Institute of Metallurgy and Ore Beneficiation, Almaty, Republic of Kazakhstan:

S. A. Kvyatkovskiy, Head of Laboratory, e-mail: kvyatkovskiy55@mail.ru
S. M. Kozhakhmetov, Chief Researcher
A. S. Semеnova, Leading Engineer

KazakhMys Corporation LLP, Almaty, Republic of Kazakhstan:

Ye. A. Ospanov, Technical Director

Carbonaceous and arsenic, highly refractory gold ledge ores are the minerals with complex composition and structure. High recovery of noble metals from them is an unsolved problem of the gold mining industry of the world. Our paper detaily reviews the phase compositions, structure and thermal properties of the source gold refractory ores using physical methods that allowed determining conditions of experimental melting. It also provides the results of laboratory tests on direct melting of refractory gold ledge ores using selective pyrometallurgical reduction (SPR) process for gold and other metals recovery to the matte melts. The main experimental crucible melting was carried out using two types of refractory ores of Bakyrchik (East Kazakhstan) deposit having low grade gold content (5,5 g/t Au, 0.8 g/t Ag, 1.0% As), and high grade gold content (12.0 g/t Au, 1.1 g/t Ag and 2.05% As). Pyrite concentrate with high grade gold containing 17.5 g/t Au and 68.7 g/t Ag and copper sulfide concentrate containing 2.0 g/t Au and 103.5 g/t Ag were used as matte-forming flux. A big size crucible melting showed the optional use of the SPR process for processing of highly refractory gold ledge ores of the Bakyrchik deposit, with production of slags containing 0.2–0.57 g/t Au, 0.5–2.6 g/t Ag and 0.01–0.83% Cu and mattes containing up to 70.41 g/t Au and up to 151.55 g/t Ag. Meanwhile, metal recovery to collector matte is at the level of 96-98% for gold and 65–98% for silver. Given the existing gold recovery to matte copper smelting plants operating by the standard process flow, the end-to-end noble metal recovery will be 93–94%.
This article is published within the project implementation of the grant financing of scientific investigations No. 855/ГФ4.

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