Iron Oxide Gold-bearing Ore Processing Based on Ore

Characterization: Gravity Pre-concentration and Cyanide

Dissolution
Hamidreza Roostaei
Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch
Masoumeh Kordparijaei (  [email protected] )
Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch
Shahin Mesroghli
Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch

Research Article

Keywords: Gold recovery, Cyanidation, Gravity concentration, Shaking table, Knelson separator, iron oxide minerals

Posted Date: September 7th, 2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-3313540/v1

License:   This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Read Full
License

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Abstract
The application of ore characterization and mineralogy holds a significant role in the development of a mineral
processing route. The current investigation endeavors to evaluate the processing of iron oxide gold-bearing minerals
exhibiting a gold grade of 1.07 g/ton. First, the mineralogical and microscopic characteristics of the ore sample were
scrutinized. Subsequently, the recovery of gold from the ore was analyzed through gravity concentration and
cyanidation techniques, following the characterization of minerals and ore using diverse methodologies. The
outcomes revealed that the sample comprised free gold and oxidized structures, predominantly in the size fraction of
-149 + 88 microns, and smaller within the range of 5–10 microns. Pre-concentration of gold-bearing minerals was
performed via gravity separation techniques, including a shaking table and Knelson separator. The results indicated
that the recovery of gold through these methods was limited, likely due to insufficient quantities of free gold present in
the coarse-grained fractions. Subsequent cyanidation studies were conducted at pH 10.5, utilizing sodium cyanide
concentrations of 3000 mg/l, and varying temperature, solid percentage, and size distribution parameters. The highest
gold recovery rate of 95.03% was achieved in the size distribution of d80 = 53 microns, at a temperature of 80° C and a
solid percentage of 25%. If a detailed technical and economic evaluation is conducted to optimize energy
consumption and reduce grinding costs in the industry, it may be feasible to use the size distribution of d80 = 147
microns as the appropriate particle size for the cyanidation process, where a gold recovery rate of 90.51% was
achieved at ambient temperature with a solid percentage of 30%.

1. Introduction
The investigation of mineralogy is an essential and fundamental component of pre-feasibility research and serves as
a key quality control measure during optimization. The process mineralogy of gold ores encompasses the
characterization of gold minerals, sub-microscopic gold, and their respective carriers, as well as the study of gangue
minerals and other species that may impact gold processing [1].

The selection of an optimal gold ore processing method necessitates a thorough analysis of the ore. Common
techniques for extracting gold from gold-bearing minerals include gravity concentration, flotation, heap leaching, and
cyanidation. Gravity-based methods utilizing a jig [2], shaking table[3, 4], Knelson, and Falcon separators [5, 6] have
been successfully employed to concentrate gold-bearing minerals in relatively coarse size distributions. Notably,
Knelson and Falcon's centrifugal concentrators have demonstrated a 96% recovery rate for free gold particles larger
than 30 microns. However, conventional gravity separators exhibit a substantial decline in gold recovery as the particle
size decreases [7].

The processing of fine particles typically involves the utilization of Enhanced Gravity Separators (EGS). These
separators generate an artificial gravity field that is significantly greater than that of Earth, resulting in a notable
acceleration in the settling velocity differential between heavy and light particles. Prominent examples of EGS include
the Knelson concentrator, Falcon, Kelsey jig, and multi-gravity separators (MGS) [8, 9].

In the gold leaching process, various lixiviants have been explored to replace cyanide, including thiosulfate, thiourea,
chloride, glycine, and iodine. Despite the advantages and disadvantages of each lixiviant, their application in the
industry has been limited by environmental, technical, and economic factors, except for cyanide which has been
widely used for decades. However, the toxic nature of cyanide and its associated environmental concerns have
prompted the search for alternative methods [10–16].

The cyanidation process is influenced by several key factors that regulate the dissolution of gold. These factors
include the concentrations of cyanide and oxygen, pH levels, the extent of exposed gold surface area, particle size,
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stirring rate, and the presence of exogenous ions in the solution [17–19].

Alkaline cyanides such as sodium, potassium, and calcium are used to leach gold out of its ore. Selection of the
appropriate cyanide is typically based on factors such as application methodology, cost, and accessibility[20].
Additionally, minerals such as copper, lead, zinc, and iron minerals are recognized as consumers of alkaline cyanide in
conjunction with gold ores [10].

In a study, the effect of five main factors in the gold cyanidation process was investigated To maximize gold recovery
in the experiment in optimal conditions of effective parameters, solution pH, solid percentage, NaCN concentration,
particle size, and leaching time have been set to 10.11, 36.07%, 729.56 ppm, 37.52 microns, and 23.2 h, respectively. In
this condition, the highest gold recovery has been obtained, approximately 91.5% [21].

In the present study, process mineralogy and ore characterization methods were applied to predict the gold ore
behavior in different processes. Thereafter, gravity pre-concentration and cyanidation experiments were examined to
acquire the highest gold recovery in the gold ore.

2. Experimental
2.1. Materials
The sample was taken from a gold-bearing mine in Razavi Khorasan province in Iran and prepared and ground to d100
of 250 microns (d80 = 184 microns). It was divided into representative sub-samples, which were used to conduct
mineralogical studies and processing experiments.

Mineralogical and microscopic studies were carried out using Leitz microscopes (Germany). A laboratory shaking
table (Iran) with a dimension of 130*63 cm and a filter press was applied to separate the solids from the shaking table
pulp products. Knelson separator experiments were performed using the laboratory KC-MD3 model (Canada).

Laboratory sodium cyanide (NaCN, 98% purity) and hydrated lime (Ca(OH)2) were used to conduct cyanidation
experiments and adjust the pH, respectively. The pH was controlled regularly by a pH meter (METTLER TOLEDO,
Switzerland) with an accuracy of 0.01 due to its critical role in the leaching process.

2.2. Method
Mineralogical and microscopic studies were performed using polished and thin sections for a representative sample
applying transmitted and reflected ray microscopes, and the minerals and chemical composition were identified. In
addition to microscopic studies, XRD and XRF methods were also performed. Also, the gold grade in the sample was
determined by the Fire Assay technique.

Based on the mineralogical studies, the appropriate degree of liberation for most of the gold particles was less than
150 microns.

The gravity concentration method and cyanidation were examined to separate the free gold, which was mainly
observed in the size fraction of -149 + 88 microns. First, to conduct gravity pre-concentration experiments shaking
table was used. Transverse tilt, oscillation frequency, and wash water flow rate were among the variable parameters.
Four experiments were performed to check the possibility of gold concentration in different parameters values. Finally,
the gold grade and recovery were measured in the table products. The size distributions of the samples for shaking
table experiments equaled d100 = 250 microns (d80 = 184 microns), except for one experiment which was performed in

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the size fraction of -250 + 75 microns. Upper, lower, and central levels were adjusted for each of the above-mentioned
parameters, and gold grade and recovery were calculated.

In the next step, the gravity pre-concentration experiments were performed with a Knelson separator in two size
distributions of d100 = 250 and 53 microns in different acceleration values of bowl G-level.

The products for each part of the tailing, middling, and concentrate of the shaking table and the tailing and
concentrate of the Knelson separator were filtered with a filter press and dried, and their gold grades were determined
by the fire assay method.

According to the results of gravity concentration methods, in the final stage, the focus was on cyanidation tests.
Therefore, five homogenous samples of one kilogram (d80 = 184 microns) were dried and ground in a laboratory ball
mill separately. The milling time was considered different for each sample. The grinding times of the samples were 8,
12, 20, 30, and 55 minutes, and their size distribution (d80) reached 147, 120, 105, 89, and 53 microns, respectively.

To determine the concentration of sodium cyanide and appropriate size distribution for the final cyanidation tests, four
control tests were performed with different conditions of temperature, particle size, and solid percentage. The gold
grade in the solid and solution phases was determined by the fire assay and ICP-OES methods after their separation,
resulting in the identification of the free cyanide concentration by the silver titration method. The best conditions for
further studies were selected based on the calculations of gold recovery.

3. Results and discussion

3.1. Ore characterization
A representative sample of gold ore was studied by microscopic images of various size fractions. Results indicated
that the sample belongs to the oxidation zone and that rarely observed pyrite-type sulfide minerals in the sections were
converted into iron hydroxides. In addition, quartz and silica were recognized as the main mineral gangues. Native
copper and copper oxide (cuprite) were scarce in the sample. In addition, chalcopyrite (size fraction of -88 + 74
microns) and chalcocite (size fraction of -210 + 149 microns) were observed in one of the sections.

The value of the sample was dominantly determined by its free gold content in the size fraction of -149 + 88 microns
followed by its fine-grained free gold content with the particle size of 5–10 microns, and then the type of grains
involved with goethite. Figures 1 and 2 illustrate a piece of fine-grained free gold and a grain involved with the goethite
with a size smaller than 10 microns, respectively.

Figure 3 demonstrates a bright piece with a grain size of about 150 microns, which resembles native gold and is
observed freely. Figure 4 displays a microscopic image of transparent quartz gangue pieces under polarized light.

According to the XRD pattern of the gold ore (Fig. 5), the ore consists mainly of six mineral phases: hematite (Fe2O3),
goethite (FeO(OH)), quartz (SiO2), muscovite-illite (KAl2Si3AlO10(OH)2), jarosite (KFe3(SO4)2(OH)6), and natroalunite
(NaAl3(SO4)2(OH)6). Table 1 shows the results of the quantitative mineralogical analysis of the sample by the XRD
data. Based on the microscopic and XRD studies, the predominant minerals of the ore were found to be iron oxides
(more than 50%) and silica (24%).

The ore contains less than enough amount of clay minerals to create any problem for the dissolution of gold since
clay minerals can contain inclusions of gold grains in colloidal sizes and this prevents the gold particles from leaching

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into the solution and hence lowers the recovery [22].

Table 1
XRD analysis of the gold ore sample
Mineral Chemical formula Mass (%)

Muscovite-Iillite KAl2Si3AlO10(OH)2 4

Quartz SiO2 24

Jarosite KFe3(SO4)2(OH)6 14

Natroalunite NaAl3(SO4)2(OH)6 4

Goethite FeO(OH) 52

Hematite Fe2O3

Other - 2

The chemical composition of the ore, as per the results of XRF analysis, is shown in Table 2. The high content of iron
(> 53%) is consistent with the results of the XRD analysis.

Table 2
XRF analysis of gold ore sample
Compound SiO2 BaO CaO Fe2O3 K2O MgO MnO P2O5 SO3 TiO2 LOI

Content (%) 25.39 < 0.3 53.74 1.08 0.11 < 0.09 5.37 0.45 13.47

Applying the fire assay technique, the gold grade of the ore was measured at 1.07 g/ton, while those of platinum and
palladium were found to be 0.03 and 0.01 g/ton, respectively.

The insignificance of sulfide minerals (e.g., pyrite, pyrrhotite, and galena) and secondary copper minerals indicated
that no obstacle emerged during the cyanidation in terms of cyanide consumption. According to the characterization
results, the studied ore was classified under free-milling non-refractory gold ores.

Gravity concentration methods were considered a priority, and some experiments were performed with a shaking table
due to the presence of free gold and the specific weight difference among gold, iron, and silica minerals.
3.2. Shaking table
Shaking table experiments were performed with 2000 g of feed with d100 = 250 microns at a feed rate of 500 g/min
and a water flow rate of 2 l/min with a pulp of 20% solid content. Setting the shaking table transverse tilt angle to any
value beyond 7° pushed a large portion of the sample to the tailings, which was not appropriate. In the concentrate
part, a similar problem occurred for transverse tilt angles below 3°. The longitudinal tilt angle of the table was adjusted
to 1°. Table 3 presents the test conditions and results to analyze the applicability of the shaking table for gold
enrichment and gold recovery improvement. Concentrate and tailing were heavy and light products of the table,
respectively.

Experiment 4 was performed to assess the conditions over a narrower size distribution, with all other conditions
remaining the same as those in other experiments. As observed, the weight percentage of tailing increased with
increasing the tilt angle and changing parameters. The results indicated the ineffectiveness of the shaking table for
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the concentration process, which led to inappropriate minerals separation. Indeed, a large amount of fine-grained gold
may be transferred in the tailing or the middling part as the gold particles were scattered in all parts.

Table 3
Conditions and results of the shaking table experiments
Experiment Sample Size Table tilt Wash Oscillation Weight Gold Gold
type fraction (degrees) water frequency percentage grade recovery
(micron) flow (rpm) (mg/ton) (%)
rate
(l/min)

1 Concentrate -250 7 3 1300 25.0 1331 22.8

Middling -250 26.1 1105 19.7

Tailing -250 48.9 1716 57.5

2 Concentrate -250 5 2 1500 25.2 1342 29.0

Middling -250 52.6 977 44.2

Tailing -250 22.2 1396 26.7

3 Concentrate -250 3 4 1700 51.9 1033 48.1

Middling -250 38.1 1114 38.1

Tailing -250 10.0 1521 13.7

4 Concentrate -250 + 5 2 1500 15.6 1929 22.0

75

Middling -250 + 50.1 1157 42.4

75

Tailing -250 + 34.3 1420 35.6

75

In addition to the fire assay analysis and gold recovery in each part, the Recovery of Fe2O3 and SiO2 was also
calculated for experiments 2 and 4 to evaluate the separation of the other main components. As shown in Table 4,
light (silica) and heavy minerals (iron oxides) were not separated effectively by utilizing the shaking table, and the
same was true for the gold.

Table 4
Recovery of iron oxide and silica for experiments 2 and 4
Experiment Product Weight Fe2O3 Fe2O3 recovery SiO2 weight SiO2 recovery
percent weight (%) percent (%) (%)
(%) percent (%)

2 Concentrate 25.2 64.2 29.51 18.0 17.02

Middling 52.6 49.9 47.93 32.5 64.25

Tailing 22.2 66.6 22.57 22.4 18.73

4 Concentrate 15.6 66.6 19.6 16.8 8.75

Middling 50.1 53.2 50.17 30.2 50.58

Tailing 34.3 46.8 30.23 35.5 40.67

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3.3. Knelson concentrator
Observing the non-satisfactory results of the shaking table tests, pre-concentration by a Knelson concentrator, as an
alternative minerals separation method for fine-grained free gold was examined. Three tests were performed at a fixed
feed water flow rate of 1.5 l/min, sample weight of 4000 g, feeding rate of 400 g/min, and solid percentage of about
21%. As indicated in Table 5, two tests were done with a size distribution of d100 = 250 microns, and the other one was
done with a size distribution of d100 = 53 microns.

Table 5
Conditions and results of concentration tests by Knelson separator
Experiment Sample Size fraction G Water pressure Weight Grade Gold
No. experiment (micron) (millibar) percentage (mg/ton) recovery
(%) (%)

1 Concentrate -250 60 300 1.9 4709 7.1

Tailing -250 98.1 1172 92.9

2 Concentrate -250 120 300 2 5946 9.6

Tailing -250 98 1111 90.4

3 Concentrate -53 120 200 2.2 5386 10.1

Tailing -53 97.8 1092 89.9

Based on the results, no remarkable recovery improvement was achieved in the concentrate part despite increasing the
feed grade more than 4–5 times. This indicates the ineffectiveness of the Knelson concentrator for the considered
purpose as it led to the disposal of a large amount of gold to the tailing, which might be related to the fine-grained
gold, as seen in the microscopic studies.

3.4. Cyanidation
To determine the required concentration of cyanide for dissolution, a solid percentage of the pulp, and the appropriate
size distribution to perform the detailed cyanidation studies, four experiments were conducted under different sets of
conditions. For this purpose, pH, sodium cyanide concentration, stirring rate, and leaching time were fixed at 10.5,
3000 mg/l, 800 rpm, and 24 h, respectively. Each of the cyanidation experiments was performed with 1000 g of feed.
Table 6 shows other conditions and results of the cyanidation experiments.

Table 6
Conditions and Results of gold ore cyanidation
Experiment Size distribution Temperature Solid Free cyanide concentration of the Gold
No. (micron) d80 (°C) percentage pregnant solution (mg/l) recovery
(%) (%)

1 53 80 25 1820 95.03

2 89 80 25 1700 91.14

3 120 Ambient 30 1220 90.37

4 147 Ambient 30 1320 90.51

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The initial concentration of sodium cyanide was presumably 3000 mg/l due to the presence of insignificant amounts
of copper and sulfide minerals and arsenic in the sample. The Measurement of free cyanide concentration in the
leaching solution after cyanidation experiments showed that the amount of sodium cyanide considered was sufficient.

Based on the results, an acceptable recovery (> 90%) was achieved for the size distribution of d80 = 53 and 89 microns
at a solid percentage of 25%. An increase in the particle size from 53 to 89 microns led to a slight decrease in the gold
recovery and a small rise in sodium cyanide consumption. To investigate the effects of temperature and particle size,
a subsequent experiment was performed at a solid percentage of 30% and a size distribution of d80 = 120 microns at
ambient temperature. The results indicated that an increase in particle size from 89 to 120 microns (coarser size
distribution), a rise in pulp concentration from 25 to 30%, and a reduction in temperature from 80°C to ambient only
resulted in a 1% decrease in the gold recovery while greatly affecting the economy of the process in terms of energy
consumption and feed rate. To analyze the effect of particle size, another experiment was performed on a sample with
a size distribution of d80 = 147 microns under the same conditions as those in experiment 3 based on the results of
microscopic studies, indicating no significant change in the gold recovery although the sodium cyanide consumption
was 6% lower than the size distribution of d80 = 120 microns, which is an important finding in terms of economic and
environmental aspects. In general, the size distribution of d80 = 147 microns was found to be more advantageous than
that of d80 = 120 microns. According to the results, an increase in the particle size from 53 to 147 microns due to the
presence of free gold in the sample imposed no significant effect on the gold recovery. Similar observations regarding
leaching temperature showed that increasing or decreasing the temperature did not have a significant impact on the
gold dissolution for a 24-hour leaching time.

Reflecting high gold recoveries (> 90%) with the cyanidation, our findings are in line with those of microscopic studies
indicating the presence of free gold in the sample. This shows that process mineralogy can effectively play a key role
in gold ore processing.

Studying gold dissolution kinetics during the first few hours of the process, which can be of help in selecting and
determining the range of variables for the final experiments, along with the effects of different leaching times on the
gold recovery, optimization of sodium cyanide consumption, and pH values of the pulp will be further discussed in
future studies.

4. Conclusion
Mineralogical studies for gold ore from Razavi Khorasan, Iran, indicated the presence of free gold in the sample and
the oxidation state of the ore. According to the characterization results, some experiments were performed by the
shaking table and Knelson separators to evaluate the efficiency of the gravity methods. The results showed that the
gravity methods were not suitable for enhancing the grade and the recovery of the gold ore.

Based on the microscopic studies and XRD results in which the major phases were oxide minerals, the success of the
cyanidation method could be predicted, and the tests also confirmed this fact. To determine the concentration of
sodium cyanide and appropriate size distribution for finding the optimum cyanidation conditions, some experiments
were conducted in size distributions of d80 = 53, 89, 120, and 147 microns at 80°C and ambient temperatures. In
addition, pH, sodium cyanide concentration, and time were adjusted to 10.5, 3000 mg/l, and 24 h for all of the
experiments, respectively.

The results indicated that the highest gold recovery (95.03%) was achieved in particle size of 53 microns. However, it
may not be very economical to use the particle size of 53 microns due to the high grinding costs and energy

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consumption in the industry; in this case, the particle size of 147 microns has more feasibility. Of course, this issue
needs to be further examined through final cyanidation experiments and more detailed technical and economic
evaluations.

Additionally, a solid content of 30% and a sodium cyanide concentration of 2000 mg/l at ambient temperature were
appropriate values for further studies. Other variables such as pH and leaching time to optimize the amount of
recovery will be investigated in future studies.

Declarations
Ethics approval

This declaration is not applicable.

Competing interests

The authors report there are no competing interests to declare.

Funding

This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Availability of data and materials

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Figures

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Figure 1

Microscopic image of the light reflected from normal rays of a bright piece of free gold with a size less than 10
microns in size fraction of -25 microns (each 0.1 degree equals 4 microns)

Page 11/15
Figure 2

Microscopic image of the light reflected from normal rays of the bright piece of gold with a size smaller than 10
microns interlocked in pieces of goethite in the size fraction of -74+44 microns (each 0.1 degree equals 4 microns)

Page 12/15
Figure 3

Microscopic image of the light reflected with normal rays of free gold in a particle size of about 150 microns in the
size fraction of -149+88 microns (each 0.1 degree equals 4 microns)

Page 13/15
Figure 4

Microscopic image with a polarized ray from transparent pieces of quartz gangue in the size fraction of -44+37
microns (each 0.1 degree equals 4 microns)

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Figure 5

The XRD pattern of the gold ore

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