Institute of Chemistry and Chemical Technology SB RAS (Krasnoyarsk, Russia):

Zashikhin A. V., Researcher, Candidate of Engineering Sciences, obog2006@ya.ru

Siberian Federal University (Krasnoyarsk, Russia):

Golsman D. A., Associate Professor, Candidate of Engineering Sciences, golsman_d@mail.ru
Kondratyeva А. А., Senior Lecturer, ankondratieva@mail.ru

Anakon Ltd (St. Petersburg, Russia):

Krivonos A. S., Mineral Processing Engineer, krivonos@minstandart.com

This paper covers the problem of free gold losses in the processing (final treatment) of sluice concentrates at a number of Russian plants. The current processing circuits for sluice concentrates, formed as a result of long-term operation of respective final treatment and testing facilities, are described, as well as the differences in ore dressing process stages caused by specific features of raw materials processed. The aim of this work is to demonstrate the relevance of improvements in processing systems, testing and concentration facilities for sluice concentrates. As a solution to the problem, the study suggests the application of separate storage and subsequent processing methods with account of respective specific features of those concentration products where gold losses are most likely to occur in the primary concentration process due to the inadequacy of concentrating machines or human errors. A testing system for final treatment products is suggested, enabling identification of the scale of gold losses and those specific features of raw materials that facilitate the loss of metal. Losses in final treatment of coarse gravity concentrates to the values required for ingot melting at relatively high-scale primary concentration and final treatment facilities are estimated at one hundred to one thousand grams per season or more. In certain cases, when facilitated by the human factor, gold losses in the trough discharge alone may reach several kilograms per season. Based on the testing results, secondary and primary processing systems for sluice concentrates were recommended and successfully applied, enabling the yield of final treatment tailings with gold contents several times below the planned processing values.

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