Gold Recovery Research Articles

AIE-derived fluorescent silsesquioxane-based hybrid aerogel for light-enhanced gold recovery

In this work, two aggregation-induced emission (AIE)-active organic fluorescent monomers (TPV, TPC) were synthesized by Knoevenagel reaction of 2,2′-([1,1′-biphenyl]-4,4′-diyl)diacetonitrile with benzaldehyde and 4-bromobenzaldehyde, respectively. Subsequently, two fluorescent hybrid porous polymers with semiconductor performance (PCS-TPV, PCS-TPC) were prepared successfully by connecting octavinyl silsesquioxane (OVS) with TPV and TPC through Friedel-Crafts reaction and Heck coupling, respectively. Among them, PCS-TPV with a hyper-crosslinked structure offered a specific surface area of up to 1165 m2 g−1; PCS-TPC was the first AIE-derived fluorescent hybrid silsesquioxane-based semiconductor polymer with 3-D conjugated structure. Compared with PCS-TPV, PCS-TPC exhibited stronger visible light absorption, higher fluorescent performance and quantum yield due to its high AIE-active unit content. Besides, PCS-TPC exhibited a remarkable gold recovery capacity (Qm = 2728 mg g−1) when exposed to visible light irradiation. Adsorption mechanism revealed that the photoelectrons produced by PCS-TPC under visible light irradiation reduced all adsorbed Au(III) to Au(I) and Au(0). Furthermore, a hybrid aerogel was prepared through physical blending of PCS-TPC with chitosan, overcoming the limitation that insoluble powder was difficult to process and recycle. This work provided a very efficient, sustainable, and industrially feasible way for gold recovery in e-waste.

Electrochemical Reduction and Recovery of Trace Gold(I) from Environmentally Friendly Thiosulfate Leaching Solutions Using Carbon Electrodes

Efficient recovery of Au(S2O3)23- at low concentrations is a key challenge for the development of environmentally friendly, cyanide-free thiosulfate leaching methods in industry. In the study, carbon materials including activated carbon (AC), graphite, and graphene were used as electrodes for electrochemical reduction and recovery (electro reduction-recovery) of trace gold(I) from thiosulfate leaching solutions (Au(S2O3)23−). The results demonstrated that Au(S2O3)23− could be efficiently recovered in the form of Au0 with nearly 100% recovery from both simulated and actual gold ore leaching solutions, significantly simplifying traditional recovery and reduction processes. Even in the presence of impurities such as cations and S2O32−, recovery remained high, around 90%. Among the parameters studied, applied voltage was the most critical for optimizing recovery, as it enhanced ion migration and significantly improved gold reduction. The study investigated the relationship between the intrinsic properties of carbon materials and their electrochemical reduction and recovery capabilities. Rich porosity of carbon materials promoted interactions with Au(S2O3)23−, enhancing the electric double layer capacity, while π–π* satellite transitions played a dominant role in the charge transfer, thereby improving the reduction rate. This research offers new insights of the mechanisms behind the recovery of trace Au(S2O3)23− from thiosulfate leaching solutions through carbon electrodes.

Prediction, modeling, and optimization studies of eco-friendly gold extraction using alpha-cyclodextrin and the RSM and CCD methods

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, gold extraction from ore in South Kivu utilized alpha-cyclodextrin (α-CD) as an eco-friendly method to replace harmful methods. Analysis of variance and response surface methodology were employed for prediction, modeling, and optimization studies. Atomic absorption spectroscopy revealed a 0.06% gold content in a randomly taken ore sample. Leaching with modified aqua regia was optimized with the following parameters: 7.27 h, 50 g/L HBr concentration, pH 1, and 200 rpm stirring speed, resulting in 98.5% removal. Neutralization tests with potassium hydroxide (KOH) followed leaching to prepare the solution medium with appropriate pH for extraction test, by varying parameters such as time, KOH concentration, and pH. Following neutralization, extraction tests with α-CD were carried out and optimized with the following parameters: 40 min, α-CD concentration of 11.6166 g/L, and a pH of 5, resulting in a percent removal of 98.9%. α-CD’s eco-friendly nature, cost-effectiveness, and high percent removal make it a promising and sustainable alternative for gold recovery, appealing to the mining industry.

The Gypsum Influence on the Formation of Secondary Phases During Autoclave Leaching of Gold-Bearing Concentrates and the Silver Recovery Using Cyanidation

Autoclave leaching of sulfide concentrates may produce various ferric secondary phases, depending on the arsenic content and temperature. Silver is converted to argentojarosite, from which it is not recoverable by standard cyanidation methods. To increase silver recovery, it is necessary to reduce the argentojarosite formation during autoclave leaching. This study was devoted to the influence of gypsum on the formation of secondary phases of ferric arsenate and the subsequent recovery of gold and silver by cyanidation. The addition of gypsum at a consumption of 0.1 g/g(concentrate) helped to increase silver extraction from 13.4 to 98% at cyanidation. Gold recovery was 99%. An increase in gypsum consumption contributed to the ferric arsenate sulfate formation with an increased sulfate sulfur content, and a decrease in the As/S(sulfate) molar ratio in the cake from 3.7 to 0.88 contributed to an increase in silver extraction at cyanidation of up to 98%. Basic ferric sulfate is not formed in this case, since according to EDS mapping, the distribution of arsenic and sulfur over ferric-containing particles is uniform. According to TCLP, stable, sparingly soluble ferric arsenate phases are formed and the cake obtained after cyanidation is stable and suitable for disposal, since the final arsenic concentration in the solution was 0.45 mg/dm3.

Selective recovery of Au from waste printed circuit board by water-soluble organic leaching: The key role of in situ bromine mediation and identificationof pathway

A large amount of gold in electronic waste (E-waste) is not properly recovered owing to the absence of efficient and safe leaching methods. Herein, we proposed the concept of ‘water-soluble organic Au leaching’ and created a new water-soluble organic leaching agent, WS NBS–DMF, by dissolving millimolar amounts of N-bromosuccinimide (NBS) and dimethylformamide (DMF) in water. Under mild conditions (25 ℃, pH 7.0), WS NBS–DMF achieved a 94.9 % leaching efficiency of Au for waste printed circuit board (WPCB) with limited leaching of base metals. The potent bromine radical (Br•) and ligands significantly contributed to Au complexation and oxidization via in situ bromine generation and radical initiation from WS NBS–DMF. The bidirectional hydrogen-bond effect of DMF facilitated the in situ bromine generation. Two Au(I) complexes ([AuBr2]- and [(NHS)AuBr]-) and an Au(III) complex ([(NHS)AuBr3]-) were confirmed as the Au leaching products by spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. Furthermore, reciprocal σ-donations between the Au center and ligands in the bonding orbitals enhanced the stability of the Au complexes, thereby promoting efficient Au leaching. Comparing with other leaching methods, this study of WS NBS–DMF provides a safe, economic and eco-friendly technique for efficient and selective gold recovery from e-waste.

The Dissolution Behavior of Pyrite and Chalcopyrite During Low-Temperature Pressure Oxidation: Chalcopyrite Influence on Pyrite Oxidation

The research of this paper was carried out on the low-temperature (100 ± 2 °C) pressure (0.2–0.8 MPa) leaching of pyrite, chalcopyrite and their mixture. According to experiments on chalcopyrite dissolution, increasing the oxygen pressure from 0.2 up to 0.8 MPa had a slight effect on chalcopyrite dissolution. Oxygen pressure and initial sulfuric acid concentration in the range of 10–50 g/L had the greatest positive effect on the pyrite oxidation. The SEM and EDX mappings indicate the chalcopyrite and pyrite surfaces to be passivated by elemental sulfur. The oxidation degree of pyrite in its mixture with chalcopyrite increased significantly from 54.5 up to 80.3% in 0–240 min. The reaction time is relative to the dissolution of the individual mineral, while the dissolution of chalcopyrite remained virtually unchanged. The addition of Cu (II) and Fe (III) ions does not influence pyrite dissolution when chalcopyrite is added in a leaching process, which can be explained by the formation of an electrochemical link between the minerals. The positive effect of chalcopyrite addition is associated with a decreased formation of elemental sulfur on the surface of pyrite. The described method can be used for the hydrometallurgical processing of copper raw materials with increased pyrite content, as well as for the pretreatment of copper concentrates with gold-rich pyrite concentrates to increase the recovery of gold and silver.

Post-synthetic modification of a MOF via Continuous Flow Methods for Gold E-Waste Recycling.

This study pioneers the use of continuous flow methods to modify the nanoporous metal-organic framework Fe-BTC (MIL-100(Fe)) with redox-active poly-p-phenylenediamine (PpPDA). The Fe-BTC/PpPDA composite, known for its gold extraction capabilities, was synthesized in continuous flow on a 250 g scale. Fe-BTC/PpPDA was then tested in eight industrial leachates (e.g., cyanide, thiourea, aqua regia) exhibiting varying effectiveness, pH, and gold speciation, which led to significant differences in the composite's performance for gold extraction. The composite performed best in solutions containing [AuCl4]- species. Structured into spherical beads using a novel continuous flow microdroplet technique, these adsorbents were tested for gold recovery from real e-waste solutions in a breakthrough epemriment. They achieved a capacity of ~600 mg of gold per gram before breakthrough and ~900 mg per gram at a 60% recovery rate. Selectivity ratios for Au/Ni, Au/Co, and Au/Fe were 972, 262, and 193, respectively. In situ X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy (XANES) provided evidence of the reduction of Au³⁺ to Au⁰, facilitated by the redox-active oligomers. Outperforming several commercial resins, Fe-BTC/PpPDA shows great promise for scalable, selective metal recovery from waste streams. This study highlights the potential of MOF/polymer composites and continuous flow methods for large-scale production.

Efficient and sustainable recovery of Au(I) from thiosulfate solution by tri-n-butylphosphine functionalized chitosan microspheres with abundant pores

Thiosulfate as a green and environmentally friendly lixiviant has received great attention in the field of gold extraction. However, the problem of gold ion recovery in thiosulfate gold leaching solution has hindered the large-scale application of this technology. Here, tri-n-butylphosphine (TBUP) was used as a functional monomer to prepare an adsorbent (CTS-TBUP) with abundant pores through the ion crosslinking reaction of chitosan, which was used to recover Au(I) from Au[(S2O3)2]3− solution with high efficiency and large capacity. CTS-TBUP exhibited good potential for industrial applications with a gold loading capacity of 46.34 mg/g. CTS-TBUP exhibited a similar gold recovery performance for all pH ranges from 6 to 11, and the adsorption process of Au(I) on CTS-TBUP was well described by pseudo-second-order kinetics and Langmuir isothermal model. The mechanism by which CTS-TBUP adsorbs gold ions involves ligand exchange between TBUP and Au[(S2O3)2]3−. In addition, Au(I) on CTS-TBUP will be reduced to elemental gold by TBUP in CTS-TBUP. The mechanism of Au(I) adsorption by CTS-TBUP was also confirmed by density functional theory calculations, and confirmed the rationality of forming a complex with a coordination ratio of 2:1 between TBUP and Au(I) at the theoretical level. CTS-TBUP has a good affinity for gold ions in thiosulfate solution, which provides a new idea for the preparation of gold adsorbent.

First gold recovery from PCBs through en-thiosulfate leaching and selective adsorption with carbon

First gold recovery from PCBs through en-thiosulfate leaching and selective adsorption with carbon

Flotation of Copper Sulfide Ore Using Ultra-Low Dosage of Combined Collectors

Copper sulfide ores frequently co-occur with pyrite, presenting a significant challenge for their selective separation during beneficiation processes. Despite advancements in flotation technology, there remains a critical need for efficient methods to enhance copper recovery while suppressing pyrite interference, particularly without compromising the associated precious metals such as gold and silver. Current practices often struggle with achieving high selectivity and recovery while maintaining environmental sustainability. Here, we investigate the efficacy of a ternary collector mixture consisting of ammonium dibutyl dithiophosphate (ADD), butyl xanthate (BX), and ethyl xanthate (EX) for the selective flotation of copper sulfide from a complex ore containing 0.79% Cu and associated precious metals (0.233 g/t Au and 5.83 g/t Ag). A combination of lime and hydrogen peroxide as inhibitors was employed to suppress pyrite effectively under alkaline conditions (pH = 11.33). The results demonstrate that the optimized ternary collector system (ADD:BX:EX at a ratio of 1:0.5:0.5) significantly improves the copper grade and recovery at an ultra-low dosage of 10 g/t. The optimized flotation method using the combined collectors and inhibitors effectively separated chalcopyrite from pyrite, achieving a copper concentrate with 20.08% Cu content and a recovery of 87.73%. Additionally, the process yielded notable recoveries of gold (9.22%) and silver (26.66%). These findings advance the field by providing a viable and environmentally conscious approach to the beneficiation of sulfide ores, potentially serving as a blueprint for processing similar mineral deposits while minimizing reagent usage and costs.

Ultrapure gold recovery from electronic waste as nanoparticles immobilized in hydrogel matrix

Solid-supported gold nanoparticles possess significant value as economical and eco-friendly catalysts due to their durability and reusability. Conventional methods to synthesize heterogeneous catalysts require the use of expensive gold precursors, diminishing their economic viability. Recovering gold directly as nanoparticles immobilized in a solid matrix from electronic waste (e-waste) provides a promising economic solution. However, the greater abundance of other metal ions in e-waste solutions makes this task challenging, demanding more selective approaches. This study presents a cost-effective one-pot synthesis of gold nanoparticles immobilized in a hydrogel matrix from e-waste solutions, circumventing the need for gold precursors. The fabricated hydrogel exhibits exceptionally selective gold reduction, producing well-distributed and highly pure (23.78 K) gold nanoparticles inside the hydrogel matrix. The fine control in nanoparticle diameters from 22 to 35 nm was achieved by tuning the monomer compositions of the hydrogel. These hydrogel-supported gold nanoparticles demonstrate reusable catalytic properties, indicating their potential sustainability and industrial compatibility. This approach addresses the economic challenges of synthesizing solid-supported gold nanoparticles and offers a sustainable pathway.

Graphene/chitosan nanoreactors for ultrafast and precise recovery and catalytic conversion of gold from electronic waste

The extraction of gold (Au) from electronic waste (e-waste) has both environmental impact and inherent value. Improper e-waste disposal poses environmental and health risks, entailing substantial remediation and healthcare costs. Large efforts are applied for the recovery of Au from e-waste using complex processes which include the dissolution of Au, its adsorption in an ionic state and succeeding reduction to metallic Au. These processes themselves being complex and utilizing harsh chemicals contribute to the environmental impact of e-waste. Here, we present an approach for the simultaneous recovery and reduction of Au3+ and Au+ ions from e-waste to produce solid Au0 forms, thus skipping several technological steps. We develop a nanoscale cross-dimensional composite material via self-assembly of two-dimensional graphene oxide and one-dimensional chitosan macromolecules, capable of acting simultaneously as a scavenger of gold ions and as a reducing agent. Such multidimensional architecture doesn't require to apply any voltage for Au adsorption and reduction and solely relies on the chemisorption kinetics of Au ions in the heterogeneous GO/CS nanoconfinements and their chemical reduction on multiple binding sites. The cooperative phenomena in ionic absorption are responsible for the extremely high efficiency of gold extraction. The extraction capacity reaches 16.8 g/g for Au3+ and 6.2 g/g for Au+, which is ten times larger than any existing gold adsorbents can propose. The efficiency is above 99.5 wt.% (current limit is 75 wt.%) and extraction ability is down to very low concentrations of 3 ppm.

Adsorption behaviors and mechanisms of gold recovery from thiosulfate solution by ion exchange resin

Adsorption behaviors and mechanisms of gold recovery from thiosulfate solution by ion exchange resin

Pyrite activation in seawater flotation by copper and lead ions: XPS and in-situ electrochemical investigation

Pyrite, as the main carrier of gold, can be collected via flotation which consumes high volumes of fresh water. Seawater is the promising alternative to fresh water, especially in the fresh water deficient regions. However, pyrite flotation is usually ineffective in seawater, which requires activation prior to recovery. This study mainly focuses on the roles of Cu2+ and Pb2+ on pyrite flotation in seawater. The flotation and contact angle results indicated that Cu2+ and Pb2+ obviously increased pyrite recovery in seawater by enhancing its surface hydrophobicity. Further XPS studies revealed that the formation of Fe-S-Cu(I) and Fe-O-Cu(II) on pyrite surface due to Cu2+ activation while the presence of Fe-O-Pb(II) and Fe-SO-Pb(II) due to Pb2+ activation, thereby improving the active sites and adsorption of xanthate. In addition, the in-situ scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) results showed that the formation of Cu2+ and Pb2+ activated products increased the electrochemical reactivity of pyrite surface, which was the main reason for the improved pyrite floatability. Moreover, the current consequence evolution indicated that pyrite activation by Cu2+ was stronger than that by Pb2+. The SECM imaging also showed that the adsorption of xanthate decreased the electrochemical reactivity on pyrite surface, with more significant role observing on the activated surface than that of the un-activated pyrite. It should be noted that the Cu2+/Pb2+ activation and xanthate adsorption were distributed unevenly on pyrite surface. This study therefore provides an in-situ approach to understand the role of inorganic ions and reagents on pyrite flotation in seawater, providing a promising strategy to use seawater for the flotation recovery of gold.

Effect of Sodium Cyanide and Jin Chan Chemicals on Gold Gain from Ore

In this article, experiments were carried out on samples taken from two different gold mines located in İzmir Province, Dikili District Çukuralan Locality and Eskişehir Province Sivrihisar District Kaymaz Site. Jin Chan, a new chemical approach with sodium cyanide (NaCN), comparatively evaluated leaching kinetics, gold recovery efficiencies and chemical consumption in the course of leaching. In the study using hydrometallurgical methods; the leaching studies with Çukuralan ore, the optimum parameters were observed at a 40% solid/liquid ratio and 300 mg/l Jin Chan concentration, and gold was recovered with a yield of 90.89%. Hereby, Jin Chan consumption was 0.72 kg/t. In NaCN, on the other hand, the optimum parameters were achieved at a solid/liquid ratio of 40% and a concentration of 300 mg/l NaCN, and gold was obtained with a yield of 91.98%. NaCN consumption was 0.31 kg/t. In the leaching studies with Kaymaz ore, the optimum parameters were reached at 40% solid/liquid ratio and 300 mg/l Jin Chan concentration, and gold was recovered with an 81.55% yield. Jin Chan chemical consumption is seen at 1.27 kg/t. In NaCN, on the other hand, the optimum parameters were achieved at a solid/liquid ratio of 40% and a concentration of 300 mg/l NaCN, and gold recovery was achieved with a yield of 82.86%. NaCN consumption is calculated at 0.95 kg/t.

Efficient and selective extraction of gold from acidic leaching solutions using novel guanidinium ionic liquid

As gold is a non-renewable resource, it holds both economic and environmental importance to enhance the recycling of precious metal waste from secondary resources. Herein, a guanidine salt ionic liquid ([DIETMG][NTf2]) with low water solubility and viscosity was synthesized by molecular design of guanidine salt ionic liquid with good biocompatibility and biodegradability, and a solvent-free system of [DIETMG][NTf2]-water was constructed to extract Au(Ⅲ). The findings reveal that the extraction efficiency of Au(Ⅲ) can reach 97.57 % under optimal extraction conditions. Further thermodynamic and kinetic studies revealed that the reaction process is spontaneous and exothermic, with the extraction rate being primarily controlled by interfacial chemical reactions. The system demonstrates remarkable selectivity for Au(Ⅲ) in solutions containing a mix of various metal ions. Finally, ascorbic acid (Vc) was employed as a stripping agent to obtain gold at room temperature. After 8 cycles, [DIETMG][NTf2] still achieved a 90% extraction efficiency. This study provides a new idea and method for recovery of gold from secondary resources.

Preliminary Removal of Mercury from Depleted Coal Sorbents by Thermal Vacuum Method with Associated Extraction of Precious Metal Composite

This paper presents the results of laboratory studies for the distillation of mercury from depleted coal sorbents produced in gold recovery factories using CIP technology. The mercury content in these materials is more than 1%. The developed technology was tested in a large-scale laboratory on a pilot vacuum sublimation electric furnace with the rheological movement of dispersed material. The use of this equipment makes it possible to demercurize various materials with fairly high moisture (up to 20%). It eliminates the use of an additional technological operation—drying the material in a vacuum drying oven. It has been shown that a high degree of mercury distillation is achieved (more than 99.8%) at 350–400 °C in the reaction space and residual pressure in the system of less than 1.33 kPa, with residual mercury content in the material of less than 0.001% (10 mg/kg), which complies with the European environmental standards. Mercury-free coal sorbents are sent for combustion for the additional extraction of precious metal composites. The proposed vacuum technology is characterized by its environmental safety because the process is performed in sealed equipment, eliminating toxic emissions of mercury vapor into the atmosphere. The proposed vacuum technology equipment is characterized by reliability and ease of use.

Anion-Regulated Ionic Covalent Organic Frameworks for Highly Selective Recovery of Gold from E-Waste.

The existing electronic waste (e-waste) and leaching solutions generated by industries accumulate significant amounts of gold (Au), even in excess of those in natural minerals. Therefore, the recycling of Au is extremely significant for the potential sustainability of chemical industry. By designing ionic covalent organic frameworks (COFs), here we synthesize a series of Ionic-COF-X (X=Cl-, Br-, AcO-, and SO42-) by anion regulation strategy. All these ionic COFs exhibit ultrahigh gold adsorption efficiency and excellent regeneration. Moreover, anion regulation could indeed affect the Au capture performance. In particular, when Cl- ions serve as counter ions, the Au capacity of Ionic-COF-Cl could reach 1270.8 mg g-1. Moreover, in the actual CPU leaching solution test, the selectivity of Ionic-COF-Cl towards Au3+ ion hits 39000 and 4600 times higher than that of Cu2+ and Ni2+ ions, respectively, suggesting that the Ionic-COF-Cl is a promising material for highly selective recovering gold from actual e-waste. DFT calculations further reveal that counter ions can regulate the adsorption affinity of ionic COF framework toward Au. In short, this work provides a useful anion regulation strategy to design ionic COFs as a promising platform for gold selective recovery from actual e-waste.

Anion‐Regulated Ionic Covalent Organic Frameworks for Highly Selective Recovery of Gold from E‐Waste

The existing electronic waste (e‐waste) and leaching solutions generated by industries accumulate significant amounts of gold (Au), even in excess of those in natural minerals. Therefore, the recycling of Au is extremely significant for the potential sustainability of chemical industry. By designing ionic covalent organic frameworks (COFs), here we synthesize a series of Ionic‐COF‐X (X=Cl‐, Br‐, AcO‐, and SO42‐) by anion regulation strategy. All these ionic COFs exhibit ultrahigh gold adsorption efficiency and excellent regeneration. Moreover, anion regulation could indeed affect the Au capture performance. In particular, when Cl‐ ions serve as counter ions, the Au capacity of Ionic‐COF‐Cl could reach 1270.8 mg g‐1. Moreover, in the actual CPU leaching solution test, the selectivity of Ionic‐COF‐Cl towards Au3+ ion hits 39000 and 4600 times higher than that of Cu2+ and Ni2+ ions, respectively, suggesting that the Ionic‐COF‐Cl is a promising material for highly selective recovering gold from actual e‐waste. DFT calculations further reveal that counter ions can regulate the adsorption affinity of ionic COF framework toward Au. In short, this work provides a useful anion regulation strategy to design ionic COFs as a promising platform for gold selective recovery from actual e‐waste.

Synthesis of Some Eco-Friendly Materials for Gold Recovery.

The aim of this study was to develop new materials with adsorbent properties that can be used for the adsorption recovery of Au(III) from aqueous solutions. To achieve this result, it is necessary to obtain inexpensive adsorbent materials in a granular form. Concomitantly, these materials must have a high adsorption capacity and selectivity. Other desired properties of these materials include a higher physical resistance, insolubility in water, and materials that can be regenerated or reused. Among the methods applied for the separation, purification, and preconcentration of platinum-group metal ions, adsorption is recognised as one of the most promising methods because of its simplicity, high efficiency, and wide availability. The studies were carried out using three supports: cellulose (CE), chitosan (Chi), and diatomea earth (Diat). These supports were functionalised by impregnation with extractants, using the ultrasound method. The extractants are environmentally friendly and relatively cheap amino acids, which contain in their structure pendant groups with nitrogen and sulphur heteroatoms (aspartic acid-Asp, l-glutamic acid-Glu, valine-Val, DL-cysteine-Cys, or serine-Ser). After preliminary testing from 75 synthesised materials, CE-Cys was chosen for the further recovery of Au(III) ions from aqueous solutions. To highlight the morphology and the functionalisation of the material, we physicochemically characterised the obtained material. Therefore, the analysis of the specific surface and porosity showed that the CE-Cys material has a specific surface of 4.6 m2/g, with a porosity of about 3 nm. The FT-IR analysis showed the presence, at a wavelength of 3340 cm-1, of the specific NH bond vibration for cysteine. At the same time, pHpZc was determined to be 2.8. The kinetic, thermodynamic, and equilibrium studies showed that the pseudo-second-order kinetic model best describes the adsorption process of Au(III) ions on the CE-Cys material. A maximum adsorption capacity of 12.18 mg per gram of the adsorbent material was achieved. It was established that the CE-Cys material can be reused five times with a good recovery degree.