Heap Biooxidation of Gold-Sulphide and Polymetallic Ores and Tailings

Heap biooxidation is the most economic option of treating processing plants tailings and refractory ores containing non-ferrous and precious metals and sulphides.Pyrite tailings of copper ore processing (Sample 1), tailings of sulphide copper-nickel ore processing (Sample 2) and double refractory gold-bearing ore (Sample 3) were studied.Autotrophic microorganisms Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans and Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans were used for the tests. The duration of heap biooxidation tests for Samples 1, 2 and 3 was 6, 10 and 16 months, respectively. The rates of copper and zinc recovery into solution during heap biooxidation of Sample 1 were 68% and 71%, respectively; the rates of copper and nickel recovery from Sample 2 were 50% and 75%, respectively. Base metals were extracted from solution to selective high-grade concentrates after biooxidation.Biooxidation tailings of Samples 1 and 3 were leached using an alkaline sodium cyanide solution. The recovery of gold from Sample 1 and Sample 2 was 65% and 85%, respectively.