Effect of contaminant carbonaceous matter on the sorption of gold by pyrite

The effect of carbon or graphite coating on the adsorption of gold cyanide on pyrite was investigated with pure pyrite and a pyrite concentrate. In the carbon or graphite contaminated pyrite systems carbon and graphite not only acted as gold sorbents, but also enhanced gold adsorption on pyrite. The carbon coating enhanced gold adsorption on pyrite to a larger extent, in comparison with the graphite coating. The carbon or graphite coating on pyrite reduced the negativity of the pyrite surfaces, and hence improved the physical adsorption of gold cyanide on pyrite. In addition, the highly conductive coating of carbon or graphite on pyrite could enhance electron transfer in the electrochemical reactions occurring in the chemical adsorption of gold and gold reduction on pyrite. The preg-robbing by pyrite or the graphite-coated pyrite was reduced and further eliminated at higher cyanide concentrations. However, gold adsorption on the carbon-coated pyrite could not be prevented even at higher cyanide concentrations due to gold adsorption on the carbon coating. In comparison with pure pyrite, the pyrite concentrate had a higher capacity adsorbing gold, due to the presence of carbonaceous matter in the pyrite concentrate. Fine grinding intensified the smearing of carbon or graphite on the mineral particles, resulting in a larger extent of enhancement in the preg-robbing of the concentrate by the carbon or graphite coating.A diagnostic elution of the preg-robbing pyrite samples indicated that the reduction of gold at the pyrite surfaces was the dominant mechanism for gold adsorption on pyrite, followed by physical and chemical adsorption. Surface topological studies by SEM/EDX showed that gold adsorbed at defect sites on pyrite surfaces. For the pyrite with a 5% carbon coating, gold was observed to adsorb not only at the defect sites, but also at the smooth surfaces with carbon present. For the pyrite with a 5% graphite coating, carbon was also found at the pyrite surfaces, but gold was only detected at the defect sites. XPS studies revealed that part of the gold physically and chemically adsorbed on pyrite or pyrite coated with carbon or graphite. Some gold cyanide was reduced at the pyrite surfaces, with the sulphide ions of pyrite being oxidised to elemental sulphur.