GOLD RECOVERY

LUIZ R.P. DE ANDRADE LIMA

Polytechnic School, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Brazil

ROBERTO C. VilLAS-BOAS
Center for Mineral Technology
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil,

and

HELlO M. KOHLER
Catholic University of Rio de Janiero
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Abstract U.S.A, Australia, Chile, and Brazil. In this process, coarse

This paper presentsa computational algorithm devel-
oped to simulate the temporal evolution of the gold ore heap
leaching process.The data used in the model include physi-
cal-chemical, geometrical and operational data, such as:
leachablemetal ore contents, flow rate and cyanide concen-
tration, parametersof passivity,ore sizedistribution, the aver-
age residence time of the solution in the heap, height,
irrigated area, and weight of ore in the heap. In this algo-
rithm, the heap is divided into horizontal and plane layers of
constant area. The recovery of gold from ore, the residual
concentration of the cyanideand the enrichment of the preg-
nant leach solution can be calculated from interactions
among theselayers.A simplified model, describing the solid-
fluid reaction under the diffusive control process,is used to
calculate these variables.For each layer of the heap and for
eachspeciesof every size class,this equation model is solved
analytically for each time step. The flow in the heap is con-
sidered unidirectional at a constant volumetric rate, whose
species concentrations vary with the time. The axial and
radial dispersions in the flow are ignored. The simulation
showsthat the number oflayers haslittle effect on the results,
which indicates that the algorithm is stable and robust. The
averageresidence time of the solution in the heap and the
apparent diffusivity of the cyanide through the ore particles
have a significant influence on the temporal evolution of the
gold extraction and its concentration in the pregnant solu-
tion, and consequently these parameters are used in the
model calibration. "\Vhen this algorithm was applied to an
industrial case,the results showed that the model is adequate
for predicting approximately the processperformance.
Introduction
Modern heap leaching has been in use for almost 30
years as an effective method for treating gold ores in the
ore is disposed on an impervious surface prepared so as to
give a small slope, thus allowing the draining of the pregnant
solution. On the top of the heap is sprayed or trickled a leach-
ing solution that percolates gradually through the full bed of
ore down to the impervious base. This pregnant solution is
then sent to the recovery step.
Usually, the leaching performance of the ore is evaluated
via column testing or small heap experiments. These tests make
it possible to account for lixiviant consumption, maximum
recovery, rate of recovery, and metal and lixiviant concentra-
tions; however, scaling-up to industrial heaps is not possible
with column tests due to the difficult reproducibility of the geo-
metric characteristics of the heaps (particle size, heap height,
length, width, and overall slope) and the hydrodynamics.
Th~ difficulties, associated with the length of time and
the costs required to prepare tests, have stimulated the develop-
ment of phenomenological models for designing and analyzing
heap leaching processes since the 1960s and they have gained
favour throughout the 70s to the 90s, particularly for copper
ores and pyrite. These models are based on the material balance
of the reactants using the continuity equation applied to the
heap and the particles, and the specific kinetic models. In order
to solve the complex system of partial differential equations
obtained, simplifying hypotheses are introduced, despite the
complexity of the physical and chemical phenomena. We refer-
ence here only the most relevant works about the modeling of
heap leaching, however, an extensive bibliographical survey can
be found in De Andrade Lima (1992).
Roman et al. (1974) presented a simplified model for
oxide copper ore leaching. In this model, a comprehensive
algorithm is introduced in order to represent the liquid plug
flow in the interior of the heap, plus the shrinking core model
to represent the ore/acid reaction.
Wadsworth (1979) proposed the reaction zone model,
as opposed to the shrinking core model, in order to describe
more adequately the oxidized copper ore/sulphuric acid sys-

37
 GOLD RECOVERY

rem, especially for small-size particles. Shafer et al. (1975)

used this model plus Roman's algorithm, which made it pos-
sible to obtain simulated results that were in accordance with
experimental laboratory results.
Chae and Wadsworth (1980) presented a model that
utilizes the continuity equation to describe the plug flow of
the liquid solution through the saturated bed of the heap, and
a kinetic model, derived from the shrinking core model, to
describe the ore/acid reaction. Their model was validated via
a leaching test for an oxidized copper ore.
Prosser and Box (1983) and Box and Prosser (1986) Fig. 1. Schematic representation of the heap for the model.
proposed a generalization of Roman's model, taking into
account the simultaneous interactions of several mineral par-
ticles and reagent solutions, as well as the leaching products
that eventually may be part of these reacting ~tems. In this
case, the shrinking core model was utilized to describe the ore
particles/1ixiviant solutions reactions, and Roman's algorithm
was used to describe the liquid plug flow, as well as certain
empirical correlations (Box and Yusuf, 1984) in order to esti-
mate the heap's liquid hold-up. Later, Prosser (1989) applied
such a model to the case of gold ore/cyanide systems where
other leached metals maybe present.
Dixon and Hendrix (1993) presented a model that uti-
lizes the continuity equation to describe the plug flow of the
solution through the bed of the heap and the diffusion of the
reagents in the particles of the ore, and a first-order kinetic
model for the cyanidation. This model was solved by finite Fig. 2. Schematic representation of the ore particle reaction.
differences and was validated with experimental results for a
synthetic mineral association containing silver that was sub-
mitted to cyanidation. Sanchez-Chac6n and Lapidus (1997) tQ
- SHE
presented a similar approach, but using a theoretical kinetic (JHE£HB = ~
(I)
model that was better justified for cyanidation and used the
orthogonal collocation method for the numerical solution of where £HBisthe heap porosity, O"HBisthe heap saturation, 't is
the problem. the averageresidencetime of the solution in the bed qf the
heap, Q is the rate of irrigation in the heap,H;;;; is the aver-
The Mathematical Model age heapheight and~ is the averageheap area.
Considering the systemschematizedin Figure 2, where
The algorithm proposed here is basedon the hypothe- the ore is a sphericalparticle with little porosity composedof
sesthat the heap may be conveniently representedby a sim- an inert and a reactant solid surrounded by a liquid reactant,
plified geometric shape,that the liquid flow throughout the a first-order kinetics of dissolution for eachreactant (rA = Il rB
heapbed is without axial dispersion(Plug flow), that the aver- = Il kSCAsCBJ, where Il is the stoichiometric coefficient and ks
age residencetime of the solution in the heap interior does the kinetic constant, and assumingthat the processof diffu-
not vary with time or with the vertical location, that the heap sion is slow comparedwith the reaction, it is possibleto use a
presents a homogeneousgrade of leachable metals and size pseudo-steadystate simplification, which, associatedwith the
distribution, and, finally, that the ore/leaching agent reaction hypothesis of negligible density variation of the ore particle,
is controlled by diffusion of the leaching solution through the gives (Wen, 1968;Froment and Bischoff, 1979):
large and "weakly porous" particles of the 9re.
If a division of nllayers of equal thickness is set in a (3CA
heap of rectangular shape, as shown in Figure 1, the preg-
--
da' ;-c;: ) (2)
nant solution and the leach solution that flow through the
dt
several layers of the heap are retained in each layer a time (~ [ (1-a)-2/3 ]+R [~
equal to 11't='t/nl.Since the averageresidence time of such D Ae )[(1-a)-1/3-1]+R aks CBo (kl~IJ ]
solution, in each layer, is constant, the liquid hold-up of the
heap is given by: with the initial conditions: t = 0, a = 0.

38
 GOLD RECOVERY
The three terms in the denominator of equation (2)
respectively represent control by diffusion, chemical reaction,
and mass transfer through the liquid boundary diffusion layer.
In heap leaching, the large size of the particles and their rel-
atively low porosity cause a predominance of diffusive con-
trol, and this equation may thus be simplified:
da'tjim - ~im
(3)
dt (l-a' .. ) -1/3-1
tjlm
where, after Box and Prosser (1986) and Prosser (1989}
~im
(4)
CCNtj is the concentration of the free cyanide in the
solution that enters layer,j, in time, t, DCN is the apparent
diffusivity of the cyanide in the ore particles, kT is the total
lixiviant consumption, km is the lixiviant consumption by the
metal, m, R; is the averageradius of the ore particles of the
size fraction, ;, a' ~imis the recovery of the metal, m, in the
size fraction, ;, of layer,j, in time, t, emis the maximal recov-
ery by leaching of the metal, m, in the ore, p is the ore den-
sity, and I'm is the averageinitial concentration of the metal,
m, in the ore.
Several metals, particularly the transition metals, that
are present in the ore or in the solution might be complexed
by cyanide.The individual consumption of the leaching solu-
tion for each metal speciespresent in the ore may be experi-
mentally estimatedfrom the total consumption and from the
initial metal values,using equation (4),
(~ I ~ Fm
lc
m
-.!::!:.-- (5)
em'Ym AWm m=l AWm )
where AW m is the atomic weight of the leachablemetal, m,
and Fm is the stoichiometric factor for the cyanidation of the
metal, m.
In equation (3), K is a function of time; therefore some
works (prosser, 1989; Prosser and Box, 1983; Roman et al.,
1974)make the integration of this equation using the Runge-
Kutta method, at the sametime that K is updated at eachtime
interval. This is possible after doing a variable transforma-
tion, which avoidssingularity at the beginning of integration:
u =+ [..(1-a)01/3]-a (6)
Equation (3) may be algebraically transformed into
equation (7) (see Appendix), which is analytically solved to
39
give the individual metal, (m), recoveries, at time, t.~'t, origi-
nating from the size particles, ;, localized at layer,j, when the
recoveries at previous time (t-l.~'t), the leaching concentra-
tion from layer,j-l, and the individual concentrations of the
metal species are known.
a'3tjirn+btjirnaI2tjirn+ctjirna'tjirn+dtjirn= O (7)
Physical constraints inhibit the diffusion of the leaching
solution through the ore particles and the complete dissolu-
tion of the metals; thus, a passivation factor, (ern)' given in
equation (8) and determined on the basis of laboratory exper-
iments, is defined.
atjim = a'tjimem (8:
On the other hand, knowing the ore size fractions and
~ssuming that they are homogeneously distributed within
~.a<;h
, . one of the nllayers, and considering further that, at the
time increments for which equation (7) is solved, there are no
variations in the particle grade, and that the metal species
contents of each size fraction are known, the global recovery,
at each time increment of interest in each layer (a.L~, will
be;given by equation (9), where.l; is the frequency of ilie par-
ticles in the size fraction, i.
nf
=~a.. I (9)
aLtjm """ t)lm
i=l
Supposing that each of the nllayers of the heap have
the same mass, the global recoveries of each metal species, at
each time increment (a:.Hrm>,are given by:
nl
L aLtjm 'Yjm
ill = j=l (10)
tIn
nl
L 'Yjm
j=l
The residual content of metal in each layer of the heap,
(yr ifm)' may be calculated at each instant of time, from equa-
tion (11), where 'Yojmis the initial concentration of the metal,
m, contained in layer,j.
yrtjm = 'Yojm (l-aLtjm> (1
The leachant concentration in the solution that leaves
layer, j, is calculated using equation (12), whereas, the con-
centrations of the metal species that leave layer,j, are obtained
from equation (13), these equations representing the material
balance in the layers, where CCNtj and CCNt+lare respectively
the concentration of the free cyanide in the solution that
enters and leaves layer, j, at time, t, CM!fm and CMtj+lm are
 GOLD RECOVERY

[mrn2 h-l] 0.010 0.010 0.010 0.005 0.020 0.010 0.010

DCN

p [g cm-3] 2.7 2.7 2.7 2.7 2.7 2.7 2.7

[g kg-l] 0.40 0.40 0.40 0.40 0.40 0.40 0.40

l~
[g t-l] 3.00 3.00 3.00 3.00 3.00 3.00 3.00
lAu
[%] 80.0 80.0 80.0 80.0 80.0 80.0 80.0
9Au

HHB [m] 4.7 4.7 4.7 4.7 4.7 4.7 4.7

[t] 15000 15000 15000 15000 15000 15000 15000

MHB

SHB [m2] 2500 2500 2500 2500 2500 2500 2500

't [day] 7.5 7.5 7.5 7.5 7.5 5.0 10.0

CCN [g L -1] 1.2 1.2 1.2 1.2 1.2 1.2 1.2

Q/SHB [L h-l m-2] 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0

Dl 20 5 50 20 20 20 20

Rl [mm1 9.525 9.525 9.525 9.525 9.525 9.525 9.525

£1 [%1 100 100 100 100 100 100 100

respectively the concentration of the metal, m, in the solution sions,cases2 and 3; the apparentdiffusivity of cyanide,cases4
that enters and leaves layer,j, at time, t, aL~ and aLt-ljm are and 5; and the averageresidencetime of the solution in the
the recovery of the metal, m, in layer,j, at the present time heap,cases6 and 7. These resultsare shownin Figures 3 to 5.
and at the previous time, and MHB is the heap weight. Figure 3 shows that the number of subdivisions do not
substantially affect the results for gold recovery and gold
MHBYm ) nm concentration. Figure 4 shows the effect of the averageresi-
CCN . 1 = CCN .-
,-s;;; ~ L [lcm(a.Ltjm -aLt-ljm)] (12) dence time of the solution in the heap. As can be seen, the
tj+ tj

m=l gold concentration in the first fractions of the pregnant leach

CM.t)+lm = CM tim
I MHBym
+ \~ H;;;J
The proposed algorithm of calculation considers dIat dIe
lixiviant solution enters dIe first layer, (I = 1), on dIe top of dIe
heap, where it remains for a time, A't = 'tin. Later dIe solution is
transferred to dIe next layer, (I = 2), and from this one to dIe next
until it reaches dIe last one, (I = n). During dIe residence of dIe
liquid solution in each layer, <1),equation (7) is solved for each
metal, (m), contained in each size fraction, (I), taking into account
dIe residual metal contents, ("(I"),and dIe compositions of dIe
solution (CcNand CM). Subsequently,equations (9), (10), and (12)
to (13) are used to update dIese concentrations and grades.
Sensitivity Analysis of the Model
For the sake of conciseness,only the analysis of the effects
of the main variables in the performance of the model are pre-
sented here, but De Andrade Lima (1992) and Cassa and De
Andrade Lima (1997) present a detailed sensitivity analysis of
this model. Case 1 of Table 1 was taken as a basis for calcula-
tions, comparing the results with those obtained in a similar
manner in simulations that varied the number of heap subdivi-
solution recovered is affected by this parameter. Figure 5
shows the effect of apparent diffusivity of cyanide. It can be
~
noticed that the diffusivity has a significant influence on the
(a.Ltjm
-aLt-ljm> (13)
gold recovery curve. Since the apparent diffusivity of cyanide
and the averageresidence time of the solution in the heap
strongly affect the results of simulations, and astheseparam-
eters can not be easily measured,they were chosen as esti-
mated parameters of the model. In the future, these
parameterscan be predicted with the operational variablesof
the processusing an empirical correlation.
Case Study
Since the apparent diffusivity of cyanide and the aver-
age residence time are the variables that most affect the
model's response, they were used for calibration. Equation
(14) gives an objective function, (]c), in which the sums of
the square deviations due to the recovery of gold and its
concentration in the leaching solution, at each instant of
time, are considered. In this minimization function, CMRtAu
is the experimental concentratioQiof gold in the pregnilnt
solution at time, t, CMt(7Il+l)Auis the simulated concentra-
tion of gold in the pregnant solution at time, t, a~u is the
actual global recovery of the gold at time, t, aHtAu is the
simulated global recovery of the gold metal at time, t.

40
 GOLD RECOVERY

100

80
~
~
~
2:' ~
0> 60
> C:'
0 Q)
>
~ o
'- 40 u
-0 ~
""6 1:1
(!J "'5
20 (9

Fig. 3. Sensitivity analysis results (effect of the number of subdivi. Fig. 4. Sensitivity analysis results (effect of the average residence
sions). time).

1 Tmax
]c=- 1 L[(~u- C~nl+l)Au)2 + (a;~-a;HtAu)2]
(14)
n t=l
The model was tested with experimental data from an
industrial heapsoperatedby Rio Salitre mine in the northeast
of the Stateof Bahia in Brazil. This mine utilizes the oxidized
part of the ore with gold content in the order of 2.5 parts per
million, and sulphur, graphite, or other leachable metals
besidegold are not present.
Figure 6 showsthe minimization criterion, <Jc),surface
that was plotted as a function of the apparent diffusivity of
cyanide, (DCN)' and the averageresidence.time of the liquid
solution, (t), for the heap. In this figure, one can seea mini-
mum, corresponding to the best values of the estimated
parameters.Using the simplex optimization method {Nelder
and Mead, 1965), the calibration of the model for the heap
was obtained, as shown in Table 2, where the values for the
variablesused are described.
The results of the calibration are shown in Figure 7.
As can be seen, simulated results reproduce the general
processbehaviour; however, there are some inconsistencies
between the actual and simulated results that may be cred-
ited to the oversimplification already mentioned, i.e., no
consideration of the size distribution, the average surface
area, the averageheight, the radial and the axial dispersions
of the flow, and the flow of the solution on the impervious
surface of the heap. Inconsistencies A and C correspond
respectively to the rapid drainage of the pregnant solution
and the spreadin the peak concentration of the gold caused
by the axial and radial dispersions of the solution flowing
through the heap. Inconsistency B is probably due to the
lack of data for the size distribution of the ore particles.
Inconsistency D is due to the recycling of the leach solution,
after recovery in activated carbon columns, with a residual
gold concentration in the order of 0.5 to 1 part per million.
Conclusion
The heap leaching process for gold ores may be
described in an approximate manner by a model in which plug
flow and diffusion control kinetics are considered for the heap

41
 GOLD RECOVERY

and for the ore cyanide reaction, respectively. The analytical

solution of the diffusive ore-cyanide model for each time inter-
val gives robustness and a weak dependence on the numerical
subdivision of the heap. The apparent diffusivity of the cyanide
and the average residence time are the calibrating parameters
of the model, as they strongly affect the model results, cannot
be easily measured and may be correlated with the operational
variables. Utilization of the actual size distribution, the average
heap surface, the average heap height and a more accurate
model for the flow may improve the simulation results.

Appendix -Analytical Integration for the

Simplified Diffusive Solid-Iiquid Reaction Model

The diffusive model applied to the metal, m, of size

class,;, in layer,j, is representedby differential equation (Al).
This equation may be analytically integrated during the aver-
age residencetime of the liquid solution in the layer.

da' ..
--t}1tn = ~
dt (l-a'tjim' )-1/3-]
By separatingthe variablesand integrating for the aver-
age residencetime of the solution in the layer, equation (A2)
is obtained (De Andrade Lima, 1992).
a
tjim
tA-r

= J~imdt
J[<l-af tji~

(t-l)~-r
(Xt-ljim

Fig. 5. Sensitivity analysis results (effect of the diffusivity}

-3 ( 1-a.' .. ) 2/3-2a.' .. = 2K
-""tJlm
..J1.'t-3 ( 1-a' t-
I .. ) 2/3-2a'
Jlffi t-
I ..

JIm

tjlm tjlm

42
 GOLD RECOVERY

Table 2. Input data for simulations runs

[m2 h-l] 6.0 x 10-9**
DCN

[g cm-3] 2.7
p

[g kg-l] 0.292
l~

[g t-l] 2.60
'YAu

[%] 75.1
eAu

[m] 4.5*
HHB

[t] 14726
MHB

[m2] 2616*
SHB
7.60**
't [day]
C [g L -1] 1.0
~
[L h-l m-2] 4.8
Q/SHB
R [mm] 9.525*

nl 25

*nominal values.
**calibrated parameters.

Algebraic manipulation of equation (A2) givesthe cubic

equation (A3), which, in a real case,has alwaysone real root
betweenzero and one.
b tjim(1; 12 1
d tjim O
(1; 13 tjim+ tjim+Ctjim(1; tjim+ = (A3)

where:
b ..= ( 3Z ..27+ -
--t11ffi )
t)lm 2 8

( 3Z 2 00 -27
= --tllm -0

Ctjirn
4
H HE Averageheap height.
I Z3 ..+ 27 , JC
Minimization criteria.
! -tl1ffi .-.
and
kT
Totallixiviant consumption.
dtjirn
l 8 ) Lixiviant consumption by the metal, m.
km
MHE Heap weight.
z ..= 2K ..~'t-3 (l-a'
t)1lD -'"t!1lD t-
I .. ) 2/3-2a'
Jim t-
I ..

Jim nf
Number of size fractions.
nl Number of subdivisionJ.
nm Number of leachablemetals in the ore.
Notation
Q Rate of irrigation in the heap.
AW m Atomic weight of the leachable metal, m. R.I Average radius of the ore particles of size frac-
CCN tj Concentration of the free cyanide in the solution tion, i.
that enters layer,j, at time, t. s;;;
Averageheap area.
CM!fm Concentration of the metal, m, in the solution t Time.
that enters layer,j, at time, t. Maximum time for the leaching simulation.
Tmax
CMRt(nt+l)m Actual concentration of the metal, m, in the w. Weight of layer,j.
j
pregnant solution at time, t. w.. Weight of the ore particles of size fraction, i,
j'
D CN Apparent diffusivity of the cYanide in the ore located in layer,j.
particles.
Frequency of the particles in the size fraction, i. Greek Letters
ii
Stoichiometric factor for the cyanidation of the <Xtjim Corrected recovery of the metal, m, contained
F",
in size fraction, i, of layer,j, at time, t.
metal, m.

43
 GOLD RECOVERY

Recoveryof the metal, m, contained in size frac- CASSA, J.C. and DE ANDRADE LIMA, L.RP., 1997.
tion, i, of layer,j, at time, t. Screeningvariablesin complex systems:A comparative
Real global recovery of the metal, m, at time, t. study. Proceedings,XX International Mineral Process-
(X~
Recoveryof the metal, m, containedin layer,j at ing Congress, 1, p. 433-444.
aLtjm
time, t. CHAR, D.G. and WADSWORTH, M.E., 1980.Modeling of
Global recovery of the metal, m, at time, t. the leaching of oxide copper ores. Bureau of Mines,
CtRtrn
A't Averageresidencetime of the solution in a layer OFR 52-80, 59 p.
of the heap. DE ANDRADE LIMA, L.R.P, 1992. Simulation of Gold
Ores Heap Leaching. M.Sc. thesis, Federal University
ERE Heap porosity.
Concentration of the metal, m, contained in the of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 235 p. (in Portuguese).
'Yjirn
size fraction, i, of layer,j. DIXON, D.G. and HENDRIX,J.L., 1993. A mathematical
Concentration of the metal, m, contained in the model for heap leaching of one or more solid reactants
Yjm
from porous ore pellets. Metallurgical Transactions,
layer,j.
Averageinitial concentration of the metal, m, in 24B, p. 1087-1102.
'Ym
the ore. FROMENT, G.F. and BISCHOFF, K.B., 1979. Chemical
Residual concentration of the metal, m, con- Reactor Analysis and Design. John Wiley and Sons,
tained in the layer,j, at time, t. New York, 765 p.
em Maximal recovery by leaching of the metal, m, NELDER,J.A. and MEAD, R, 1965. A simplex method for
contained in the ore. function minimization. Comput.Joumal, 7, p. 308-313.
Ore density. PROSSER, A.P., 1989. Simulation of gold heap leaching as
p
Heap saturation. an aid to ore-process development. Proceedings,Pre-
(JHB
't Averageresidencetime of the solution in the bed cious Metals '89, p. 121-135.
of the heap. PROSSER, A.P., and BOX, J.C., 1983. Simulation of the
mineralogical and chemical aspectsof heap and dump
leaching as an aid to ore-processevaluation. Proceed-
Subscripts
t Index of time. ings, Computers in Mining Symposium,p. 171-178.
Index of layer. ROMAN, R.J., BENNER, B.R. and BECKER, G.W, 1974.
J
Index of size fraction. Diffusion model for heapleaching and its application to
m Index of the leachable metal. scale-up,Transactions,AIME, 256, p. 247-256.
SANCHEZ-CHAC6N, A.E. and LAPIDUS, G.T., 1997.
Model for heap leaching of gold ores by cyanidation.
Acknowledgments
Hydrometallurgy, 44, p. 1-20.
One of the authors (L.R.P. De Andrade Lima) thanks SHAFER, J .L., WHITE, M.L. and CAENEPEEL, C.L.,
the ConselhoNacional de DesenvolvimentoCientffico e Tec- 1975.Application of the shrinking core model for cop-
nologico of the Brazil (CNPq) for the scholarshipgranted to per oxide leaching. Mining Engineering, p. 165-171.
fund this project. WADSWORTH, M.E., 1979.Hydrometallurgical processes.
In Rate Processesof Extractive Metallurgy. Edited by
References H.Y. Sohn and M.E. Wadsworth. Plenum Press,New
York, p. 133-197.
BOX, ] .C. and PROSSER, A.P., 1986. A general model for WEN, C.Y., 1968. Noncathalitic heterogeneoussolid fluid
the reaction of severalminerals and severalreagentsin reaction models.Industrial and Engineering Chemistry,
heap and dump leaching. Hydrometallurgy, 16, p. 77- 60, p. 34-54.
92.
BOx, ].C. and YUSUF, R., 1984. Simulation of heap and
dump leaching process. Proceedings, Symposium on
Extractive Metallurgy, p. 117-124.

44
 Edited by

Andre Laplante

McCILL UNIVERSITY

Published for the Canadian Minerals Processors Division of CIM

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CIM SPECIAL VOLUME 51
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CANADIAN INSTITUTE OF MINING, METALLURGY AND PETROLEUM
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 Preface Part 1 -Grinding, Gravity, and Flotation
iii

The H.R.A.
Effect EXELBY,
of Comminution
P.I. GUERNEYandHistory
I.D.R. MACKINNON
on Leach Liberation
3

Evaluating the Recoverable Free Gold Potential from Sorting Plants

of Mineral Alluvial Aggregates 11
D. GEORGESCUand S. PETRESCU
The Upgrading of Primary Gold Gravity Concentrates 17
A.R. LAPLANTE,L. HUANG and B.G. HARRIS
Improved Flotation Performance at Fimiston Plant through Better Level Control 27
R.G.D. HENNING, I.H. SCHUBERTand Y. ATASOY

Part 2 -Cyanidation
Mathematical Modelling of Gold Ore Heap Leaching 37
L.R.P.DE ANDRADE LIMA, R.C. VJLLAS-BOAS
and H.M. KOHLER
A Comparison of Empirical and Phenomenological Approaches to the Analysis
of Gold Cyanidation Plant Performance 45
L.R.P.DE ANDRADE LIMA, D. HODOUIN and A. BAX
The Modelling of Competition During Adsorption and Elution in
Carbon-in-Pulp Recovery of Gold 57
I.S.I. VAN DEVENTERand S.P.LlEBENBERG
Improving Cyanidation of a Sulphide Ore by Pre-Ieaching with Lead Nitrate 63
G. DESCHENESand M. FULTON
Characterization of Carbonaceous Preg-robbers and Abraded Carbon in
Gold Residues 71
M.D. ADAMS and A.M. BURGER
Effect of Sulphide Minerals and Dissolved Ions on Gold Dissolution Rate
in Oxygenated Cyanide Solution 79
W.-T. YEN and M.M. AGHAMIRIAN
Electrochemical Study of the Mechanism of the Accelerating Effect
of Lead Nitrate on Gold Cyanidation 87
S. IIN, E. GHALI and G. DESCHENES
Pilot Plant Testing of a Novel Bio-oxidation Process for Refractory
Gold Treatment in Remote Mexico 93
T.I. HARVEYand A.W. FLEMMING

Part 3 -Treatment of Cyanidation Residues

Recent Advances in the Recovery of Cyanide from Gold and Silver Leach
Plant Tailings 107
C.A. FLEMING and C.V. TRANG
Cyanide Recovery for Merrill-Crowe Circuits 119
M.M. BOTZ and T.I. MUDDER
An Assessment of Depyritized Tailings as Cover Material to Prevent
Acid Mine Drainage 123
M.G. LI, L.I.I. CATALAN,I. McLAUGHLIN, I. NESSETand L. ST-ARNAUD

Part 4 -Alternatives to Cyanidation

Gold Extraction from Mildly Refractory Ore Using Ammonium Thiosulphate ..133
W.-T. YEN, M.M. AGHAMIRJAN,G. DESCH£NESand S. THEBEN
Electrochemical Investigation of the Thiosulphate Gold Leaching Process 141
D. MICHEL and I. FRENAY
Thiosulphate Leaching of Gold and Silver Ores: An Old Process Revisited 149
C.I. FERRON,D.W. TURNERand K.C. STOGRAN
Developments in Underground Leaching of Gold with Thiourea 155
G. DESCHENES, M. jULIEN and E. GHALI