Leaching Agglomerated Slimes

Leaching Agglomerated Slimes

More recent work along these lines is reported in T.P. 790, A.I.M.E.’ by 0. C. Shephard and C. F. Skinner presented at the New York meeting in 1937, under the title of “Stabilizing Agglomerated Slimes for Gold Cyanide Leaching.” The paper describes the development of a method of stabilizing agglomerated slimes by the formation of a cementing substance in the glomerules. The conclusions based upon agglomeration tests were as follows:

  1. The porosity and permeability of finely ground ores can be greatly increased by moisture agglomeration.
  2. Variations in the amount of solution used in agglomeration causes a noticeable difference in the amount of permeability. The maximum permeability is reached between 10 and 18% moisture.
  3. A point of saturation occurs when too much solution is added, causing the glomerules to break down to a runny mud. Beyond 22 per cent moisture, none of the materials tested had a measurable permeability by the method used.
  4. The amount of solution necessary to give permeability by agglomeration increases with the fineness of the particles.
  5. The permeability of loose beds of agglomerated material decreases with packing, but the permeability decrease becomes less as packing progresses.