Gold Recovery from a Gold Tailing by Floatation and Thiourea Leaching

With the feature of high pyrite, high gold, fine gold dissemination in a gold tailing, experimental studies of floatation and thiourea leaching were carried out on a gold ore. The results showed that single floatation or thiourea leaching process was not suitable for this tailing. The grade and recovery of gold concentrate was 50.62 g/t and 82.68 % respectively by flotation with the particle size of -320 mesh 85%. The thiourea leaching rate was 66% with the particle size of -320 mesh 85%. The leaching rate was 89.24 % by floatation- thiourea combined process. The particle size of the floation circuit and the tailing thiourea circuit was -320 mesh 85%. The floatation- tailing thiourea leaching combined process was recommended to treat this ore.