CHARACTERIZATION OF THE GOLD COMPLEX ADSORBED ON ACTIVATED CARBON FROM CHLORIDE, CYANIDE AND THIOUREA SOLUTIONS

X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and El ectron Probe Micro-Analysis (EPMA) were used to characterize chemicall y the gold complex adsorbed on activated carbon from a solution contai ning 102 mg/L Au and 0.5 g/L thiourea. This paper also considers the g old chloride and the gold cyanide systems. The results indicate gold i s adsorbed on activated carbon from the thiourea solution as the gold (I) thiourea complex, i.e. Au[CS(NH2)2]2+. Other gold species such as metallic gold were not detected on the carbon support. These results a lso suggest the elution of the gold (I) thiourea complex can be perfor med with high recovery.