• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.159-166
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• 2020

In this research, we investigate the effect of microwave pretreatment on the recovery of gold from the gold concentrates by thiourea leaching. The changes in mineral phases by decomposition of pyrites in the gold concentrates using microwave were observed, and the result of microwave irradiation showed that the temperature of the irradiated sample increases with increasing irradiation time. With the reaction of temperature increases, Sulfur (S) in pyrites was converted to sulfur dioxide (SO₂), and then the content of S in the sample was reduced. The analytical results of XRD and SEM-EDS showed that pyrites are converted to magnetite and hematite, and its surfaces are changed to a porous shape where micro-cracks are developed. The Au leaching efficiency from the irradiated gold concentrates using thiourea-mixed solvent increased with the increases of irradiation time and solvent concentration. The experimental results considering leaching parameters indicate that the mechanism of microwave irradiation increases the maximum leaching efficiency and leaching rate of the gold concentrates, and the solvent does a role for the increasing of leaching rate constant.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.45-54
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• 2013

In order to dissolve Au, Ag, and other valuable metals from gold ore concentrate, raw gold concentrate was pre-treated by roasting and salt-roasting at $750^{\circ}C$. The roasted concentrate was treated with aqua regia digestion to dissolve the valuable metals and higher amount of Au, Ag, and valuable metals were extracted from the roasted concentrates than from the raw concentrate. Higher amount of these metals were also extracted from the salt-roasted concentrate than from the roasted concentrate. The results of the gold dissolution experiments showed that the gold dissolution was most efficient when particle size, roasting temperature, and the percentage of added salt in salt roasting were about $181{\sim}127{\mu}m$, $750^{\circ}C$, and was 20.0%, respectively. The XRD analysis suggests that quartz and pyrite were not destroyed even through roasting at $750^{\circ}C$ and decomposition with aqua regia. However, through salt roasting, pyrite was completely decomposed, whereas quartz could not be destroyed through salt-roasting at $750^{\circ}C$ and aqua regia digestion. Accordingly, it was expected that the gold contained in quartz can not be dissolved through salt-roasting and treatment with aqua regia.