• Resources Recycling
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.30-36
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• 2017

Leaching experiments of anode slime were performed with several inorganic acids (HCl, $HNO_3$ and $H_2SO_4$) together with thiourea and thiosulfate solution to recover gold and silver. Gold was not dissolved at all into these inorganic acids in the absence of any oxidizing agents. At the same concentration of inorganic acid, the leaching of percentage of Ag was the highest in the sulfuric acid solution. The leaching percentage of silver increased with the increase of HCl concentration owing to the formation of $AgCl_2{^-}$. Copper, nickel and zinc except tin was almost dissolved in these inorganic acids but no tin was dissolved in nitric acid solution. Most of Au and Ag were dissolved into the mixture of sulfuric acid and thiourea solution. Thiosulfate could dissolve some silver from the anode slime but no gold was dissolved by this agent.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.645-655
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• 2014

In order to obtain pure metallic Te from gold concentrate, roasting treatment, hypochlorite leaching, Fe removal and electrolysis experiments were carried out. The contents of Au, Ag and Te from the concentrate sample and roasted sample were much more soluble in the hypochlorite solution than in aqua regia digestion, whereas the metals Pb, Zn, Fe and Cu were easier to leach with the aqua regia than the hypochlorite. With the addition of NaOH in the hypochlorite leaching solution prior to electrolysis, the Fe removal rate achieved was only 96% in the concentrate sample, while it reached 98% in the roasted sample. The results of electrolysis for 240 min, 98% of the metallic copper was recovered from the concentrate sample, while 99% was obtained from the roasted sample due to the removal of S by roasting. The amount of anode slime was also greater in the electrolytic solution with the roasted sample than with the concentrate sample. The results on the anode slime after the magnetic separation process showed the amount of metallic pure native tellurium recovered was greater in the roasted sample than in the concentrate sample.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.49-55
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• 2001

The strategy of recovering metals from scrap is in general much different from primary sources. One of the main differences between the treatment of scrap and that of primary sources lies with the fact that metals are frequently associated with other met-als to form alloys in scrap, while metals occur in primary sources as oxides or sulfides. In this paper, factors affecting the dis-solution behavior of metals from various alloy systems have been reviewed and discussed. Specific examples have been drawn from Au/Ag, Au/cu and Ag/cu systems. Results of the dissolution behavior of various metals from these alloys have been reviewed and compared to the dissolution behavior of single metal systems in various lixiviants such as acids, cyanide and ammonia. It has been observed that the presence of other metals in alloys would significantly affect the dissolution rate of the metal in question. The leaching behavior of metals from homogeneous alloys relies on the chemical interaction between atoms in the lattice of the alloys, while that from heterogeneous alloys is affected by galvanic interaction established in the solution The manner in which the dissolution of a certain metal is influenced by surrounding metals has been discussed in terms of pas-sive and noble nature of the metal in relation to the neighboring metals. The role of the standard electrochemical Potential of these metals on the selective dissolution for a given lixiviant has also been discussed.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.73-82
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• 1999

The objectives of this study are to investigate soil contamination in the vicinity of abandoned Au-Ag mine and to apply a remediation technique of liming to tailings. In the study area of the Imcheon Au-Ag mine, soils were sampled in and around the mine the analyzed by Atomic Absorption Spectrometry extracted by both 0.1N HCl and aqua regia. Elevated levels of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn concentrations extracted by 0.1N HCl were found in soils taken from tailings site. These high contents directly influenced metal concentrations in soils taken in the vicinity of the site. This is mainly due to clastic movement by wind and effluent of mine waste water. In addition, relatively enriched concentrations of the metals were found in soils extrated by aqua regia due to strong decomposition of the samples compared with 0.1N HCl extration. According to the statistical approach, metal concentrations in soils by 0.1N HCl had a positive correlation with those by aqua regia extraction. Mine waste waters and stream waters were also sampled around the mine in spring and summer and analyzed by AAS for Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn, and by Ion Chromatography for anions. Like soils developed over tailings, significant levels of metals and sulphates were found in the mine waste waters ranging of 0.2~0.3, 0.5~2.0, 0.2~2.8, 30~50 and 1,240~4,700 mg/l of Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn and $SO_4^{2-}$, respectively. These elevated levels influenced in the stream waters in the vicinity of the tailings site. In seasonal variation of metal and anion contents, relatively high levels were found in waters sampled on summer due to leaching the metals and anions from tailings by rain. This study also examined the possibility of lime treatment for remediation of acid mine tailings and assumed to be 46 tones of pulverized lime for neutralization of the tailings.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.27-38
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• 2003

Arsenic contamination around Au-Ag mining areas occurs mainly from the oxidation of arsenopyrite which is frequently contained in mine tailings. In weathered tailings, oxidation of sulfide minerals typically results in the formation of abundant ferric (oxy)hydroxides or (oxy)hydroxysulfates near the tailings surface, and arsenic may be associated with these secondary precipitates. In this study, solid phases of arsenic in weathered tailings of some Au-Ag mines were investigated through the SEM/EDS and sequential extraction analyses. The stability of As solid phases and the leaching potential were assessed with the variation of pH and Eh conditions. Oxidation of sulfides in the tailings samples was indicated by depletion of S molar concentrations compared to As and heavy metals. Under XRD examinations, jarosite as an Fe-oxyhydroxysulfate was found in the tailings of Deokeum, Dongil and Dadeok, and scorodite as an As-bearing crystalline mineral was identified from Dadeok which has the highest concentration of As (4.36 wt.%). Beudantite-like phases and some Pb-arsenates were also found under SEM/EDS analysis, and most of As phases were associated with Fe-(oxy)hydroxides and (oxy)hydroxysulfates despite a few arsenopyrite from Samgwang and Gubong. Sequential extraction analysis also showed that As was present predominantly as coprecipitated with Fe hydroxides from Dongil, Dadeok and Myungbong (72∼99%), and as sulfides (58%) and Fe hydroxide-associated forms (40%) from Samgwang and Gubong. In the tailings leaching experiment, As was released with high amounts by the dissolution of As-bearing Fe(oxy)hydroxysulfates in the lowest pH (2.7) conditions of Deokeum, and by desorption under alkaline conditions of Samgwang and Gubong. Higher leaching rates of arsenite(+3) were found under acidic conditions, which pose a higher risk to water quality. Changes in pH and Eh conditions coupled with microbial processes could influence the stabilities of the As solid phases, and thus, time amendments or landfilling of weathered tailings may result in enhanced As mobilization.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.31-40
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• 2014

In present study, we geochemically investigated the fresh coal ashes and the saline ash pond of an electric power plant in Korea, which burns imported bituminous coals. The goals are to see the chemical changes of the ash pond by reaction with coal ashes and to investigate the relative leachability of elements from the ashes by reaction with saline waters. For this study, one fresh fly ash, one fresh bottom ash, and 7 water samples were collected. All the ash samples and 2 water samples were analyzed for 55 elements. The results indicated that the fly ashes are enriched with chalcophilic elements such as Cu, Zn, Ga, Ge, Se, Cd, Sb, Au, Pb, and B relative to other elements. On the other hand, concentrations of As, Ba, Co, Ga, Li, Mn, Mo, Sb, U, V, W, and Zr are much higher in the ash pond than those dissolved in the seawater. Ag, Bi, Li, Mo, Rb, Sb, Sc, Se, Sn, Sr, and W show high ratios of elemental concentrations in pond water to those in the fly ash. Our results imply that the leaching of trace elements is regulated by geochemical controls such as solubility and adsorption even though the trace elements are relatively enriched on the ash surfaces after the coal combustion due to their volatilities.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.125-139
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• 2010

Behavior of heavy metals and arsenic in the tailings of Songcheon Au-Ag mine was characterized via both mineralogical and geochemical methods. Mineral composition of the tailings was investigated by X-ray diffractometry, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, and electron probe micro-analyzer (EPMA) and total concentrations of heavy metals and arsenic and their chemical forms were analyzed by total digestion of aqua regia and sequential extraction method, respectively. The results of mineralogical study indicate that the tailings included mineral particles of resinous shape mainly consisting of galena, sphalerite, pyrite, quartz, and scorodite, and specifically socordite was identified in the form of matrix. EPMA quantitative analyses were performed to evaluate the weatherability of each mineral, and the results suggest that it decreased in the sequence of arsenopyrite > galena > sphalerite > pyrite. The weathering pattern of galena was observed to show distinctive zonal structure consisting of secondary minerals such as anglesite and beudantite. In addition, almost all of arsenopyrite has been altered to scorodite existing asmatrix and galena, sphalerite, and pyrite which have lower weatherability than arsenopyrite were identified within the matrix of scorodite. During the process of alteration of arsenopyrite into scorodite, it is likely that a portion of arsenic was lixiviated and caused a great deal of detrimental effects to surrounding environment. The results of EPMA quantitative analyses verify that the stability of scorodite was relatively high and this stable scorodite has restrained the weathering of other primary minerals within tailings as a result of its coating of mineral surfaces. For this reason, Songcheon tailings show the characteristics of the first weathering stage, although they have been exposed to the surface environment for a long time. Based on the overall results of mineralogical and geochemical studies undertaken in this research, if the tailings are kept to be exposed to the surface environment and the weathering process is continuous, not only hazardous heavy metals, such as lead and arsenic seem to be significantly leached out because their larger portions are being partitioned in weakly-bound (highly-mobile) fractions, but the potential of arsenic leaching is likely to be high as the stability of scorodite is gradually decreased. Consequently, it is speculated that the environmental hazard of Songcheon mine is significantly high.