Gold in Plant Tailings - Prevention and Recovery 2015

Key Topics

• The gold recovery process must be tailored to the ore type
• Relatively low expenditure on improved recovery will generally effect a disproportionately large improvement in profit
• A well-equipped laboratory with sample preparation equipment, electron microprobe, scanning electron microscope and mineral upgrading equipment is required for this work
• Mineralogical examination of the ore, the tailings, or both, can assist the finding of methods of improved recovery
• Diagnostic leaching is useful for problems such as high content of base metals in the ore or coating by iron-bearing compounds, but this method is not a cure-all
• Microscopic examination of polished sections, performed in isolation, is not always successful at solving a problem
• Incorrect sampling of tailings has been known to lead to underestimation of the gold being lost
• A standard procedure is not a complete substitute for experience

Who should Attend

• Managers of new gold projects
• Gold recovery plant managers
• Students of metallurgy
• Managers of exploration companies