Technology of recovery of associated gold from Siberian iron ores

Abstract

1. Skarn-magnetite ores of Siberia and wastes (rejects) of their treatment are a potential source of gold and other precious components. Skarn-magnetite mineral associations, in particular, are characterized by low gold contents (hundredths of 1 g/ton). Higher contents of noble metals are associated with superposed sulfide and quartz-vein mineralization (tenths of 1 g/ton and less). 2. From the point of completeness of extraction of precious components and solution of ecological problems arising from the operations of iron and steel works of West Siberia, technological schemes of integrated utilization of commercially valuable components at the stage of primary treatment of ores, which include their selective refinement and complete extraction of sulfide concentrates, are preferable. Since bringing these projects to fruition requires a lot of expenditures, more realistic at the moment are technologies of partial extraction of noble metals linked to current production schemes. 3. Possible sources of gold are hydrothermally altered ores, some part of rock spoil banks, and rejects of iron ore treatment. In dry and, in particular, wet magnetic separation of ores magnetic concentrates partially freed from sulfides and gold accumulates in the rejects. At the initial stages of implementation of the program of integrated utilization of Siberian iron ores, profitable secondary extraction of gold from old and current tailings of wet magnetic separation at the Mundybash CAP may be achieved by employing modern high-efficiency centrifugal concentrators.