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Applications of Advanced Gold Deportment Technique for
Complex Refractory and Copper Gold Ores
Aparup Chattopadhyay
Integrated Process Mineralogy Solutions Inc., Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Barun K. Gorain
Ore2Metal Inc., Toronto, ON, Canada
ABSTRACT: This paper presents a detailed and systematic approach to metallurgy diagnostics using an
advanced gold deportment technique for complex copper-gold and refractory gold ore bodies. The quantitative
gold deportment for these complex ore bodies is a challenging task for reasons such as lower grades, high
variability of visible and invisible gold content in different sulphides and iron oxide phases, significant presence
of disseminated and composite carbonaceous matters along with associations of various copper sulphide phases.
Gold mostly occurs as “invisible gold” (sub-microscopic gold) as solid solution or as colloidal-sized particles
in different sulphides and other phases. The dominance of invisible gold and presence of highly gold-robbing
and finely disseminated carbonaceous matter adversely affects gold recovery in flotation and leach circuits.
Studies were initiated on various complex ore deposits and also on samples representing various process streams.
Some case studies are presented in this paper to demonstrate the value of a high confidence gold deportment
methodology in developing insights for problem diagnostics and to identify opportunities for metallurgical
improvements. A systematic and holistic approach involving different fields of expertise is critical for successful
development and delivery of solutions for complex ore bodies.
Keywords: Advanced gold deportment, Complex copper-gold ores, Double refractory gold ores, Carbonaceous
matter, Diagnostic metallurgy, Preg-robbed surface gold.
INTRODUCTION
Gold bearing ores are usually more complex (Coetzee et al.,
2011) and both Kappes et al, (2009), Chattopadhyay and
Gorain (2012), and Chattopadhyay et al., 2020) discuss
the challenges associated with the Carlin gold ores. Having
more mineralogy attributes for both valuables and gangue
in the resource and reserve models allows for a better inte-
gration of geology and metallurgy, which is an emerging
area widely known as “geometallurgy” (Lishchuk et al.,
2020 Bradshaw 2014 Wills and Finch, 2016).
An important development in gold mineralogy is the
ability to carry out quantitative gold deportment for com-
plex gold copper single refractory, double refractory and tri-
ple refractory ores using state-of-the-art technologies (Baum
et al., 1989, Cabri and Jackson, 2011 Chattopadhyay and
Gorain, 2012, 2013 Chryssoulis and McMullen, 2016,
2005, Swinkels et al., 2021).
Studies were initiated on various complex ore deposits
and also on samples representing various process streams.
These complex copper-gold single refractory, double and
Applications of Advanced Gold Deportment Technique for
Complex Refractory and Copper Gold Ores
Aparup Chattopadhyay
Integrated Process Mineralogy Solutions Inc., Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Barun K. Gorain
Ore2Metal Inc., Toronto, ON, Canada
ABSTRACT: This paper presents a detailed and systematic approach to metallurgy diagnostics using an
advanced gold deportment technique for complex copper-gold and refractory gold ore bodies. The quantitative
gold deportment for these complex ore bodies is a challenging task for reasons such as lower grades, high
variability of visible and invisible gold content in different sulphides and iron oxide phases, significant presence
of disseminated and composite carbonaceous matters along with associations of various copper sulphide phases.
Gold mostly occurs as “invisible gold” (sub-microscopic gold) as solid solution or as colloidal-sized particles
in different sulphides and other phases. The dominance of invisible gold and presence of highly gold-robbing
and finely disseminated carbonaceous matter adversely affects gold recovery in flotation and leach circuits.
Studies were initiated on various complex ore deposits and also on samples representing various process streams.
Some case studies are presented in this paper to demonstrate the value of a high confidence gold deportment
methodology in developing insights for problem diagnostics and to identify opportunities for metallurgical
improvements. A systematic and holistic approach involving different fields of expertise is critical for successful
development and delivery of solutions for complex ore bodies.
Keywords: Advanced gold deportment, Complex copper-gold ores, Double refractory gold ores, Carbonaceous
matter, Diagnostic metallurgy, Preg-robbed surface gold.
INTRODUCTION
Gold bearing ores are usually more complex (Coetzee et al.,
2011) and both Kappes et al, (2009), Chattopadhyay and
Gorain (2012), and Chattopadhyay et al., 2020) discuss
the challenges associated with the Carlin gold ores. Having
more mineralogy attributes for both valuables and gangue
in the resource and reserve models allows for a better inte-
gration of geology and metallurgy, which is an emerging
area widely known as “geometallurgy” (Lishchuk et al.,
2020 Bradshaw 2014 Wills and Finch, 2016).
An important development in gold mineralogy is the
ability to carry out quantitative gold deportment for com-
plex gold copper single refractory, double refractory and tri-
ple refractory ores using state-of-the-art technologies (Baum
et al., 1989, Cabri and Jackson, 2011 Chattopadhyay and
Gorain, 2012, 2013 Chryssoulis and McMullen, 2016,
2005, Swinkels et al., 2021).
Studies were initiated on various complex ore deposits
and also on samples representing various process streams.
These complex copper-gold single refractory, double and