Gold ore, also referred to as gold deposit, in which the main mineral is natural gold. Among them, the content of gold in the ore is extremely low, with high mining value, and its mineral dressing process is more complicated. Gold mineral dressing, often referred to as gold beneficiation/ gold processing, is to select the trace gold in the gold ore, is also an intricate process Aimed at separating valuable gold from its ore. in order to extract gold, the ore is mined, crushed, washed, and then pre-enriched or separated from the ore to make gold mainly by beneficiation methods. This multi-step process usually begins with crushing and grinding the ore to release the gold particles. The various types of gold ores have different beneficiation methods depending on their nature.
Placer or rock gold mining often involves a variety of mineral dressing processes that transform raw ore into valuable metal. However, the more common beneficiation methods for alluvial or rock gold are the following three: gravity separation, flotation, and cyanidation method.
Gold Mineral dressing process
1. Gold Gravity Separation process
Gravity separation is a separation method based on the difference in relative density (usually called specific gravity) of minerals. Mineral particles with different densities are subjected to fluid dynamics and various mechanical forces in the moving medium (water, air and gravity roller), resulting in suitable loose stratification and separation conditions, so that mineral particles with different densities can be separated. Gravity separation is still the main method for dressing method of placer gold or rock gold because of its simplicity, low cost and increasing development and improvement. Usually, spiral chutes, shaking tables, centrifugal concentators or jigs are used. However, gravity separation is a common and effective method in the mineral dressing of placer gold.
2. Gold Flotation dressing process
Flotation is a separation method that uses minerals to selectively attach to bubbles based on the differences in the physical and chemical properties of the mineral surface after being treated with flotation agents. During the gold flotation process, flotation agents are added to the slurry to improve and adjust the floatability of the minerals. Many minerals that do not have natural floatability can be changed from non-floating to floatable, or vice versa, after being acted on by flotation agents. This allows the floatability of minerals to be artificially controlled. Among them, the flotation method is often used for the beneficiation of non-ferrous metal ores, such as copper, lead, zinc, sulfur, molybdenum, etc. In addition, some ferrous metals, rare metals and some non-metallic ores, such as graphite, apatite, etc., are also separated by flotation. Flotation is the most widely used beneficiation method treat rock gold ores.
3. Gold Cyanidation dressing process
Cyanidation is still one of the most widely used methods for extracting gold because it can effectively mobilize trace amounts of gold from complex ores. Generally, cyanidation can be divided into two categories: stirring cyanidation and percolation cyanidation. Among them, stirring cyanidation is used in gravity separation, gold concentrate flotation, mercury mixed residue or full mud cyanidation treatment; while percolation cyanidation mainly treats low-grade gold-containing oxidized ores.
Among them, the stirring cyanidation method includes carbon-in-pulp gold extraction process, namely CIP and CIL method. Using cyanide solution to extract gold from ore has the characteristics of high recovery rate, strong adaptability to ore properties, and on-site gold production. It can also create favorable conditions for flotation and cyanidation to improve the recovery rate of gold.
Different gold mineral dressing processes are adopted for different types of gold ores. The mining and processing of placer gold or rock gold mines are inseparable from beneficiation. Understanding the rationally designed beneficiation process can achieve the best results with the lowest investment. In order to respond to the national green environmental protection policy, maximize the value of gold mines, help gold mine investors avoid detours, and improve the comprehensive level of gold mining enterprises. JXSC‘s customized ore dressing process and equipment will help the entire industry chain maximize the recovery efficiency. Contact us for more details!