Production and Characterization of Activated Carbon from Coal for Gold Adsorption in Cyanide Solutions

In this work, activated carbons were produced using coal as raw matter from seven Colombian carboniferous zones. Physical activation was performed in two stages: a carbonization stage with Nitrogen at a temperature of 850 °C and a residence time of 2 h, followed by an activation stage using steam at temperatures of 700 and 850 °C with residence times of 1,5 h and 2,5 h. From the pore volume characterization for the adsorption of gold, two activated carbons from Cundinamarca, obtained at 850 °C (1,5 h), 850 °C (2,5 h), and a commercial carbon (GRC 22) were selected. Gold adsorption tests were performed with those three activated carbons using synthetic aurocyanide solutions and a gold waste solution. The data of the adsorption isotherms were adjusted using the Freundlich adsorption model for the synthetic solution, as well as Langmuir for the waste solution. The results showed that, using a solution of 1 ppm, the activated carbons C-850-2.5 and C- 850-1.5 produced the higher maximum gold loading capacities in the equilibrium (8,7 and 9,3 mg Au/g, respectively) in comparison to the commercial activated carbon (4,7 mg Au/g). Gold adsorption test using a waste solution (21 ppm of gold) showed that the activated carbon C-850-1.5 had the highest value of adsorption capacity (4,58 mg Au/g) compared to C-850-2.5 (2,95 mgAu /g).