Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea (한국광물학회지)

The Mineralogical Society of Korea (한국광물학회)
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The Effective Recovery of Gold from the Invisible Gold Concentrate Using Microwave-nitric Acid Leaching Method

마이크로웨이브-질산침출방법에 의한 비가시성 금의 회수율 향상

  • Lee, Jong-Ju (Department of Energy and Resource Engineering, Chosun University) ;
  • Myung, Eun-Ji (Department of Energy and Resource Engineering, Chosun University) ;
  • Park, Cheon-Young (Department of Energy and Resource Engineering, Chosun University)
  • 이종주 (조선대학교 에너지.자원공학과) ;
  • 명은지 (조선대학교 에너지.자원공학과) ;
  • 박천영 (조선대학교 에너지.자원공학과)
  • Received : 2019.06.04
  • Accepted : 2019.09.23
  • Published : 2019.09.30
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Abstract

This study aimed to liberate gold from invisible gold concentrate (Au = 1,840.00 g/t) through microwave nitric acid leaching experiments. For the purpose, this study conducted microwave-nitric acid leaching experiments and examined nitric acid concentration effect, microwave leaching time effect and sample addition effect. The results of the experiments were as follows: Au (gold) contents were not detected in all of the microwave leaching conditions. In the insoluble-residue, weight loss rate tended to decrease as the nitric acid concentration, microwave leaching time and sample addition increased. In an XRD analysis with solid-residue, it was suggested that gypsum and anglesite were formed due to dissolution of calcite and galena by nitric acid solution. When a fire assay was carried out with insoluble-residue, it was discovered that gold contents of the solid-residue were 1.3 (Au = 2,464.70 g/t) and 28.8 (52,952.80 g/t) times more than those of concentrate. But in the gold contents recovered, a severe gold nugget effect appeared. It is expected that the gold nugget effect will decrease if a sampling method of concentrate is improved in the microwave-nitric acid leaching experiments and filtering paper with smaller pore size is used for leaching solution and burned filter paper is used for sampling in lead-fire assay.

본 연구목적은 비-가시성 금 정광(Au = 1,840.00 g/t)으로부터 금을 단체분리 시키기 위하여 마이크로웨이브-질산침출 실험을 수행하였다. 이를 위해 질산농도 효과, 마이크로웨이브 침출시간 효과 그리고 시료 첨가량 효과에 대하여 마이크로웨이브-질산침출 실험을 수행하였다. 본 연구의 실험조건에서는 금이 전혀 침출되지 않은 것으로 조사되었다. 불용성-잔류물의 무게는 질산 농도, 마이크로웨이브 침출시간 그리고 시료 첨가량이 증가할수록 감소하는 경향으로 나타났다. 불용성-잔류물에 대하여 XRD 분석한 결과 석고와 anglesite가 나타나는데 이는 정광에 포함된 방해석과 방연석이 질산용액과 반응하여 생성된 것으로 사료된다. 불용성-잔류물에 대하여 납-시금법을 수행한 결과 정광보다 금함량이 최소 1.3배(Au = 2,464.70 g/t)에서 최대 28.8배(52,952.80 g/t)로 높게 나타났다. 그러나 납-시금법에서 회수된 금 함량은 gold nugget effect가 매우 심하게 나타났다. 향후, 마이크로웨이브-질산침출 실험에서 정광의 시료채취 방법을 개선하고, 더 작은 기공 크기의 여과지를 사용하여 침출용액을 여과하고 납-시금법에서 여과지를 태워서 시료로 투입하는 방법을 수행한다면 gold nugget effect를 감소시킬 수 있을 것으로 기대된다.

Keywords

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