National University of Science and Technology “MISiS”, Moscow, Russia:

V. A. Bocharov, Professor of a Chair of Concentration and Processing of Minerals and Technogenic Raw Materials
V. A. Ignatkina, Professor of a Chair of Concentration and Processing of Minerals and Technogenic Raw Materials
A. A. Kayumov, Post-Graduate Student of a Chair of Concentration and Processing of Minerals and Technogenic Raw Materials

In this paper we analyzed the practical research and revealed the new factors affecting gold extraction from pyrite copper-zinc ores using combined processes of gravitation, flotation and hydrometallurgy. The relationships between gold extraction and phase composition of gold associations (native free, intergrowths with pyrite and other minerals) were established and analyzed. The gold extraction into gravitation and flotation products is shown to be mostly defined by extraction of gold-bearing pyrite into them. Successive opening of polymineral complexes in inter-cycled extraction with technological scheme opening at a number of Russian factories made it possible to improve the results of refractory pyrite copper-zinc ores separation operations. We also studied the experience of processing of Russian and foreign pyrite products using extraction and chemical leaching. New data was collected on extraction of mineral gold phases depending on the degree of selective detection of polymineral sulfide associations. With examples of many technological researches, the relationships between gold extraction, the “refractory” degree of gold and the ratio of free gold fractions in sulphides intergrowth are shown. Gold extraction during the pyrite products cyanidation depends on two major factors: the depth of mineral associations opening; and the phase composition of gold. These factors in their turn can be defined by a number of other factors: size and nature of mineral complexes intergrowths; the output of sludge; the nature of surface oxide films on the gold particles; temperature and duration of contact with mixture; concentration of solvent and oxidizer; other technological factors. The ways to increase gold extraction from pyrite ores on a basis of deep selective minerals opening were defined.
This work was carried out with the financial support of the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, project No. 17-05-00890, Russian Science Foundation, project No. 14-17-0039.

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