Dissolution of secondary copper sulphides using complex-forming agents (EDTA,EDA). Part II: Chalcocite dissolution in EDTA and EDA

This work is immediate continuation of Part I, using an identical method and evaluation for kinetic studies. The systems chalcocite-ethylene diamine tetra-acetic acid and chalcocite-ethylene diamine were studied. It was necessary to refine the geometrical model method for chalcocite in order to establish dissolution kinetics of polydispersions. This work confirms that chalcocite leaching proceeds through covellite even in the medium of complex-forming agents and kinetic equations for both leaching stages were evaluated with an attempt at physical interpretation.     

Analysis of the gold recovery profile through a cyanidation plant

Leaching in the grinding circuit is currently practiced in plants that process gold ores with low content of cyanide consuming minerals. The high gold recovery observed in the grinding–classification section of the plant is commonly explained by the inherent high initial dissolution rate of gold observed in gold ore cyanidation, or by the intense agitation prevailing in grinding mills. For understanding this leaching behavior of gold ores, the grinding, classification and leaching sections of a gold processing plant are analyzed through reconciliation of operating data. It is found that gold circulation in the grinding circuit is quite different from the flow behavior of other species due to the strong gold separation effect in the hydrocyclones, which produces quite large residence time for gold-rich particles. The results presented in this study demonstrate that the residence time of these particles in the grinding circuit can be as long as in the leaching tanks and might be the dominant factor in explaining the high dissolution of gold in this section.     

Constraints on the source of Cu in a submarine magmatic-hydrothermal system,Brothers volcano,Kermadec island arc

Most magmatic-hydrothermal Cu deposits are genetically linked to arc magmas. However, most continental or oceanic arc magmas are barren, and hence new methods have to be developed to distinguish between barren and mineralised arc systems. Source composition, melting conditions, the timing of S saturation and an initial chalcophile element-enrichment represent important parameters that control the potential of a subduction setting to host an economically valuable deposit. Brothers volcano in the Kermadec island arc is one of the best-studied examples of arc-related submarine magmatic-hydrothermal activity. This study, for the first time, compares the chemical and mineralogical composition of the Brothers seafloor massive sulphides and the associated dacitic to rhyolitic lavas that host the hydrothermal system. Incompatible trace element ratios, such as La/Sm and Ce/Pb, indicate that the basaltic melts from L’Esperance volcano may represent a parental analogue to the more evolved Brothers lavas. Copper-rich magmatic sulphides (Cu?>?2 wt%) identified in fresh volcanic glass and phenocryst phases, such as clinopyroxene, plagioclase and Fe–Ti oxide suggest that the surrounding lavas that host the Brothers hydrothermal system represent a potential Cu source for the sulphide ores at the seafloor. Thermodynamic calculations reveal that the Brothers melts reached volatile saturation during their evolution. Melt inclusion data and the occurrence of sulphides along vesicle margins indicate that an exsolving volatile phase extracted Cu from the silicate melt and probably contributed it to the overlying hydrothermal system. Hence, the formation of the Cu-rich seafloor massive sulphides (up to 35.6 wt%) is probably due to the contribution of Cu from a bimodal source including wall rock leaching and magmatic degassing, in a mineralisation style that is hybrid between Cyprus-type volcanic-hosted massive sulphide and subaerial epithermal–porphyry deposits.     

A shrinking particle—shrinking core model for leaching of a zinc ore containing silica

A new mathematical model was developed for leaching of zinc ores containing silicates such as hemimorphite which produce a gel during leaching with sulfuric acid. This model is based on the shrinking core model in which the particle size and the reacting core shrink simultaneously. It was shown that the actual dissolution time of the ore particles is longer than the time corresponding to the dissolution of chemical zinc oxide itself. It was suggested that because of the existence of silicates in the ore, a gelatinous layer was formed around the reacting core. Since the gel product is soft, it breaks apart when the particles collide and as a result, the particles shrink. However, a thin gelatinous layer always covers the reacting core which increases the mass transfer resistance and increases the leaching time. This model was applied to leaching of a zinc-rich tailing containing hemimorphite and the thickness of the gelatinous layer as well as the diffusion coefficient in this layer was determined.     

Incipient Stage of Ore Formation Process of the Kamioka Zn-Pb Ore Deposit in the Hida Metamorphic Belt, Central Japan: Leaching and Precipitation of Clinopyroxene

Abstract: Boundaries between the cpx Zn-Pb ores of the Kamioka ore deposit and host clinopyroxene granitoid in the Hida metamorphic belt were examined to decipher the incipient stage of ore formation process. The boundaries are characterized by the compositional zoning of relic clinopyroxene with outward increase of XMg from 0. 5 to 0. 75 in the host rocks, and by the incline of XMg towards the ores, passing through the boundaries, reaching up to 0. 95. In the ores, relic clinopyroxene is rimmed by hedenbergite. Both clinopyroxenes show compositional zoning with outward decrease and increase of XMg and MnO, down to 0. 02 and to 3. 2 wt%, respectively. The presence of high magnesian clinopyroxene can be explained if hydrothermal fluid flow had leached hedenbergite component of relic clinopyroxene. The incline of XMg of clinopyroxene toward the ores was attributed to the degree of dissolution of clinopyroxene, and thus the total amounts of fluid to have passed. The outward decrease of XMg of clinopyroxenes in the ores was due to crystal-fluid fractionation during precipitation. These mineralogical changes at the boundaries indicate the time-integrated phenomena of hydrothermal ore forming process. Firstly, leaching of ore components by infiltrating fluid proceeded in host rocks, and enhanced the formation of a fluid channel. The condition of fluid changes through the fluid channel in P-T space, and hence ore forming minerals precipitate at a remote place from the leaching one. This in turn caused the physicochemical change of fluid condition anyhow, and accelerated the precipitation of the minerals. This leaching-precipitation sequence appears a basic process of hydrothermal ore-forming system, and characterizes the incipient stage of ore formation process of the Kamioka Zn-Pb ore deposit. Compositional zoning of clinopyroxenes defines Z-shaped compositional trend in the Di–Hd–Jo diagram, each arm of which corresponds to the leaching and the precipitation stages, and the secondary dissolution of precipitated clinopyroxene.     

堆浸提金原理与试验研究

本文介绍了堆浸提金原理和在实验室进行金矿石堆浸可行性研究的方法.以我国辽宁猫岭金矿、四川茶铺子金矿和福建紫金山金矿为研究对象,研究了矿石粒度、氰化钠溶液浓度、浸出时间等因素对金浸出率的影响,从而确定堆浸提金最佳工艺条件.通过对上述三类矿石性质及堆浸性能的比较,认为矿石的物质组成和金的嵌布特性对金的浸出率影响较大.     

Distinctive features of Late Palaeozoic massive sulphide deposits in South China

More than 20 sediment-hosted massive sulphide deposits occur in Late Palaeozoic basins in South China. These deposits are accompanied by a certain amount of volcanic rocks in the host sequence and are economically important for their Cu, Pb, Zn, Au and Ag reserves. The deposits and their host strata were commonly intruded by Mesozoic granitoids. Remobilisation of sedimentary ores and magmatic hydrothermal overprinting processes resulted in the coexistence of massive sulphides with vein-, skarn- and porphyry-type orebodies in the same region or within a single deposit. The ore-containing basins occur in different tectonic settings. The Lower Yangtze basin occurs on a passive continental margin, where the deposits are high in Cu and Au with minor Pb and Zn and recoverable Ag, Co and Mo. The ores have a lower concentration of radiogenic lead, and δ³⁴S values close to zero. Fluid inclusions are highly saline and Na-rich. Fluids and metals of the Lower Yangtze Region are interpreted to have been derived essentially from deep sources including the Precambrian basement. By contrast, basins of the Nanling Region formed in an intracontinental setting developed on a folded Caledonian basement. These deposits are higher in Pb, Zn, Sn and W, as well as Cu, with recoverable Ag, Sb, Hg, U, Bi, Tl and Mo. The ores are characterised by a higher concentration of radiogenic lead and a wide variation of δ³⁴S composition. Fluid inclusions have lower salinities and higher K⁺/Na⁺ ratios. Fluids are considered to have been sourced substantially from seawater by convection. Metals for the Nanling deposits were essentially derived from the Caledonian basement by leaching. The contrast in ore composition between these two regions appears to have been controlled by differences in basement composition of the ore-forming basins.     

Fabrics of deformed sulphides

Determination of preferred orientations in sulphide ores is an important facet in the analysis of the deformation and metamorphism in ore deposits. The methodology and problems of texture determinations in deformed sulphides are briefly reviewed. Deformation mechanisms and texture development in the common sulphide minerals are summarised. Axi-symmetric experimental deformation of galena, sphalerite and chalcopyrite produces similar pole figures with the (110) planes aligned normal to the compression axis. Deformation textures in naturally deformed sulphides however are best preserved in monomineralic ores which have undergone simple shear deformation. These textures can be correlated with the microstructures found in the sulphides. Computer simulations of deformation textures arising from dislocation mechanisms can be used to interpret the textures but the results to date are preliminary. These theoretical models emphasize the importance of the symmetry of the kinematic axes of the deformation, the operative glide systems and the strain history and the deformation path. Little is known, however, of the influence of static and dynamic recrystallisation on sulphide preferred orientations.     

Geological and geochemical characteristics of the Baimazhai Ni-Cu-（PGE） sulphide deposit in Yunnan, China

The sulphide ores of the Baimazhai deposit, although typically orthomagmatic, locally exhibit peculiar textural features and are intimately associated with hydrothermal minerals, such as biotite, amphibole and chlorite. This association suggests that the magmatic sulphide ores were subjected to hydrothermal alteration and subsequent redistribution, resulting in the observed textural features. Geochemically, the Baimazhai sulphide ores are enriched in Cu, Pd and Au, which,according to previous studies, reflects the action of hydrothermal fluids. Interestingly, Ar-Ar dating yielded the plateau ages of about 160–170 Ma, which are at odds with the established Permian age of the Emeishan large igneous province. We interpreted these younger ages as due to thermal resetting during post-Permian tectonothermal events. We have proposed a model in which tectonic movements and hydrothermal fluids related to these events modified the pre-existing magmatic sulphides. Given the degree of overprint, we suggested two possible scenarios: 1) the sulphide disseminations that surround the massive magmatic ores are the result of deformation and hydrothermal alteration; and 2) there were both magmatic massive and disseminated sulphides, in which case the scale and relocation of remobilization would have been smaller, but still detectable.     

Epigenetic lead-zinc mineralization in miocene pebbly mudstones,Sierra de Cartagena,Spain

The Pb-Zn-ores of Minas de Cartes, Sierra de Cartagena, Spain, occur in a zon along the lower boundary of a Miocene sequence and along post-Miocene faults. Pebbly mudstone beds in the Miocene are slump sediments, which by their lithological properties form preferred horizons for the spreading of the mineralization. Faulting and flexuring have caused cavernous fault breccias in the relatively competent pebbly mudstones, while dissolution of carbonate pebbles and carbonates in the matrix of these rocks has resulted in solution cavities. The brecciated cavernous pebbly mudstones form channelways for ore solutions and sites of deposition of ore streaks with marcasite, pyrite, galena, sphalerite and quartz. The mineralization is of typical cavity-filling nature and so-called “ore pebbles” are fillings of pebble-shaped voids resulting from selective dissolution of carbonate pebbles. The ores were formed by near-surface subvolcanic-hydrothermal processes in relation with Late Tertiary trachyandesitic volcanism in the region.     

Geology of massive sulphide deposits in the Spanish-Portuguese Pyrite Belt

The Spanish-Portuguese Pyrite Belt covers a large area in the SW part of the Iberian Peninsula from Seville to the westcoast of Portugal. Total reserves of aprox. 1.000 million tons of massive sulphide ores have an average content of 46% S, 42% Fe, and 2–4% Cu+Pb+Zn. The stratiform sulphide deposits and accompanying manganese mineralizations are of synsedimentary-exhalative origin. They occur in a Lower Carboniferous, geosynclinal, volcanic-sedimentary rock sequence, strongly folded during the Hercynian Orogeny. A brief outline of the regional geology of this ore province is given, and the geology of three mining districts is described: Lousal (Portugal), La Zarza and Tharsis (Huelva Province, Spain). A close relationship between sulphide and manganese ores with the submarine, acid alkaline volcanism is emphasized. Solfataric activity is responsible for the formation of sulphides in the final stages of volcanic extrusions. The ore concentration in big deposits (ore-lenses with up to 100 million tons of massive sulphides) has been due to inflows of sulphide muds and/or detrital sulphides into newly formed depressions of a contineously changing seafloor topography due to volcano tectonic movements.     

Organic Composition of Sulphide Ores in the Okinawa Trough and Its Implications

A preliminary organic geochemical study shows that the sulphide ores from the hydrothermal deposit of the Okinawa Trough are generally low in the total organic carbon and extremely low in the soluble organic matter. In the aliphatic hydrocarbon fraction, the n-alkanes range from C15 to C35, with usual maxima in the middle n-C20 region and strong odd-carbon number predominance when n > C25 (CPI = 1.2). The dominant analog in the aromatic fraction is phenanthrene, a polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon, which provides evidence for hydrothermal activity. The organic matter derived mainly from marine planktonic and terrigenous vascular plants is entrapped in a high-temperature regime such as an active chimney and cooled quickly in the sulphide ores on the seafloor. Organic matter and sulphides are definitely products of a high-temperature alteration. The biomarker compounds indicate that the ores are formed under low Eh and pH conditions-a reducing to anoxic environment, which is favourable for sulphates to be     

US Geological Survey research on the environmental fate of uranium mining and milling wastes

Studies by the US Geological Survey (USGS) of uranium mill tailings (UMT) have focused on characterizing the forms in which radionuclides are retained and identifying factors influencing the release of radionuclides to air and water. Selective extraction studies and studies of radionuclide sorption by and leaching from components of UMT showed alkaline earth sulfate and hydrous ferric oxides to be important hosts of radium-226 (²²⁶Ra) in UMT. Extrapolating from studies of barite dissolution in anerobic lake sediments, the leaching of²²⁶Ra from UMT by sulfate-reducing bacteria was investigated; a marked increase in²²⁶Ra release to aqueous solution as compared to sterile controls was demonstrated. A similar action of iron(III)-reducing bacteria was later shown. Ion exchangers such as clay minerals can also promote the dissolution of host-phase minerals and thereby influence the fate of radionuclides such as²²⁶Ra. Radon release studies examined particle size and ore composition as variables. Aggregation of UMT particles was shown to mask the higher emanating fraction of finer particles. Studies of various ores and ore components showed that UMT cannot be assumed to have the same radon-release characteristics as their precursor ores, nor can²²⁶Ra retained by various substrates be assumed to emanate the same fraction of radon. Over the last decade, USGS research directed at offsite mobility of radionuclides from uranium mining and milling processes has focused on six areas: the Midnite Mine in Washington; Ralston Creek and Reservoir, Colorado; sites near Canon City, Colorado; the Monument Valley District of Arizona and Utah; the Cameron District of Arizona; and the Puerco River basin of Arizona and New Mexico.     

贵州省兴义市雄武地区金矿石堆浸的工艺研究

贵州省兴义市雄武地区金矿主要为卡林型,其次为红土型,矿床受断裂构造控制,矿石为中等含硫微细浸染状氧化矿石。目前浅部矿石已基本采完,深部矿石品位较低(0.8~1.8 g/t),因此有效提高低品位矿石浸出率和金回收率至关重要。研究表明,筑堆时矿石粒度和喷淋时氰化钠浓度是堆浸生产中的重要影响因素。矿石粒度大,金浸出率低;氰化钠浓度大,则成本增加。根据矿石物质成分和工艺特征研究,得到矿石冶炼时的最佳工艺条件:筑堆时矿石粒度为15~25 mm,氰化钠浓度为0.05%~0.08%。该研究有效提高了矿石浸出率,降低了运营成本,为金矿石堆浸实际生产提供了理论和实验依据。     

Mineralogical and geochemical characteristics of two bauxitic profiles, Fria, Guinea Republic

Bauxite deposits of the Fria district, Guinea, have been exploited since 1960. These lateritic bauxites, located on the upper parts of plateaus, result from weathering of paleozoic schists. The ores are composed of gibbsite associated with pyrophyllite, Al-substituted gœthite, and kaolinite. Pyrophyllite and Al-substituted gœthite may contain up to 9% of the total Al₂O₃ content of the bauxite; this cannot be recovered through the Bayer process because these phases are insoluble in the leaching solutions. Kaolinite is soluble under Bayer leaching but this dissolution induces precipitation of sodium aluminosilicates, which apart from loss of further alumina results in decreasing efficiency of the process through scale formation. Detailed knowledge of the distribution of the different ore types and their mineralogical composition is necessary for efficient processing.     

High-pressure metamorphism of stratiform sulphide deposits from the Diahot region,New Caledonia

Stratiform Cu-Pb-Zn (-Au-Ag) mineralization associated with black carbonaceous schists and acid metatuffs is restricted to distinct horizons within the Cretaceous sequence of the Diahot region. The sulphides occur in sharply bounded lenses which show varying degrees of compositional banding conformable with the foliation of the country schists. The deposits are sedimentary-exhalative of the Rio Tinto-type and have been modified by mid-Tertiary high-pressure metamorphism (lawsonite-albite and glaucophanitic greenschist facies). The ores are not strongly deformed by the metamorphism and sedimentary structures, pyrite framboids and atoll structures are preserved in some deposits. With increasing metamorphic grade sphalerite becomes more iron-rich, pyrrhotite becomes more abundant, and the sulphides show a general increase in grain-size which parallels that of the silicates in the enclosing rocks. In the more highly metamorphosed deposits the sulphide associations are retrograde assemblages. There is no evidence of large-scale metamorphic remobilization of sulphides. No differences were observed in either the sulphide assemblages or in the composition of the sulphides to indicate that the metamorphism was of the high pressure rather than the low pressure type.     

Lime Assisted Cyanide Leaching of Refractory Gold Ores from Ajialongwa Mine

Heap leaching is a promising, less costly, alternative technology for processing low grade gold ores compared with traditional, energy intensive processes (e.g. autoclave/tank leaching). This research investigated the effectiveness of lime for enhancing gold leaching rates of gold ores from ajialongwa gold mine in china. Column and heaping experiments were performed using cyanide leaching solutions at pH=10, with and without lime (CaO). The presence of lime greatly increased gold leaching rates. Column leaching experiments showed without the addition of lime, there was 35.2% of gold leached. The addition of lime resulted in the release of 50.56% gold. Lime assisted cyanide of refractory gold was proved by heap leaching experiments.     

Gold in the weathering crust at the Suzdal' deposit (Kazakhstan)

A comparative analysis of morphology and geochemistry was made for gold from the primary ores and weathering crust of the Suzdal' gold deposit, Eastern Kazakhstan. The deposit is localized in Carboniferous carbonaceous-terrigenous strata and is of gold-sulfide type. Study of gold from primary ores showed that it occurs mainly in two species: free and so-called invisible. Free gold is crystallomorphic segregations and irregular-shaped grains up to tens of microns in size; it occurs in intergrowths with sulfides, quartz, carbonate, and mica-chlorite aggregate. Most of gold particles have a fineness of 930–980‰, with some grains showing wide variations in composition. Invisible gold (probably chemically combined) is present in fine-acicular arsenopyrite and, less frequently, pyrite.Being transported to the weathering crust, all this gold served as a source for “neogenic” gold of diverse morphologic forms. We recognized crystalline (isometric, prismatic, acicular, and tabular) particles and drusoid gold aggregates in the form of exotic intergrowths of crystallomorphic and sinter-shelly grains. The grains tend to coarsen from bottom to top of the weathering crust. Several generations of gold of different granulometric classes are observed. We have revealed seed and layer growth and dissolution structures in crystals of early generations overgrown with fine grains. All these gold varieties are associated with hypergene minerals. Most of this gold is of high fineness (on the average, 995‰). The hypergene gold particles are chemically homogeneous high-grade, without rims.The results of studies suggest that the high-grade hypergene gold formed in the weathering crust as a result of the dissolution of invisible gold of sulfides and its local redistribution and deposition in oxidizing media. This is also evidenced from the tendency of gold to coarsen from bottom to top of the weathering crust. A distinctive feature of secondary gold is well-expressed crystals and their great diversity.     

矿产品中污染物溶解释放研究进展

我国原矿、精矿消费量和尾矿产出量巨大,这些矿产品中有毒有害污染物的溶解释放(称为"溶出")已经成为一个普遍存在的环境问题。本文阐述了目前国内外矿产品污染物溶出的研究现状,总结了研究矿产品中污染物溶出最常用的四种模拟试验方法(湿度室试验、淋滤柱试验、静态浸泡试验、萃取试验)的应用进展。湿度室试验可模拟自然风化过程,确定污染物溶出速率和产物;淋滤柱试验可模拟降水和喷淋过程,提供污染物吸附和解吸附动力学依据;静态浸泡试验可模拟被水浸泡过程,探明溶出规律和产物;萃取试验可对污染物进行形态分析,评估介质中污染物的流动性、稳定性等。污染物溶出的各种影响因素由强到弱依次是pH值、淋溶浸泡时间、温度、固液比、矿石粒径,多数情况下pH值越大、浸泡时间越长、温度越高、固液比越小、粒径越小越有利于污染物的溶出。溶出是一个长期和具有潜伏性的过程,其内部发生一系列物理化学反应,显示出与扩散效应不同的规律。目前这方面的研究对象还主要集中于废弃的尾矿,对经运输、堆放并在人类生活区使用的原矿、精矿产品的污染物溶出有待进一步研究,需要对其溶出污染进行预测和评估,采取有效措施控制和治理矿产品的污染。     

Variable activation energy model for leaching kinetics

Most leaching reactions involving low-grade ores are typified by highly nonlinear kinetics which reflects variability in the rate-limiting reaction mechanism whether it be chemical or transport or a combination of both. In characterizing leaching data mathematically, classical kinetic treatments are too limited while rigorous representation of all the physicochemical rate-influencing factors in real ores would be impractical.A variable activation energy model is postulated which is a compromise between these two extremes. In it the rate-limiting effects are lumped together as an Arrhenius activation energy barrier which is related to the conversion. During reaction the more reactive or accessible valuable constituent particles will tend to react first leaving behind progressively more refractory material. The model analogue of this is an increase in the activation energy and hence a decrease in the reaction rate “constant” as the conversion increases. The influence on the leaching rate of reactant concentrations is handled by classical mass-action effects.Applications describing the characterization of both base metal (copper) and precious metal (gold) leaching cases are presented.