US EPA

1597404 

Journal Article 

Heap bioleaching of refractory arsenic gold concentrates 

Cheng, D-H; He, J-T; Li, G-B 

2013 

Yes 

Asian Journal of Chemistry
ISSN: 0970-7077
EISSN: 0975-427X 

25 

5 

2839-2844 

10.14233/ajchem.2013.14028 

WOS:000317245800108 

http://dx.doi.org/10.14233/ajchem.2013.14028
Exit
 

In this work, we pretreated refractory arsenic gold concentrate, obtained from the Shaanxi Pangjiahe mine located in Feng county, Shaanxi, China, by heap bioleaching with Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans (A.f.). The purpose of this research was to evaluate the feasibility of heap bioleaching on refractory gold concentrate. The samples with an agglomerate agent were bio-leached within a temperature range of 15-28 ºC for periods of 60 d, 132 d and 306 d, respectively, in leaching column. Then the residues were cyanide leached. The highest gold extraction rate increased from 39.97 %, which is the gold extraction rate from the direct cyanidation process, to 88.66 %. Our results demonstrate that the Au extraction rate was linear with the As extraction rate. The redox potential of Fe3+/Fe2+ is the primary potential in the leaching solution and the T.f. activity varied periodically with inhibition and accommodation. Heap bioleaching can probably be applied on refractory gold concentrate. Further study should be carried out to determine ways to shorten the bioleaching time. 

Refractory; Arsenic gold concentrate; Heap bioleaching; Column experiments