APPLICATION OF HIGH-POWER ELECTROMAGNETIC PULSES TO

DESINTEGRATION OF GOLD-CONTAINING MINERAL COMPLEXES

V.A. Chanturiya, I.J. Bunin

, A.T. Kovalev
Research Institute of Comprehensive Exploitation of Mineral Resources, Russian Academy of Sciences,
4 Kryukovsky Tupik, Moscow, 111020, Russia

Work supported in part by the President of the Russian Federation under contract number 472.2003.5.

email: bunin_i@mail.ru
Abstract

The application of High-Power Electromagnetic Pulses
(HPEMP) irradiation in dressing of resistant gold-
containing ores appears attractive as this technique
provides for a significant increase in precious metal
recovery (3080% for gold and 2050% for silver),
therewith helping reduce both energy consumption and
the cost of products.
This study deals with plausible mechanisms of
disintegration of mineral particles under the action of
nanosecond HPEMP with high electric field strength
E10
7
V/m. Experimental data are presented to confirm
the formation of breakdown channels and selective
disintegration of mineral complexes as a result of pulse
irradiation, which makes for efficient access of lixiviant
solutions to precious metal grains and enhanced precious
metal recovery into lixivia during leaching.
We studied the influence of HPEMP on the
technological properties of particles of refractory gold-
and silver-containing ores and beneficiation products
from Russian deposits. Preliminary processing of gravity
concentrate of one deposit ore with a series of HPEMP
resulted in significant increase of gold and silver
extraction into lixivia during the cyanidation stage, with
gold recovery increased by 31% (from 51.2% in a blank
test to 82.3% after irradiation) and silver recovery
increased by 47% (from 21.8% to 68.8%). Gold recovery
from stale gold-containing dressing tailings of the two
integrated mining-and-dressing works increased after
pulses-irradiation from 812% to 8090%.

I. INTRODUCTION

In Russia, like elsewhere in the world, development of
primary gold deposits is considered a first-priority line of
development for gold mining industry. Most of the gold-
containing ores characteristic of Russian gold deposits are
resistant ores with gold content varying between 3 and 5
ppm, usually showing quite low gold and silver recovery
by cyanidation. Processing resistance of gold-containing
mineral complexes is related to the presence of gold
particles of submicrometric size (<1.0 m), mostly
associated with pyrite and arsenopyrite. The problem of
proper utilization of resistant ores and enhancement of
precious metal recovery presently takes on ever increasing
significance.
In the mineral processing process, from 70% to 90% of
electrical power is consumed for the crushing and
grinding of the ore. The power consumption for the
crushing process amounts to 2040 kWh/ton, and even
more. Moreover, in some cases, the increasing of grinding
fineness does not result in the increasing of the degree of
mineral granular disclosure. Therefore, one of the basic
tasks in this domain is the reduction of the power
consumption and the elevation of the degree of mineral
granules (transgranular) disclosure.
This paper reviews current research in high-power
energetic technologies for processing of gold-containing
resistant ores and beneficiation products, a branch of
experimental engineering physics which critically
depends on national priority research projects for its
dynamic development. The aim of the review is basically
to show progress in the study of nanosecond processes
involved in the disintegration and breaking-up of mineral
complexes with disseminated fine noble metals. Results
of experimental studies of the mechanisms of non-thermal
action of HPEMP with nanosecond leading edge and
pulse duration and high electric field strength on complex
natural mineral media are presented. Experimental data
are presented to confirm the formation of breakdown
channels and selective disintegration of mineral
complexes as a result of pulse irradiation, which makes
for efficient access of lixiviant solutions to precious metal
grains and enhanced precious metal recovery into lixivia
during leaching.

II. NON-TRADITIONAL METHODS OF
TREATMENT OF RESISTANT GOLD-
CONTAINING ORES

Lets review some kinds of known technique of natural
media modifications, which are closely related to the
method proposed in this paper. The electrochemical
methods should be mentioned first. The essence of these
methods consists in the increase of defects concentration
and arising of a great number of microcracks under the
polarization processes of sulfide and oxide minerals with
semiconductor properties [1]. The defects concentration
raise and microcracks emergence are caused under these
conditions by the electrochemical reactions which take
place on the mineral grain boundaries. In practice, the
electrochemical action is performed in the process of
grinding by the application of direct current of 36 A/m
2

density and of 612 V voltage inside the ball mill. The
electric power consumption in this case amounts to
0.20.4 kWh/ton and the degree of disclosure increases by
2025%.
Considerably better results were obtained under the ores
exposure to the accelerated electron beam with energy of
12 MeV and current density of 15 A/cm
2
before
grinding [2]. The physical background of the effect is the
electric charge of the natural media of weak conductivity.
This causes the emergence of microcracks, which lead to
the softening of mineral components. The 2080%
increase of grinding efficiency, as well as the 1520%
raise of technological characteristics is observed under
these conditions for all types of ores.
One of the noteworthy attempts to solve the problem of
disintegration of resistant ores and beneficiation products
was the irradiation of the ore by the microwave generator
[3]. The microwave generator provided a continuous
radiation of 0.9-2.5 GHz frequency. The roast of the
medium up to 360 C increased the yield of gold in
several experiments but no convincing results were
obtained. In UHF treatment, heterogeneous (non-uniform)
absorption of microwave energy by different components
of the mineral complex results in embrittlement of the
mineral matrix and destruction of its skeleton along the
intergrowth boundaries, which "unseals" the valuable
components, making them easier to extract. In addition,
intense physicochemical processes occur on the surfaces
of the sulphide samples exposed to UHF treatment: pyrite
oxidizes to hematite and elemental sulphur, and
arsenopyrite oxidizes to magnetite, arsenic sulphide and
(minor) SO
2
, which helps increase gold recovery up to
95% [4]. However, excessive UHP heating results in
unwanted effects, such as fusion and sintering of the
material and closure of as-formed cracks. In addition, this
procedure is energy-intensive, with energy consumption
of at least 35 kWh per ton required to provide for plant
capacity of 510 tons per day.
Magnetic pulse treatment of gold-containing ores is
meant to reduce energy expenditure for milling and
increase gold recovery [5]. This technique is realized by
passing the ore (or pulp) through a dielectric pipeline
segment enclosed in a system of electromagnetic coils
which, constantly generates electromagnetic field pulses
with repetition frequency up to 50 Hz. It is worthwhile to
implement this technique in ore processing just before
milling and to include it in the cyanidatlon procedure,
which proves to yield a 11.5% gain in gold recovery in
all.
A group of researchers affiliated in the Electrophysical
Institute of the Uralian Branch of Russian Academy of
Sciences (Yekaterinburgh) designed a plant for
electrohydraulic treatment of resistant materials by
nanosecond pulses with a positive polarity, a magnitude
of up to 250 kV, and a repetition rate of up to 300 Hz [6].
This device does perform the mechanism of nanosecond
breakdown of water (the electrohydraulic method
proposed by L.A.Yutkin) with suspended microparticles,
yet having significant limitations on efficiency, capacity
and energy consumption, and some other technological
restrictions. In essence, electrohydraulic treatment is
realized through exposing the test material immersed in
liquid, to shock waves generated by electrical breakdown
of the liquid, with an aim to destruct the resistant
particles. The essential disadvantages of this method are
the necessity of performing the process in a liquid
medium with solid-to-liquid ratio S:L=1:1, which
decreases plant capacity and increases energy
consumption, and non-controllable changes in ionic
composition of the aqueous phase of the pulp. In
particular, experiments with samples of stale tailings from
the Uchala concentration plant revealed a sizable increase
in concentration of Cu, Zn and Fe ions in the aqueous
phase of the pulp after electrohydraulic pulse treatment,
which may disturb further processing and have negative
environmental sequels.
All the above discussed high-energy treatment methods
have the following disadvantages in common: high energy
consumption, overheating of the material subject to
processing, and certain intensification of sulphide
leaching with uncontrollable passage of metal ions into
the liquid pulp phase.
In this paper we present a treatment method developed
by IPKON RAS and IRE RAN researchers, which appears
to be free of the above listed disadvantages. This non-
traditional, highly efficient and environmentally safe
method of breaking up mineral complexes with
disseminated fine gold is based en non-thermal action of
nanosecond High-Power Electromagnetic Pulses on
resistant gold-containing ores and beneficiation products
[7,8].

III. THE EFFECT OF HPEMP ON
BREAKING-UP OF GOLD-
CONTAINING MINERAL COMPLEXES

We have studied three plausible mechanisms of
disintegration of mineral particles under the action of
nanosecond HPEMP with high electric field strength E
p
10
7
V/m [9]. The first mechanism consists in loosening
of the mineral structure due to electrical breakdown
effects, which only occurs in cases where small, highly
conductive inclusions are hosted in dielectric media. The
second mechanism is related to development of
thermomechanical stresses at the boundary (interface)
between the dielectric (or semiconductor) and conductive
mineral components, being only realized in cases where
these components are comparable in size. The third
mechanism, assuming essentially non-thermal action of
HPEMP on mineral complexes, is related to
electromagnetic energy absorption by thin metallic films
or layers much thinner than the characteristic skin layer
(skin effect).
Figure 1a presents an image of a fragment of spallation
surface of a pyrite specimen after irradiation with a series
of nanosecond pulses. Although the action of the pulses
on the specimen surface was initially uniform, electric
breakdown developed quite unevenly, predominantly
close to rough edges of the specimen and along the
intergrowth boundaries (Figure 1b). These experimental
data are presented to confirm the formation of breakdown
channels and selective disintegration of mineral
complexes as a result of pulse irradiation, which makes
for efficient access of lixiviant solutions to precious metal
grains and enhanced precious metal recovery into lixivia
during leaching.
For practical realization the specialists affiliated in
IPKON RAS designed a plant with capacity of 50100 kg
(of ore subject to processing) per hour using a conveyer
mode of conveying ore into the zone of electromagnetic
pulse treatment. The plant includes the following units:
voltage converter, master pulse generator, capacitive
energy accumulator, transportation system and electrode
unit. The efficiency of disintegration of mineral
complexes and breaking-up (unsealing) of precious
metal particles is controlled by the development of a
streamer discharge in the gap between the electrodes
through proper selection of the magnitude, duration and
shape of pulses. The required "dose" of electromagnetic
pulse effect for the specified mass of the mineral material
to be processed is attained by varying the speed of
conveyer belt movement and repetition frequency of
pulses from the pulse shaper. The flow of the material
subject to processing is conveyed (with equalized
thickness and limited width) into the unit of high-energy
treatment with nanosecond high-voltage pulses with the
following characteristics: voltage amplitude 2050 kV,
pulse front duration 15 ns, pulse repetition frequency
501000 Hz, with total plant power consumption not
greater than 3 kW.
The employment of HPEMP in dressing resistant gold-
containing ores and beneficiation products appears
attractive as it provides for maximum breaking-up
efficiency for the mineral complexes being processed and
a significant gain in valuable components recovery
(3080% for gold and 2050% for silver), therewith
helping reduce both energy consumption and the cost of
products. Experiments on HPEMP-induced effects were
performed with various materials, including samples of
resistant ores, beneficiation products (gravitational and
flotation concentrates) and stale tailings from
concentration plants. A feature in common to all the
materials selected for study was the presence of finely
dispersed gold and silver (hundredths and thousandths of
m), much of this gold being related to sulphide minerals,
predominantly pyrite and arsenopyrite.


a)

b)

Figure 1. SEM image of the microstructure of
destructive zones of pyrite after HPEMP irradiation:
a) partial breakdown of surface in the vicinity of
metallic inclusion, and b) opening of the intergrowth
boundaries.

The experimental procedure included pre-treatment of
mineral particles with a series of HPEMP, followed by
cyanidation to extract precious metals. The experiments
involved both dry samples and samples wetted with water
in amount not greater than enough to fill the pores in
mineral particles, i.e., to attain the solid-to-liquid ratio
S:L=(510):1. The number of pulses in a series and the
irradiation parameters (pulse shape and duration) varied
depending on particular experimental conditions. The
appropriate value of electric field strength magnitude of
the electromagnetic field (varying from 5 to 50 MV/m)
exceeding the electrical strength of the material was
attained through adjusting the gap between the electrodes
and their insulation. Data on gain in gold recovery by
cyanidation from gold-containing ores, concentrates and
other processing products from different deposits after
HPEMP treatment are given in Table 1.

Table 1. Effect of HPEMP irradiation on gold extraction
by cyanidation from resistant gold-containing ores and
beneficiation products.
Deposit;
gold content,
ppm
Size class,
m
Gain in gold
recovery
(from to), %
Initial ore
Kyuchus;
24.2
1000
12,11
(66.67 78.78)
Nevskoye;
1.31.8
500
4,4
(91.2 95.6)
Olimpiadinskoye;
2.4
100
8,33
(60.0 68.33)
oncentrates
gravitational
50
6,4
(77 3.4) Nezhdaninskoye;
80
500
31.08
(51.22 82.3)
flotation
20
5.7
(82 87.7)
Kumtor
(Kyrgyzstan);
45 140
7,9
(63.1 71)
Tailing from concentration plants
Aleksandrinskoye;
2.34
74
31.2
(52.56 83.76)
Gai;
2
315
80
(11 91)
Uchala;
2.1
74
30
(12,86 42,86)
Urup;
1.02
315
71.1
(8.5 79.6)
Uzelga;
2.24
74
36,61
(6,25 42,86)

A series of process experiments confirmed the
theoretical assumption that maximum breaking-up
efficiency after E treatment would be expected
from gold-containing sulphides not finer grained than
200100 m, and that the effect of formation of
breakdown channels and selective desintegration is
enhanced predominantly for wet samples. In particular,
for a gravitational concentrate of ore from the
Nezhdaninskoye deposit exposed to HPEMP rather high
gain in precious metal recovery was obtained with
minimum energy expenditure of just 2 kWh per ton of
concentrate being processed, while energy consumption in
a process involving mechanical grinding of the 500 m
ore to 50 m were about 2025 kWh per ton of ore.

IV. SUMMARY

The treatment of gold-containing raw material by High-
Power Electromagnetic Pulses allows one to achieve the
maximum completeness of the intergranular breakdown
of the mineral components with minimum expenditures of
the electric energy (the efficiency coefficient of
transformation of the industrial frequency energy into the
pulse energy amounts to more than 90%). This fact
predetermines the creation of a fundamentally new,
highly-efficient, energy-saving technology of the ore
treatment. This will exclude the necessity to make
investments into the power-consuming and ecologically
hazardous process of oxidative roasting, or into the
expensive autoclave technology of concentrate
breakdown. Consequently, this will make it possible to
reduce the distance from raw material to final commodity.

V. REFERENCES

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[7] V.A. Chanturiya, et. al., "The opening of the refractory
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