Resin-in-Solution Approach Solves Gold-Copper Selectivity Problem

Wednesday, 10 March 2010 11:19

Gold recovery from cyanide leach solutions using anion exchange resins has been commonly
practiced in the former Soviet Union nations for 30 years1, and Western gold mining companies
are now beginning to realize the economic benefits of ion exchange technology.

Resins are more versatile than activated carbon because they can be customized to improve
features such as selectivity, loading capacity and resistance to poisoning by organics. They can
also be eluted at much lower temperatures, and unlike activated carbon do not require thermal
regeneration. The main disadvantage of gold-selective resins is that they are more expensive
than activated carbon. However, despite their higher unit costs, the enhanced metallurgical
performance can result in significant overall plant capital and operating cost savings.

MINIX ion-exchange resin was developed by Mintek as an alternative to granular active carbon
for gold recovery. The resin, brand-named DOWEX XZ 91419, is manufactured and supplied
under license by the Dow Chemical Co. It is a strong-base resin with excellent metallurgical and
physical characteristics, and is suitable for both resin-in-pulp and resin-in-solution applications.
MINIX resin found its first niche application in recovering gold from carbonaceous preg-robbing
ores. It is used in this role at Avocet Minings Penjom mine in Malaysia, and formerly at the
Barbrook gold plant near Barberton in South Africa (both resin-in-pulp operations).

More recently, Anglo Asian Mining plc selected MINIX ion-exchange resin for gold recovery at
its Gedabek gold-copper project in Azerbaijan, which is situated approximately 300 km
northwest of the countrys capital of Baku. Gedabek, which is the first operating gold mine in
Azerbaijan, was officially opened and produced its first gold in May 2009. The operation
consists of an open-pit mine and heap-leach facility, with gold recovery by resin-in-solution and
electrowinning. The mine is expected to produce more than 300,000 oz of gold during its initial
six-year mine life.

At Gedabek, ore is crushed, screened and agglomerated before stacking in conventional heaps.
The pregnant leach solution (PLS) is fed to four adsorption columns in parallel containing 6.5
m3 per column of MINIX ion-exchange resin. Due to the fast kinetics of loading, the adsorption
residence time is only 10 minutes. The gold content of the barren solution from each column is
monitored to determine the onset of gold breakthrough, at which point the column is taken off
line and the resin is transferred hydraulically to the elution circuit.

The elution circuit is as simple as practically possible. The eluant, consisting of 0.2M sulphuric
acid and 1M thiourea at 50C, is pumped down-flow through the column, exiting to the
electrowinning cell and pumped back into the eluant tank. Gold is recovered by removing the
cathodes from the electrowinning cell and washing with water hoses in a small tank.

The gold and copper content of the PLS is typically 1-1.5 g/t and 1,100 g/t respectively, giving a
copper-to-gold ratio of approximately 1,000:1. Despite the very high copper content, the typical
loadings of gold and copper on the MINIX ion-exchange resin are 2,000 g/m3 and 2,600 g/m3 of
dry resin, respectively. These figures illustrate the high selectivity of the resin for gold over
copper.

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Resin-in-Solution Approach Solves Gold-Copper Selectivity Problem
Wednesday, 10 March 2010 11:19

The Gedabek plant is the first application of MINIX resin in a leach solution containing such high
copper concentrations. Several important classes of gold deposit contain appreciable quantities
of cyanide-soluble copper minerals that can build up in the metallurgical process solutions,
resulting in gold lock-up in the circuit and reduced recoveries. MINIX makes low-cost heap
leaching viable where, due to technological or economic considerations, it is not practicable to
remove the copper by flotation or acid leaching prior to cyanidation.

References
1 Kotze, M, B. Green, M. Mackenzie, and M. Virnig, Resin-in-Pulp & Resin-in-Solution in
Advances In Gold Ore Processing 15, edited by M.D. Adams, Elsevier, ISBN-13:
978-0-444-51730-2.

This information was provided by Dr. Roger Paul (RogerP@mintek.co.za), general

managerbusiness development at Mintek, Randburg, South Africa. Mintek acknowledges the
support and cooperation of Farhang Hedjazi, vice presidenttechnical, and Mehrdad Etemad,
senior vice president, of Azerbaijan International Mining Co.

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