METHOD FOR PRESSURE OXIDIZING GOLD-BEARING REFRACTORY SULFIDE ORES HAVING ORGANIC CARBON

摘要

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 dificult to separate and having organic carbonaceous material having an affinity for at least one of gold and a gold complex. A feed slurry (2) comprising the mineral material feed slurried in an aqueous liquid, is subjected to pressure oxidation (6). A gas (4) that is rich in oxygen is contacted with the feed slurry to provide oxygen to oxidize sulfide sulfur in the mineral material to a sulfate form. Offgases (10) are collected for treatment and eventual release. The effluent product (8) includes solid effluent comprising 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.