Recovery of Cyanide from Effluents: SART Process

Year 2019, Volume: 9 Issue: 3, 600 - 615, 15.07.2019

Elif Yılmaz , Ersin Y. Yazıcı , Oktay Celep Hacı Deveci

https://doi.org/10.17714/gumusfenbil.452203

Cited By: 1

Abstract

Gold production from copper-rich gold ores is
increasing at worldwide. Owing to the high dissolution of copper minerals in
cyanide solutions, technical and economic difficulties have been faced in
treatment of those ores. Gold extraction from ores that contain >0.5% Cu is
often uneconomic by traditional cyanide leaching. High cyanide concentrations
(CN:Cu>4) should be maintained to achieve high gold extractions. This, in
turn, leads to an increase in reagent consumptions and environmental risk due
to higher use cyanide. SART process was developed in particular for recovery of
cyanide from the effluents of intensive cyanidation of Au-Cu ores. The process
is applied worldwide and in Turkey at industrial scale. It is based on
precipitation of copper in the form of Cu₂S from leach solutions
under acidic conditions (pH 4-5) by addition of sulphide (as Na₂S)
leading to the release of free cyanide prior to its recovery. Cu₂S
is sold as a by-product. The performance of the process is dependent on the
addition of sulphur, precipitation period, retention of copper precipitates in
the thickener and other parameters. Addition of sulphur should be strictly
controlled to obtain a high purity Cu₂S precipitate. In this study,
chemical principles and factors affecting the performance of SART process are
discussed in detail. A general economic analysis of the process in view of
capital and operating costs is also presented.

Keywords

Copper-gold Ores, Cyanide Leaching, Cyanide Recovery, SART Process

Atıklardan Siyanürün Geri Kazanımı: SART Prosesi

Abstract

Dünya’da bakır içeriği
yüksek altın cevherlerinden altın üretimi giderek artmaktadır. Bakır
minerallerinin siyanür çözeltilerinde yüksek oranlarda çözünmesi nedeniyle bu
tür cevherlerden altın kazanımında teknik ve ekonomik zorluklar yaşanmaktadır.
Bakır içeriği %0,5’ten yüksek cevherlerden geleneksel siyanür liçi ile altın
kazanımı genellikle ekonomik değildir. Yüksek altın kazanımlarına ulaşmak için liç
işleminin yüksek siyanür konsantrasyonlarında (CN:Cu>4) yapılması
gerekmektedir. Bu durum, hem reaktif maliyetini artırmakta hem de daha fazla
siyanür kullanımıyla ilgili olarak çevresel riskin artmasına neden olmaktadır.
SART prosesi özellikle bakır içeren altın cevherlerinin yoğun siyanür liçi
sonrası atıklardan siyanürün geri kazanımı için geliştirilmiş bir prosestir.
Dünya’da ve ülkemizde farklı tesislerde endüstriyel olarak uygulanmaktadır.
Prosesin temeli, liç çözeltisinden bakırın asidik koşullarda (pH 4-5) sülfür
(Na₂S) ilavesiyle Cu₂S halinde çöktürülmesi ve böylece
siyanürün serbest hale getirilerek geri kazanımına dayanmaktadır. Elde edilen
Cu₂S yan ürün olarak satılmaktadır. Prosesin performansı sülfür
ilavesi, çöktürme süresi, bakır çökeleğinin tikinerde bekleme süresi vd.
koşullara bağlıdır. Yüksek saflıkta bir Cu₂S çökeleği elde etmek
için sülfür ilavesinin hassas bir şekilde kontrol edilmesi gerekmektedir. Bu
çalışmada, SART prosesinin kimyasal esasları ve performansını etkileyen
parametreler detaylı olarak irdelenmiştir. Prosesin ilk yatırım ve işletme
maliyetleri ışığında genel bir ekonomik analizi de sunulmuştur.

Keywords

Bakır İçeren Altın Cevherleri, Siyanür Liçi, Siyanür Geri Kazanımı, SART Prosesi

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