., and are driven by 350-hp. motors through gear reducers with
input is 281 hp. Ball charge is approximately 25 tons, using 54 per cent
4-in., 33 per cent 33^-in., and 13 per cent 3-in. balls for daily ball addi-
tions. Average mill density is 80 per cent solids, and ball consumption
is 1.9 lb. per ton milled. Primary classifiers operate at 5 r.p.m. and are
under the flights and have improved the life of wearing shoes. Primary
overflow at about 50 per cent solids is minus 14 mesh with 30 per cent
This is one of the few plants on the Rand where feed scoops are used on
mills to complete the closed circuit instead of pumping the mill discharge
to the classifiers.
through speed reducers. One mill of each section operates at 24.5 r.p.m.,
and the other at 19.5 r.p.m. The average power for the two mills is 296
hp., the faster mill pulling about 52 per cent of the total power.
of ore pebbles, drill-steel slugs, and 2-in. white-iron balls. Each mill uses
about 25 tons of pebbles and 600 lb. of slugs and balls per day.
Secondary mill discharge is held at 74 per cent solids, and slug and ball
minus 200 mesh and flows by gravity to five 70-ft.-diameter Dorr thick-
diaphragm pumps.
Grinding operation is 6 days per week and is in water of 0.008 per cent
NaOH alkalinity.
Cyaw'^ ": The thickener discharge is diluted to 1.2 to 1 (45.5 per cent
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
TREATMENT OF GOLD ORES 381
solids) with filter effluent and goes to continuous agitation in five 50-ft.-
of lime are added. The agitation period is 40 hr. Agitation air supplied
from the mine compressors is reduced to 20 lb. per sq. in. pressure, and
the amount used is approximately 1900 cu. ft. per min. of free air.
speed range from 2\i to 3J^ mm- per revolution. Washing is with pre-
cipitated solution assaying 0.01 dwt. gold, and the amount of wash used
Waste 0.25
Zinc 0.065
Borax 0.006
ton treated
used in repulping filter cake and amounts to 0.23 ton per dry ton of filter.
Total loss of value through this source is 0.0023 dwt. gold and 0.092 lb.
Tables 70 and 71 are average figures for 1947 during which 617,000 tons
were milled.
Crushing Plant. This plant operates 14 hr. per day, 6 lays per week.
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
382 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
The mine ore is conveyed on a 36-in. belt to one 6-in. grizzly, the oversize
from which is crushed in one of two 23- by 30-in. Hadfield jaw crushers.
The grizzly undersize (6 in.) flows by gravity to one yi-in. washing grid.
The washed oversize joins the crusher product and is conveyed on a 36-in.
belt to two 3-in. secondary grizzlies. The minus %-m. undersize from
washing grid is pumped by one of two 5-in. grit pumps to two 8-ft. Dorr F
classifiers. The oversize of the secondary grizzlies (minus 6 in. plus 3 in.)
is split to two 36-in. coarse-ore sorting belts running 60 ft. per min., while
10-ft. Ty-rock vibrating screens with a 23^-in. square mesh opening. The
oversize (minus 3 in. plus 234 m-) of these screens gravitates to two 42-
in. fine-ore sorting belts running 60 ft. per min., and the undersize (minus
234 in.) from the Ty-rock screens is conveyed on a 30-in. belt to four 4-
mesh opening.
Waste amounting to 3 per cent of crude ore and averaging 0.30 dwt. gold
per ton is picked from both coarse and fine sorting belts. The coarse
sorting belts carry about 75 tons per hr. each; the fine sorting belts about
Sorted ore passes to three (one spare) 4^-ft. Symons standard cone
The undersize from these screens passes directly to the mill bins, while the
which also receives the undersize of the Allis-Chalmers screens and the
eners.
tions, which receive about 4400 tons per day of new feed including pebbles,
the average screen analysis of which is 4 per cent plus % in., 28 per cent
plus Yi in., 33 per cent plus 34 m-; 4 per cent minus 200 (individual basis).
ball mill (grate discharge) driven by a 450-hp. motor. Mill speed 17.5
r.p.m.; grate opening is %-in. Liners are manganese steel of the wave
type; life is 160 days. The ball load is 32 tons, 4-in. semisteel cast. Mill
input power is 395 hp. The ball consumption amounts to 2.7 lb. per ton
milled. Mill discharge is 78 per cent solids. The ball mill is closed-
strokes per minute. The overflow carries 33 per cent solids analyzing
32.6 per cent minus 200 mesh. The sand tonnage raked amounts to
about 4000 tons. The mill discharge is pumped to the classifier by an 8-in.
bowl classifiers.
Each of the four secondary grinding sections which receives the classi-
fier sands includes two 8- by 16-ft. grate discharge pebble mills driven by
350-hp. motors. The mill speed is 20.5 r.p.m.; Input power 220 hp. The
grate opening is Yi in.; pebble size, minus 3 in. plus 2)4 in- The liners are
wave type and made of cast iron, with a life of 420 days. Pebble load 18.8
tons; consumption, 18 tons per mill per day. Mill discharge is 68 per cent
solids. The rake speed of the bowl classifiers is 13 strokes per minute;
bowl speed, 3 r.p.m.; overflow, 12^ per cent solids at 72 per cent minus
200 mesh. The sand tonnage raked is about 2000 tons for each classifier.
Each mill discharges over six corduroy tables. The table tails are
cent solids) by twelve 4-in. Triplex Dorrco pumps. Average value of the
solids in the discharge is 2.067 dwt. gold. The thickened slime is pumped
to the agitators by two (one spare) 7-in. pumps with 150-hp. motors after
diluting with filter effluent. Strong cyanide and milk of lime are added
to pump intake.
eter 19- by 29-ft. cone Pachuca tanks. Agitation time is 18 hr.; pulp
density, 1.404 specific gravity (45.7 per cent solids). The air used amounts
to approximately 250 cu. ft. per min. per agitator at 30 lb. pressure. The
speed is 1.41 min. per revolution; cake moisture, 25 per cent. Filter data
include the following: gold value of caking solution, 1.607 dwt.; of barren
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solution, 0.01 dwt.; of washed residue, 0.155. Dissolved loss is 0.014 dwt.
gold per dry ton. Barren wash is 0.71 ton per dry ton. The filter cake
is diluted with barren solution and fresh water to 1.2 to 1 and pumped to
the residue dam by one 8-in. pump against 75-ft. static head. The life
of the filter cloth is 90 days. Return solution from the dam at a value
Clarification. This step is carried out in four 55- by 8-ft. sand clarifier
tanks, using bowl classifier sand for sand beds. These beds are scraped
daily, and the scrapings pumped back to the bowl classifiers. The sand
Power
Labor
White
Native
10
31
10
21
14
20
17
11
12
10
Sulphuric acid
(H2S04) 0.082
Borax 0.002
Total crushing plant including waste disposal 2.2 Kw.-hr. per ton milled
Department
Crushing plant
Milling
Cyaniding
Total
Stores
56
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
55
62
57
Cyaniding 7 da^s
TREATMENT OF GOLD ORES 385
Merrill precipitation units, one 30-in. by 30-leaf gold slimes press, two 12-
Lead nitrate is added to the pregnant solution both before and after
clarification.
Fraser and Chalmers tables with table tails returned to grinding circuit.
6-in. amalgam barrels, and the amalgam treated on two underdriven bateas
and retorted. The batea tails are passed over corduory for recovery of
osmiridium.
SOUTHERN RHODESIA
This country has been a regular gold producer since the early days of
mining in South Africa. Although most of the deposits are small and
total of 3,360,000 tons of ore was milled in 1947 with the production of
522,735 oz. gold. The following are perhaps the best known of the operat-
ing mines:
about 12,700 tons per month. The plant has one ball mill and two tube
mills, and it is reported that 21 per cent of the values are recovered by
concentration.
Globe and Phoenix Gold Mining Co., Ltd. is a 40-stamp mill now
anide plant using corduroy tables, regrind and amalgamation of the corduroy
cyanide circuit.
Cam and Motor Gold Mining Co., Ltd. In 1945 this plant was
monthly capacity was 26,000 tons, and the yield during that year was
mill was revamped in 1936 to all-flotation. Since practically all the gold
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is associated with the pyrite, the flotation tailings are discarded. The
concentrate, averaging about 6 per cent of the tonnaged milled and assaying
1.5 oz. per ton of gold, is reground to 200 mesh and cyanided. In 1947
a total of 392,000 tons of ore, having an average value of 2.13 dwt. per
plant which contains 40 stamps and two tube mills. About 24 per cent
average of 9000 tons per month was milled with a yield of 1562 oz. gold.
The gold mines operating on the Gold Coast may be classed under two
main headings according to the type of ore treated: (1) quartz reefs carry-
ing small percentages of sulphides and graphite and (2) banket, or con-
glomerate, series. The main strike of the reef runs approximately 20 deg.
east of north and extends from a point close to the coast at Takoradi for
a distance of about 200 miles inland where it disappears under more recent
60 to 100 miles on either side of the main reef, while the banket series
the mills and types of flow sheet are shown in Table 76.
The treatment of Gold Coast ore has always been complicated by the
values, though a relatively high proportion of the total gold recovery can
of graphite have been encountered, roasting has been resorted to, but as
in other gold districts, the modern trend is toward the roasting of a flota-
Stage grinding in ball mills with corduroy strakes handling the mill dis-
charge in each stage and fine grinding of the concentrates is the trend of.
At Ariston gold mines, for instance, the original flow sheet included a
stamp battery and tube mills, followed by amalgamating pans and tables,
1940 by the substitution of ball mills for tube mills, corduroy tables, flota-
tion, and cyanidation, while today the stamps have been replaced by
cyanidation.
At Ashanti, the main treatment plant (1940) dried the coarsely ground
ore and followed this by dry grinding in Krupp mills, roasting, and cyanid-
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ing in leaching vats. The tailings, which still carried 2 to 2% dwt. gold,
mesh, the free gold removed on corduroy strakes, and the thickened pulp
387
gamating pans and barrels for handling the concentrate, notation, and
although the new plant uses the more up-to-date methods of treatment,
the old system did have the advantage that straking was avoided and theft
Table 76. Principal Operating Gold Mines: Gold Coast, West Coast
of Africa
Approx.
F*
head
value,
dwt.t
Ore
Company
tons per
day
Treatment
Quartz
200
11.0
reef
Reef
mation.
Quartz
700
9.5}
reef
Ltd.
Quartz
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1200
6.5
reef
Ltd.
cyanidation.
Quartz
Konongo Gold
400
9.0
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
reef
Mines, Ltd.
roasting, cyanidation.
Quartz
800
23.511
reef
Corp.
roasting, cyanidation.
Oxidized
2000
3.3
reef
Areas
idation, filtration.
Banket
Ashanti Adowsena
388 cyanidation and concentration of ores
Quartz Reefs
Bibiani Gold Mine (Type IVc). This mine is situated in the western
province of the Gold Coast Colony, 63 miles from the nearest railhead
of the milling operations at this property appearing in the paper " Treat-
492, I.M. and M. (London), November, 1947), from which the following
The modern plant is treating 1200 tons per day of 6.5-dwt. ore by a com-
tion concentrates.
The following abstracts on the occurrence of gold in the lode are taken
ore. The metal occurs (1) in minute fissures of quartz of the sheared
type, (2) as small particlessome coarse and some extremely fine (less
the boundaries of crystals and between pyrite and graphitic material, (5)
cases between pyrite and occasional grains of galena, and (7) as minute
Test work had made it quite clear that to liberate most of the mineral
for flotation it would be necessary to grind the ore to at least 80 per cent
4-ft. standard Symons, and tertiary crushing with a 4-ft. Symons fitted
with a fine bowl liner and a 4-ft. short-head Symons. Hummer and
Grinding. Three 1000-ton fine-ore bins supply the ore to three 8-ft.-
of three individual 16-in. conveyors, each with its own Merrick weightom-
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200 mesh at a daily rate of 1200 tons. Each mill is in closed circuit with
its own corduroy strake table and a 4- by 20-ft. Dorr multizone classifier.
tor which feeds two 12-ft. bowl classifiers, while the undersize or rake re-
389
Y'
(Overflow) (Sands)
*"
(Overflow) (Sands)
Head tank
2-Concentrating tables
(Cone.) (Toils)
"1
Surge agitator
~1 J F"
I^\
thickeners
i ~T7
To waste
Melting
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furnace
Pregnant solution
~7^
Underflow to waste
Fig. 88. Flow sheet of the Bibiani mill, Western Province, Gold Coast Colony.
Water wash
Barren solution
washes
390
head Wrightson mills in closed circuit, each with corduory strakes and its
own bowl classifier. The bowl overflow, averaging 70 to 74 per cent minus
200 mesh, is sent at approximately 25 per cent solids to the flotation section
for treatment.
The primary mills are loaded with 17 tons of 3-in. chrome-steel balls;
strake table divided into six runs, 24 in. wide by 19 ft. long. The pulp
then gravitates to another 6-in. Wilfley pump and is sent to the classifier
in circuit with that particular mill. Each mill has its own strakes operating
The corduroy cloths are washed every 2 hr. into a collecting tank. This
is washed out daily into two head tanks feeding two concentrating tables,
avoirdupois. The middlings from each concentrating table join and are
pumped back into the primary mill circuit for regrinding and restraking.
The concentrate from the two shaking tables is dried, roasted, and smelted.
All washing of cloths is done by Africans and is under the close supervision
runs when straking in open circuit on a less dense pulp showed no im-
parallel, via a simple pulp distributor which splits the pulp into four com-
machines treat 1200 tons of ore per 24 hr. Each machine has its own in-
dividual drive.
The first six cells of each bank yield a finished concentrate, while the
last four of each bank produce a middling which is pumped back to the
thickener, the thickened pulp being sent to the tailing pond. A clear-
to the mill steady-head tanks by two Mather and Piatt Plurovane pumps
391
Per cent
solids
Lb. per
ton
Item
Reagents
80
55
40
70
50
25
Sodium cyanide
0.34
0.50
Lime
Lead acetate
0.022
0.02
Zinc dust
0.25
0.05
0.05
Cresylic acid
Pine oil
Flotation concentrate,
per cent
Cyanide feed,
per cent
Tyler mesh
+ 100
+200
+325
-325
6.6
25.2
13.4
1.4
9.5
8.3
7.4
92.6
54.8
392 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
deep surge tank, where it has its first contact with cyanide. To ensure
good mixing the pulp is circulated by means of a 3-in. Wilfley pump, which
runs continuously.
From the surge tank the pulp (at about 35 per cent solids) is pumped to
Following a second filtration step with a water wash, the cake is repulped
waste.
wasted per day. About 700 tons of solution is clarified and precipitated in
Marlu Gold Mining Areas, Ltd. (Type Ha). This plant, with in-
stalled capacity for 2000 tons per day, is treating 1000 to 1200 tons per
day (1946)- of outcrop material assaying 2.5 to 3.0 dwt. gold per ton.
values are in the quartz, but some are in clayey associated decomposition
products of the original phyllite. The lateritic overburden may also carry
values which justify its inclusion in deliveries to the plant. The argil-
laceous components of the feed to the plant have poor settling and filtering
characteristics.
fed from twelve 250-ton storage bins through 12 washers similar to diamond
gravel washers, fitted with lifters and 1^- by K6~m- trommel screens on
the discharge ends. They revolve at 25 r.p.m., and solution sprays are
%-in. product that passes directly to four 6- by 10-ft. Head Wrightson ball
The classifiers, which also receive the washer trommel undersize, overflow
material. All washing and grinding are done in cyanide solution. The
393
Mill soluiion
storage
Pregnant
solution
To mill
solution
storage
Mine ore
~T~
, '. J
J ^-
J J
(Overflow) (Sands)
;*
Surge tank
Barren
solution
4 -26-Leaf clarifiers
I,..
Cake repu/ped
>To waste
Gold precipitate
Fig. 89. Flow sheet of the Marlu Gold Mining Areas mill, Gold Coast Colony.
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
394 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
Lime (3.5 lb. per ton) is used to increase the settling rate. The use of
starch flocculants, which were tried out, was discontinued owing to re-
flows pass to nine 30- by 20-ft. Dorr agitators, which operate at 40 per cent
enced, a Butters filter plant has been installed to supplement the fourteen
14- by 18-ft. Oliver filters. Pulp from the agitators is first filtered in the
Butters plant, the cake from which is repulped with barren solution to a
dilution of 1 to 1 prior to delivery to the Oliver plant for final filtration and
cipitation plant.
Banket Ores
Taquah and Abosso Mines, Ltd. (Type IIss). This plant is situated
at Abosso in the Gold Coast Colony, on the banket lode. The ore is a
are tougher than the South African. The gold is present in an extremely
The principal equipment units are indicated in the flow sheet (Fig. 90).
per month (1948), and extensions to increase capacity to 35,000 tons per
month are in hand. The average feed contains 5.0 dwt. per ton of gold, of
which 2.3 dwt. per ton, representing 46.0 per cent, is recovered by amalgam-
ation. Approximately 50 per cent of the total ore is cyanided as sand, assay-
ing 2.75 dwt. per ton, and 50 per cent as slime (92 per cent minus 200 mesh),
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assaying 2.65 dwt. per ton. The total residue produced averages 0.26
dwt. per ton for an over-all gold recovery of 94.8 per cent.
Reagent consumptions per tone ore are NaCN, 0.26 lb.; CaO, 2.5 lb.;
395
Amalgam to
retort, <*-
Crizzley (I1/?)
-*i f^ ;
en(% x%
J - j_- ^
Undersized^) Oversize
Sampling plant
"Head sample
x-^affiis
~i r~
Underflow Overflow
' f '
2-Amolgam plates
4-Amalgam plates
Overflow Underflow
\,.
~r r
Sand Slime
I,,
2-Thickeners 150x10}
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ir
Overflow Underflow
,r f7T
*T,
-T
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
*r
Solution
Calcination
Smelt
Fig. 90. Flow sheet of the Taquah and Abosso mill, Gold Coast Colony.
396 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
BELGIAN CONGO
The gold and silver production of the Belgian Congo is partly derived
from alluvial and eluvial workings in the east and northeast areas of the
Congo are the Kilo Moto, the Miniere des Grand Lac, and Miniere de La
Tele, while the latter companies also have holdings in the Kivu district to
the south. The bullion is sent overseas for refining. Gold and black
each company, where the former is melted and the latter amalgamated.
The value of the gravels worked runs from an average of about 1 gram to
as little as 0.25 gram per metric ton, which is considered to be about the
lower economic limit. There are a few potential lode mining areas and
two developed mines in the Kivu area which are milling a small tonnage
of ore. Gold production fell during the war years from a peak of 561,030
oz. in 1941 to 381,206 oz. in 1945. Silver production reached its peak in
TANGANYIKA TERRITORY
cyanide plant in the Mwanza district. Plans are under way for increasing
the plant capacity to 1000 tons per day. For the year ending June 30,
1946, 77,672 long tons were treated, yielding 15,525 oz. gold at a cost of
the Lupa gold field and milled 77,232 tons during the year ending June 30,
1946, with the production of 15,679 oz. gold and 15,973 oz. silver, at a
KENYA
at Kitere in the Kavirondo district, yielding about 2000 oz. gold in 1945-
1946, and the 50-ton plant of the Rhamba Mines, Ltd., producing 3200
AUSTRALIA
This country is the fifth largest of the world's gold producers with a
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1946 output of 824,000 oz. Its silver production for the same year (9
million ounces) was, however, about one-half the United States production.
While the decline in gold output, which was in progress during the war,
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
TREATMENT OF GOLD ORES
397
Company
Boulder Perseverance
Kalgoorlie Enterprise
Where situated
Big Bell
Nullagine
Fimiston
Kalgoorlie
Norseman
Marble Bar
Westonia
Agnew
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Evanston
Kalgoorlie
Boulder
Fimiston
Mt. Magnet
Fimiston
Fimiston
Day Dawn
Fimiston
Ora Banda
Fimiston
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
Coolgardie
Gwalia
Fimiston
Reedy
Wiluna
Long
tons
treated,
(2240 lb.)
Gold
produced,!
fine oz.
357,623
4,029
137,456
44,307
107,750
2,768
17,498
26,720
11,585
158,337
398 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
have originated in Australia, which is noted for the skill of its metallurgists
Western Australia
the Commonwealth. The area in and around the famous Kalgoorlie field
has within a radius of 12 miles produced more than half of Western Aus-
tralia's output to date of 1,556 long tons of gold. Since its discovery in
1893, this field has yielded about 27 million ounces from the milling of
widely used in this district for the treatment of the refractory sulpho-
has helped to keep the district active. The 1946 production of around
600,000 oz. was about one-half the prewar figure, due to such handicaps as
ore, only careful sampling revealing the lode limits. The ore is fairly hard
and carries an average of 5 per cent pyrite and varying percentages of tellu-
rides.
Straight Cyanidation
Big Bell (Type Ha).24 This is the largest low-grade milling operation
is used. The present capacity is about 1200 short tons per day of ore
Coarse crushing is carried out in two 36- by 24-in. Ruwolt jaw crushers
rake sands is reground in secondary ball mills of the same size, and the
pulp classified in bowl classifiers to overflow at about 1.5 per cent plus 65
mesh (52.7 per cent minus 200 mesh). All ball mills revolve at 22 r.p.m.
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and carry a 6:1 circulating load. The ball charges are 17 tons of 4- and 2-
Cyanide solution is added at the primary mills, and lime at the secondary
24 Excerpts from article in C.E. and M. Rev., Mar. 10, 1941, pp. 166-170.
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
TREATMENT OF GOLD ORES 399
Merrill-Crowe plant.
28 lb. per sq. in. low-pressure air, supplemented by high-pressure air from
The consumption of water in the mill is 320,000 gal. per 24 hr. The
area of the agitators, tanks, and thickeners is 57,000 sq. ft., and the loss
of water at an average evaporation of 0.35 in. per day is 11,000 gal. per day.
The consumption of stores in pounds per ton of ore treated is 4-in. balls,
0.952; 2-in. balls, 2.179; cyanide, 1.010; lime, 4.224; zinc dust, 0.181; lead
The principal plants using straight flotation, calcining of the concentrates with
subsequent cyanidation are Lake View and Star and Croesus Pty. Treatment Co.,
Ltd. The latter plant is the newest and most up to date in this category and is the
The Kalgurli Ore Treatment Co., Ltd., is the best example of precyanidation,
activating the cyanide residue with copper sulphate and soda ash before flotation.
The Gold Mines of Kalgoorlie, Ltd., and Great Boulder Pty., Ltd., follow Lake
Shore practice, where the C3-anide residue is conditioned with SO2 gas from the roast-
ing furnaces.
plant some years ago, and the ore from this mine is now being treated at Croesus
Pty. Treatment Co., Ltd., together with a portion of North Kalgurli (1912), Ltd.
Lake View and Star, Ltd. (Type IVr).25 The present mill, known
and all-roasting process plant after the present company had successfully
operated a pilot section utilizing flotation for the first time in Kalgoorlie
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each new grinding unit taking the place of a dry-crushing mill until the
26 From Bui. A.I.M. and M.} May, 1948, compiled for the first ordinary meeting.
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
400 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
Its maximum capacity at the present time is 60,000 short tons per 28-
day period, but this figure has not been attained since the war.
The present throughput is 45,000 short tons per 28 days, labor shortage
discarded, is now under consideration and will be shortly given a test run
One station is situated at the Chaffers main shaft and is fed from the
The second station receives all ore received at the plant by surface trans-
port from the Ivanhoe, Lake View, and Associated shafts. This ore is
ten 4-ton trucks which dump into two 100-ton bins situated on either side
The primary crushers reduce the run of the mine ore to \%-m. size,
the minus %-m. ore from the feed to the two standard 4-ft. Symons cone
crushers. These perform the secondary crushing and use fine-setting bowl
liners.
The secondary crusher discharge joins the primary screen undersize and
wire-mesh screening.
These screens are situated over a 250-live-ton storage bin which receives
the oversize from the finishing screens. This oversize material is then fed
by two 36-in. ribbon feeders to the tertiary crushing units, which are 4-ft.
The discharge from the short heads joins the secondary-crusher discharge
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operation.
All ore on its way to the running bin is sampled automatically and passes
shiplap liners and fed with mixed 4- and 3-in.-diameter forged-steel balls.
The mills are open-circuited, and the discharge is passed over corduroy
cloths for the recovery of free gold. These cloths are changed every 12
hr. and washed, the product going to an amalgam barrel. The recovered
After passing over the primary strakes, the ball-mill product is classified
in 25- by 6-ft. Dorr duplex classifiers. The classifier sands are ground in
the secondary mills, the work being performed by three only 5-ft. 6-in.
by 11-ft. and two only 5-ft. 6-in. by 22-ft. tube mills. Tube-mill discharge
is returned in closed circuit to the primary strakes and then back to the
classifiers. The strake area is 11 tons per sq. ft. of circulating feed.
The 5-ft. 6-in.-diameter mills are of the grate-discharge type, using 2-in.
cast-iron balls and lined with modified El Oro liners. The ball load is
two 14-ft. bowl classifiers. The secondary strake area is 6.6 tons per sq. ft.
The sands from the 14-ft. bowl classifiers are ground in open circuit in a
5-ft. 6-in. by 11-ft. tertiary mill, the discharge of this mill joining the
Flotation. Five "rougher" machines handle the feed from the flotation
The product from the first cell is pumped directly to the concentrates
thickeners, the overflows from the remaining nine cells being cleaned in a
machine.
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All concentrates from the "cleaner" tails after thickening are returned to
being the finished tailing, and the sands are reground in a 5-ft. 6-in. by
11-ft. mill. The mill discharge is returned to the flotation surge tank.
Finished tailings are thickened, to 59 per cent solids and pumped to the
12^:1.
ometer into a 8-ton bin from which they are fed by a ribbon feeder on to
In the water-wash circuit the calcines are straked to recover the free gold
The strake cloths are treated similarly to those from the mill strakes but
on an Oliver filter are repulped with cyanide solution and pumped to the
series.
Agitation time given is 80 hr. in a 34 per cent solids pulp. The cyanide
strength is maintained at 0.08 per cent KCN, and the lime strength at
The pulp leaving the agitators is given two stages of decantation followed
cantation and final filtering stage are clarified in a converted Cassell filter
The clarified solution is then de-aerated, and the gold recovered in a 1400-
cording meter and returned to the cyanide section for further use.
Smelting of Gold Slime. The gold-zinc slimes are recovered from the
Merrill precipitator three times per 28-day period and after pressing dry
in a small Dehne press are roasted, mixed with the requisite fluxes, and
The fluxes used include pyrites from the flotation plant, and refining of
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matte. The bullion produced is remelted and sent to the Perth Royal
Mint.
The slag is amalgamated and cyanided on the mine, and the matte
the gold and silver values. This base bullion is then cupeled and dis-
that averaged 1 dwt. per ton. The plant capacity is 55,000 short tons
per 28 days.
to the agitators the equivalent of 100 tons per hr. of dry slime in a pulp of
5000 tons.
through the monitor until the desired gravity is reached and then passing
a portion to the agitator filling pump while the rest, with make-up solution,
The batch agitators follow the series ones and are used for calculating ton-
tions.
Four only 16- by 14-ft. Oliver vacuum filters handle the agitated slimes
in the filtering and washing section, the filter cake being repulped with
waste water from the Chaffers plant calcine wash section and sent to the
area is 2800 sq. ft.; the filtering rate, 1360 lb. per sq. ft. per day of dry slime.
Precipitation of the gold using zinc dust is done in two 1400-ton Merrill-
by two Kent integrating and recording meters and returned for use in the
The gold-zinc slimes are cleaned up fortnightly and after pressing are
taken to the Chaffers plant gold room for smelting. No preliminary roast
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
404 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
is given; and the slimes are mixed with an oxidizing flux and smelted in the
formed on Mar. 12, 1946, for the purpose of treating ores from South
tonnage basis. Until March, 1948, the capacity of the plant was ap-
proximately 7000 long tons per 28 days, but quite recently the addition
and during the period ended May 25, 1948, a total tonnage of 11,978
long tons was realized. In general the ores are quartz dolerite greenstone
a 30- by 18-in. Ruwolt jaw crusher and a 4-ft. standard Symons cone
a 5%- by 11-ft. Ruwolt unit. Classification is done with Dorr bowl and
available.
Sub-A type in parallel are roasted in two Edwards duplex 64-rabble roasters,
and the resulting calcines are cyanided in five sunken agitators, using the
batch system.
the roaster flue gases and a splendid sample mill which is a definite asset
when ores from two companies are accepted. Flotation samples are taken
and alarms on mill solutions and ore feeders have been installed throughout
the plant, and a general modern aspect is apparent, from crude ore to the
finished product.
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three contributing companies delivers its coarse ore into a corase ore bin,
opening and the oversize fed into a 3-ft. Traylor crusher also set at lj^-in.
27 Paper read at the May, 1948, meeting of the Australian I.M.M. in Western
Australia.
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
TREATMENT OF GOLD ORES
405
2-in Grizzly
:: *r
Weiqhtometer
Sample mill
Sample
to assay
office
Concentrate
amalgamated
(Rake)
(Overflow)
,,t
6x6'Denver conditioner
~1 f
(Toils) (Cone.)
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tf
Barren solution
storage
f
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
precipitation bullion
Fig. 91. Flow sheet of the Croesus Proprietary mill, Western Australia.
406 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
opening. From here the ore passes into individual crushed-ore bins, a
When convenient, ore is taken from the various bins, screened over four
tramp iron and into a 5-ft. 6-in. Symons short-head cone crusher set with
a minimum opening of % in. The crushed ore then passes over the same
gyrex screens as the fresh feed, the minus % in. going on to the weight-
ometer, while any oversize returns to the crusher for further reduction.
being taken for a parcel. The weighed ore is then sampled, 4 per cent
a No. 8 Krupp ball mill and reduced to a sample suitable for assay. After
being sampled, the ore passes on belt conveyors to the mill feed bins, no
further care being taken to keep the companies' ore separate as the tare
and grade are now known. It may be mentioned that, as usual, buyer,
seller, and umpire samples are kept, the latter being assayed only if agree-
ment is not reached between the buyer and seller. The reject from the
Krupp Ball Mills also passes into the mill circuit, being fed into the dis-
From the mill bins the crushed ore is fed continuously, at a rate depen-
dent on the mill circuit, into the three primary ball mills where it is ground
mill, a 6 by 5 Ruwolt mill, and an 8-ft. 6-in. by 6-in. Marcy grate discharge
mill using equal weights of 3- and 4-in. steel balls as grinding mediums.
After passing through the primary ball mills, the coarse slurry is pumped
then divided into a 16- by 2-ft. quadruplex classifier, and an 8-ft. by 23-ft.
4-in. multizone classifier, and a portion into the secondary circuit by way
The oversize from the classifiers is returned to the primary mills in the
case of the primary classifiers, and to the secondary mills in the case of the
Ruwolt secondary mill while the undersize overflows the bowl periphery
as the final ground product for thickening. The secondary grinding circuit
contains two 11-ft. by 5-ft. 6-in. Ruwolt mills, and these work in closed
circuit with twelve 7- by 3-ft. corduroy strake tables and a 16- by 20-ft.
tioned. The product from both primary and secondary strakes is washed
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
TREATMENT OF GOLD ORES
407
Vezin sampler
Rake
*1\
I To barrel
(Rake)
(Overflow)
Drum filters
Repulping agitotors
Conditioner
r~
=* j
(Cone)
(Tails)|
100'Traction thickener
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Toilings dam
~7>
Cold bullion
I ,
L-g5 x 8 thickener
J1
American filter
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
(ConeJ
(Tails)
Return to
primary
flot. cells
Tailings dam
precipitation units
Fig. 92. Flow sheet of the Kalgurli Ore Treatment Company mill in Western
Australia.
408 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
once per day into two 4- by 2-ft. amalgamating barrels and ground with
20 per cent solids, which have a grading of 75 per cent minus 200 mesh.
This pulp forms the feed to five 38- by 8-ft. Dorr thickeners, which thicken
the pulp to 52 per cent solids, while the clear overflow is returned to the
Dorrco pumps into agitator vats where it is agitated at 0.04 per cent NaCN
and is passed along by air lifts between each vat through a series of six
vats. From the last vat the pulp is pumped into a surge tank and dis-
tributed into three 12- by 8-ft. Oliver filters, one 12- by 8-ft. Paxman filter,
and one 16- by 14-in. Oliver filter, the cake being washed with water to
give a final soluble NaCN value in the cake of 0.002 to 0.003 per cent
NaCN.
The filtrate from the filters is pumped into a turbid solution tank and
from here is pumped into five 30- by 4-ft. sand clarifiers and one 40- by
4-ft. sand clarifier to give a clear solution before precipitation. From the
sand filters the clear solution gravitates to a pregnant solution tank and is
Zinc dust is then fed into the deoxygenated solution to precipitate the gold
and the whole pumped into two 52-in. Merrill presses. Here the gold slime
is filtered out, while the barren solution passes from the presses into a tail
solution tank from which it is pumped back to the mill-room head tank and
The gold slime is cleaned up three times per period and is treated in the
gold room.
Returning to the Oliver filter cake, after washing this is discharged into
vortex mixers for repulping with solution from the flotation circuit. The
mixers discharge into an agitator where the pulp is activated with 0.5 lb.
of copper sulphate and 0.75 lb. of soda ash per ton of ore. From this
agitator the pulp is pumped into a conditioning tank before flotation where
0.2 lb. per ton of sodium secondary butyl xanthate is added and the pulp
As a frother, equal quantities of pine oil and cresylic acid are used. The
solids and pumped to a tailings dam. The overflow from the thickener is
pumped through circulating pipes in the roasters for heating the solution
and is used for repulping the cake from the Oliver filters.
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
TREATMENT OF GOLD ORES 409
pyrite and tellurides which are extremely difficult to thicken, and this
three sets of 10 leaves. The moisture content of the filtered cake is from
8 to 10 per cent moisture, and in this state it is discharged onto three belts
The concentrate is dried by the outgoing gases and catches alight at the
the center of the roasters, sets of five 1-in. water pipes run transversely
in the roaster gas both to cool the roast at that point and to heat up the
flotation pulp. The roaster gases are cleaned in a Buell cyclone dust collec-
tor, the dust being returned in a screw conveyor to the roasters while the
The hot calcine from the roasters discharges, into a push-conveyor set
across the discharge of the three roasters and is taken by another push-con-
the elevator is discharged into the first of a series of six 20- by 8-ft. agitator
vats. The calcine is pulped with barren solution and agitated for 70 hr.
The pulp is filtered three times through a 12- by 8-ft. Oliver filter, the cake
being repulped and agitated between each filtration. Finally the cake
The filtrate from each filtering is pumped to the turbid tank mentioned
In the gold room the gold slime from the Merrill presses is roasted,
smelted, and cast into bars of bullion for banking. The amalgam from the
corduroy strakes is retorted and the resultant gold cast into bars, also for
banking.
Recovery by precyanidation 42
Treatment costs for 1947: 14s4d per long ton, or 12s9d per short ton. These costs
situated on the eastern edge of the "Golden Mile," originally had a capac-
ity of 9000 tons all-sulphide ore per month, but it was extended in October,
1939, to treat 13,000 to 14,000 tons per month of mixed sulphide and oxi-
dized ore.
tion concentrate is roasted and then cyanided. The gold is recovered from
Per Cent
with a fair proportion of clay and old stope filling, the latter being roasted
and unroasted tailing. The open-cut sulphide ore is chiefly quartz dolerite.
The Iron Duke ore is all sulphide and is of two types: calc schist and
imately 6 per cent in the Iron Duke ore and 2 to 3 per cent elsewhere.
An analysis of a 6 months' bulk mill feed sample gave the following re-
sults :
Ltd.
problems are
1. The problem common to all Golden Mile ores, the lockup of a portion
of the gold in an extremely fine state, in some of the pyrite, even after
2. The wide variations that occur in the mixture of ores and stope rilling
Seventy-five per cent of the gold is recovered from the crude ore in a
grains of ferric oxide. Being porous, the greater portion of the encased
operation in the grinding section. At times, when the feed changes from
stable froth is maintained and to avoid oxidized slime, floating with the
concentrate.
The "graphitic" material from the Iron Duke mine, which is treated
from time to time, does not seriously affect recovery provided only a reason-
ably small amount is present in the ore. To this end, care is taken in ore
tion middlings, is pumped by the gas tower feed pump to wooden towers
30 ft. high and 4 ft. 6 in. square. Only one tower is used at a time, the
towers being changed once a week for routine cleaning. Pulp density is
Some of the SO2 exit gas from the Edwards roasters is blown in at the
bottom of the tower and meets the stream of pulp, cascading down, over
baffles, inside the tower. Sulphur dioxide gas is absorbed by the pulp
Carbonate in the pulp is dissolved by the acid, causing the pH to rise slowly,
and as the S02 content of the pulp diminishes to nil, the pH reaches 6.8
to 7.2. However, the pH is low sufficiently long for the acid to accomplish
the cleaning of the mineral surfaces and change the mineral from a slimed
ment, the concentrate is slimy and low grade and recovery of pyrite and
gold is poor.
gold in the pulp, 0.2 dwt. per ton, is precipitated and subsequently re-
Sample
Precyanide residues
Flotation feed
Concentrates
Middlings
ton)
per
Gold, dwt.
Dissolved
per ton
gold, dwt.
1.4
0.20
1.8
24.8
4.0
0.39
0.01
0.30
0.01
Sulphide
sulphur,
per cent
1.92
2.48
43.0
0.17
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solids, the pulp is floated in two 12-cell Denver flotation machines using
and dust collected by the multicyclones is fed back to the roasters by screw
conveyors. Gas for the S02 process is taken off at the main offtake by
fuel is required, and once the charge has been ignited, using oil burners for
rate is maintained.
In the first it is pre-aerated in a lime solution (0.01 per cent CaO), and in
the second it is cyanided for 48 hr. at 45 per cent solids using 0.06 per cent
cyanide (KCN) and 0.01 per cent lime (CaO) solution strength with the
further grinding, straking, and cyanide treatment, and then an acid treat-
perience of the operators that when this is done the calcine residue is sub-
1.10 lb. NaCN per ton of ore milled; the total lime consumption 5 lb. per
ton.
The S02 Process. Tests have shown that from 20 to 30 lb. sulphuric acid
per ton of ore is required to condition the plant pulp satisfactorily so that
cheap source of this acid and makes the treatment of these oxidized ores
economical.
tion, the whole of the gold is precipitated in a reasonable time and can be
filtered or floated off with the mineral, leaving a barren solution. In the
process described, after gassing with S02, the mineral in the pulp is cleaned
by the acid in the Devereux agitators and is thus enabled to pick up for
subsequent flotation the dissolved gold which has escaped in the pre-
a butterfly damper in the gas flue. The density of the pulp delivered to
the gas tower is kept fairly close to the set figure, and a pyrometer, located
in the gas flue, indicates by changes of temperature when gas changes, out-
side the control of the flotation operator, are taking place. Samples of
gas tower discharge; the Devereux agitator discharges and the flotation
feed pulp are titrated with 0.10JV iodine solution and provide a very good
means of control.
The main object is to use as much S02 gas as possible provided the sub-
ore.
from two stages of washing thickening to one and thus use the surplus
of washing thickening.
The thicker pulp obtained increased filter efficiency, so that both thicken-
ing and filter sections were capable of handling greater tonnages from the
grinding section.
Victoria
state for many years. The Lodden River operation of the Victoria Gold
Dredging Co. has handled a total of 18 million cubic yards of gravel since
1938 with an average yield of 2.97 grams per cu. yd., or a total of 111,779
oz. gold. Recent figures for the two important producers of this area are
plants in operation in the state, the largest of which is the Rutherglen Gold
Dumps. The outstanding gold mines of the state are the Al Consolidated
Morning Star mines. The gold yield for Victoria in 1946 was about
87,000 oz.
The state's largest gold mine and one of the leading mines in the Common-
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wealth is the New Occidental Gold Mines N.L. at Cobar. The ore in the
New Occidental itself is a clean gold ore, but the company has been working-
two adjoining mines, the New Cobar and the Chesney, producing copper-
gold ore.
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
TREATMENT OF GOLD ORES
415
The plant includes a cyanide section with a regeneration system for re-
moving copper (see Chap. XIV), while a special flotation section is pro-
gold ore, milled 67,260 tons in a recent month. The annual production
in 1946 was 2795 tons copper and 59,050 oz. gold from ore averaging 4.23
Ore production
Recovery
Value, dwt.
per ton
Cu,
per cent
Au,
per cent
Tons milled
Cu, tons
Au, oz.
72,662
25,528
8.85
28,517
6,691
5,733
88.5
81.7
82.0
6.43f
405
98.4
98.9
38,888
3.59J
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881
Queensland
cyaniding a quartz ore carrying fine gold. For the year ending June 30,
1946, a total of 82,728 tons was milled with a yield of nearly 50,000 oz.
strakes.
NEW ZEALAND
gold and silver. The greater part of this was derived from dredging opera-
tions of which the Consolidated Gold, the Chitha River Gold Dredging,
and the Kanieri Gold Dredging Companies are the better known of the
various companies working the river and placer deposits of this country.
FIJI ISLANDS
rocks extends from the Philippines through Borneo and Celebes to New
416
Guinea and thence to the Solomons, New Caledonia, New Zealand, and
Fiji. The andesites and dacites of these islands are associated with char-
The Mount Kasi lodes on Vanua Levu are associated with shear zones in
a silicified andesite breccia. On the Tavua field the gold deposits occur on
and near shears through basalt but are genetically related to younger
andesites which exist in the center of a basin but are eroded from its rim,
exposing the fractured and mineralized basalt. The gold occurs partly
as the native metal and partly as the tellurides sylvanite and hessite. In
the Dolphin East lode some of the gold has been proved to be submicro-
quartz, and some ore consists of propylitized and fractured basalt with
Although there had been intermittent prospecting for gold in Fiji for
more than 60 years and at various times small showings of gold had been
discovered in river flats and rock outcrops, nothing of importance was found
until the Mount Kasi ore body was located in the Yanawai district of
Vanua Levu in the late 1920's. In 1931 a 10-head battery and pilot plant
was erected, and on July 8, 1932, the first shipment of 58 oz. of bullion
was exported by S.S. Niagara. Later the plant was enlarged, and the
Tavua field in 1935-1936, only five were active at the end of 1937.
to June, 1946, has amounted to more than 1,500,000 tons of ore treated for
1944, ore mined by these three companies has been treated in one central
plant at Vatukoula29 (see Fig. 93), a town of some 3500 population. The
ores from the three mines are not blended for treatment but are treated
separately.
Central Mill at Vatukoula (Type Mr). The grinding section has two
7- and 6-ft. grate-discharge primary mills, one Marcy and one Ruwolt, in
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closed circuit with Dorr F 8-ft. by 26-ft. 8-in. classifiers and one 7- and 6-ft.
Dorr F bowl classifier. These grind the ore to 72 per cent through 200
mesh.
The Ruwolt mills have been speeded to 24 r.p.m., and recently another
similar secondary mill and classifier have been added to increase grinding
417
<
Lime
? ^
(Overflow) (Sands)
120 thickener
NaCN
>1
Merrill -
Crowe
precipitatn
Wash
!V
r J Copper Sulphate
(Cone.) (Tails)
>* To waste
Gold to
refinery
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2-130'-9"longxII'-6"Edwards roasters
izSurgeagitators ]ryanide fo 2 n,
series and the Moore filters. Repulped filter cake is split so that part
circulates through gas tower, agitator, and circulating pump, finally over-
stream in the first of a series of four Wallace agitators which are used for
The gassing section is in duplicate, one unit being used at a time. Gas
towers are 10 ft. inside diameter by 42 ft. high, of wooden construction with
13^-in. tongue and groove lining, and having a 6- by 6-in. pulp inlet, 6- by
12-in. pulp discharge, and 4- by 3-ft. gas inlet. The reinforced concrete
agitators are 11 by 10 ft. inside diameter by 4 ft. 6 in. deep, with steel
Denver agitators are 15 ft. 6 in. by 15 ft. 11 in. with 3-ft. 8-in. four-bladed
It has been found that best flotation results are given by controlling the
quantity of pulp exposed to roaster gas so that the mixed gassed and un-
gassed pulp in the first Wallace agitator contains 0.048 per cent sulphur
aeration for 5 hr. and is then pumped to a surge tank from which it gravi-
tates to the flotation conditioners. At this stage the pulp contains 0.003
Copper sulphate, at the rate of 0.4 lb. per ton, is fed to the pulp in the
first Wallace agitator. Butyl xanthate used totals 0.2 lb. per ton, of which
half is added with pulp feed to the flotation surge tank and the remainder
machines. For frothing, a mixture of equal parts cresylic acid and pine
oil is used, a total of 0.07 lb. per ton being added, part to flotation condi-
Only two rougher flotation machines are used, the third being held as
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taken from the first four Denver cells of each machine, while concentrate
floating from the remaining four Denver cells and three Fagergren cells
tank. Denver and Fagergren flotation cells have steel tanks, and wear
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
TREATMENT OF GOLD ORES 419
has been fairly rapid owing to the acidity of the pulp. About once in
3 months the spare flotation machine is used, while the other machines are
overhauled in turn.
With correct gassing the telluride and auriferous pyrite float rapidly.
normally being obtained on flotation feed pulp having pH of 6.0 gives best
results. The amount of sulphur dioxide required for correct gassing varies
with the different ores; laboratory tests show that Emperor and Loloma
ores usually require about 25 lb. S02 per ton while Dolphin ore requires
50 lb. S02 per ton of ore. Half-hourly determinations by the Fijian opera-
tors show the sulphur dioxide content of pulp in the first Wallace agitator
and at the feed point of the flotation machines, also the pH of flotation
gold. Repulped Moore filter cake normally contains some 0.4 dwt. dis-
solved gold per ton of solids, while flotation residue averages 0.03 dwt.
passes to a 15- by 8-ft. surge tank and 8- by 10-ft. Oliver filter. Thickener
overflow and Oliver filtrate are used at the Moore filter for washing. The
filter cake passes to the rotary driers, which are 17 ft. 6 in. long by 4 ft.
1J/2 in. diameter inside brickwork and revolve at 3}i r.p.m. with a slope
of % in. per ft. These were originally in the Loloma mill, but the central
chrome-steel combustion cylinders have been removed, and new feed and
storage bin 19 ft. 6 in. high by 14 ft. diameter whence it is fed to the Edwards
roasters. These are both duplex 60-rabble furnaces 130 ft. 9 in. long by
14 ft. 6 in. outside and 11 ft. 6 in. inside width. Rabbles 10 to 20 are
ft. Roaster fans are Richardson superlimit load fans, with a capacity o
15,000 cu. ft. per min. at 120C. and 6 in. standard water gauge. Fan
speed is 960 r.p.m. Cyclone and multiclone dust collectors are installed
on flues. The stack is 6 ft. 6 in. diameter by 203 ft. high. A 12-in.-diameter
a Wallace agitator and a 5- by 4-ft. ball mill in open circuit. This mill is
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cent minus 200 mesh. Mill discharge is cyanided for 3 days in three 11-ft.
and underflow rejoins the main pulp stream at the 120-ft. thickener.
During the year ending June 5, 1946, 170,481 tons was treated in the com-
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
420
bined mill for a yield of 86,292 oz. fine gold. The over-all milling cost was
18s 8.4d per ton or 1 16s lid per ounce of gold. Details are given in
Table 88.
Cassel cyanide is normally added at two points in the mill circuit, viz.,
tained at a minimum of 0.03 per cent sodium cyanide, the pregnant solution
over a period averaging 0.04 per cent NaCN. Barren and mill solutions
sections of the mill, the free cyanide content falling to 0.020 per cent
Table
Item
Over-all extraction
Cyanide consumption:
Lime consumption:
Emperor
Loloma
8.06
1.45
89.5
110
30.3
1.65
92.4
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240
0.85
2.27
0.81
1.54
0.77
1.78
14.2
15.3
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13.4
15.0
Dolphin
31.7
2.95
91.4
320
10.5
2.73
1.20
2.49
23.6
25.4
Roaster discharge contains 0.25 per cent sulphide sulphur and 2 per cent sulphate
sulphur.
the primary ball-mill feed and to the calcine repulper. A fairly uniform
supply of lime is fed to the primary ball mills to maintain alkalinity of the
overflow solution from the 120-ft. thickener at 0.04 per cent CaO. Alkalin-
TREATMENT OF GOLD ORES 421
calcine cyanidation section to rejoin the main plant flow averages 0.04
PHILIPPINE ISLANDS
This is one of the most important gold-mining areas of the world. Its
were making earrings and other ornaments of gold long before the Spanish
Modern gold mining was initiated only 30 years ago. American pros-
pectors first met with conspicuous success in the Benguet region, and
Province, (2) Camarines Norte, (3) Suraigao, and (4) Masbate. The
first two are located in the island of Luzon, the distinction between them
being made because ore from the lodes of the Mountain Province (and
while that from Carmarines Norte and Suragao is highly refractory, con-
of 1,130,000 oz. gold, were partially or totally destroyed during the war,
Table 89 shows the 1940 figures for the principal producers, with notes
as to present status. The first mill to start up after the war was the Atok
Big Wedge. Its 400-ton mill was put into operation in March, 1947, and
Balatoc, and Cal Horr mines, the plants of which were destroyed during
the war. The total reserves of the first two properties are estimated at
4,000,000 tons with a gross value of over $31,200,000. The mill is rated
at 1200 tons per day, later to be expanded to 4000 tons per day.
The Suragao Mother Lode has started milling a small tonnage, some
of which averages 0.88 oz. gold, and the Suragao Consolidated is milling
around 5000 tons per month of a low-grade ore from its open pit. Half
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to Boericke for much of the information regarding the present status of mining in the
Philippines.
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
422
the recovered values were shipped to the United States as table and flota-
tion concentrates, the rest being recovered as bullion that is sold locally.
containing good gold values, was building a 500-ton flotation plant scheduled
of Philippine (
Av.
value,!
oz. per
IxOld Producers*
District
Company
1940 tons
milled
ton
Luzon
Benguet Consolidated
467,130
0.40
Balatoc
738,716
0.38
Itogan
327,062
0.23
Cyanide, destro}^ed.
75,642
0.40
operating.
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Baguio Gold
142,545
0.22
Cyanide, destroyed.
Demonstration
44,360
0.16
Cyanide, destroyed.
Antamoc Goldfields
193,966
0.19
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Cyanide, destroyed.
Lepantof
Suyoc
79,152
0.36
Cyanide, destroyed.
Antipolo
5,736
0.27
Cyanide.
United Paracale
126,321
0.37
Flotation, destroj^ed.
Paracale Gumas
71,922
0.38
Destroyed.
San Mauricio
182,716
TREATMENT OF GOLD ORES 423
The total gold production of the Philippines for 1947 was about 100,000
oz., and for 1948 incomplete reports give a figure of 200,000 oz., which
is less than one-fifth the prewar production and is indicative of the extent
mill, the first to be rehabilitated since the war, is known to be one of the
The ore carries calcite and quartz with some pyrites, sphalerite, and
chalcopyrite. The free gold occurs in a very finely divided state. The
mill has a capacity of 450 tons per day, and the feed averages 0.50 oz.
The ore is crushed in two stages to x/ in. and is then passed to a two-
ball mills closed-circuited with 16-ft. by 18-ft. 4-in. Dorr classifiers in the
primary stage and Traylor ball mills closed-circuited with Dorr bowl classi-
fiers in the secondary stage. Air lifts are used to elevate the pulp from
The pulp ground to 50 to 55 per cent minus 200 mesh and overflowing
the bowls at 18 per cent solids, is split between two parallel circuits which
ing in two sets of four 18- by 18-ft. Dorr agitators. Then stage washing
(rather than C.C.D.) is done in each circuit is a series of three 34-ft. 6-in.
by 11-ft. 6-in. Dorr thickeners, adding mill solution to the second thickener
plant operated in two parallel units. The filtrates all pass to the mill
solution system, and the cake is given three barren washes followed by
Clarification is carried out in two 15-leaf tanks, and the solution pre-
The tailings average 0.022 oz. gold per ton, which is equivalent to a
ASIA
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1946 credits Russia with a figure of 6 million ounces.32 This figure agrees
425
in the magazine section of the Herald Tribune for July 11, 1948. Petrov
believes that the Siberian gold fields on the Kolyma River yield not less
than three-quarters of the total Russian output. The gold mined in this
Rich mines such as the Ridder and Sokolni were also worked at one time
in the Altai Mountain district, and gold and platinum are known to have
probable that both of these areas are being exploited today, since the
present economy.
Hp.-hr. per
ton milled
Per cent
distribution
Operation
Crushing
1.719
12.09
59.42
15.45
8.449
2.197
0.654
0.796
0.282
0.117
0.006
Cyaniding
Filtering
4.60
Precipitation
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5.60
Lighting
1.98
Water supply
0.82
0.04
Miscellaneous
Total
14.220
100.00
Kolar gold fields in the state of Mysore. Here the gold occurs in quartz
reefs and is free milling. The treatment scheme is all-sliming and in-
34, I.M. and M., Part 2, 1924, or in Proc. Empire M. and M. Congr. (Lon-
amalgamation in the stamp- and tube-mill circuits, air lifts, and sand
The Kolar group of mines is a remarkable one for depth attained (be-
tween 7000 and 9000 ft.), ore persistence, ore reserves, ore production
1947. The ore of the four mines comes from the Champion lode or its
426 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
branches and is free milling. The quartz is hard and abrasive, and free
gold is often seen. The average gold content in 1947 was 6.82 dwt.
Galena, pyrrhotite, pyrite, and mispickel are accessory minerals but rarely
crushing stations and passed over grizzlies set at 1}4 in.; the coarse material
passes to picking belts or tables for removal of waste rock and tube-mill
pebbles and is then fed to jaw or gyratory crushers set at 1% in. Both
The waste rock picked out amounts to about 10 per cent, some of which
minus }/% in. Blanket tables and machines are used to catch gold and
sulphides after both stamps and tube mills; Nundydroog relies on post-
The combined pulp from the stamps and tube mills is pumped to a
distributor. From this, the pulp flows to primary and secondary classifying
cones; the underflows are fed to the tube mills, while the overflow from
the secondary cones is delivered to the slime collectors. All ore is ground
tanks, pumping the thickened pulp into either mechanical or Brown agi-
tators for contact with cyanide and thence into a stock ore surge tank.
During 1947, 508,217 tons of ore was treated in the four plants: Mysore,
dwt. per ton, and the residue 3.26 grains, equivalent to an extraction of
98.01 per cent. The cost was 100.5d or $1.66, per ton. The consumption
Burma.33 Reports from the Bawdwin mine in Burma, which was the
ties, recruiting a labor force, and rehabilitating mine and surface plant.
in 1940 totaling nearly 600,000 oz., but as a result of the war and the
Japan and Korea (Chosen).33 Before the World War both of these
countries were large producers of gold and silver. In 1940 the output of
each totaled about 900,000 oz. gold with 10 million ounces silver (Japan)
The industry was largely crippled, however, by the effects of the war,
available.
New Guinea. The Bololo Gold Dredging Co.34 had a fleet of eight
yards per month working on its leases along the Bololo River. All opera-
tions ceased, however, early in 1942, and much equipment was subse-
quently destroyed as a result of the war. The dredges are now being
up production. Between the years 1932, when this area was opened up,
and 1942, 119 million cubic yards were handled with the production of
The previous chapters have been devoted to the treatment of gold and silver
ores in which the recovery of silver, because of the relatively small amount
mining areas where the recovery of the high silver values is or has been the
and also reviews briefly some of the older practices in important silver-mining
The greater part of the world1 s production of silver is derived from the
refining of the base metals, particularly lead ores, and complex ores of lead,
copper, antimony, and zinc. Most of these ores are concentrated by flotation
There are silver ores, however, where the base-metal content is too low to
justify the above conventional form of treatment, and cyanidation offers the
Table 91 gives some of the more important cyanidation and flotation data
NATIVE SILVER
and R. H. Hutchinson and published in 2lst Ann. Rept., Ont. Dept. Mines,
It is of interest, however, to note that between the years 1904 and 1919
1000 oz. silver per ton and 122,130 tons of concentrate averaging 664 oz.
silver per ton, which, together with bullion shipments, represented a total
The ores of the Cobalt area were remarkable for their high content
of silver and for the complex assemblage of minerals found in the veins
form. It was found in masses ranging from large slabs to the finest, filmy
leaf. Other minerals included cobalt and nickel in the form of arsenides,
428
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TREATMENT OF SILVER ORES 429
A variety of methods were used for treating high-grade ore and con-
SILVER SULPHIDES
Shafter, Tex. (Presidio). Between 1883 and 1942 when it was closed
down, the Presidio mine of The American Metal Company, Shafter, Tex.,
20 oz. silver per ton. An 85 per cent recovery was made in the 400-ton
The ore was oxidized and siliceous, the principal constituent of the gangue
being quartz with some calcite. The silver minerals contained in the
The lead minerals, all of which were argentiferous, were chiefly cerussite
and galena, with occasionally a little anglesite. The gold was free, but
The solutions were maintained at 2.8 to 3.2 lb. per ton NaCN, and the
reagent consumption was 6 lb. lime, 2.5 lb. NaCN, and 0.25 lb. zinc dust
per ton of ore. Table concentrates averaged about 426 oz. silver per
ton and carried 52.5 per cent lead. The zinc precipitate analyzed 20,000
oz. silver and 5.60 oz. gold per ton and carried 1.02 per cent zinc and 24.1
Flotation has been given thorough trials but has not succeeded in
For several years past the tonnage and grade of ore has been dropping and
now stands at about 100,000 tons per month, assaying 300 grams silver
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430
87.1% Ag
75.3% Ag
Bromyrite AgBr
All dissolved in
tractions.
very slowly)
87% in 72 hr.
97 to 100%
Stephanite AgsSbS^
8.5% Ag
Polybasite AggSbSe
75.6% Ag
so readily.
solution.
solution.
improved by roast.
Ag in manganese minerals
exception.)
25% standard.
ficulty. H
Ag leached by H2O2
in acidic solution or
reduction roasting.
Abstracted from: "Oxygen as an Aid in the Dissolution of Silver by Cyanide," R.l. 3064, U.S.B. of M.
Where argentite was intimately mixed with pyrite, sphalerite, and gangue, roasting for 1 hr. up to 460C
was necessary for a + 75 per cent extraction. Time is the important factor for argentite when pure. If tem-
In the case of polybasite, silver may be partially replaced by copper and antimony partially replaced
by arsenic.
|| Not all samples of tetrahedrite areas refractory as the one tested. Some yield up to 83 per cent extraction.
1. Fine grinding.
2. High alkalinity.
431
Ratio of
concentration
Best
recovery
Flotation characteristics
Normal flotation. Lime has little effect. Recovery lowered by iron oxides.
107.4:1
98.5
25.5:1
98.8
12.4:1
94.5
J Lime deleterious. Both recovery and grade lowered by slimes, but starch
cannot be used.
68.7:1
97.0
Lime deleterious. Talcose slimes lowered grade only, but starch can be used
to correct this.
87.5:1
94.4
Lime has little effect. Talcose slimes lowered grade only, but starch can be
67.5:1
98.7
Lime has little effect. Talcose slimes lowered grade only, but starch can be
243.0:1
99.1
t Pyrargyrite is very sensitive to changes in flotation conditions. Sodium sulphide was definitely harmful
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in all cases.
The pure minerals were mixed with sea sand and floated with and without the further addition of talcose
and iron oxide slimes. Following dry crushing, the mixture was ground in a pebble mill to minus 65 mesh.
Each sample was then floated in a Denver Sub-A laboratory cell for 10 min. at 22 per cent solids. The re-
Aerofloat 15 0.1-0.2
The feed in the case of the synthetic mixtures averaged 15 to 70 oz. per ton. And where natural ores
were tested, slimes were also found to have a noticeable influence on results.
In a general way the results obtained with natural ores tended to confirm those obtained with the syn-
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thetic mixtures.
432
and 3 grams gold per ton. The higher ratio gold than previously is due
to the discovery some 5 years ago of a new vein carrying about 10 grams
Some details of 1948 operations of the Loreto follow (see Fig. 95):
one gyratory and two cone crushers, between which are grizzlies and vibrat-
ing screens.
Traylor ball mills are used in closed circuit with 6- by 22-ft. Dorr classifiers,
which are the only type operated in Pachuca. Nearly 80 per cent of the
feed to these mills is coarser than 3 mesh and up to 1 in. The classifier
mills of the trunnion type and 5- by 10-ft. trunnion mills of local make are
Constituent
Per
cent
Constituent
Per
cent
Silica
71.6
Copper
0.05
Alumina
8.7
2.9
0.05
0.5
Manganese
1.6
Iron ....
Sulphur
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0.7
Lead
3.8
Zinc
1.9
tively. The classifier overflow contains 20 per cent solids; a sieve test
of the final product shows on 48 mesh 2.20 per cent; on 65, 7.90; on 100,
9.17; on 150, 13.13; on 200, 8.09; and through 200, 59.51 per cent.
Between 1934 and 1945 the ore became more difficult to settle and
largely overcome by removing about 1000 tons per day of plant solution
and replacing with fresh cyanide solution. The solution removed is plant
recover its cyanide, silver, and gold content and then discarded with the
tails.
in the Pachucas and at 18 lb. in the flat tanks. Agitation proceeds for
tion, and this is added to the agitators to bring the strength to 0.17
Filtration. Butters tanks, each with 187 leaves, 67 by 117 in., do the
filtering. Each tank averages 11 cycles of 128 min. each day, and each
cycle is divided into 26 min. for caking, 38 min. for barren wash, 15 min.
for water wash to mill, and 20 min. for water wash to regeneration, the
12 Sweetland presses, which can handle 2% tons per day per square foot
of surface. They are discharged twice and cleaned once each day, and
pumps force the solution through the presses. Zinc consumption is 170
grams per ton of ore. The dried precipitate assays 83 per cent silver and
0.46 per cent gold, also 0.25 per cent selenium and some other metals.
to 1050C, and slag is skimmed off. Air is then blown in, and the slag
is skimmed for 60 hr. Then the metal is tapped into a continuous anode-
The anodes are next parted in 200 Thum-type electrolytic cells, and the
resultant silver is 999 plus fine. The gold mud is reduced to anodes, which
of the silver and 90 per cent of the gold contained in the ore.
below.
In Tonopah there are five mills: the Belmont, Extension, MacNamara, Montana,
and West End, while at Millers, 12 miles north, are the Belmont and Tonopah mills,
ore being shipped to these at a cost of 70 cents per ton. In nearly every case gyratory
Vh
c-
c-
Q>
<>>
y>
&
to
Irj r^
<Q
cc or
cl o
>-
or o
8l
UJ o
CO
2^
^ > V > ^
C\j rr>
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Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
2
O
435
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Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
crushers are used for breaking ore as it comes from the mines, the procedure being
to crush first in a large crusher up to the No. iy2 type K Gates size and pass through
revolving trommels, the oversize being again reduced in No. 3 size gyratories, the
final product for the stamps being about \y in. Sorting is done at the Belmont and
MacNamara mills, at the former on a pan conveyor from which 15 per cent is rejected,
and at the latter on a 30-in. rubber belt from which 6 per cent is sorted out. From
the crushing department, the ore is taken to mill bins by 20-in. belt conveyors, or
Crushing is done in weak and warm (from 50 to 80F.) cyanide solutions, so the ore
is in contact with solution from the stamps to filtration. This is necessary as well
as the heating, which, although somewhat expensive, quickens the solution and ac-
celerates the dissolving action. Solutions are usually heated to about 95 and in
The practice of using hot solutions is briefly as follows: At the new Belmont mill
the temperature at the stamps is from 60 to 70F., and at the Pachuca agitators
exhaust steam from the mill air compressor is fed in, increasing it from 90 to 100.
In the M. and S. Press of Jan. 27, 1912, A. H. Jones, metallurgist at this plant, gave
some valuable data on this subject. On an ore carrying 0.05 oz. gold and 18.2 oz.
silver per ton, 60 hr. agitation with both 60 and 90 solutions, the tailing averaged
0.0175 and 3.45 and 0.0125 and 1.90 oz., respectively. Tests on 48 and 69 hr. at similar
temperatures gave as marked results. Besides the effect on extraction, the hot
solutions flowing through the mill kept the whole place at a good working tempera-
creased to 110 at the Hendryx agitators by live steam. It is found also that the
heat aids settling. There is a marked decrease in extraction without hot solutions.
Tonopah ores cany as much as 3 per cent pyrite, but concentration is not always
emplcyed, it being done only at the Belmont, Montana, Tonopah, and West End.
It would seem that, if the grade of the ore and percentage of mineral are not too
high, tables are not necessary, and this varies from time to time in the various
plants. At any rate, a very close saving is not attempted. The Extension Com-
pany dispensed with their Deister tables, selling them to the West End. The Bel-
mont, Montana, and Tonopah use Wilfley tables. Concentrate is collected, steam
dried in large traj-s, sacked, and shipped to smelters. Freight and treatment cost
All-sliming is the standard method, with the exception of the Tonopah mill at
Millers, where three products are made: concentrate, sand, and slime. At this
plant reduction is by stamps and Chilean and Huntington mills, while at Tonopah
the procedure is as follows: The pulp from the stamps is fed into Dorr duplex classi-
fiers making 12 strokes per minute, from which slime overflows and coarse mate-
rial is fed into tube mills by means of a special feeder. Discharge from these is
elevated to the Dorr classifiers, where a further classification takes place, followed by
Various types of thickeners or dewaterers are in use, the practice being to allow
the clear solution to overflow and decant off as much as possible for battery storage.
When it gets too high in gold content, it is decanted to the tank for precipitation. As
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at many other mining centers there is quite a difference of opinion regarding the ef-
ficiency of agitators, the Trent being used at the MacNamara, Montana, and West
End; the Hendiyx at the Montana; Pachuca tanks at the new Belmont mill; and
ordinary mechanical agitators and air lifts at the Belmont and Tonopah at Millers,
TREATMENT OF SILVER ORES 437
these being in series at the Belmont plant, Centrifugal pumps and air at about
20-lb. pressure are used for the Trent system, and better results are obtained if pulp
is drawn off near the top of a full vat and pumped through the arms as usual. Agita-
tion proceeds for upward of 48 hr. At the new Belmont mill, slime is first agitated
in six Pachuca tanks, and from these it is elevated to Dorr thickeners by an air lift,
prior to going to another set of six Pachucas, making a total of 48 hr. agitation, the
idea being to get rid of as much valuable solution as possible before sending slime to
the filter plant. Cyanide and lead acetate are added to the agitators, the former
being from 2 to 5 lb. solution, while regular addition of the acetate is found necessary
at all mills. Lime is usually slaked and added to the tube-mill feed. Consumption
Cyanide 2.5
Lime 3.5
Agitated slime is drawn off to stock tanks, which serve the purpose of storage
from agitators and excess from filter plants. The latter have little of special note
about them, being of the ordinary stationary leaf type which has been described
Zinc-dust precipitation is used at the new Belmont and Montana mills, and zinc
shavings at the Belmont, Extension, MacXamara, Tonopah, and West End. Methods
dried, mixed with 5 per cent borax, and smelted in double-compartment, oil-fired
Rockwell furnaces lined with carborundum, kaolin, and water glass. At the Ex-
which contain a No. 250 graphite crucible, while at the Tonopah mill the fine zinc-
shaving precipitate is incompletely dried, mixed with crude borax which swells up
through the mass, and then smelted in six coke-fired tilting furnaces. Crucibles
last from 90 to 130 hr. and are turned once. Tonopah bullion will average 950 fine
in silver and a trifle over 10 in gold and is sampled by being bored at opposite corners
of top and bottom bars. The bullion is shipped by freight like any other mer-
chandise.
The Montana Tonopah closed its 500-ton mill in 1923, and thereafter
The average gold extraction in this district was 94 per cent, and the
situated 6 miles from Kellogg, Coeur d'Alene district, Idaho. The mine
is the largest silver producer in the United States. In 1937 its output was
basis due to labor shortage, it produced 5,034,160 oz. silver, 1,249,555 lb.
copper, and 5,881,796 lb. lead. The 1200-ton mill employs the straight
flotation flow sheet shown in Fig. 96, the concentrate being shipped to
a lead smelter. In 1947 the ore averaged 44.5 oz. silver (associated with
galena and tetrahedrite, CoisSboS?), 0.55 per cent copper, and 2.61 per
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
438 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
cent lead. The recoveries were 98.53 per cent of the silver and 98.04 per
The flotation reagents used are 0.13 lb. per ton butyl xanthate and
0.75 lb. per ton frother. The frother is a mixture of 1 part Barrett No. 4
two mills in Honduras, the Rosario and Mochito mills, and the El Dorado
practice at these mills was supplied to the author through the courtesy
Rosario Mill (Type Ha). The mill treats 550 tons daily of an ore
carrying 13.25 oz. per ton silver, 0.071 oz. per ton gold, 0.5 per cent zinc,
product, 350 tons of which is crushed in twenty 1800-lb. stamps and 200
carried out in cyanide solution (3 lb. KCN per ton of solution). The
Dorr DSC classifiers, the overflow going to thickeners and the underflow
to two 5- by 9-ft. ball mills in closed circuit with two 6- by 18-ft. DSC
charge of 70 per cent 3-in. and 30 per cent 4-in. moly-chrome alloy balls is
used.
20-ft. DSF classifier which is close-circuited with two 5- by 9-ft. ball mills
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using a 2-in. ball charge. The final pulp runs 26 per cent plus 150 mesh.
The total steel consumption for crushing and grinding is 1.86 lb. per ton
of ore milled.
Four 35 by 10-ft. Dorr thickeners and one 35- by 15-ft. Dorr balanced-
439
Undersize
Jewell shaft
Apron feeder
30 conveyor belt
Undersize
~r
24 conveyor belt
24 conveyor belt
Y^
=p
Oversize
24 coneyor belt
71
2-bonks of 20 cells
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^lll 'J I I I I I I I I i i i in
To smelter
Fig. 96. Flow sheet of the Sunshine mill, Coeur d'Alene district, Idaho.
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
440 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
tanks and in three 35- by 10-ft. Dorr mechanical agitators. The air
pressure in the Pachucas is 35 lb. per sq. in., and about 95 cu. ft. per min.
of 4.6 lb. KCN per ton of solution, and lime is held at 0.8 lb. per ton of
solution. The cyanide consumption is 2.956 lb. KCN per ton of ore, and
the lime consumption is 15.21 lb. of crude lime of 8.15 lb. CaO per ton
of ore.
Filtration is done in three Merrill center washing slime presses with one
hundred 3-in. by 4-ft. b}^ 6-ft. frames, the plates covered with 8-oz. sail
canvas, which has a life of 1100 charges or 79 days. The press cycle con-
sists of charging with pulp for 10 min., a barren solution wash of 28 min.,
a water wash of 34 min. under 55-lb. pressure, and sluicing of the presses
for 20 min. with water at 75-lb. pressure on the nozzles. For the washes
at the presses 825 tons of barren solution and 1,025 tons of water are
used; 2,425 tons of water are used for sluicing the presses. The dissolved-
values loss in the tailings are 7 cents in silver and 3 cents in gold.
The precious metals are precipitated from the solution by means of zinc
duct of which 0.4735 lb. per ton of ore milled or 0.03929 lb. per fine oz. of
ton, and 2000 tons is precipitated per 24 hr. The effluent carries a trace
of the metals.
Thirty-five per cent of the silver and 71 per cent of the gold are dissolved
in the grinding circuit, 55 per cent of the silver and 24 per cent of the gold
during agitation and 0.8 per cent of the silver and 0.7 per cent of the gold
in the filters.
lb. KCN from the barren solution. This enabled the carrying of a high
filter presses, and a low mechanical loss in the tailings from the filters.
near Lake Yojoa, treats 100 tons per day of a high-grade silver ore carrying
about 39 oz. silver per ton. It has a relatively high manganese content
(4 per cent) mostly in the form of pyrolustite. The silver occurs with
The ore is delivered from the mine to the mill, a distance of about a
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Allis-Chalmers ball mill in closed circuit with a Denver mineral jig and
a 4-ft. by 18-ft. 4-in. Dorr DSFH classifier, and the overflow carries about
10 per cent plus 150 mesh in the pulp. The pulp from the secondary
441
going to eight Massco Fahrenwald flotation cells, five of which are used as
roughers, two as cleaners, and one as recleaner. Pine oil, Aerofloat 31,
reagents 404 and 301 are used. The pH is maintained at about 7.6.
per cent solids, the underflow being elevated by Oliver slurry pumps to
two Denver disk filters, 6-ft. diameter and five leaves each.
The cake from the filters, which carries about 20 per cent moisture, is
then aerated in an 8-ft. Denver agitator, where the lime emulsion is added.
agitated 63 hr. in six 12- by 36-ft. Pachuca tanks, the cyanide being
maintained at about 6 lb. KCN per ton of solution and the lime at 0.8 lb.
The pulp from the Pachucas then flows to four 38- by 10-ft. counter-
current washing thickeners. Two 8- by 10-ft. Oliver filters are now being
Reagent consumption
Reagent
Cyanide (KCN)...
Zinc dust
Flotation reagents
Lime (CaO)
Operation
Jigs
Flotation
Cyanidation
Total
Gold
Silver
10
41
35.75
41.2
40.75
Generated on 2012-02-20 11:44 GMT / http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015004540335
86.75
86.95
Lead
3.5
32.0
35.5
installed for nitration of the pulp from washer 4 in order to lower the
The precious metals are precipitated from 400 tons of solution daily
Dorado Mill (Type Ila). This mill, located at San Isidro, El Salvador,
treats 100 tons per day of an oxidized ore carrying 1.61 oz. per ton silver
The ore is very hard, and about 3.25 lb. of balls is consumed per ton in
grinding. Due also to the large quantity of wet clay present, it is necessary
24-in. picking belt where waste is hand-picked and the ore delivered to
442 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
plus the dewatered drag sands are delivered to the fine ore bin at the
veyor.
grinding is carried out in a 4- by 10-ft. ball mill charged with 1.5-in. balls
and in closed circuit with a 6-ft. by 21-ft. 4-in. model F Dorr classifier,
the overflow being all minus 150-mesh product and flowing directly to the
three 21-ft. 6-in. by 16-ft. mechanical Wemco agitators with an air pressure
of about 12 lb. on the air lift. These are in series and flow into four 38-ft.
Owing to the colloidal slimes present in the ore, it has been found neces-
sary to add to the washing solution 0.015 lb. caustic starch and a lime
emulsion before washing the ore in order to get flocculation of the slimes.
MANGANESE-SILVER ORES
can be so treated.
silicate is a vein material, and the vein quartz replaces the calcite. The
pheric agencies. For the foregoing reason manganiferous ore from near
the surface may be refractory but from depth may be amenable to treat-
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
TREATMENT OF SILVER ORES 443
of oxidation.
Mn ratio persists in all sieve sizes from plus 20 to minus 200 mesh.
cent Mn02 gave 50 per cent extraction of the silver, but ore with 25 per
cent Mn02 gave only 25 per cent extraction. The Caron process, on the
other hand, extracted 92 per cent of the gold and 90 per cent of the silver.
per cent Mn02 and 12 to 20 oz. Ag. The Clevenger kiln (IT. S. Patent
1,379,083, May 24, 1921) was fired with producer gas with the following
analysis: CO, 15 per cent; CH4, 5.5 per cent; H2, 4.6 per cent; C02, 6 per
process are
2. Producer gas of 150 B.t.u. or higher, made from any fuel, may be used.
anide solution.
its extraction is not increased by reduction. Gold in other ores follows the silver
and is more or less refractory and is benefited as much as silver b}^ reduction.
9. Silver extraction of 60 per cent from raw ore may be increased to from 88 to
96 per cent.
12. A daily economic minimum-treatment plant for these ores is 200 tons, and
the cost could approach $1 per ton, the equivalent of dead roasting and treating a
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low-sulphur ore.
Feb. 19, 1927. The ore, mainly quartz, carried 18 per cent manganese
dioxide, 30 oz. silver, and 8 dwt. gold. After being crushed to 1 in., it was
heated 4 hr. in a rotary kiln. It remained \y2 hr. in the reducing section
of the kiln in producer gas at 600C. The Mn02 was reduced to 2 per
cent. The ore was then ground and cyanided, yielding 87 per cent of the
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
44i CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
silver and 97 per cent of the gold, as compared with 25 per cent by raw
treatment. Chemical consumption was 2.2 lb. cyanide, 5.5 lb. lime, and
silver ores is given in Bui 223, U.S.B. ofM., 1925, by Clevenger and Caron.
Briefly, the method consists of (1) grinding of ore in water, (2) subjecting the pulp
to the action of sulphur dioxide gas to dissolve the manganese minerals, (3) precipi-
tating the dissolved manganese with a lime emulsion, (4) aerating the pulp, and fin-
ally (5) cyaniding in the usual manner. The ideas involved in the method are (a)
that part of the silver is in too close association with the manganese minerals which
inhibit the action of cyanide solution on this silver; (b) that, when these minerals are
dissolved by S02, the associated silver is liberated and thereby becomes accessible
to the solvent action of the cyanide solution. Moreover, if the dissolved manganese
is then precipitated by lime emulsion and oxidized to the manganic state by aera-
The content of silver in the ore and the gain in extraction by sulphur dioxide
treatment, plus the cost of the process, are the criteria by which the applicability of
the predominant silver mineral. It is associated with pyrite and manganese minerals.
In practice, the ore is ground in a weak, ''spent" solution of 0.008 per cent KCN
so that 30 or 35 per cent passes through a 200-mesh sieve and 1 per cent is coarser
than 10 mesh. The pulp then flows to a 4-in. Wilfle.y centrifugal pump, which de-
livers the pulp to the top of the first and second of the sulphur dioxide treatment
towers, which are sealed, airtight chambers, three in number. These towers are of
wood, 3 by 3 ft. in cross section and 17 ft. high, with wooden baffles lined with white-
iron plates. The purpose of the baffle plates is to disperse the pulp as it falls through
the tower, so that it may come into intimate contact with the ascending current of
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SO-2 gas. The flow of the pulp and SO2 gas is countercurrent, the pulp is constantly
enriched in acidity and the gas mixture progressively depleted of SO2 from unit to
unit. The final result is that the gas exhausting to the atmosphere contains slightly
more than 1 per cent SO2 indicating a total absorption of 85 per cent of the available
SO2. The gas used in this process and in the cyanide-regeneration plant at Fresnillo
is produced l>3r roasting the pyrite from flotation in seven-hearth Herreshoff furnaces.
From the S02 absorption towers the pulp passes through five conditioner tanks
arranged in series. An emulsion of lime is added to the fourth tank for the purpose
ferrous hydrates. The low-pressure air in this and the fifth tank assists in oxidizing
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
TREATMENT OF SILVER ORES 445
the manganous and ferrous compounds to manganic and ferric compounds. After
passing through the last conditioner tank the pulp is returned to the mill for regrind-
ing in a 6- by 14-ft. Traylor ball mill in closed circuit with a Dorr bowl duplex classi-
fier. The overflow of this classifier, which averages 60 per cent minus 200-mesh
material, joins the feed of the plant treating the regular silver ore.
The gain in extraction accomplished by the sulphur dioxide treatment varies con-
siderabty with different ores, but it appears to be in direct proportion to the amount
of manganese dissolved by the gas, approximately 7 grams silver for every 0.1 per cent
per ton, represented a substantial economic advantage when silver was quoted at
The laboratory pilot test, carried out daily in conjunction with the plant treat-
ment, often showed as much as 35 grams additional recovery of silver. Mixing of the
SO-2-treated slimes with the general mill slimes made it difficult to check the actual
An interesting point is noted in connection with tests for the oxygen content of
solution in the pulp leaving the final treatment tank of this unit. This solution is
entirely devoid of free oxygen; moreover, it required several hours of vigorous agita-
tion with air to satisfy the oxygen-consuming requirement and to render it susceptible
to the absorption of free oxygen. In view of this, it is quite possible that a separate
cyanide circuit for these treated slimes would be a distinct advantage, especially if it
were so designed that several hours of agitation and aeration could be given prior to
type or ore, daily tonnage, accessibility of the mine, and the simplicity or
may cost $700 to $1000 per ton ore treated per day; all-slime cyanide
plants, $1200 to $2000 per ton; all-flotation plants, $1000 to $1200; cyanide-
upon the size of plant, for in general the unit costs tend to drop as the
figures are based on a 50 per cent rise over 1936 costs On the Rand the
prewar cost of a plant consisting of crushers, stamps, tube mills, and sepa
rate sand and slime treatment to handle 50,000 tons per month was around
400,000 ($1,900,000), whereas one with crushers, tube mills, and all-
exclusive of the cost of the stack and cyanide equipment but including the
building itself, ranged from $2500 to $3500 per ton per day of roaster
per ton of daily capacity, and it is estimated that the FluoSolids system
COST OF OPERATION
Only where a group of mines operates in a single district are costs com-
parable and then only with reservations. In general, cost systems are
are proper charges against ore dressing and treatment. These should
the surface, as well as the disposal of the residue, the recovery of bullion,
and returns from products sold and must include the cost for labor, power,
In 1936 when data were being compiled for "Cyanidation and Concen-
Generated on 2012-02-20 11:44 GMT / http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015004540335
446
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
COSTS AND POWER
447
cost of ore treatment owing to the fact that during a period of rising prices
and wages the mine managements do not consider current cost data typi-
cal of normal operation and are unwilling to release them for publica-
tion.
Canada and which tends to make cost-per-ton figures unreliable is the dis-
parity between the rated capacity of many of the mills and the actual
500r
400-
300-
200
v-
-..^
Est/
ite
dli
148 figures
mc
Ye-wor
figures
too
80
& 60
| 50
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% 40
30
20
Fig. 97. Plot showing relationship between the daily capacity of straight cya-
nide plants and the over-all cost per ton of ore treated. The figures are based
underground labor and partly to the fact that during the war period not
only was maintenance heavier than normal but opportunities for improve-
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
The operating costs for straight cyanide plants show a greater uniformity
flotation.
total milling cost per ton based on the 1939 figures for a number of typical
that enters into the decreasing cost per ton for the larger operations.
supplies, etc.
the Ontario Mining Association for 1945. This represents a 43.5 per cent
increase. From various other data which are available, however, it ap-
pears that milling and treatment costs (mining excluded) have probably
not risen on the average over about 30 per cent. The broken line in Fig.
It is probably safe to assume that the milling costs for straight cyanide
Kerr Addison, for instance, is milling 2800 tons per day for a total of
tons per day at a total cost of 77.29 cents per ton, of which 37.90 cents was
labor cost.
Cyanidation*
Miscellaneous!
Total
Distribution by
Per cent
labor, power,
and supplies
Per cent
15
40
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Labor
45
35
Power 1
20
10
Supplies |
35
100
100
f This includes such items as heating and lighting, sampling, assaying, experi-
mental work, repairs, and various indirect costs, depending upon the system of cost
such costs have been adopted that considerable divergence in over-all cost distribu-
tion is to be found.
DIRECT CYANIDATION
interest.
COSTS AND POWER
449
Per Cent of
Total Cost
Sorting 6.2
Filtering 7.5
Reagents 8.3
Pumping 5.5
Refining 2A
Heating 1.7
100.0
Ontario, Canada.
Operation
Crushing
Ball milling
Tube milling
Filtering
Thickening
Agitating
Refining
Generated on 2012-02-20 11:44 GMT / http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015004540335
Per
cent
of
total
9.8
19.4
18.5
8.8
5.7
3.7
2.5
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
3.5
2.2
Operation
Superintendence-
Repairs
Flotation
Tailings disposal
Reagents
Total
Per
cent
of
total
1.7
2.2
0.5
9.4
2.5
8.5
450
The roasting cost works out at approximately $1.22 per ton of concen-
1942 was 32 cents per ton milled or $1.25 per ton of ore roasted, while at
Lake Shore mines for the same year the cost was about 80 cents per ton
roasted.
at Beattie, 1948
Operation
Roasting
Cyanidation
Total
0.236
0.532
0.122
0.157
1.047
Per cent
distribution
22.5
50.8
11.7
15.0
100.0
Dollars
per ton
Per cent
distribution
Item
Labor
0.61
Generated on 2012-02-20 11:44 GMT / http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015004540335
0.23
0.19
0.19
50.0
Supplies
18.8
Power
15.6
General
15.6
Total
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
1.22
100.0
between the years 1939 and 1942, when it was closed as a result of govern-
ment order during the Second World War, succeeded in making a profit
from ore carrying as little as 0.06 oz. gold per ton. Cheap, open-pit mining
methods were used, and good extractions were obtained when grinding to
only 3 mesh. These, among other factors, made for extremely low-cost op-
eration.
The 596,482 tons milled yielded $1.86 per ton at a total cost of $1.18
which is typical of the older sand-slime type of plant, is shown in Table 100.
COSTS AND POWER
451
Geduld's total milling cost in 1946 was 36d (60 cents), of which cyaniding
Operation
Crushing
Stamping
Grinding
Cyaniding....
Slime disposal.
Sand disposal.
Total
Power
Stores
Labor*
Sundry
White
Native
Total
0.74
4.71
1.37
2.50
3.87
2.81
4.67
4.82
4.90
0.78
5.68
1.61
6.81
17.40
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3.18
1.99
5.17
3.59
1.70
14.11
3.80
3.99
7.99
8.35
10.50
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
0.01
0.30
0.46
0.76
0.30
0.09
0.48
0.82
2.32
3.14
1.34
14.06
41.53
14.37
12.04
26.41
18.00
Total
12.13
16.78
32.97
31.95
452
sections will vary according to the fineness of crushing and the type of
Operation
Crushing (primary)
Crushing (secondary)
Screening
Conve3ring
Magnets
Grinding
Classification
Thickening
Agitation
Filtration
Pumping (pulp)
Pumping (solution)
Low-pressure compressor
Vacuum pump
Refinery
Total
100.0
Flotation 28.4
Miscellaneous 4.0
ton, depending on the fineness to which the ore is ground. The average
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percentage power costs for the various departments of seven United States
tons per day by the older sand-slime process, is shown in Table 104.
Distribution figures for the new 2100-ton-per-day Marie vale plant are
Stamping . .. 6.160
Cyaniding 2.790
Total crushing plant (including spray water) . 1.97 kw.-hr. per ton milled
factors, and other items to which the millman may refer to refresh his memory.
R = ratio of concentration.
P = percentage recovery.
C-T
R=
H-T
W = ^^ X 100
P=
P=
L=
100 X C(H - T)
H{C - T)
C X 100
HXB
100 X T{C - H)
R(C - T)
THE ELEMENTS
Table 106 has been compiled from the Journal of the American Chemical
Society, 1933, and from the Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 1933.
One of the most frequent tasks of the engineer is the rapid and accurate
conversion of the units of measure of one system into the different but
uses most frequently. If, however, he has to convert units other than
457
Generated on 2012-02-20 11:44 GMT / http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015004540335
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
458
Name
Actinum (rare)
Aluminum
Antimony
Argon (a gas)
Arsenic
Barium
Beryllium
Bismuth
Boron
Bromine (a liquid).
Cadmium
Calcium
Carbon
Cerium
Cesium (rare)
Chlorine (a gas)....
Chromium
Cobalt
Columbium (rare)..
Copper
Dysprosium (rare).
Erbium (rare)
Europium (rare). . .
Fluorine (a gas)....
Gadolinium (rare).
Gallium
Germanium
Gold
Hafnium (rare)
Helium (a gas)
Holmium (rare). ..
Hydrogen (a gas). .
Illinium (rare). . . .
Generated on 2012-02-20 11:44 GMT / http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015004540335
Indium (rare)
Iodine
Iridium
Iron
Krypton (a gas)...
Lanthanum (rare).
Lead
Symbol
Atomic
number
Ac
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
Al
Sb
As
Ba
Be
Bi
Br
Cd
Ca
Ce
Cs
CI
Cr
Co
Cb
Cu
Dy
Er
Eu
APPENDIX A
459
Name
Molybdenum
Neodymium (rare)
Neon (a gas)
Nickel
Nitrogen (a gas)
Osmium
Oxygen (a gas)
Palladium
Phosphorus (soft)
Platinum
Polonium (rare)
Potassium (soft)
Praseodymium (rare)..
Protoactinium (rare). .
Radium (rare)
Rhenium (rare)
Rhodium
Rubidium (rare)
Ruthenium (rare)
Samarium (rare)
Scandium (rare)
Selenium
Silicon
Silver
Sodium (soft)
Strontium
Sulphur
Tantalum
Tellurium
Terbium (rare)
Thallium (rare)
Thorium
Generated on 2012-02-20 11:44 GMT / http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015004540335
Thulium (rare)
Tin
Titanium
Tungsten
Uranium
Vanadium
Xenon (a gas)
Ytterbium (rare)
Yttrium (rare)
Zinc
Zirconium
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
Symbol
Mo
Nd
Ne
Ni
Os
Pd
Pt
Po
Pr
Pa
Ra
Rn
Re
Rh
Rb
Ru
Sa or Sm
460
these, he often has to consult several handbooks before the desired con-
staff:
Explanation
2. Unless designated otherwise, the British measures of capacity are those used
in the United States, and the units of weight and mass are avoirdupois units.
3. The word gallon, used in any conversion factor, designates the United States
gallon. To convert into the Imperial gallon, multiply the United States gallon by
0.083267. Likewise, the word ton designates a short ton, 2000 lb.
4. The figures 10"1, 10~2, 10~3 and so on denote 0.1, 0.01, 0.001, respectively.
5. The figures 101, 102, 103 and so on denote 10, 100, 1000, respectively.
6. With respect to the properties of water, it freezes at 32F. and is at its maximum
density at 39.2F. In the conversion factors given using the properties of water,
calculations are based on water at 39.2F. in vacuo, weighing 62.427 lb. per cu. ft.,
necessitate several ciphers after the decimal point, as one part per million is equal to
8. As used in the sanitary field, p.p.m. represents the number of pounds of dry
solids contained in 1,000,000 lb. of water, including solids. In this field, 1 p.p.m.
may be expressed as 8.345 lb. of dry solids to 1,000,000 United States gallons of water.
In the metric system, 1 p.p.m. may be expressed as 1 gram of dry solids to 1,000,000
9. In arriving at parts per million by means of pounds per million gallons or milli-
grams per liter, it may be mentioned that the density of the solution or suspension
has been neglected; and if this is appreciably different from unity, the results are
slightly in error.
Multiply
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Acres
Acres
Acres
Acres
Acre-feet
Acre-feet
Acre-feet
Atmospheres
Atmospheres
Atmospheres
By
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
To obtain
43,560
Square feet
4047
Square meters
1.562 X 10"3
Square miles
4840
Square yards
43,560
Cubic feet
325,851
Gallons
1233.49
Cubic meters
76.0
Centimeters of mercury
29.92
Inches of mercury
33.90
Feet of water
APPENDIX A
461
10,333
14.70
1.058
42
Gallons
376
Pounds
94
Pounds
Cubic inches
0.2520
Kilogram-calories
777.5
Foot-pounds
3.927 X 10~4
Horsepower-hours
107.5
Kilogram-meters
2.928 X 10"4
Kilowatt-hours
12.96
0.02356
Horsepower
0.01757
Kilowatts
17.57
Watts
Square meters
0.01
Generated on 2012-02-20 11:44 GMT / http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015004540335
Grams
0.01
Liters
0.3937
Inches
0.01
Meters
10
Millimeters
0.01316
Atmospheres
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
0.4461
Feet of water
136.0
27.85
0.1934
1.969
0.03281
0.036
Table 107.
Multiply
Atmospheres
Atmospheres
4&2
Table 107.
Multiply
Cubic centimeters
Cubic centimeters
Cubic centimeters
Cubic centimeters
Cubic feet
Cubic feet
Cubic feet
Cubic feet
Cubic feet
Cubic feet
Cubic feet
Cubic feet
Cubic inches
Cubic inches
Cubic inches
Cubic inches
Cubic inches
Cubic inches
Cubic inches
Cubic inches
Cubic meters
Cubic meters
Cubic meters
Cubic meters
Cubic meters
Cubic meters
Cubic meters
Generated on 2012-02-20 11:44 GMT / http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015004540335
Cubic meters
Cubic yards
Cubic yards
By To obtain
2.642 X 10-4
Gallons
10-3
Liters
2.113 X 10"3
Pints (liquid)
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
1.057 X 10~3
Quarts (liquid)
2.832 X 104
Cubic centimeters
1728
Cubic inches
0.02832
Cubic meters
0.03704
Cubic yards
7.48052
Gallons
28.32
Liters
59.84
Pints (liquid)
29.92
Quarts (liquid)
472.0
ond
0.1247
APPENDIX A
463
Multiply
Cubic yards
Cubic yards
Cubic yards
Cubic yaids
Cubic yards
Cubic yards
Decigrams
Deciliters
Decimeters
Degrees (angle)
Degrees (angle)
Degrees (angle)
Dekagrams
Dekaliters
Dekameters
Drams
Drams
Drams
Fathoms
Feet
Feet
Feet
Feet
Feet of water
Feet of water
Feet of water
Feet of water
Feet of water
Generated on 2012-02-20 11:44 GMT / http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015004540335
By To obtain
0.7646
Cubic meters
202.0
Gallons
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
764.6
Liters
1616
Pints (liquid)
807.9
Quarts (liquid)
0.45
3.367
12.74
0.1
Grams
0.1
Liters
0.1
Meters
60
Minutes "
0.01745
Radians
464
Multiply
By To obta
By
0.01136
30.48
1.097
0.5921
18.29
0.6818
0.01136
30.48
Foot-pounds 0.1383
To obtain
Knots
second
ond
Horsepower-hours
Kilogram-calories
Kilogram-meters
Kilowatt-hours
minute
3.030 X 10~5
3.241 X 10~4
Horsepower
ute
2.260 X 10"5
7.717 X 10~2
Kilowatts
minute
1.818 X 10-3
1.945 X 10"2
Horsepower
465
Table 107.
Multiply
Grains (troy)
Grains (troy)
Grains (troy)
Grains (troy)
Grams
Grams
Grams
Grams
Grams
Grams
Grams
Hectares
Hectares
Hectograms
Hectoliters
Hectometers
Hectowatts
Horsepower
Horsepower
Horsepower
Horsepower
Generated on 2012-02-20 11:44 GMT / http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015004540335
Horsepower
Horsepower
Horsepower
Horsepower (boiler)
0.06308
8.0208
8.0208
hour)
6.0086
Grains (avoirdupois)
0.06480
Grams
0.01467
Pennyweights (troy)
2.0833 X 10~3
Ounces (troy)
980.7
Dynes
15.43
Grains
10-3
Kilograms
103
Milligrams
0.03527
Ounces
0.03215
466
Table 107.
Multiply
Horsepower (boiler)
Horsepower-hours
Horsepower-hours
Horsepower-hours
Horsepower-hours
Horsepower-hours
Inches
Inches of mercury-
Inches of mercury-
Inches of mercury-
Inches of mercury
Inches of mercury-
Inches of water
Inches of water
Inches of water
Inches of water
Inches of water
Inches of water
By To obtain
9.803 Kilowatts
1.98 X 106
Foot-pounds
641.7
Kilogram-calories
2.737 X 105
Kilogram-meters
0.7457
Kilowatt-hours
2.540
Centimeters
0.03342
Generated on 2012-02-20 11:44 GMT / http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015004540335
Atmospheres
1.133
Feet of water
345.3
ter
70.73
0.4912
0.002458
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
Atmospheres
0.07355
Inches of mercury
25.40
ter
0.5781
5.202
0.03613
Kilograms
Kilograms
Kilograms
Kilograms
Kilogram-calories
Kilogram-calories
Kilogram-calories
Kilogram-calories
Kil
467
Table 107.
Multiply
Kiloliters
Kilometers
Kilometers
Kilometers
Kilometers
Kilometers
ond
ond
By To obtain
103 Liters
105 Centimeters
3281
103
Feet
Meters
Miles
Yards
0.6214
1094
27.78
54.68
0.9113
0.5396
16.67
Generated on 2012-02-20 11:44 GMT / http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015004540335
0.6214
27.78
0.9113
Knots
second
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
0.2778
ond
ond
Kilowatts
56.92
minute
Kilowatts
4.425 X 104
Kilowatts
737.6
Kilowatts
1.341
Horsepower
Kilowatts
14.34
Multiply
Lumber
12
Meters
Meters
Meters
Meters
Meters
Meters
Microns
Miles
Miles
Miles
Miles
By
To obtain
5.886 X 10"4
4.403 X 10"3
Length (ft.)
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
Board-feet
100
Centimeters
3.281
Feet
39.37
Inches
lO"3
Kilometers
10s
Millimeters
1.094
Yards
1.667
3.281
0.05468
0.06
0.03728
APPENDIX A
469
Table 107.
Multiply
By
To obtain
Milliliters
Millimeters
10~3
0.1
Liters
Centimeters
Millimeters
Miner's inch
0.03937
Inches
1.54723
1.5
Minutes (angle)
Ounces
Ounces
Ounces
2.909 X 10"4
Radians
Drams
Grains
Pounds
16
437.5
Generated on 2012-02-20 11:44 GMT / http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015004540335
0.0625
Ounces
Ounces
Ounces
Ounces
28.349527
Grams
0.9115
Ounces (troy)
Tons (long)
Tons (metric)
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
2.790 X 10"5
2.835 X 10-5
Ounces, troy
Ounces, troy
Ounces, troy
Ounces, troy
480
Grains
20
Pennyweights (trojO
Pounds (troy)
Grams
0.08333
31.103481
Ounces, troy
Ounces (fluid)
Ounces (fluid)
1.09714
Ounces, avoirdupois
1.805
Cubic inches
470
Table 107.
Multiply
Pounds (troy)
Pounds (troy)
Pounds (troy)
Pounds (troy)
Pounds of water
Pounds of water
Pounds of water
Quadrants (angle)
Quadrants (angle)
Quadrants (angle)
Quarts (dry)
Quarts (liquid)
Quintal:
Argentine
Brazil
Castile, Peru
By To obtain
13.1657
3.6735 X 10"4
4.1143 X 10"4
3.7324 X 10"4
0.01602
27.68
0.1198
2.670 X 10"4
0.01602
16.02
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
5.787 X 10~4
27.68
2.768 X 104
1728
1.488
178.6
0.01602
4.883
6.945 X lO-3
0.06804
2.307
2.036
703.1
90
5400
1.571
67.20
57.75
101.28
129.54
101.43
Ounces (avoirdupois)
APPENDIX A
471
Multiply
By To obtain
Radians 3438
Radians 0.637
Revolutions 360
Revolutions 4
Revolutions 6. 283
minute
minute
second
second
Square feet %
Minutes
Quadrants
minute
second
Degrees
Quadrants
Radians
ond
second
ond
minute
Radians
Square feet
472
Multiply
By To obtain
Square inches
Square kilometers
Square kilometers
Square kilometers
Square kilometers
Square kilometers
Square meters
Square meters
Square meters
Square meters
Square miles
Square miles
Square miles
Square miles
Square millimeters
Square millimeters
Square yards
Square yards
Square yards
Square yards
Tons (long)
Tons (long)
Tons (long)
Tons (metric)
Tons (metric)
Tons (short)
Tons (short)
Tons (short)
Generated on 2012-02-20 11:44 GMT / http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015004540335
Tons (short)
Tons (short)
Tons (short)
Tons (short)
645.2
Square millimeters
Acres
247.1
10.76 X 106
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
Square feet
Square meters
106
0.3861
Square miles
Square yards
Acres
Square feet
1.196 X 106
2.471 X 10~4
10.76
3.861 X 10-7
Square miles
Square yards
Acres
Square feet
1.196
640
27.88 X 106
2.590
3.098 X 106
Square kilometers
APPENDIX A
473
Multiply
Watts
Watts
Watts
Watts
Watts
Watts
Watt-hours
Watt-hours
Watt-hours
Watt-hours
Watt-hours
Watt-hours
Yards
Yards
Yards
Yards
Conversion Factor
s (Continued)
By
To obtain
24 hour
1.3349
0.05692
minute
44.26
0.7376
1.341 X 10"3
Horsepower
0.01434
Generated on 2012-02-20 11:44 GMT / http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015004540335
ute
10"3
Kilowatts
3.415
2655
Foot-pounds
1.341 X 10~3
Horsepower-hours
0.8605
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
Kilogram-calories
367.1
Kilogram-meters
10~3
Kilowatt-hours
91.44
Centimeters
Feet
36
Inches
0.9144
Meters
474
<
PQ
P3
6-3
_o
O3
' 3 X5
1 a
CD ' CD
^ 53 ft ^
H co o pq
>o lO lO
3 fl (M M
3 CD ^ 0) oS
3 > S &J
~ ^ ox)
.2
Ph o
OT ft
<: pq o
OH
C3 CD
g> is
D bB g :
3 CD ~
a ^3 .
Generated on 2012-02-20 11:44 GMT / http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015004540335
d += o
o c is
.< ^ T5
8 ^ >>
PQ O c
feS
' P S =5
i 3 ~ 2.
^>>S^
oa' S S >
co PQ A O pq Pm pq
JS -2 3 *
^ g S3
o es
pcoo
BBBB
m io io o o
co eo co co co
5 lO lO VO *C J WJ \fi
CO CN MNlt5<D0(D*cOtD^ CO CO W5 CO
B B BBBBBBBBB0 ooo o
W W lO U3 to in io io us
W5 l
U5 tfj
O M O (M
CO CO CO CO*
OOOO
+J +j +> +2
-* O CO OO
t-H O CO CO *
<D <* * lO
APPENDIX A
475
S b 5* a .
." d ~
.S 3
>> ^ "B
w -C!
3g
bo S "O 3 .,:
E oS -^ * eS
i bo s -d s >
d> ? | .S V 4
.If T3 i -d T3 S
c< o3 C cS a
d~
cc
>>
bfl
!*
cS
Generated on 2012-02-20 11:44 GMT / http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015004540335
'55
^s -
\ ,3
CQ Ph ffl<l^(B^ W tJ
>>- -
dd
^ r-~ >> J
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
oS
3 ^ -2 .2
Ha
X>
oS
.fi
a * 8 8
.Q ^
GO
cS
Sd
hair-b
476
CONVERSION OF WEIGHTS
Vol. I)
Weight
1 grain (gr.)
1 pennyweight (dwt.)
1 milligram (mg)
1 gram (g)
1 kilogram (kg)
Hundredweight = cwt.
Grains
24
480
5,760
437.
7,000
0.015432
15.432
15,432
Penny-
Troy
weights
ounces
0.041666
0.0020833
1
Generated on 2012-02-20 11:44 GMT / http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015004540335
0.05
20
240
12
18.2292
0.911458
291.666
14.58333
! 0.000643
0.00003215
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
1 0.643
0.03215
643
32.15
Avour-
dupois
ounces
0.00228571
0.0548571
1.0971428
13.165714
16
Avoir-
dupois
pounds
0.000142857
0.00342857
0.0685714
0.822857
i0.0625
!i
APPENDIX A 477
C. = (F. - 32) X %
F. = C. X % + 32
scale:
part solids.
andg+l-p-l.
,=S=S
p + S(l-p) S -p(S - 1)
D+s
= S(d - 1) = 1
Generated on 2012-02-20 11:44 GMT / http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015004540335
V d(S - 1) D + l
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
478 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
S=
dp
1 - d(l - p) 1 - D{d - 1)
D = * " y- /S~ d - 1 1
p S(d - 1) p
Now, let Z = solid factor = tons solids per fluid ton (32 cu. ft.) of pulp.
Then, as weight of 1 cu. ft. of pulp = 62.5d, the weight of 1 fluid ton
= 32 X 62.5d, and
32 X 62.5d X p
Z = 2000 = Vd
d = pS = S S(d - 1)
D + 1 S - p(S - 1) DS+1 S - 1
By definition,
By definition,
2000Z Z
62.5 X 32aS aS
d-1_p
* S - 1 - p(S - 1)
SLIME-DENSITY TABLE
for June, 1912, H. B. Lowden presented the following table and explana-
Slime-density tables heretofore published have been prepared for use in special
cases and are, therefore, not applicable to slimes in which the specfiic gravity of the
solids differs from that for which the table was computed. Their value has been
chiefly in indicating convenient forms in which the weight and volume relations may
be tabulated for use in the control of the cyanide process. The writer, having ex-
perienced the need of a more generally applicable table in his work, has prepared one
of considerable range with small intervals, which he feels may be useful to others.
The table is based on the percentage of solid in the slime, opposite which is given
the ratio of solid to liquid. The numbers heading the double columns following
are the specific gravities of the dry solid (that of water being taken as unity)-. The
columns headed "S. G." show the specific gravities of the slime, that of water being
taken as 1000; that is, the figures show directly the weight of a liter of slime in grams.
Generated on 2012-02-20 11:44 GMT / http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015004540335
The columns headed "Vol." show the number of cubic feet of the slime in 1 ton of
2000 lb.
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
APPENDIX A
479
eet, for
Per
Ratio of
solids to
solution
cent
solids
2.50
2.60
2.70
2.80
2.90
S.G.
Vol.
S.G.
Vol.
S.G.
Vol.
S.G.
Vol.
S.G.
Vol.
19.000
1031
31.03
1032
31.01
1032
31.01
Generated on 2012-02-20 11:44 GMT / http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015004540335
1033
30.97
1034
30.95
15.667
1037
30.85
1036
30.82
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
1039
30.79
1040
30.76
1041
30.74
13.286
1044
30.66
1045
30.62
1046
30.59
1047
30.56
1048
30.53
11.500
480
Table
112.
Per
Ratio of
solids to
solution
cent
solids
2.50
2.60
2.70
2.80
2.90
S.G.
Vol.
S.G.
Vol.
S.G.
Vol.
S.G.
Vol.
S.G.
Vol.
47
: 1.128
1393
22.98
1407
22.75
1420
22.54
Generated on 2012-02-20 11:44 GMT / http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015004540335
1433
22.33
1445
22.15
48
: 1.083
1404
22.78
1419
22.55
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
1433
22.33
1446
22.12
1458
21.94
49
: 1.041
1416
22.59
1431
22.35
1446
22.13
1460
21.92
1473
21.73
50
: 1.000
APPENDIX A
481
Per
Ratio of
solids to
solution
cent
solids
3.00
3.10
3.20
3.30
4.50
S.G.
Vol.
S.G.
Vol.
S.G.
Vol.
S.G.
Vol.
S.G.
Vol.
19.000
1035
30.93
1035
30.92
1036
30.90
1036
Generated on 2012-02-20 11:44 GMT / http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015004540335
30.89
1040
30.76
15.667
1042
30.72
1042
30.70
1043
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
30.68
1043
30.66
1049
30.51
13.286
1049
30.51
1049
30.48
1050
30.46
1051
30.43
1058
30.26
11.500
1056
482
Table
112.
Slime
Per
Ratio of
solids to
solution
cent
solids
3.00
3.10
3.20
3.30
4.50"
S.G.
Vol.
S.G.
Vol.
S.G.
Vol.
S.G.
Vol.
S.G.
Vol.
47
1.128
1457
21.97
1467
21.81
1477
Generated on 2012-02-20 11:44 GMT / http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015004540335
21.66
1487
21.51
1576
20.30
48
1.083
1471
21.76
1483
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
21.60
1493
21.44
1503
21.29
1595
20.05
49
1.041
1485
21.55
1497
21.38
1508
21.22
1519
21.07
1615
19.81
50
1
Specific Gravity of Dry Slime
i i i I iiir
in
to"
o.
,.j....L.i...,l....t....Li..J I I I I 1 I I llllllllllllllllllll
llllllllllllllllll
CO o- o
3000
2000
10Q0
800
600
500
x400
300
200
100
80
60
50
40
30
20
Fig.
o o ooo oo o o o oo oo o o o oo o
o o ooo O O O O OOO QO o o o oo oo
^-i
M
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
r~>
S\^
si-^CY
c-
f*
S "^
stJ
\^
\>s
^1 V.
Xy
Corresponding Mesh
484
I.M.M. Series
Mesh
Aperture
;, inches
Aperture,
millimeters
Tyler
I.M.M.
Tyler
I.M.M.
Tyler
I.M.M.
0.093
0.1
2.362
2.540
10
0.065
0.062
1.651
1.574
14
12
0.046
0.0416
1.168
1.056
20
16
0.0328
0.0312
Generated on 2012-02-20 11:44 GMT / http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015004540335
0.833
0.792
28
20
0.0232
0.025
0.589
0.635
35
30
0.0164
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
0.0166
0.417
0.421
48
40
0.0116
0.0125
0.295
0.317
65
60
0.0082
0.0083
0.208
0.211
100
100
0.0058
0.005
0.147
0.127
150
Generated on 2012-02-20 11:44 GMT / http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015004540335
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
486 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
1924.
Rickard, T. A.: Recent Cyanide Practice, Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco,
1907.
Robine, R., and M. Lenglen: Cyanide Industry Theoretically and Practically Con-
sidered (in French), John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, 1906.
Scheidel, A.: The Cyanide ProcessIts Practical Application and Economical Re-
Stokes, Ralph, and others: Rand Metallurgical Practice, Charles Griffin & Co., Ltd.,
London, 1911-1912.
Thomson, F. A.: Stamp Milling and Cyaniding, McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc.,
von Bernewitz, M. W.: Cyanide Practice, 1910-1913, Mining and Scientific Press,
Wilson, E. B.: Cyanide Processes, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, 1898.
Generated on 2012-02-20 11:44 GMT / http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015004540335
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
APPENDIX B
Analytical Methods
ANALYSIS OF ORES
gold and silver content is a highly specialized subject which is fully covered
Those concerned with ore testing and plant control are principally in-
solutions that are critical for the proper functioning of the cyanide process.
and the quantities of various cyanogen compounds that are formed during
the subject.
copper and zinc tends to make this free-cyanide determination unreliable unless
special precautions are taken. The interference due to soluble sulphides may be
overcome by adding 0.2 to 0.5 grams of litharge or lead carbonate to a 25 ml. solution
sample, shaking for a few minutes, and then filtering before titration. In the pres-
ence of the cyanide complexes of copper and zinc, varying amounts of the combined
cyanide report as free cyanide, depending upon whether or not KI is used and the
degree of alkalinity of the solution. For copper some authorities recommend using
opalescent end point without KI is the more reliable. Where copper and zinc are
both present Hamilton advises that titrations be made both with and without KI
Generated on 2012-02-20 11:44 GMT / http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015004540335
and the lower of the two results taken for solution control.
487
Public Domain / http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd
488 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
and making up to 1 liter. The reaction between silver nitrate and sodium
for titration, each cubic centimeter of silver nitrate solution required will
equal 0.0025 gram NaCN or 0.01 per cent NaCN. For example, a 25-cc
nitrate solution is used; the strength of the cyanide solution then is 0.048
for titration when strong solutions are used. In such cases the same silver
flask. The solution should not be diluted. The silver nitrate solution is
added until the end of the reaction is indicated by the first appearance of
a bluish haze, dulling the original brilliancy of the solution. This point
sistent readings and check himself and others within at least 0.1 cc on the
good light (but not in the direct rays of the sun) so that the flask will be
parts a yellowish tinge to the precipitate, which makes the exact finishing
point more distinct. The effect is due to the precipitation of silver iodide
cyanide.
indicate, in terms of NaCN (or KCN), all the cyanogen existing in the form
The first of these is placed in an ice bath. Each flask contains 150 cc
(1 part 1.16 specific gravity acid to 4 parts water) is added to the Claissen
are then boiled vigorously for about 6 min., after which the stopcock of the
removed. The contents of the Erlenmeyer flasks are then combined and
agitated vigorously for about 1 min. with about 1 gram of litharge to pre-
then filtered and washed, and the combined filtrate and washings titrated
ing 5.62 grams H2C204-2H20 per liter is made up, 1 cc of the solution
of mill solution be taken for titration, each cubic centimeter of acid required
will equal 0.0025 gram CaO or 0.01 per cent CaO. For example, a 25-cc
the same normality will serve equally well. The acid used should be stand-
H2C204 + 2H20
solution used for the free cyanide test as outlined. After the required
amount of silver nitrate has been added for the determination of free
solution be alkaline, a pink color results. The standard acid is then run
in until the pink color disappears, and the burette reading is noted.
free, or available, CaO in burnt or hydrated limes, especially for the lab-
Procedure. Add 1.0 gram of the lime, ground to minus 100 mesh, to a
250-cc measuring flask, then add 20 grams of cane sugar and 100 cc water.
Shake the flask vigorously for several minutes, then dilute to the 250-cc
mark. Let stand at least 2 hr. shaking occasionally, then let settle until
the solution is clear. Pipette 25 cc, and titrate, using either sulphuric
the indicator.
mining the oxygen content of cyanide solutions are offered as being simple
Apparatus Required
1 burette.
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APPENDIX B 491
Chemicals Required
through it for an hour. Then stand for another hour to remove bubbles
of occluded air. To one of the 250-cc bottles containing this water add
immediately sink below the surface. Then insert a glass stopper with a
twisting motion to exclude any small air bubbles. After the soda solution
is added, the bottle should be filled to within 34 in- of the toP> so tnat the
stopper may be inserted at a slight angle. Shake the bottle until all the
pyro is dissolved.
given set of conditions, may be calculated from the chart of Weinig and
Bowen (Fig. 55). This color is then matched with a water solution of
Assume that under the existing conditions the saturation point of water
parts water, this lighter color will correspond to 1 milligram oxygen per
liter, and equal parts of standard color and water will correspond to 4 milli-
grams oxygen. In the same way make up a series of eight bottles, colors
liter.
Fill one of the 250-cc bottles with the solution to be tested. Use a
rubber tube reaching to the bottom of the bottle, and avoid all agitation.
A drop or two of kerosene oil in the bottle will film the solution and still
further prevent absorption of oxygen. Fill the bottle nearly full, then
add 3^0 gram pyro and 1 cc 2N NaOH, and stopper instantly, taking care
that no air bubble is left under the stopper. Shake well, and compare
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silver ores, show fading colors and become cloudy on the addition of pyro
In such cases a better comparison is made after the solutions stand a definite
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492 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
usual amount of soda and pyro. Then, after standing 3 to 6 min., this
color is matched with the dye or caramel, and the fractional standards
added to the dye or caramel solution, will match the precipitate which
through a rubber tube and glass tube into Winchester acid bottles. Pulps
made up as follows: Fill a 2H-liter acid bottle with distilled water, prefer-
ably fresh. Dissolve in it 5 grams caustic soda, and then add 5 grams
siphon the liquor into bottle b of Fig. 101. This solution deteriorates
rapidly if exposed to the air, so, as shown in the insert a of the sketch, the
Place over a water bath, and heat to 90C. for \y2 hr. or until all lumps
stand a few minutes between additions, until all action has ceased. Filter
to 0.25 milligram oxygen per liter solution. This will indicate 1 gram per
liter when a 250-cc solution sample is taken for titration. This indicator
Figure 101 shows the apparatus for this test as follows: two 23^-liter
acid bottles a and b, a 250-cc flask c, a 50-cc burette d with side connection,
with 250-cc point scratched on it, a glass stirring rod, %6"m- glass or lead
tubing and rubber tubing for connections, a pinchcock g for bottom of the
setting up the apparatus, the relative positions of the parts shown should
be closely observed.
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APPENDIX B
493
The bottles are filled as follows: Remove the connection x, and place a
cork stopper in the top of the burette so that no solution can overflow.
Place a bottle containing 2J^ liters of kerosene so that its bottom is above
the top of bottle a, and connect this bottle to the bottom of burette d
siphon into bottle b until filled. Replace the bottle that contained kerosene
solution into bottle b, the kerosene being forced from bottle b over into
to within 1 or 2 in. of the top of bottle b, close both the pinchcock g and
stopcock j. After flask c has been nearly filled with kerosene, place con-
nection x in top of burette d, and seal with dry shellac dissolved in alcohol.
Open stopcock j, keeping pinchcock g closed, and allow the standard solu-
tion to pass into burette d until it just enters flask c; then close stopcock
its action as a siphon will draw the kerosene over into burette d. The
Then the apparatus is ready for use. Fill burette e with the indicator,
beneath the kerosene into the 400-cc beaker to the 250-cc mark. Alkalin-
sulphite. Then the necessary correction is made for the indicator, and the
a slight yellow, but with others it may be white to gray, especially if cer-
tain salts are contained. The kerosene may be used several times by
pouring the contents of the beaker into a large bottle, after titration, then
siphoning off the kerosene for reuse after enough has accumulated. Gen-
water to bring the volume to 200 cc. Then add 25 cc of 25 per cent H2S04
tion to the first faint pink coloration, which remains permanent for 2 min.
ganate in water, and dilute to 1000 cc. This solution should be kept in a
dark bottle.
silver in cyanide solutions the degree of accuracy and the speed desired
are the governing factors in the choice of methods used and the quanity
out the dried cake, and swab the dish thoroughly with a filter paper moist-
ened with dilute HC1. Flux the cake and paper in a crucible, and cupel
4 For this and the subsequent determinations described in this section, except
tion to dryness in a lead-foil boat. When completed, fold the boat inward,
This method is accurate and can be used for both pregnant and barren
solutions.
tating solution, and stir well. Carefully add 20 cc H2S04, and stir. Filter,
wash, and dry the resulting precipitate. Mix the precipitate with the
usual assay flux, add the filter paper to the crucible, and cupel the resulting
button.
solutions.
a little more caustic until the color changes to a darker blue, a heavy
until the precipitate is just dissolved and a yellow or light brown solution
results.
tion add sufficient sodium cyanide, NaCN, to bring the strength to 0.50
solution and then 5.0 grams zinc dust, stir well, and heat to boiling. Add
25 cc HC1, and allow to stand on a hot plate until the zinc is dissolved and
a sponge forms. Decant the solution, and wash the sponge with water.
Squeeze out the excess water, then dry the sponge, wrap in lead foil to
5. Color Test for Barren Solutions. To 1000 cc. of barren solution add
casserole, and decant the liquid. Dissolve the sponge in 10 cc aqua regia
and evaporate to about 2 cc. Transfer to a test tube, cool, and add care-
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496
color of the ring formed, and on shake-up note the color of the solution.
Faint blue 4
Light purple 6
Deep purple g
Black Over 10
6. Color Test for Silver. A few drops of a 10 per cent solution of sodium
becomes brownish in the presence of silver, and the depth of color is a close
The presence of the usual small amounts of lead in the solutions does not
and evaporate to strong fumes and almost dryness. Cool, add 5 cc water
copper will deposit on the zinc and the arsenic on the copper as copper
arsenide. When the zinc is almost dissolved add 50 cc water and very
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carefully add 5 cc H2S04. Filter into a 400-cc beaker after all evolution
has ceased, wash well with cold water, and dilute the filtrate to 300 cc.
Cool, add 50 cc water, and heat to dissolve the soluble salts. Filter,
To the filtrate, the volume of which should be about 50 cc, add ammo-
nium hydroxide, NH4OH, until alkaline and a slight excess. Heat for a
few minutes to coagulate the precipitate, then filter, and wash with hot
water.
Dissolve the precipitate on the filter with warm 5 per cent H2S04 solu-
tion, and wash with hot water. Add 0.10N KMn04 solution to a faint
tion of potassium thiocyanate, KCNS, and dilute to 100-cc mark with water.
To the second Nessler tube add 75 cc of 5 per cent H2S04 solution and 10
cc of the KCNS solution. Then add from a burette drop by drop the
standard iron solution until the colors match, then add sufficient water
of ferric chloride, FeCl3. Mix, and dilute to the 100-cc mark with water.
should be filtered and the precipitate washed with water until all the red
color is washed from the paper. Return the filtrate to the tube, and dilute
FeCl3 solution. Then dilute with water to almost the 100-cc mark. From
at a time until the color in tube 2 matches that in tube 1. When matched,
read the burette, and calculate the amount of KCNS added to effect the
match.
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in water, and dilute to 1000 cc. This is O.ION solution. Mix well, then
take 100 cc of this solution, and dilute to 1000 cc. This is .OlOiV solution.
original sample.
Five Per Cent FeCl3 Solution. To about 100 cc water add 50 grams
FeCl3 and 25 cc HCL Warm to dissolve the FeCl3. Cool, and dilute to
1000 cc.
This method is sufficiently accurate for most purposes and may be done
in a few minutes.
Stir well, and filter into a 100-cc graduate cylinder until the 60-cc mark is
into a 250-cc beaker, dilute to about 100 cc, and titrate with O.lOiV potas-
On 60 cc aliquot = 0.0324 gram per 1000 cc or 0.0648 lb. per ton of solution
water, and boil to expel the bromine. Cool, add ammonium hydroxide,
NH4OH, drop by drop, until the ferric hydroxide precipitate just remains
H(C2H302), and heat, stirring until the iron precipitate dissolves and the
NaF, the solution turning blue. Stir well, cool, and add 4 cc of 50 per cent
solution of potassium iodide, KI, solution turning brown, then add a few
with the standard sodium thiosulphate, Na2S203: 5H20, solution. The end
point is usually sharp, the color changing from blue to a creamy white.
convenient amount of water, and then dilute to 1000 cc. Solution should
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to make a paste. Then add 100 cc warm water and 0.1 gram NaOH,
and bring to a boil. This solution should keep for several weeks.
heat to dissolve the soluble salts. Filter, and wash twice with hot water.
Add 50 per cent ammonium hydroxide, NH4OH, solution until just neutral-
ized, then add 10 cc more. Warm (do not boil) until the fine precipitate
just coagulates, and filter through a fine filter paper. Wash three times
with hot water, then transfer to 100-cc Nessler tube, and dilute with water
On 100-cc sample 1 cc = 0.001 gram Cu per 1000 cc or 0.002 lb. per ton
of solution
gram per liter. If the copper content exceeds this figure, the method may
the double cyanide, but under certain conditions, e.g., in dilute solutions,
cc H2S04. Evaporate on a hot plate until copious fumes of S03 are evolved.
and 5 cc H2SO4, and again evaporate to strong fumes of S03 and dryness.
Care should be taken at this stage to avoid spitting. Cool, add 100 cc
water and 8 cc H2S04, and boil until all soluble salts are in solution. The
as required.
bent up at the corners, and boil for 10 min. The aluminum precipitates
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copper, lead, nickel, cobalt, arsenic, antimony, and tin. Filter, and wash
with hot water several times. Some extra aluminum should be present
in the filter paper. Evaporate the filtrate to about 40 cc, and add 10 cc
Do not bake the residue. Add 50 cc water and Yi gram NaOH. Break
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500 CYANIDATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORES
up the cake on the bottom of the beaker, and then add 7 grams ammonium
Let the precipitate settle, filter, and wash several times with hot 5 per
Make the filtrate acid with HC1, and add 3 cc in excess, then dilute to
200 cc. Heat to 70C, and titrate very slowly with potassium ferrocy-
The end point is reached when a drop of the solution, placed on a white tile,
shows a brown tinge when touched with a drop of the uranyl acetate after
The solution should be kept at about 70C. during titration and be con-
stantly stirred.
In order to save time in titrating, the zinc solution may be divided into
two nearly equal parts. Titrate one of these parts to an approximate end
point, then add the remainder of the solution, and finish the titration.
done slowly. Cool, add 10 cc water, stir well, let settle, and filter.
precipitates are gold, silver, lead, and zinc. The principal secondary
elements may include all or any of the following: arsenic, antimony, cop-
6 There is a tendency for copper, cobalt, and mercury to interfere in this method.
Analysis,
Ariston, 386-387
Arsenopyrite, 242
Australia, 396-415
237
263-265
of sand charge, 91
Aeration tests, 29
Altaite, 281
sodium, 28
barrel, 181-182
at Homestake, 179-181
at Randfontein, 361
at Rietfontein, 173-174
Calera, 346-347
385
Canvas, 134
at Harquahala, 262-264.
294-296
Chalmersite, 348
Chili, 351-352
273
Chlorination, 270-271
Classifier-grinding circuits, 77
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centrifugal, 85-86
cone, 79-80
Classifiers,
hydraulic, 83
reciprocating rake, 81
screw, 80
definition of, 74
318-320
Coco-matting, 134
Columbia, 342-343
505
Crushing,
at Mclntyre, 52-53
surface, 50
underground, 49-50
261
in Australia, 260-261
at Pachuca, 255-256
275-276
by percolation, 40-42
242-243
at Noranda, 240-245
at Salsigne, 241-242
at Sub-Nigel, 240-241
Determination,
of ferrocyanide, 496-497
of thiocyanate, 497-498
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of zinc, 499-500
Dewaterers, mechanical, 80
desliming at, 85
stage, 110
Flocculating reagents, 44
Flotation reagents, 31
Flotation tests, 29
Gold,
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world, 8-9, 12
revaluation of, 9
in sulphides, 129
Gold chlorides,-274
sampling plant, 60
134
Grinding analyses, 78
507
classification at, 79
Honduras, 342
Hydroseparatofs, 84
339
India, 425-426
Infrasizer, 227-229
243
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Lime, 220
38
36
409
Kenya, 396
Metallics, 27
474-475
Nicaragua, 336-341
Osmiridium, 352
Peru, 350
indicators for, 21
instruments for, 21
at, 183-184
451-453
509
determination of 489-490
tables, 478-482
Punitaqui, 352
at Sub-Nigel, 375
Queensland, 415
Ltd., 357-362
sorting at, 57
Revaluation of gold, 9
174
Riffle, 130
Roasting, 158-176
chloridizing, 272-273
Roasting,
sulphate, 269
Roasting tests, 29
Russia, 425
at Hollinger, 222-223
in ore testing, 16
Sand-slime separation, 90
at Homestake, 89
510
Sizing analyses,
tables, 478-482
Sluice, 130
change of, 39
Sorting,
in flow sheet, 57
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by sink-float, 59-61
Stibnite ores,
376
Sulphides,
gold-bearing, 128-130
Superpanner, 229-231
ifornia, 331-333
511
324
Vacuum, drainage, 91
Vanners, 142
Venezuela, 350-351
ited, 381-385
Ltd., 385
Washing tests, 29
Wemeo classifier, 75
Wright-Hargreaves, 296-300
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
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'*" N.
A5.T '
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