Hydrometallurgy: Leaching in Heap, Vat, CIL, CIP, Merrill–Crowe, SX Solvent Extraction

Hydrometallurgy: Leaching in Heap, Vat, CIL, CIP, Merrill–Crowe, SX Solvent Extraction

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How to prevent and stop settling in leaching tanks (1 reply)

Maya Rothman
8 years ago
Maya Rothman 8 years ago

I would like to know if anyone has ideas on how to reduce settling of materials in leaching tanks. The plant is a gold production plant and the ore treated are oxide and fresh rock.

S
Sturmbann
8 years ago
Sturmbann 8 years ago
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There are two factors that you need to balance, the settling rate, which is a factor of pulp density and rheology, and the lift from the agitator.
http://is.gd/raVkGn

This may help you understand. I suggest you talk to the supplier of your agitator system.

What you need to establish is a homogeneous slurry, that has the about the same density sg as the slurry. For most sands this is about 1.4, so you need about 40-50%solids, for a rock density of 2.8-3.2. The power factor of the agitator can be increased but only by increasing motor size, gearbox, and tank baffles, and may have to be changed if they are not sufficient to keep the slurry agitated. (I am assuming that you have mechanically agitated tanks rather than air agitated pachuccas) but the theory is similar.

If the pulp density is too low then the solids will drop out of suspension. This can happen with coarse gold if it is over-ground. I'd suggest that you try raising the slurry until the agitator begins to trip. This will identify the scope of control that you have then if more power is needed look to see what other factors can be adjusted. If you have facilities to do a Google search look up agitator power in chemical engineering?

Often the first change is to change the pitch and shape of the agitators, but this is where your agitator supplier can assist.


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