METHOD FOR POCESSING SULPHIDE GOLD AND COPPER FLOAT CONCENTRATE Russian patent published in 2021 - IPC C22B11/00 C22B3/06 C22B3/24 C22B15/00 

FIELD: metallurgy.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to hydrometallurgical processing of sulfide gold and copper float concentrate. Ultrafine grinding to a fineness of P80% of class minus 20 microns and less, preliminary oxidative treatment with a solution of sulfuric acid with the addition of ferric iron ions as an oxidiser at the atmospheric pressure and with bubbling of oxygen-containing gas in an open type reactor at a temperature of 90 to 95°С are performed. During the preliminary oxidative treatment or upon completion thereof, a thiocyanate-cyanide mixture is introduced into the pulp as a gold solvent and sorption leaching of gold is performed at the atmospheric pressure and a temperature of 60÷95°C, pH of 0.5 to 3 for 30 to 120 minutes. The molar ratio of SCN:CN is maintained at 1:0.2÷1, and the molar ratio of thiocyanate to the ferric iron oxidant SCN:Fe³⁺ is maintained at 1:1.8÷5. The gold-saturated sorbent is separated from the pulp, the gold-free pulp is dehydrated and the solution is sent for copper recovery, after the copper is recovered, the solution is returned to the process of preliminary oxidative treatment.

EFFECT: method increases rate and degree of gold recovery, lowers capital costs by reducing leaching time and lowers operational costs by reducing consumption of reagents and electric power.

5 cl, 5 tbl