LLC “UMMC-Holding”, Verkhnyaya Pyshma, Russia:

E. A. Vasilev, Head of Department of Processing of Secondary Raw Materials (Mining, Concentration Control)
G. N. Rudoy, Mining Executive Officer
A. G. Savin, Deputy Executive Officer on Mining and Concentration, e-mail: a.savin@ugmk.com

There was carried out the assessment of presence and state of cumulated and modern dumps of overburden rocks, substandard ores and wastes of concentration plants of UMMC enterprises. Special attention was paid to the tailing dump of concentration plant of Gai Ore Concentration and Processing Enterprise with the highest volume of cumulated floatation tailings and considerable reserves of valuable components. The tailing dump mapping was carried out for obtaining of information about distribution of valuable components in this technogenic formation and preliminary assessment of reserves. During technological exploratory research on gravity and flotation concentration and hydrometallurgical retreatment of tailings and their concentration products, the preference was given to the flowsheet, including cyanide carbon in leach process. Although application of conventional intensifying chemical methods of sulfide minerals decomposition and extraction of finely disseminated gold before cyanidation (pressure oxidation, oxidizing roasting and bacterial leaching) helps to increase end-to-end gold recovery (up to 74.5–85.2%), it is more than likely that they will not make profitable application of these methods. JSC “Pokrovskiy rudnik” (included in the “Petropavlovsk” group of companies), in scientific collaboration with JSC “Irgiredmet”, carried out continuous pilot tests of cyanide treatment of old pyrite tailings of Gai Ore Concentration and Processing Enterprise in closed mode. The results of laboratory research were proved by pilot tests, and extended economic evaluation of the process is being conducted.

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