AN INNOVATIVE THIOUREA GOLD LEACHING PROCESS

The aim of this experimental work was devoted to the preliminary evalu ation of the feasibility of thiourea leaching for the extraction of go ld from a domestic gold-bearing ore 4 g/t Au, at laboratory scale. The study has permitted identification of the influence of temperature, l eaching agent concentration, pulp density and leaching time on the gol d dissolution. Gold has been recovered from the leach liquors by adsor ption onto activated carbon and subsequent electrodeposition. After th e optimisation of the experimental conditions of the process, about 80 % of gold recovery was obtained, for the complete cycle of treatment; the consumption of reagents has been low (5 g/kg of thiourea, 5 g/kg o f sulphuric acid and 0.5 g/kg of ferric sulphate). (C) 1998 Elsevier S cience B.V.