Laboratory Testing & General Mineral Processing Engineering

Laboratory Testing & General Mineral Processing Engineering

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Silver Extraction Process (12 replies)

(unknown)
8 years ago
(unknown) 8 years ago

I have a small mining operation, Au, Ag, and lots of sulfides. I am trying to process on a small one man operation to extract the au, what could be the least cost method, and what do I need

Jean Rasczak
8 years ago
Jean Rasczak 8 years ago

To give even a rough guess will require some more information. Placer or hard rock? 1, 10,100 t/hr? What size ROM? What size for liberation? What is the location? Do you have utilities? Access to supplies? Producing concentrates or dore'? Local attitude to leaching?

(unknown)
8 years ago
(unknown) 8 years ago

Here are some thoughts: 

It seems that you are dealing with a hard rock vein. It also seems that you are going to exploit a sulfide ore. I guess that by small one man mine operation you mean that your mine run off material will be around 5 ton/week. Please explain all these questions.
It is also important to explain what the characteristics of the vein are (dip, strike, width, Au grade, Ag grade), character of the vein, character of the host rock.
Another item is metal recovery, in case your mineral is refractory, and you should expect to have recovery problems. Also as stated it is important to speak about local altitude (because temperature and oxygen affect leaching), but it seems that you will be concentrating sulfides. Arsenic is also a major concern.
In case you have a significant percentage of Ag, you may expect your deposit will not continue in the profundity.
All the stated items, and much more, will affect your costs.

(unknown)
8 years ago
(unknown) 8 years ago

Once you have answered some of the questions, I would like to add some "front-end" options that a small operation should consider.

(unknown)
8 years ago
(unknown) 8 years ago

Wondering if a slurry tank and analkalinesolution, with a low amp charge, to a zinc iode would extract the Au, or Ag, instead of a big operation, and how long would it take, 24/48 hours, and how small of screen mesh should i use 100 or finer,mesh.

(unknown)
8 years ago
(unknown) 8 years ago

You need to have a particle size of maximum 75 μm or smaller to gain significant recovery, since you ore is sulfidic, it is better to use flotation to concentrate the Au & Ag content prior to electro wiring. What is your ore quantity, if that is significant, then you may consider toll milling with the adjacent gold operator who has the Au & Ag processing plant.

(unknown)
8 years ago
(unknown) 8 years ago

I agree with the comments. You should makeit clear the type of the ore. Forliberatingsuphides you need comminution equipment and flotation process equipment. You be clear about plant capacity and yourdesired final product quantity.

Helena Russell
8 years ago
Helena Russell 8 years ago

I understand from your query itself that you are dealing with hard rock. We should have a firsthand information about the nature of sulphides and their association with gold This will give a clue to make the recovery process available and sustainable.

(unknown)
8 years ago
(unknown) 8 years ago

Start with the old tried and true method. Crush with a mortar and pestle, concentrate with a standard gold pan. Test float the concentrate sulphides in a Denver cell. Scale up from there.

(unknown)
8 years ago
(unknown) 8 years ago

How are you processing the ore, water?

If so, you could use our Electrocoagulation units, they will convert sulfides to sulfates and remove any bacteria in the water as well.
Cost is: $ 1500.00 US plus shipping. They can process 10,000 US gallons per day.

(unknown)
8 years ago
(unknown) 8 years ago

What is electrocoagulation?

(unknown)
8 years ago
(unknown) 8 years ago

Anodes powered by a DC current.

Anode and a cathode terminals that exchange electrons with dissolved and un-dissolved solids. The catholyte flow will precipitate TDS, chlorides, BOD and the anolyte will sanitize the water. If the need is there, you can set it up to remove arsenic as well.

Paul Morrow
8 years ago
Paul Morrow 8 years ago

We have well experienced technician they are easily to process Au,Ag from the ore.

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