XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3 3651
of the Philippines -Diliman. The testing aims to evaluate
the operating parameters and yield of the two processes:
Traditional small-scale gold processing using sluices and
carbon-in-leach (CIL) and a non-mercury, non-cyanide
process developed by the researchers from the University of
the Philippines–Diliman.
Both parties agreed to evaluate the processes based on
the following criteria, a) overall gold recovery b) operating
time c) cost of operation and d) waste treatment.
METHODOLOGY
Ten wet metric tons (WMT) of ore were used for paral-
lel testing coming from one of the major sources of gold
ores used by a small-scale mining community in Itogon,
Benguet, Philippines. The collected ore was divided into
two equal portions where each processing plant, namely,
the Traditional small-scale gold processing and the alter-
native non-mercury, non-cyanide pilot plants, treated 5
WMT (approximately 100 sacks) of ore.
Three replicate grab samples were collected from
each sack for head grade analysis and moisture content
determination.
TRADITIONAL METHOD USING
SLUICING AND CYANIDATION (CIL)
METHOD
The process flow for the traditional gold processing method
used by the small-scale miners is shown in
Figure 1.
Operators of the processing plant employ manual size
segregation to determine the pieces of ore to be crushed
prior to grinding. Batch grinding of the ore was done
using a rod mill. After each batch grind on the rod mill,
the slurry is run through a sluice to recover heavy coarse
particles while the finer particles are fed to the carbon-in-
leach (CIL) circuit. Panning was done to the heavy coarse
particles collected from the sluice where the recovered gold
was smelted using a gas torch and borax. The panning tails
were returned to the rod mill for regrinding.
After cyanidation, the loaded activated carbon was col-
lected and burned. The ash recovered from the process was
also smelted using a gas torch and borax. Afterwards, the
tailings were directed to a mini dam for disposal.
Figure 1. Traditional Small-scale gold processing flowsheet
of the Philippines -Diliman. The testing aims to evaluate
the operating parameters and yield of the two processes:
Traditional small-scale gold processing using sluices and
carbon-in-leach (CIL) and a non-mercury, non-cyanide
process developed by the researchers from the University of
the Philippines–Diliman.
Both parties agreed to evaluate the processes based on
the following criteria, a) overall gold recovery b) operating
time c) cost of operation and d) waste treatment.
METHODOLOGY
Ten wet metric tons (WMT) of ore were used for paral-
lel testing coming from one of the major sources of gold
ores used by a small-scale mining community in Itogon,
Benguet, Philippines. The collected ore was divided into
two equal portions where each processing plant, namely,
the Traditional small-scale gold processing and the alter-
native non-mercury, non-cyanide pilot plants, treated 5
WMT (approximately 100 sacks) of ore.
Three replicate grab samples were collected from
each sack for head grade analysis and moisture content
determination.
TRADITIONAL METHOD USING
SLUICING AND CYANIDATION (CIL)
METHOD
The process flow for the traditional gold processing method
used by the small-scale miners is shown in
Figure 1.
Operators of the processing plant employ manual size
segregation to determine the pieces of ore to be crushed
prior to grinding. Batch grinding of the ore was done
using a rod mill. After each batch grind on the rod mill,
the slurry is run through a sluice to recover heavy coarse
particles while the finer particles are fed to the carbon-in-
leach (CIL) circuit. Panning was done to the heavy coarse
particles collected from the sluice where the recovered gold
was smelted using a gas torch and borax. The panning tails
were returned to the rod mill for regrinding.
After cyanidation, the loaded activated carbon was col-
lected and burned. The ash recovered from the process was
also smelted using a gas torch and borax. Afterwards, the
tailings were directed to a mini dam for disposal.
Figure 1. Traditional Small-scale gold processing flowsheet