The present work is focused on the performance of three types of coal-oil agglomerates on recovery of liberated gold from gold bearing materials. Pre-formed agglomerates developed using bio-diesel, castor oil and mineral diesel as liquid hydrophobic phases were used in the study. The influence of the type of liquid hydrophobic phase on the degree of gold recovery and the effect of factors such as gold particle concentration, viscosity, agglomerate size, agglomerate/ore ratios and particle penetration into agglomerates have been studied as a function of time. It is shown that gold recovery rate can be increased by an increase in agglomerate loading, surface area and the viscosity of the hydrophobic phase and high recoveries are attained up to 98.5%. Increase in concentration of gold particles per unit volume of slurry increased attachment rate but did not change the final recoveries attained. It is shown that gold particle penetration occurs mainly in the coarse agglomerates if contact is prolonged beyond 60 minutes. Examination of sections of gold-loaded agglomerates under reflected light microscope showed gold and some silicate particles penetrated in few cracked agglomerates and only gold particles were observed inside the uncracked agglomerates suggesting the possibility of gold selectivity during particles penetration. It was shown that the increase in gold recovery attained at prolonged contact time is due to both gold penetration and oleophilic attachment
In this paper, the effect of gangue minerals on the hydrophobic recovery of gold is being investigated using ores obtained from the active small scale gold mining sites in Tanzania. Gold ores of different gangue contents were tested. The effects of silica gangue and high sulphide gangue on gold attachment were examined including the effect of surface activators (potassium amyl xanthate) and the possibility of depressing the effects of gangue using reagents. The results were evaluated in terms of gold recovery, volumes and grade of concentrates formed. There was no change in gold recoveries when the amount of oxide gangue (quartz) in the ore was increased, indicating absence of competition between gold and quartz gangue. High sulphide contents in the ore above 6% reduced gold recoveries considerably. It was noted that potassium amyl xanthate surfactants increased the attachment of both gold and the sulphide gangue. Using lime at pH 10 it was possible to depress the sulphide gangue which is mainly pyrite and hence increased gold recoveries considerably.
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