ELUTION Elution dissolution of absorbed gold from carbon
During the adsorption stage, high gold cyanide, low temperatures and minor anions react and drive the gold cyanide complex onto the carbon. In a elution process some cations such as calcium and magnesium; and anions such as cyanide and hydroxide react under high temperatures and break the equilibrium and remove gold cyanide from the carbon. During the process, an in increase in cyanide and hydroxide improve the elution rate. Probably, the most important factor in the elution process is temperature due to the equilibrium loading is decreased with higher temperatures. In the same way, the elution process rate is improved at high temperatures. The elution stage is performed to get a solution of high gold content. The first elution process was called Zadra and may be performed with or without alcohol addition to the eluant. With the time, the process was improved and a much faster pressure Zadra elution process became popular in the States and Canada to strip gold and silver from loaded carbon. In South Africa, the Anglo American Research Laboratories (AARL) introduced a elution process, which comprises a cyanide presoak followed by elution with fresh water. The AARL elution process was employed successfully in Australia gold operations. The first elution system was installed in the States, at Pegasus Golds Zortman-Landusky operation in Montana. The main advantages of AARL process are related to lower costs of reagents, no big volume of eluate with high content of gold and silver, and the carbon is affected by contaminants when the process is complete. For example, silica is eliminated readily.
Effect of eluant strength on elution rate
The AARL process is the first option at the moment of selecting an elution system. The integration of elution and electrowinning is an important aspect of the design. For example, if the eluate is kept under pressure for electrowinning before being recycled as eluant, the process operation and efficiency are enhanced. Also, sodium cyanide does not have to be added to the eluant when this arrangement is included in the design. Gold operations in Africa have opted for this option and results were very good. The loaded carbon can be sent to the smelter or may be stripped using an elution system that employs a hot caustic cyanide solution at nearly boiling temperature in 36 to 72 hours. A typical solution is composed of 1% NaOH and 0.1 to 0.2% NaCN. The elution rate may be improved by adding 10% alcohol o o at temperatures around 60 C to 80 C with a stripping time of 5 to 8 hours. If alcohol is employed, due o precaution must be taken. The elution of loaded carbon may be accelerated by using pressure (120 C to o 130 C at 65-75 PSI). Gold loaded onto activated carbon is stripped off into a volume of concentrate solution during the elution process, and this solution passes through electrowinning cells, where the gold is deposited onto steel-wool cathodes which are calcined and smelted to form the conventional gold bar. The Zadra elution process comprises employs a 1% NaOH and 0.2% NaCN at 90oC through a column o stripping and the electrowinning cells, and the AARL elution comprises a carbon soak at 90 C with 5% o NaOH and 2% NaCN, followed by an up-wash with water at 110-120 C. The Beisa elution process includes an acid-washing stage prior to elution. Essentially this process follows the following sequence; o carbon transference to column using water educator, acid wash and soak with 5% HCL at 80 C, removal of acid by hot water-wash, draining of column, conditioning with sodium cyanide, elution with water at o 120 C and transference of stripped carbon. This sequence takes 16 to 19 hours to complete, and the operation is susceptible to some errors. The possibility that the hydrochloric acid and sodium cyanide solutions can become mixed at high temperatures as a result of operative problems is common. By using this procedure, the removal of the calcium that builds up on the carbon is good. For example, a 5% solution of HCL at ambient temperature reduces the calcium content from 15,000 ppm to 2,000 ppm. Micron Research in Australia developed an elution process, which employs carbon as the substrate in a reflux column. The Micron process has recovered gold in only 0.66 bed columns of eluate. The very concerned eluate is treated in an electrowinning cell that employs aluminum cathodes. Elution of Activated Carbon with Glycol Glycol Elution Process Continuous Carbon Elution
NaOH Sodium hydroxide, caustic or lye, caustic soda (liquid substance)
NaCN Sodium cyanide
