Abstract
A novel pretreatment method for refractory gold ore using ultrasound-activated persulfate was developed to overcome the low extraction efficiency of gold in the leaching process. The feasibility of the pretreatment method was verified primarily by EPR (Electron paramagnetic resonance) and pre-oxidation tests. The free radicals generated by ultrasound-activated persulfate effectively promoted the oxidation of sulfide in the gold ore. The pretreatment efficiency of this process was higher than that of traditional heat activation, and the oxidation efficiency was two times higher. Furthermore, the gold leaching efficiency was higher under ultrasound activation conditions when using a novel eco-friendly lixiviant (Jinchan-its main effective component is Na3CN3C3H3N6O3, i.e., carbonized sodium cyanurate). Morphology analysis indicated that the synergistic effect of persulfate and ultrasound effectively reduced the particle size of the refractory gold ore, improved the specific surface area, and facilitated the oxidation of the enclosures, which benefited the subsequent leaching process. The maximum leaching efficiency of gold reached 86.9% after ultrasonic activated persulfate pretreatment for 3 h. This study provides a promising refractory gold ore pretreatment to improve gold leaching through persulfate oxidation using ultrasound activation.
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