Satbayev University, JSC «Institute of Metallurgy and Ore Beneficiation» (Almaty, Kazakhstan):

Abdykirova G. Zh., Leading Researcher, Candidate of Engineering Sciences, abdgul@mail.ru
Kenzhaliev B. K., General Director, Doctor of Engineering Sciences, bagdaulet_k@mail.ru
Koyzhanova A. K., Head of Laboratory, Candidate of Engineering Sciences, aigul_koizhan@mail.ru
Magomedov D. R., Leading Engineer, Magistrand, davidmag16@mail.ru

The article presents the results of process research for the concentration of a previously unstudied sulfide gold-containing ore from one of the deposits of Kazakhstan. In an X-ray phase analysis, the following minerals were identified in the sample: quartz, chlorite, feldspar, muscovite, and sulfides. The material composition studies demonstrate that up to 52.22 % of gold in the ore sample is free or occurring in intergrowths with pyrite. The results of scanning electron microscopy and X-ray spectral microanalysis indicate that gold is represented by inclusions of petcite and electrum grains in pyrite, with the dimensions of thousandths of a millimeter. It is a specific mineralogical and processing feature of the test ore sample that the gold and pyrite in the sample are mainly represented by finely disseminated elements with the size of thousandths and first tenths of a millimeter, which requires fine grinding of the feed material. The influence of the ore grinding fineness on gold recovery into the flotation concentrate was studied. It was found that, with the grinding size of gravity tailings of 90–95 % class –0.044+0 mm, the gold content in the flotation tailings was reduced to 0.5 g/t. The flotation concentration results obtained confirm the presence of fine and ultrafine gold in the ore and the requirement for applying a staged flotation technology. Under the optimal conditions, the combined gold-bearing concentrate with the gold content of 44.0 g/t was obtained using a gravity/flotation concentration process, with the recovery of 92.86 %.
The research was completed with the financial support of the Science Committee of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan under program No. BR0523640.

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