Predicting the Extent of Preg robbing Ba

Sulfides and carbonaceous materials significantly contribute to the refractoriness observed in gold ore processing, presenting challenges that can lead to reduced gold recovery through a phenomenon known as preg-robbing. This study explores the relationship between the maturity of carbonaceous materials and their impact on preg-robbing tendencies during cyanidation. Building on previous research, the experiment involved simulating carbonaceous gold ores by introducing varying percentages (0%, 1%, 2%, 3%) of different carbonaceous materials, including woodchips, charcoal, and activated carbon, into oxide ores. Results indicated that ores devoid of carbonaceous materials achieved commendable cyanidation recoveries exceeding 90%, while those containing activated carbon exhibited more than a tenfold decrease in recovery rates. Notably, gold recovery from carbonaceous ores varied considerably, contrasting the control by up to 90%. Wood chips, characterized by lower maturity levels, presented the least preg-robbing potential, resulting in the highest recovery among the tested materials. The preg-robbing effects ranked by decreasing severity included activated carbon (88-100%), charcoal (64-86%), and wood chips (10-42%), demonstrating that the degree of maturity of carbonaceous components directly influences their preg-robbing capacity.