초록 ▼

A method for separating gold from copper in a gold ore processing system. Gold ore containing elemental gold and elemental copper is treated with an aqueous cyanide solution to produce a liquid product containing a gold-cyanide complex and a copper-cyanide complex. The liquid product is then deliver

A method for separating gold from copper in a gold ore processing system. Gold ore containing elemental gold and elemental copper is treated with an aqueous cyanide solution to produce a liquid product containing a gold-cyanide complex and a copper-cyanide complex. The liquid product is then delivered to a nanofiltration membrane which prevents the copper-cyanide complex from passing therethrough while allowing passage of the gold-cyanide complex. Nanofiltration of the liquid product specifically produces (1) a retentate which contains the copper-cyanide complex; and (2) a permeate which contains the gold-cyanide complex. In this manner, the gold-cyanide complex is effectively separated from the copper-cyanide complex. The permeate is then treated (e.g. with activated carbon or elemental zinc) to ultimately obtain elemental gold therefrom. The copper-cyanide complex may either be discarded or treated to recover elemental copper from the complex.

대표청구항 ▼

[ The invention that is claimed is:] [1.] A method for separating and recovering gold from an excavated gold-bearing ore, comprising:providing a supply of an ore comprising both gold and copper therein;placing said ore in contact with a leaching solution comprising cyanide therein, said leaching sol

[ The invention that is claimed is:] [1.] A method for separating and recovering gold from an excavated gold-bearing ore, comprising:providing a supply of an ore comprising both gold and copper therein;placing said ore in contact with a leaching solution comprising cyanide therein, said leaching solution extracting said gold and said copper from said ore when said leaching solution comes in contact with said ore to generate a liquid product comprising a monovalent gold-cyanide complex and a multivalent copper-cyanide complex therein, wherein at least most of said copper in said liquid product is in the form of the multivalent copper-cyanide complex and said liquid product has a pH ranging from about pH 9 to about pH 11;providing at least one nanofiltration membrane, said nanofiltration membrane preventing passage of said copper-cyanide complex therethrough while allowing passage of said gold-cyanide complex; anddelivering at least a portion of said liquid product to said nanofiltration membrane so that said liquid product flows onto said nanofiltration membrane to produce a retentate which does not pass through said nanofiltration membrane and a permeate which passes through said nanofiltration membrane, said retentate comprising at least most of said copper-cyanide complex and said permeate comprising at least most of said gold-cyanide complex, said gold-cyanide complex being separated from said copper-cyanide complex by said nanofiltration membrane.