JSC Polymetal Engineering (St. Petersburg, Russia):

Kovalev V. N., Leading Engineer, Candidate of Engineering Sciences, kovalevVN@polymetal.ru
Golikov V. V., Head of Department of Mineral Processing, Candidate of Engineering Sciences, GolikVV@polymetal.ru
Rylov N. V., Head of Laboratory, RylovNV@polymetal.ru

The Bakyrchikskoye gold sulfide ore deposit (Republic of Kazakhstan) is one of the largest in the CIS territory with proven reserves ranging at 280.5 ton. The studies of various years established, that sulfide ores feature good gravity and flotation dressability, but for a long time industrial utilization of the ore in question failed. This situation is explained by highly rebellious run-of-mine ore and processing end products intended for metallurgical treatment stage. The latter, along with ultrafine dissemination of gold in sulfide minerals, is complicated by presence of significant quantity of disseminated carboniferous matter (the «double-rebellious» ores). Over the period of 60 years, the Bakyrchikskoye deposit ores and processing products were tested by practically all known treatment methods: smelting, roasting, autoclaving, bacterial and others. It should be noted that pyrometallurgical methods of gold recovery are complex in realization and cause significant ecological risks. Application of hydrometallurgical methods of treatment is preferable for numerous reasons, but their realization demands increased requirements to feed material composition. These requirements attach particular importance to beneficiation processing stage. In this type of feed material dressability studies, it is critical to consider most effective methods of decarbonization that permit to lower end products yield, increasing their grade. The results of the beneficiation and metallurgical studies are generalized and analyzed in the paper, also, the approach that permitted the «Polymetall» Company to develop an efficient technology for the Bakyrchikskoye deposit ores processing and proceed with its industrial introduction, is described. It is substantiated, that in commercial development of gold sulfide «double-rebellious» ores deposits, only a comprehensive approach may be effective, distinguished by a beneficiation processing stage, used as a flexible instrument for feed material composition optimization prior to gold recovery by means of state-of-the-art hydrometallurgical methods.

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