UTILIZATION OF OXYGEN IN LEACHING AND/OR RECOVERY PROCEDURES EMPLOYING CARBON

摘要

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREIn gold and/or silver cyanide leaching-adsorption processes employing solid adsorbents suchas activated charcoal, the overall efficiency in therecovery of gold and/or silver from ores or the likeis greatly increased by contacting the cyanideslurry containing the gold and/or silver, withoxygen gas instead of normal air. A generally pureoxygen gas can be bubbled into a vessel containingthe slurry, and a cover (e.g. a floating cover) maybe provided on the vessel to reduce the oxygentransfer out of the solution and to facilitatepressurization of the system with an oxygenatmosphere. The procedures of the invention areapplicable to carbon-in-pulp (CIP), and carbon-in-leach (CIL) processes and related processes usingresins. Deaeration of the ore slurry can bepracticed prior to the introduction of the oxygen.