Method for pressure oxidizing gold-bearing refractory sulfide ores having organic carbon

摘要

Provided is a method for treating refractory gold-bearing ores that have both sulfide material with which the gold is associated and from which the gold is difficult to separate and having organic carbonaceous material having an affinity for at least one of gold and a gold complex. The mineral material is pressure oxidized in the presence of a halogen-containing material in a manner to reduce the susceptibility of the organic carbonaceous material to capture and hold gold during the pressure oxidation. Also provided is a gold-bearing effluent product from the pressure oxidation process. The effluent product comprises gold which can be effectively recovered by carbon-in-leach cyanidation of the effluent product. In many cases, gold recovery according to the present invention is increased substantially over standard pressure oxidation techniques.