Gold Cementation from Ammonium Thiosulfate Solution by Zinc, Copper and Aluminium Powders

• Arima Harunobu

  Graduate Student, Department of Mining Engineering, Queen’s University

• Fujita Toyohisa

  Professor, Faculty of Engineering and Resource Science, Akita University

• Yen Wan-Tai

  Professor, Department of Mining Engineering, Queen’s University

Bibliographic Information

Other Title

• Gold cementation from ammonium thiosulfate solution by zinc, copper and aluminum powders

Abstract

Gold cementation test was conducted without de-aeration by using zinc, copper and aluminium powders from an ammonium thiosulfate solution contained 8 mg/l Au. The amount of metal powder was varied in the range of 30–450 Metal/Gold mass ratio. The solution composition was 1–5 mol/l NH₄OH, 0.01–0.05 mol/l CuSO₄∗5H₂O, 0.2–0.4 mol/l (NH₄)₂S₂O₃ and pH 9.5–10.5. The results indicated that the gold was effectively recovered from a solution of lower ammonia and copper concentrations and higher thiosulfate concentration. The optimum reagent composition for the gold cementation from the ammonium thiosulfate solution was founded to be 1 mol/l NH₄OH, 0.01 mol/l CuSO₄∗5H₂O and 0.4 mol/l (NH₄)₂S₂O₃ at pH 9.5. 100% of gold was recovered by zinc and aluminium powders at a Metal/Gold mass ratio of 30. Copper powder recovered 93% of gold at a Metal/Gold mass ratio of 50. Zinc might re-generate thiosulfate concentration and precipitate most of copper in the solution. Aluminium precipitation might recover gold with less amount of copper deposition and some thiosulfate reduction. Copper precipitation reduced a small amount of thiosulfate concentration and greatly increased copper concentration. Ammonia concentration stayed constant during cementation process.

Journal

• MATERIALS TRANSACTIONS

  MATERIALS TRANSACTIONS 43 (3), 485-493, 2002

  The Japan Institute of Metals and Materials

Keywords

• gold
• zinc
• copper
• aluminium
• thiosulfate
• cementation

Details

• CRID: 1390282679223628800
• NII Article ID: 130004451827
• NII Article ID: 10012321717
• NII Book ID: AA1151294X
• DOI: 10.2320/matertrans.43.485
• COI: 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD38XjsFGrsL4%3D
• ISSN: 13475320
• ISSN: 13459678
• NDL BIB ID: 6111133
• Web Site: https://ndlsearch.ndl.go.jp/books/R000000004-I6111133
• Web Site: https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/matertrans/43/3/43_3_485/_pdf
• Text Lang: en
• Data Source:
  • JaLC
  • NDL
  • Crossref
  • CiNii Articles
• Abstract License Flag: Disallowed