Magnitogorsk State Technical named after G. I. Nosov, Magnitogorsk, Russia:

N. L. Medyanik, Head of the Department of Chemistry, e-mail: chem@magtu.ru
E. V. Leonteva, Chief Рrocess Еngineer
E. R. Mullina, Associate Professor of the Department of Chemistry

Institute of Comprehensive Exploitation of Mineral Resources of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia:
I. V. Shadrunova, Head of the Department of Mining ecology

The article substantiates the necessity of processing of stale tailings of the flotation of copper-zinc ores of JSC Uchaly mining and processing enterprise (MPE) to separate the precious metals. The mineral and chemical composition of the flotation tailings has been studied. Based on the results of the phase analysis, the forms of mineral interrelationships of gold are determined and the reasons for their "percictency" in processing are established. The choice of thermochemical processing of stale tails with the use of chlorammonium reagents for the extraction of gold and silver is substantiated. The regularities of sintering of the main mineral components of tailings with chlorammonium reagents and their influence on the extraction of gold, silver and iron were studied. On the basis of the results obtained, a basic technological scheme for processing the stale tailings of flotation of copper-zinc pyrite ores of JSC Uchaly MPE was developed, including their two-stage thermal treatment with ammonium chloride and its mixture with ammonium nitrate. Optimum technological parameters of each stage of processing are established. To implement the developed technology, a basic circuit diagram of the apparatus is proposed, which includes the regeneration of the main reagent — ammonium chloride and the organization of circulating water supply. Results of approbation of the developed technology within the framework of enlarged-laboratory tests on the basis of the research laboratory of JSC Uchaly MPE are presented. The qualitative-quantitative scheme with parameters of extraction in metal products of gold, silver and iron is calculated. It is shown that the proposed technology is resource-replicating, since it allows not only to extract gold, silver and iron from stale tailings, but to use recycled wastes as stowing mixtures for mining operations.
The work was supported by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation, Agreement No. 14.604.21.0128 (unique identifier of the project RFMEFI60414X0128).

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