XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3 3653
GOLD RECOVERY
The Table 1 shows the weights of gold obtained for each
step of the process.
It should be noted that the alternative method was
able to recover around 79% of the total gold in the gravity
concentration stage alone, whereas the traditional sluicing
recovered only around 58%. After cyanidation, the tradi-
tional process was able to recover an additional 25.11% of
the total gold, increasing its overall recovery to 82.80%.
The alternative method, on the other hand, was able to fur-
ther increase the total recovery to 86.11% with the use of
its flotation and hypochlorite leaching circuit.
OPERATING TIME
Operating time was measured based on the duration of
each processing area and assumes that there is no down
time per piece of equipment. Figure 3 shows the schedule
of operations per plant running on a 3 work shifts per day
with 8 hours per shift.
The alternative process has greatly reduced the total
operating time to recover gold from the ore at just a fraction
of the traditional process normally taken to finish a batch
of ore. Comparing the operating time of both processes,
the traditional methods finished processing the given mass
of ore in 143.45 hours or approximately 6 days while the
alternative method was done in just 29 hours.
OPERATING COST
While operating both plants, all consumables, labor costs,
and equipment power consumption were recorded, and
expenses were calculated based on prevailing rates. The
total operating cost for both processes were calculated and
are shown in Table 2.
The total operating cost for both the processing plants
presented almost identical expenses. Both power costs
for the 2 plants were almost the same. More mechanical
equipment was utilized for the alternative method while
the traditional method, using only a rod mill and cyanida-
tion tanks, operated for a longer period, resulting to similar
Table 1. Gold recovery of the traditional and alternative processes
Traditional Process Alternative Process
Weight of ore treated, WMT 5.00
Weight of ore treated, DMT 4.72
Head Grade, gpt Au 2.41
Tailings Grade, gpt Au 0.41 0.33
Gravity Concentration Circuit Sluicing Gravity concentrator +shaking table
57.69% 78.72%
Leaching Cyanidation (CIL) Flotation +Hypochlorite
25.11% 7.39%
Overall Recovery 82.80% 86.11%
Figure 3. Operating time using an 8-hour shift schedule
GOLD RECOVERY
The Table 1 shows the weights of gold obtained for each
step of the process.
It should be noted that the alternative method was
able to recover around 79% of the total gold in the gravity
concentration stage alone, whereas the traditional sluicing
recovered only around 58%. After cyanidation, the tradi-
tional process was able to recover an additional 25.11% of
the total gold, increasing its overall recovery to 82.80%.
The alternative method, on the other hand, was able to fur-
ther increase the total recovery to 86.11% with the use of
its flotation and hypochlorite leaching circuit.
OPERATING TIME
Operating time was measured based on the duration of
each processing area and assumes that there is no down
time per piece of equipment. Figure 3 shows the schedule
of operations per plant running on a 3 work shifts per day
with 8 hours per shift.
The alternative process has greatly reduced the total
operating time to recover gold from the ore at just a fraction
of the traditional process normally taken to finish a batch
of ore. Comparing the operating time of both processes,
the traditional methods finished processing the given mass
of ore in 143.45 hours or approximately 6 days while the
alternative method was done in just 29 hours.
OPERATING COST
While operating both plants, all consumables, labor costs,
and equipment power consumption were recorded, and
expenses were calculated based on prevailing rates. The
total operating cost for both processes were calculated and
are shown in Table 2.
The total operating cost for both the processing plants
presented almost identical expenses. Both power costs
for the 2 plants were almost the same. More mechanical
equipment was utilized for the alternative method while
the traditional method, using only a rod mill and cyanida-
tion tanks, operated for a longer period, resulting to similar
Table 1. Gold recovery of the traditional and alternative processes
Traditional Process Alternative Process
Weight of ore treated, WMT 5.00
Weight of ore treated, DMT 4.72
Head Grade, gpt Au 2.41
Tailings Grade, gpt Au 0.41 0.33
Gravity Concentration Circuit Sluicing Gravity concentrator +shaking table
57.69% 78.72%
Leaching Cyanidation (CIL) Flotation +Hypochlorite
25.11% 7.39%
Overall Recovery 82.80% 86.11%
Figure 3. Operating time using an 8-hour shift schedule